Chain and sprocket power transmitting mechanism

Claim 2

A sprocket drive mechanism including (1) a chain having a plurality of substantially identical pivotally interconnected links having substantially identical teeth adapted to mesh with sprocket teeth, and (2) a sprocket having a first set of substantially equally spaced teeth positioned and shaped to provide flank contact of the flanks of said chain teeth during rolling action of said chain on said sprocket and a predetermined root diameter, and a second set of teeth having a predetermined greater root diameter than said first set and having one relieved flank adjacent each root on the driven side thereof, said first and second sets of teeth being disposed in random order wherein the flanks of said chain teeth contact the oppositely disposed flanks of the first set of teeth at irregularly spaced times and the tips of said chain teeth contact the root only of each of said second set of teeth at irregularly spaced times so as to minimize noise.

Claim 3

A drive transmitting mechanism comprising driving and driven sprockets rotatable about axes spaced from each other a fixed sprocket center distance, upstanding sprocket teeth formed on each of said sprockets, a chain for transmitting torque between said sprockets, said chain including a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and having teeth adapted to mesh with said sprocket teeth, the upstanding teeth on said driving sprocket being a full complement of equally spaced teeth of conventional length and size and providing flank contact of the flanks of said chain teeth and adjacent sprocket teeth during rolling action of said chain on said driving sprocket, the upstanding teeth on said driven sprocket including a first plurality of teeth of conventional length and size, and a second plurality of teeth having roots on a diameter a predetermined amount larger than the root diameter of said conventional teeth and each of said second plurality of teeth having one relieved flank adjacent each root on the driven side thereof, said first and second pluralities of teeth being disposed in respective random patterns wherein the flanks of said chain teeth contact the oppositely disposed flanks of adjacent conventional teeth and the tips of said chain teeth contact the root only of each of said second plurality of teeth during rolling action of said chain on said driven sprocket thereby miminizing gear noise.

Claim 4

A drive transmitting mechanism comprising driving and driven sprockets rotatable about axes spaced from each other a fixed sprocket center distance, upstanding sprocket teeth formed on each of said sprockets, a chain for transmitting torque between said sprockets, said chain including a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and having teeth adapted to mesh with said sprocket teeth, the upstanding teeth on said driving sprocket being a full complement of equally spaced teeth of conventional length and size and providing flank contact of the flanks of said chain teeth and adjacent sprocket teeth during rolling action of said chain on said driving sprocket, the upstanding teeth on said driven sprocket including a first plurality of teeth of conventional length and size, and a second plurality of teeth having roots on a diameter a predetermined amount larger than the root diameter of said conventional teeth and each of said second plurality of teeth having one relieved flank adjacent each root on the driven side thereof, said first and second pluralities of teeth being disposed in respective random patterns wherein the flanks of said chain teeth contact the oppositely disposed flanks of adjacent conventional teeth and the tips of said chain teeth contact the root only of each of said second plurality of teeth during rolling action of said chain on said driven sprocket thereby miminizing gear noise.

Claim 5

In a drive transmitting mechanism comprising driving and driven sprockets rotatable about axes spaced from each other a fixed sprocket center distance, a chain for transmitting torque between the sprockets, the chain including a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and having teeth adapted to mesh with the sprocket teeth, the teeth on the driving sprocket being a full complement of equally spaced involute teeth of conventional length and size and providing flank contact of the flanks of the chain teeth and adjacent sprocket teeth during chordal action of the chain on the driving sprocket, the improvement comprising teeth on the driven sprocket including a first plurality of teeth of conventional length and size, and a second plurality of teeth having roots on a diameter a predetermined amount larger than the root diameter of the conventional teeth and each of the second plurality of teeth having one relieved flank adjacent each root on the driven side thereof, the first and second pluralities of teeth being disposed in respective random patterns wherein the flanks of the chain teeth contact at least the oppositely disposed flanks on the drive side of adjacent conventional teeth and the tips of the chain teeth contact the root only of each of the second plurality of teeth during chordal action of the chain on the driven sprocket, thereby minimizing gear noise.

Claim 6

In a drive transmitting mechanism comprising driving and driven sprockets rotatable about axes spaced from each other a fixed sprocket center distance, a chain for transmitting torque between the sprockets, the chain including a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and having teeth adapted to mesh with the sprocket teeth, the teeth on the driving sprocket being a full complement of equally spaced involute teeth of conventional length and size and providing flank contact of the flanks of the chain teeth and adjacent sprocket teeth during chordal action of the chain on the driving sprocket, the improvement comprising teeth on the driven sprocket including a first plurality of teeth of conventional length and size, and a second plurality of teeth having roots on a diameter a predetermined amount larger than the root diameter of the conventional teeth and each of the second plurality of teeth having one relieved flank adjacent each root on the driven side thereof, the first and second pluralities of teeth being disposed in respective random patterns wherein the flanks of the chain teeth contact at least the oppositely disposed flanks on the drive side of adjacent conventional teeth and the tips of the chain teeth contact the root only of each of the second plurality of teeth during chordal action of the chain on the driven sprocket, thereby minimizing gear noise.