Energy-conducting chain made from plastics material

Claim 1

An energy conducting chain comprising: first and second spaced side plate chains, each of said chains comprising a plurality of pairs of side plates pivotally connected in series and substantially parallel to each other said side plates including upper, lower, inside, and outside surfaces, at least some of the side plates of said first and second chains defining recesses in said upper and lower surfaces; pairs of cross-piece members extending laterally between said first and second side plate chains at intervals along the lengths of said side plate chains; locking member integrally formed at opposite ends of each of said cross-piece members and each locking member including an extension for mating with the recess of a side plate of said side plate chains, a spring biased stop tongue attached to opposite ends of said cross-piece members and located inwardly of said locking members, each stop tongue including a free end with a stop projection thereon, said stop tongues being spring biased in direction parallel to the longitudinall extent of its respective cross-piece member; each of said side plates including, on the inside surface thereof, an inclined guide surface which terminates in a stop surface adapted to be engaged by said stop projection and form with said stop tongue a releasable snap connection between said cross-piece member and said side plate chain; and an opening formed in each end of said cross-piece members, each opening in registration with said spring biased stop tongue, said opening oriented to permit an elongated tool to be inserted longitudinally into said opening and urged against said spring biased stop tongue and move said stop projection out of engagement with said stop surface.