Patent ID: 7546726

Claim:
A chain including a chain unit, said chain unit comprising: a pair of first and second plate units, each of which includes two chain plates adjacent to each other and arranged in an inner-to-outer direction and has an inner side surface, said inner side surfaces of said first and second plate units facing each other, each of said chain plates of each of said first and second plate units having a topside; a link pin interconnecting said plate units to define a between-plate space between said inner side surfaces of said first and second plate units and extending in the inner-to-outer direction; and a protection device including a first protective member extending integrally from said topside of at least one of said chain plates of said first plate unit, spaced apart from said second plate unit, and having a shielding portion for covering at least a portion of an upper end of said between-plate space; wherein said chain plates of each of said first and second plate units are configured as inner and outer chain plates, said inner chain plates of said first and second plate units being located between said outer chain plates of said first and second plate units; wherein said first protective member is configured as a plate, and extends from said topside of said outer chain plate of said first plate unit toward said topside of said outer chain plate of said second plate unit; wherein said topside of said outer chain plate of said first plate unit is disposed below said topside of said outer chain plate of said second plate unit, said first protective member extending from said topside of said outer chain plate of said first plate unit toward said topside of said outer chain plate of said second plate unit and ending at a position adjacent to and spaced apart from said topside of said outer chain plate of said second plate unit in the inner-to-outer direction.