High strength, non-metallic transmission chain
AssigneeEnvirex Inc.
InventorJohn A. Fillar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A link assembly for a lightweight, non-metallic, conveyor or load transmission chain having significantly greater strength and other performance improvements compared to previous non-metallic chain links is disclosed. Each link assembly includes: a pair of identical sidebars each comprised of high-strength filamentary material wound in an elongated loop configuration and fixed in a matrix of hardened resin; a connecting pin having a stiff reinforced composite core and a skin-tight sleee of non-abrasive material; low friction bushing means between the sidebars and connecting pin; and retaining means for holding the assembly together. Methods of making the unique sidebar and connecting pin components are also disclosed.
Claims37
A lightweight, high strength, non-metallic chain link assembly, comprising:
- a pair of substantially identical sidebars each comprised of a simple flattened loop circumscribing a continuous, uninterrupted open area and having a pair of substantially straight and parallel opposed center sections integrally connected by opposed smoothly curved end sections, and each sidebar being comprised of high strength filamentary material wound tautly in the configuration of said open loop and fixed in a matrix of hardened resin, said matrix of filamentary material and hardened resin being substantially rectangular in cross-section;
- a freely rotatable, stiff, cylindrical connecting pin comprised of a high strength, corrosion resistant material and disposed laterally through the open areas of said pair of sidebars at one of the corresponding ends of said pair of sidebars for connecting said pair of sidebars with an overlapping pair of like sidebars of an adjacent link assembly in a chain;
- friction reducing means comprised of a non-metallic, corrosion resistant material characterized by a low coefficient of friction relative to the material of the pin and sidebars and disposed between said connecting pin and each of said sidebars to permit free relative rotation between said sidebars and said pin, and
- means at the ends of the pin for retaining said link assembly together.
A high strength, non-metallic chain consisting of a string of overlapping and articulately interconnected links each of which comprises:
- a pair of identical sidebars, each comprised of high strength filamentary material convolutely wound into an elongated loop circumscribing a continuous uninterrupted open area and fixed in a matrix of hardened resin, said matrix of filamentary material and hardened resin being substantially rectangular in cross-section and the ends of said loop sidebars being smoothly curved;
- a cylindrical connecting pin of composite non-metallic material extending laterally through the curved ends of the open area in said pair of sidebars and the overlapping curved open ends of the identical sidebars of an adjacent link to articulately connect the sidebars of said two links:
- circular bushings comprised of a low friction plastic material and disposed respectively between each of said sidebars and said connecting pin, said connecting pin being freely rotatable in all of said bushings;
- and
- means for retaining all of said sidebar ends and bushings between the ends of said connecting pin.
In a chain link assembly comprising a pair of loop shaped sidebars and a laterally extending connecting pin about which said sidebars can articulate with respect to an overlapping pair of identical sidebars of an adjacent link connected by said pin, and wherein said sidebars and pin are all made of non-corrosive, non-metallic material, the improvement wherein:
- said sidebars circumscribe an uninterrupted open area and are comprised of an unshielded abrasive composite material comprised of high strength filamentary material convolutely wound in the configuration of said open loop and fixed in a matrix of hardened resin, said matrix of filamentary material and hardened resin being substantially rectangular in cross-section;
- and further comprising:
- separate wear reducing means disposed between each of said abrasive sidebars and said connecting pin.
A lightweight, high strength, non-metallic chain link assembly, comprising:
- a pair of substantially identical sidebars each comprised of a flattened loop circumscribing an open area and having a pair of substantially straight and parallel opposed center sections integrally connected by opposed smoothly curved end sections, and each sidebar being comprised of high strength filamentary material wound tautly in the configuration of said open loop and fixed in a matrix of hardened resin, said matrix of filamentary material and hardened resin being substantially rectangular in cross-section;
- a freely rotatable, stiff, cylindrical connecting pin comprised of a high strength, corrosion resistant material and disposed laterally through the open areas of said pair of sidebars at one of the corresponding ends of said pair of sidebars for connecting said pair of sidebars with an overlapping pair of like sidebars of an adjacent link assembly in a chain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.