Abstract: A tensioner for a closed loop power transmission system for an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft terminating in a sprocket and at least one camshaft, each terminating in a sprocket, with a single continuous chain wrapping around all of the sprockets. The tensioner contains a pair of elongated tensioning arms, each one in slidable contact with one of the two strands of chain that traverses between the driving sprocket and the driven sprocket(s). Each tensioning arm contains a wear face that remains in constant slidable contact with the strand of chain to which it is adjacent. An adjusting arm connects one of the ends of the tensioning arms. The adjusting arm has a ratchet means that adjusts for the backlash in the system and takes up any slack in the chain.

Abstract: An improved sprocket profile for engaging a roller or bush chain smoothly and preventing radial impact with the root of the tooth during engagement. Contact between the sprocket teeth and the roller chain is altered by providing teeth with a root radius equivalent to that of the chain engaging component, with the center point of the root radius located one chordal distance inside the sprocket's pitch circle. This profile allows chain rollers or bushings to impact sprocket teeth tangentially on their flanks rather than radially on their tooth root.

Abstract: A closed loop chain tensioner system having a drive sprocket, one or more driven sprockets, a first mechanical tensioner located adjacent a slack strand and a second mechanical tensioner located adjacent a tight strand. Each tensioner is independently pivotally mounted to the engine block. The mounting point may be located at any point along the length of each tensioner. The tensioners are then linked to each other by a rigid, solid link. This solid link enables the tensioners to act in unison, thus providing damping across both strands of chain in response to engine torsional variations.

Abstract: A tensioner for imparting tension to a chain having a body, a resilient chain guide element a support member and at least one blade spring. The body contains at least one groove on its surface adjacent to the resilient chain guide for containing a blade spring in compression. The length of the blade spring is less than the length of the support member.

Abstract: A tensioner for imparting tension to a chain having a body, a resilient chain guide element, at least one blade spring, and at least one bracket. The body of the tensioner has a surface with a profile of the path of a new chain and a groove found longitudinally along the length of the surface. The resilient chain guide element, on the surface of the body has a chain contact surface and two ends wrapped around the ends of the body, with the chain guide being sufficiently larger than the body, such that the chain contact surface is capable of being biased away from the body. The blade spring is present in the groove with its end in the containments means of the groove, biasing the chain guide out and away from the body. At least one bracket is fixedly attached to the body and has a pivot.

Abstract: A tensioner for imparting tension to a chain having a body, a resilient chain guide element, at least one blade spring, and at least one bracket. The body of the tensioner has a surface with a profile of the path of a new chain and a groove found longitudinally along the length of the surface. The resilient chain guide element, on the surface of the body has a chain contact surface and two ends wrapped around the ends of the body, with the chain guide being sufficiently larger than the body, such that the chain contact surface is capable of being biased away from the body. The blade spring is present in the groove with its end in the containments means of the groove, biasing the chain guide out and away from the body.

Abstract: A blade tensioner comprising a blade shoe with a proximal end pivotally attached to the bracket and a distal end of a clevis shape having a raised portion and a recessed portion for receiving a semicircular ratchet wheel, with an edge of the raised portion defined by a radial journal in between a pair of shoulders. The ratchet wheel is pivotally attached to the recessed portion of the distal end of the blade shoe having a plurality of ratchet teeth, a pair of shoulders, and a reduced diameter portion forming a bearing surface with the radial journal of the raised portion of the distal end. A ramp surface having a plurality of ramp teeth that receives the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel and allows freedom of movement in the direction of the pivot pin, but limits movement in the opposite direction to the designated backlash.

Abstract: A chain tensioning device links multiple tensioning arms to a common link, causing the tensioning arms to rotate into and displace chain strands with a single applied force and motion. The two tensioning arms rotate and tension proportionally, and when the pivot pin distances are equal, the two tensioning arms rotate and tension equally. The chain tensioner is preferably used to tension two slack chains flanking an auxiliary drive shaft. The chain tensioner is biased against the chain by a hydraulic tensioning assembly in one embodiment and by a spring tensioning assembly in another embodiment.

