Patent ID: 8491430

Claim:
A roller chain assembly comprising: a frame; a pair of sprockets rotatably mounted on the frame, each sprocket rotatable about a respective axis of rotation; a roller chain extending around the frame and engaging the sprockets to be driven by the sprockets; the roller chain comprising a plurality of interconnected chain links and a plurality of first plates rigidly attached to the chain links for conjoint movement with the chain links; each chain link comprising spaced-apart first and second walls configured to receive a sprocket therebetween for engaging the sprocket, the first and second walls spaced apart in a first direction that, when the chain link is engaged with one of the sprockets, is parallel with the axis of rotation of the engaged sprocket; the roller chain defining a loop extending around the frame, the frame comprising an outer peripheral surface fixed with respect to said axes of rotation, the surface extending between the sprockets and facing a portion of the loop; each first plate attached to and extending from a respective first wall of the chain link, the first plate extending outwardly beyond the chain link away from the walls in a direction parallel with said first direction; each first plate having a first side on a radially inner side of the loop and an opposite second side, the first side of the plate facing the surface of the frame when the plate is located in said portion of the loop; each first plate comprising a plurality of bearings mounted to the first side for conjoint movement of the bearings with the first plate, the bearings spaced apart from one another and extending away from the first side of the plate in a second direction substantially perpendicular with the first direction, the bearings engagable against the surface of the frame when the first plate is located in said loop portion and is being urged towards the frame whereby the bearings support the first plate against deflection towards the surface of the frame and space the first side of the plate from the frame surface if the bearings engage the surface of the frame.