Drive chain for driving shafts on wheels, especially for camshaft drives of internal combustion engines

Claim 2

Drive chain for driving shafts and wheels arranged with axes parallel to each other in a housing consisting essentially of a light alloy, especially for driving a camshaft of internal combustion engines, wherein the drive chain comprises individual, movably assembled members including side straps, bolts operatively connected with each other by the side straps and rollers operatively mounted at the bolts, characterized in that the side straps consist of a material having a temperatureexpansion coefficient at least nearly equal to the temperatureexpansion coefficient of the material of the housing.

Claim 3

Drive chain according to claim 1, wherein the housing consists of magnesium alloy, and the side straps consist of a material of high temperature-resistant steel containing a preponderate content of manganese and nickel.

Claim 4

Drive chain according to claim 2, wherein the housing has a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 26 X 10 6 m/m . * C, and the side strap material has a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 21 X 10 6 m/m . * C.

Claim 5

Drive chain according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 26 X 10 6 m/m . * C, and the side strap material has a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 21 X 10 6 m/m . * C.

Claim 6

A drive chain and housing arrangement comprising a housing, a first wheel rotatably supported in said housing for rotation about a first axis, a second wheel supported for rotation about a second axis which is parallel to and spaced from said first axis, and a drive chain drivingly connecting said first and second wheels with a predetermined relative rotation of said first and second wheels, said drive chain including a plurality of individual relatively movable chain units interconnected with one another, wherein the temperature-expansion coefficient of the chain units is approximately equal to the temperature-expansion coefficient of the material of the housing, whereby thermal expansion of said housing is compensated for by corresponding thermal expansion of said chain units so as to maintain said predetermined relative rotation between said first and second wheels over varying temperature conditions.

Claim 7

A drive chain and housing arrangement comprising a housing, a first wheel rotatably supported in said housing for rotation about a first axis, a second wheel supported for rotation about a second axis which is parallel to and spaced from said first axis, and a drive chain drivingly connecting said first and second wheels with a predetermined relative rotation of said first and second wheels, said drive chain including a plurality of individual relatively movable chain units interconnected with one another, wherein the temperature-expansion coefficient of the chain units is approximately equal to the temperature-expansion coefficient of the material of the housing, whereby thermal expansion of said housing is compensated for by corresponding thermal expansion of said chain units so as to maintain said predetermined relative rotation between said first and second wheels over varying temperature conditions.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said first wheel is connected to a camshaft of an internal combustion engine, and said second wheel is connected to a crankshaft of said internal combustion engine.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein a chain tensioning device is positioned between said first and second wheels for guiding said drive chain.

Claim 10

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein each of said chain units includes a pair of side straps interconnected with one another by bolts and rollers operatively mounted at the bolts, and wherein the temperature-expansion coefficient of said side straps is approximately equal to the temperature-expansion coefficient of the material of the housing.

Claim 11

An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said rollers extend parallel to said first and second axes.

Claim 12

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the housing consists of magnesium alloy, and wherein the chain units include a material of high temperature-resistant steel containing a preponderate content of manganese and nickel.

Claim 13

An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the housing has a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 26 X 10 6 m/m . * C, and the chain units include a material having a temperature-expansion coefficient of approximately 21 X 10 6 m/m . * C.