Patent ID: 8012054

Claim:
A silent chain comprising an elongated series of widthwise rows of link plates, each link plate comprising a pair of sprocket-engaging portions and a pair of pin holes for receiving connecting pins, the adjacent rows being interleaved and articulably interconnected by connecting pins whereby the chain is in the form of an endless loop, wherein: each connecting pin is composed of a joint pin and a rocker pin, both extending widthwise of the chain, and being in rocking contact with each other, with one of said joint pin and said rocker pin being forward of the other along the direction of elongation of the chain; the link plates comprise a first set of link plates having a first engagement pitch, and a second set of link plates having a second engagement pitch different from said first engagement pitch; the link plates of the first and second sets are disposed along the length of the chain; the connecting pins of the chain have multiple different thicknesses measured in the direction of the length of the chain; the connecting pins of each different thickness are disposed along the length of the chain; and the connecting pins of the chain comprise a first connecting pin composed of a rocker pin having a first rocker pin thickness and a joint pin having a first joint pin thickness, a second connecting pin composed of a rocker pin having a second rocker pin thickness different from said first rocker pin thickness and a joint pin having a second joint pin thickness different from said first joint pin thickness, and a third connecting pin composed of a rocker pin having one of said first and second rocker pin thicknesses and a joint pin having one of said first and second joint pin thicknesses, in which, if the rocker pin of the third connecting pin has said first rocker pin thickness, the joint pin of the third connecting pin has said second joint pin thickness, and, if the rocker pin of third connecting in has said second rocker pin thickness, the joint pin of the third connecting pin has said first joint pin thickness.