Patent ID: 8555610

Claim:
A method of protecting a lumber drag chain comprising: a metal chain having a plurality of outer and inner metal links movably connected by pins, each chain link having an outer surface, a top side surface and a bottom side surface; and a plurality of spaced-apart lugs each connected to an associated metal chain link, the lugs each comprising an elongated metal strip extending from a bottom of the associated metal chain link, the lug having a first surface that is substantially parallel with the outer surface of the associated metal link, a lumber contacting side surface, and a second side surface opposite the lumber contacting side surface, the method comprising: applying a lug guard to the lug, the lug guard contacting at least a portion of the first surface of the lug and contacting at least a portion of the lumber contacting side surface or the second side surface of the lug, the lug guard extending beyond the lumber contacting side surface so that during use lumber contacts the lug guard and not the lumber contacting side surface, and the lug guard having a weld hole constructed to receive a metal weld washer; inserting a metal weld washer into the weld hole and welding the weld washer to the metal strip, wherein the lug guard is held in place by the single weld washer and the lug guard is prevented from rotating by the lug guard contacting at least one of the lumber contacting side surface or the second side surface of the lug; applying a chain guard to a first metal chain link, the chain guard contacting at least a portion of the outer surface of the first metal chain link, the chain guard having indents or holes constructed to allow the pins in the first metal chain link to extend within the chain guard so that the chain guard can contact the outer surface of the first metal chain link, the chain guard extending beyond a bottom side surface of the first metal chain link so that during use lumber contacts the chain guard and the lug guard, and not the first metal link or the lug, the chain guard engaging at least a portion of a top side surface of the first metal chain link or the bottom side surface of the first metal chain link, the chain guard being constructed to allow adjacent chain links to rotate about the pins connecting the adjacent chain links to the first metal chain link, and the chain guard having a second weld hole constructed to receive a metal weld washer; and inserting a second metal weld washer into the second weld hole and welding the second weld washer to the outer surface of the first metal chain link, wherein the chain guard is held in place by the single second weld washer and the chain guard is prevented from rotating by the chain guard contacting at least one of the top or bottom side surfaces of the first metal chain link.