Segmented sprocket

Claim 2

A sprocket for tabletop chain which comprises a hub plus a plurality of segments that intimately encircle said hub, said hub having a central opening therethrough to accommodate a shaft and having a wide, machined, convex, outer surface thereon and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets therein which are spaced outwardly from said central opening and which open to said outer surface, each of said segments being arcuate in side elevation and having a wide, machined, concave, inner surface thereon and having a plurality of sprocket teeth at the outer periphery thereof and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passages extending all the way therethrough, said sprocket teeth and the portions of said segments which are intermediate the roots of said sprocket teeth defining spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being formed so they are permanently in register with some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth and said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being disposed in register with said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced threaded sockets in said hub, the shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments opening to said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments and of each sprocket tooth thereon being substantially equal to the width of said outer surface of said hub, the length of each of said some spaces between said adjacent sprocket teeth being greater, in a direction parallel to the geometric axis of said hub, than the diameter of the shoulder of the radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passage which opens to said some space, said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being spaced substantial distances inwardly from the ends of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth to assure full strength for those portions of said segments which are intermediate said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments and said ends of said some spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments being at least as great as the pitch of said sprocket teeth, and fasteners which have the heads thereof telescoped into said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said some spaces between said sprocket teeth to be clear of all parts of said tabletop chain and which have the shanks thereof telescoped into said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets in said hub.

Claim 3

A sprocket for tabletop chain which comprises a hub plus a plurality of segments that intimately encircle said hub, said hub having a central opening therethrough to accommodate a shaft and having a wide, machined, convex, outer surface thereon and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets therein which are spaced outwardly from said central opening and which open to said outer surface, each of said segments being arcuate in side elevation and having a wide, machined, concave, inner surface thereon and having a plurality of sprocket teeth at the outer periphery thereof and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passages extending all the way therethrough, said sprocket teeth and the portions of said segments which are intermediate the roots of said sprocket teeth defining spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being formed so they are permanently in register with some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth and said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being disposed in register with said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced threaded sockets in said hub, the shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments opening to said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments and of each sprocket tooth thereon being substantially equal to the width of said outer surface of said hub, the length of each of said some spaces beween said adjacent sprocket teeth being greater, in a direction parallel to the geometric axis of said hub, than the diameter of the shoulder of the radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passage which opens to said some space, said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being spaced substantial distances inwardly from the ends of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth to assure full strength for those portions of said segments which are intermediate said shoulders of said radially directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments and said ends of said some spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments being at least as great as the pitch of said sprocket teeth, and fasteners which have the heads thereof telescoped into said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said some spaces between said segments to be clear of all parts of said tabletop chain and which have the shanks thereof telescoped into said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets in said hub, each of said segments having threaded sockets in at least one side face thereof which have axes generally parallel to said geometric axis of said hub when said segments are assembled with said hub, a segmented annular, side plate disposable in engagement with said one side faces of said segments, said segmented, annular, side plate having a plurality of passages therethrough which can be disposed in register with said threaded sockets in said segments, and fasteners having the shanks thereof passing through said passages in said segmented annular side plate and seated in said threaded sockets in said segments to releasably secure said segmented annular side plate to said one side faces of said segments, whereby said segmented annular side plate is not directly secured to said hub but is indirectly secured to said hub by being secured to said segments and by said segments being secured to said hub.

Claim 4

A sprocket for tabletop chain which comprises a hub plus a plurality of segments that intimately encircle said hub, said hub having a central opening therethrough to accommodate a shaft and having a wide, machined, convex, outer surface thereon and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets therein which are spaced outwardly from said central opening and which open to said outer surface, each of said segments being arcuate in side elevation and having a wide, machined, concave, inner surface thereon and having a plurality of sprocket teeth at the outer periphery thereof and having a plurality of radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passages extending all the way therethrough, said sprocket teeth and the portions of said segments which are intermediate the roots of said sprocket teeth defining spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being formed so they are permanently in register with some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth and said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being disposed in register with said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced threaded sockets in said hub, the shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments opening to said some of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments and of each sprocket tooth thereon being substantially equal to the width of said outer surface of said hub, the length of each of said some spaces beween said adjacent sprocket teeth being greater, in a direction parallel to the geometric axis of said hub, than the diameter of the shoulder of the radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, shouldered passage which opens to said some space, said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments being spaced substantial distances inwardly from the ends of said spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth to assure full strength for those portions of said segments which are intermediate said shoulders of said radially directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said segments and said ends of said some spaces between adjacent sprocket teeth, the width of each of said segments being at least as great as the pitch of said sprocket teeth, and fasteners which have the heads thereof telescoped into said shoulders of said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced shouldered passages in said some spaces between said segments to be clear of all parts of said tabletop chain and which have the shanks thereof telescoped into said radially-directed, circumferentially-spaced, threaded sockets in said hub, each of said segments having threaded sockets in at least one side face thereof which have axes generally parallel to said geometric axis of said hub when said segments are assembled with said hub, a segmented annular, side plate disposable in engagement with said one side faces of said segments, said segmented, annular, side plate having a plurality of passages therethrough which can be disposed in register with said threaded sockets in said segments, and fasteners having the shanks thereof passing through said passages in said segmented annular side plate and seated in said threaded sockets in said segments to releasably secure said segmented annular side plate to said one side faces of said segments, whereby said segmented annular side plate is not directly secured to said hub but is indirectly secured to said hub by being secured to said segments and by said segments being secured to said hub.