Abstract: A tensioner system imparting tension to a chain comprising a pair of tensioner arms, at least one link piece, and a tensioner. The pair of tensioner arms have a pivoting end for rotation about a fixed pin, a link end, and a shoe with a chain sliding face. At least one link piece has a first end pivotally attached to the link end of each of the tensioner arms. The tensioner has a housing for receiving a piston with an end in contact with a pin that joins the second end of the link pieces together. When the piston of the tensioner is biased outwards from the housing, the end of the piston contacts the pin joining the link pieces of the tensioner arms, moving the tensioner arm toward a chain centerline and tensioning the chain equally on both sides.

Abstract: A tensioner for imparting tension to a chain in a closed loop chain drive system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The tensioner contains two tensioning devices, one for each strand of chain that traverses between a drive sprocket and at least one driven sprocket. The two tensioning devices are installed on a single bracket which is mounted to the engine housing at a single dampened pivot mount. The pivot mount is positioned equidistant from the mid points along the lengths of each of the chain sliding surfaces of each of the tensioning devices to substantially form an isosceles triangle.

Abstract: A blade tensioner comprising a blade shoe, a sliding surface with a first and a second side, a ratchet rod attached to the distal end of the blade shoe having a length of teeth, and a spring clip for receiving the ratchet rod and being slidable along the second side of the sliding surface. The spring clip also has an edge for abutting the plurality of teeth of the ratchet rod. When the slack on the chain increases, a distal end of the blade shoe pivots and slides on the first side of the sliding surface, and the spring clip slides on the second side of the sliding surface a distance limited by the engagement of the tab of the spring clip with the corresponding indentation on the second side of the sliding surface and the edge of the spring clip abuts the teeth of the ratchet rod.

Abstract: A tensioner including a housing having a bore, a hollow piston, a piston spring, a check valve between the source of pressurized fluid and hollow piston, and a pawl plate. The hollow piston is slidably received within the bore of the housing and forms a fluid chamber with the bore. The hollow piston also has a plurality of grooves formed along the outside thereof. The piston spring biases the piston in an outward direction from the bore. The pawl plate has a bottom with a protruding pawl ridge that meshes with the grooves on the piston. The pawl plate is received by the housing and receives a portion of the piston. One side of the pawl plate is biased in the outward direction by a vertical spring or springs and in a lateral direction by a horizontal spring.

Abstract: A cassette for a plurality of components for a cam drive and timing system for an engine the components comprising a guide and a tensioner attached to a tensioner bracket, a chain, a camshaft sprocket, and a crankshaft sprocket. The cassette is comprised of a body defining clearance holes and shoulder guides for placement of the camshaft sprocket, the crankshaft sprocket and the chain; and at least one fastener engaging the body of the cassette to the tensioner bracket, such that when the body of the cassette is engaged to the tensioner, the chain runs around the camshaft sprocket and the crankshaft sprocket, and the guide and the tensioner are positioned relating to the chain in the same relationship and position as the components are installed on the engine, all components are pivotally placed for installation on the engine.

Abstract: A pivoting chain guide and tensioner assembly for use with an endless chain loop comprising: at least one bracket plate, a tensioner attached to the at least one bracket plate, and a guide attached to the bracket plates. The bracket plate surrounds the chain at least partially between a driving and a driven sprocket and at least one of the plates has a hole for a pivot at a center axis. The tensioner comprises a tensioner arm with a chain sliding face for contacting the outside of the chain and a biasing means. The guide has a chain sliding face that contacts the outside of the chain. When a high local load is applied to the chain, the load is received by the end of the guide, forcing the guide to move away from the chain, such that the bracket plate pivots, moving the tensioner relative to the chain.