Abstract: A silent chain and sprocket for power transmission includes a silent chain formed of interleaved rows of multiple link plates and a sprocket used with the silent chain. Each of the teeth of the chain links is formed of an outside flank and an inside flank, and a protrusion is formed on the outside flank in the vicinity of the aperture. At the onset of meshing with the sprocket, the inside flanks of the link plates of the link rows contact the sprocket teeth. As engagement proceeds, the points of engagement of the links with the sprocket teeth are transferred from the inside flanks of the links of a first row to the outside flanks of the links of the preceding adjacent row, and the chain is seated on the outside flanks of the links. The point of projection of the engagement endpoint on the inside flank onto the outside flank coincides with the engagement transfer point on the outside flank or is in the vicinity of the engagement transfer point.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having an air vent channel formed within or on its housing is provided. Air that mixes into the fluid chamber discharges from the fluid chamber in the bore to an external attachment surface of the housing. The air vent has a circuitous path from the inner wall surface to the external attachment surface, wherein the air vent has cross-sectional area substantially less than the cross-sectional area for the passage to the fluid chamber.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having a piston with a pressure relief valve and grooved tip. The tensioner includes an oil passage that is formed in the piston, and that opens at the piston tip. The pressure relief valve is located in the oil passage, and the groove that connects to the opening of the oil passage is formed on the face of the piston tip.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having an internal rack mechanism is provided. The tensioner has an engagement aperture formed within the sleeve of the bore, a pin member attached to the piston that engages the engagement aperture, and an elastic member between the sleeve and bore.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having an oil reservoir sponge member present in the bore of the housing is provided. When the sponge member is compressed, the oil retained or absorbed by the sponge member discharges from the sponge member and enters the oil passage of the piston.

Abstract: A silent chain having multiple links each having a pair of teeth and apertures, which are connected by connecting pins inserted into the apertures. The links have an sheared link bearing surface which further reduces the wear of the sprocket tooth surface and further prevents defective bending of the silent chain. The bearing surface of the link tooth has a shear surface which may be formed by shaving or fine-blanking. The shear surface length may be at least approximately 70% or at least approximately 90% of the link thickness.

Abstract: A tensioner arm and a chain guide are constructed with an oil-escape portion, which is designed to allow for the drainage of oil that collects on the back side of the tensioner arm or chain guide. The oil escape portion is comprised of a through-hole on the back side of the tensioner arm or chain guide or through-holes in the side walls located on the back side of the tensioner arm or chain guide.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having a slidable plunger in a housing, a shaft stopper ring on the rear-end of the plunger, and a stopper screw fastened to the housing that can engage with the shaft stopper ring at the retracted position of the plunger. Packing is provided to seal a clearance between the stopper screw and the housing when the stopper screw is in its engagement position with the housing.

Abstract: A power transmission chain in which round pins are inserted in link apertures with D-shaped cross-section and a bushing of U-shaped cross-section. The bushing can be formed of several different shapes in order to decrease the wear between the pins and the associated link apertures.

Abstract: A power transmission chain having a plurality of links, with each link having a pair of apertures. The links are connected by rocker pins inserted in the apertures. The radius of curvature of a convex rocker contact surface of a pair of rocker pins is from approximately 0.6 to 1.6 times the pitch of the chain. In another embodiment, each of the rocker pins includes an arc-like rocker surface, a seat surface, and a flank surface that connects the above two. The aperture includes an arc-like support surface that supports the seat surface and side surface and is located with certain clearance from the flank surface. Also, the chain pitch line is located within the aperture seat surface.

Abstract: The power transmission chain of the present invention is formed of two parallel chains that are phased or offset by approximately one-half pitch. The chains are connected by struts that extend across the entire width of both chains. The power transmission chain belt of this invention provides for a restricting device in the interchain gap of the load block. Offset occurring during the speed change of a continuously variable transmission can be absorbed by the above mentioned gap. In one embodiment, the restricting device is in the form of a stop ring provided near the middle of the gap between the two side-by-side chains.

Abstract: A power transmission chain with a spring link of improved durability. The chain includes a plurality of link plates. Each of the links has a pair of pinholes. The links are interleaved and are connected by rocker joints inserted in the pinholes. Guide links are placed at the outermost sides of the inner links. A spring link with a pair of pinholes formed in it is placed between adjacent link plates. The link plate contacting parts at both ends of spring link are located outside of the link apertures. The spring links may also be placed in the chain in two different orientations.

Abstract: A power transmission chain reduces the chordal motion, or up/down motion, of the chain, which permits a reduction in the noise of the chain. In the chain, the inside flank and outside flank of the link teeth are formed to satisfy P.sub.2 .gtoreq.P.sub.1 .gtoreq.P.sub.3 and R.gtoreq.2.times.P, when P.sub.1 is the pitch between the outside flanks on the mesh pitch line of link plates 2, P.sub.2 is the pitch between the inside flanks of two other adjacent link plates that engage with teeth of the links when the chain is stretched nearly straight, and P.sub.3 is the pitch between the inside flanks when the chain is wrapped around the sprocket. R is the radius of curvature of the inside flank and P is the chain pitch.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner having a sleeve located in the opening in the tensioner body and a pin to slide within the sleeve to retain the tensioner plunger in a retracted position. In another embodiment, the tensioner includes a support member located around the periphery of the plunger to support a coil spring to bias the plunger in the protruding direction. A male thread formed on the outer surface of the support member engages a female thread formed in the tensioner opening. In another embodiment, the tensioner includes a stopper pin and spring-loaded hook member that retains the plunger in a retracted position. In another embodiment, a check valve located to permit fluid flow into the plunger chamber has a retainer with several extending legs.

Abstract: A low noise chain drive of this invention includes toothed sprockets and an endless silent chain having sets of link plates successively connected for articulation by means of connecting members. Each set has a plurality of transversely aligned link plates with each having a pair of link plate teeth designed to engage the sprocket and a pair of openings through which the connecting members are inserted. The link plate teeth are defined by an outside flank and an inside flank. The sprocket has sprocket teeth defined by a sprocket tooth flank.The sprocket tooth flanks and the outside flanks are profiled such that the outside flanks have a swelling located between the tip of the link plate tooth and a point that is in contact with the sprocket tooth after the completion of the engagement.

Abstract: A rocker joint for a chain has a crescent shaped aperture. The rocker joint includes a pair of rocker pins. Each rocker pin has a circular arc rocker surface, a circular arc seat surface and a pair of side surfaces. The aperture is bounded by a circular arc support surface and a seat surface.

Abstract: In a silent chain, guide link plates are installed in a row along the sides of the link plates. The guide link plates are provided with central openings having rounded corners. The width of the inner beam portion of the central opening is limited by the inner edge of the central opening and the inner edge of the guide link. The width of the outer beam portion of the central opening is limited by the outer edge of the opening and the outer edge of the guide link plate. The width of the inner beam portion is equal to or less than the width of the outer beam portion. Alternatively, the guide link plates are provided with slits extending from the inner edge, and the inner edges of said slits are curved.

Abstract: A low-noise chain preventing a roller or a bushing from contacting a bottom portion of a sprocket thus reducing impact noise. The low-noise chain includes pairs of inner link plates and pairs of outer link plates alternately lined up with each other, each of the link plates having two insertion holes; connecting pins inserted into the insertion holes of the link plates to couple the inner and the outer link plate; and bushing or rollers disposed around the connecting pin. The roller or bushing has a substantially triangular configuration in transverse cross section and has three intermeshing surfaces on its outer circumference.