# US 7,080,728 B2 · Forged chain and flight assembly and method of making same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,080,728 B2 - Document ID: US7080728B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/938,916 - Filed: 2004-09-11 - Published: 2006-03-16 - Granted: 2006-07-25 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-11 - Assignees: 4B Elevator Components, Ltd. - Inventors: Aden Michael Gunston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7080728B2 ## CPC - B65G 19/24: Attachment of impellers to traction element - B65G 19/08: and attached to a single belt, rope or chain - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract The forged chain link and flight assembly and method of making same provide for use of a hollow sleeve for engaging link ends together and engaging flights to the link through engagement of a suitable connector through the flights and the sleeve to make the flights easily replaceable. As an alternative embodiment a solid sleeve incorporating threaded ends is also proposed for use in engaging flights to a forged chain link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A forged chain link and flight assembly comprising a forged chain link having a male end and a female end which cooperates with an opposite end of an adjacent link to form a chain, each end having a throughbore therein which cooperates with a throughbore in the opposite end of an adjacent link to form a bore for receiving a connector therein for creating a forged link chain wherein the links pivot relative to each other, the improvement comprising; the connector being configured in the form of a hollow sleeve extending through substantially an entire length of the bore, a separate flight which is tightenable against each lateral side of the female end of a chain link with a nut and elongate bolt, the elongate bolt extending through a bore in each flight and the hollow sleeve which joins the links together. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the flight includes a base having said bore therein and a body portion which extends laterally away from the base and the link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2 wherein the flight is plastic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2 wherein the flight is metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2 wherein a reinforcement is nested within a curved area between the base and the body of the flight. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5 wherein the reinforcement has a bore therein which aligns with the bore in the base of the flight. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly of claim 6 wherein said bolt extends through the base of a reinforcement and flight and the hollow sleeve therebetween, the bolt receiving said nut on one end thereof, said nut being a locking nut. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 including a positioning device for keeping each flight in appropriate position relative to the link. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8 wherein the positioning device comprises a pin fixed to a lateral surface of the female end of the link, the pin engaging within a slot provided in the base of the flight. ### Claim 10 A method for producing a forged chain link and flight assembly comprising a forged chain link having a male end and a female end which cooperates with an opposite end of an adjacent link to form a chain, each end having a throughbore therein which cooperates with a throughbore in the opposite end of an adjacent link to form a bore for receiving a connector therein for creating a forged link chain wherein the links pivot relative to each other, the improvement comprising engaging a flight to each lateral side of the female end of a chain link using a nut and elongate bolt which extend through the connector which joins the links together, the method including the steps of: engaging a male end of a link with a female end of an adjacent link; placing a connector into aligned bores of the engaged link ends; positioning a flight over each lateral side of the female end of the link; and tightening down the flights against the engaged links using a nut and elongate bolt, the elongate bolt extending through a bore in each flight and the connector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further including aligning a slot in each flight over an alignment pin if such is provided on the link. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein a strengthening device for a flight is also engaged to the links by the nut and elongate bolt. ### Claim 13 A forged chain link and flight assembly comprising a forged chain link having a male end and a female end which cooperates with an opposite end of an adjacent link to form a chain, each end having a throughbore therein which cooperates with a throughbore in the opposite end of an adjacent link to form a bore for receiving a connector therein for creating a forged link chain wherein the links pivot relative to each other, the improvement comprising engaging a separate flight to each lateral side of the female end of a chain link using the connector which joins the links together, the connector comprising a hollow sleeve which seats within the bore and has a threaded interior and receives a bolt into each end thereof, the bolt passing through a respective flight to one side of the female end and extending into the sleeve.