System for connecting a portion of chain to the inner ring of an anti-skid device with limited bulk
AssigneeThule, Inc.
InventorsArrigoni Neri Marco, Farina Luigi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system (5, 60) is described for connecting portions of chain (10) to the inner ring (3) of an anti-skid device (2). The portions of chain (10) comprise chains with twisted links (11). The connecting system (5, 60) comprises a U-bolt element (50) constrained to the inner ring (3) and an end link (60) of the portion of chain (10). The end link (60) has a twisted portion (61) connected to a twisted link (11) of the portion of chain (10) and a flat and straight portion (62) connected to the U-bolt element (50).
Claims4
A system (5, 60) for connecting portions of chain (10) to the inner ring (3) of an anti-skid device wherein:
- said portions of chain (10) comprise chains with twisted links (11), each twisted link having two opposite portions disposed on two planes at 90° to each other,
- said connecting system (5, 60) comprising:
- a U-bolt element (50) constrained to said inner ring (3), and
- an end link (60) defining an end of the portion of chain (10),
- characterized in that said end link (60) comprises a flat and straight portion (62) connected to said U-bolt element (50) and a twisted portion (61) connected to a twisted link (11) of the portion of chain (10), said twisted portion (61) being inclined by about 45° with respect to the plane on which said flat and straight portion (62) of the end link lies;
- and in that in that said twisted-link portion of chain comprises a plurality of said twisted links (11), each consisting of a substantially elliptical annular element which is twisted by bending the end parts thereof by 45° in one direction and in the opposite direction around the major axis thereof, so as to give rise to two portions disposed on two planes at 90° to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.