Load supporting chain and sprocket supporting structure therefor

Claim 1

A compression chain arrangement for transmitting compression forces in a single straight line, comprising a plurality of rollers and a plurality of roller chain links having roller connecting plates each of which have parallel end edges extending perpendicular to a line extending between the axes of rollers connected thereby, whereby each of such edges of a side plate will abut the like edge of an adjacent plate in compression transmitting relation when such plates are disposed along said line of compression forces but permit said chain to flex in one direction transverse to said line but not in the opposite direction, said connecting plates being arranged in two rows at each side of the chain, supporting pins, each carrying one of said rollers, each pin being connected at its outer ends by a connecting plate of one row with the adjacent leading pin, and by a connecting plate of the other row with the adjacent trailing pin, a sprocket having teeth meshed with said chain, said sprocket being disposed at the side of said chain which will permit flexing of the latter about said sprocket, the outermost edges of said side plates being arcuate in shape and disposed in an arc concentric with the sprocket axis as they pass therearound, and a plurality of freely rotatable rollers mounted on fixed axes extending parallel to one another and the sprocket axis and lying in an arc concentric thereto, a plurality of said rollers having their axes lying in planes extending parallel to said line of compression forces and intersecting abutting end edges of plates disposed therealong, whereby compression forces on said chain along said line in a direction toward said rollers are distributed between teeth on said sprocket and a plurality of said rollers.