Patent ID: 6432011
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: F16G

Abstract:
A silent chain comprising:a number of link modules adjacent to each other and articulately connected together in an endless fashion by rocker joint pins, each of said link modules comprising at least one link plate having a pair of spaced meshing portions on one side thereof, and a pair of pin holes spaced in the longitudinal direction of said link plate, each of said rocker joint pins being inserted through pin holes in the link plates of two adjacent ones of said link modules, wherein said rocker joint pins include a plurality of first rocker joint pins and a plurality of second rocker joint pins arranged in a random pattern along the length of said silent chain, each rocker joint pin comprising a pair of pins in back-to-back relationship with respective arcuately convex rocker surfaces held in rolling contact with each other and contacting each other at contact lines, wherein each said first rocker joint pin comprises a combination of a first longer pin and a first shorter pin disposed back-to-back within the same Qin hole, said first longer and shorter pins having different thicknesses as measured in a direction of pitch between contact lines of the back-to-back pins of successive rocker joint pins when said silent chain is disposed in a straight-line, and wherein each said second rocker joint pin comprises a combination of a second longer pin and a second shorter pin disposed back-to-back within the same pin hole, said second longer and shorter pins having different thicknesses as measured in said direction of pitch when said silent chain is disposed in a straight-line, the thickness of at least one of said second longer and shorter pins being different from the thickness of a corresponding one of said first longer and shorter pins, whereby the chain has at least three different pitches along its length.