Chain
US6393820B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16G13/08
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A chain such as these used in a fork lift truck carriage lifting mechanism has a plurality of interleaved link assemblies each having a pair of outer link plates and a plurality of intermediate link plates. The outer link plate has a strength less than that of any intermediate link plate when measured in an unassembled state. The reduced strength may be achieved by a reduction in thickness or head area of the link plate. The outer link plates may have a stiffness of 60% to 90% of the average stiffness across the chain and a first group of intermediate link plates of certain chain configurations have a stiffness of 70% to 90% of the average stiffness of the chain. The invention provides for a chain in which the load is more evenly shared between link plates and allows a single composite chain to be replaced by two smaller chains without loss of load capacity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.