Abstract: A sealed hydraulic tensioner includes a cylinder having a cylinder surface formed in a housing; a piston, received by the cylinder, having an inner surface forming a piston cavity and an outer surface that closely conforms in shape to the cylinder inhibiting the flow of fluid between the outer surface of the piston and the cylinder surface; a tensioner biasing member engaging the piston and the cylinder forcing the piston in an axial direction; a check valve regulating fluid flow between a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber; one or more apertures formed in the piston extending between the inner surface and the outer surface of the piston that communicate fluid between the piston cavity and the cylinder, wherein a substantially fixed quantity of fluid is encapsulated within the piston cavity and the cylinder.

Abstract: A piston assembly for a tensioner which has a hollow piston body having a first end and a second end; and a cap. At least a portion of the cap fits into the first end of the piston body. The cap has a head and may also have a stem connected to an underside of the head. The cap may also have at least one slit for venting fluid, having 5 a width and a depth. The slit may extend from an outer circumference of the stem and across the underside of the head. The slits may be parallel to a centerline of the cap or angled relative to the centerline of the cap. A plurality of slits may be present on the cap. At least two of the plurality of slits may have different widths or different depths. The slits may be evenly 10 spaced around the cap.

Abstract: A chain intended to be used in a machine for forming sausages or the like starting from a sausage meat tube (15), the chain having in use a portion arranged adjacent to a corresponding portion of a second chain of the device with the sausage meat tube interposed between the two adjacent portions of the two chains, the chain comprising a plurality of links (17, 18, 117, 118, 217, 218, 317, 417, 517) interconnected in sequence and having pinching elements (28, 128, 228) of the sausage meat tube suitable for corresponding to pairs with respective pinching elements (40) of the second chain of the device, the chain also comprising positioning elements (19, 20, 119, 120, 219, 220, 319, 320, 419, 420, 519, 520) suitable for grasping at least partially the sausage meat tube (15) along said portion adjacent to the second chain. The positioning elements are made as one piece with the links of the chain.

Abstract: A chain sprocket has the flank shapes of successive teeth along the circumference differing from one another. The flank profiles vary according to a precise or randomly determined rule (randomisation). It allows the noise level of the chain to be reduced without affecting the load on said chain.

Abstract: An integrated chain drive, sprocket, and tensioning assembly includes sprockets, a drive chain, and a guiding and supporting structure for the sprockets. This structure includes a fixed shoe that is integral with the body of a fluid operated tensioning device, and a movable element with a tensioning shoe that is adjustable in position. The assembly can be fixed to a base or fixed structure and forms a single pre-assembled unit for transportation and mounting to an engine body.

Abstract: In a roller chain sprocket for a chain drive, the profile of each tooth comprises a proximal portion (AB), an intermediate portion (BC) and optionally a distal portion (CD). The proximal portion (AB) is shaped like an arc of a circle with a radius (r) at least as large as the radius (r.sub.r) of each roller of the chain. The intermediate portion (BC) has a complex curvature defined by mathematical equations, whereas the optional distal portion (CD) is shaped like an arc of a circle with a radius R, equal to the pitch minus the radius of the roller.

Abstract: A tensioner for a chain drive (10) having a shoe (12) made of wear-resistant thermoplastic material and one or more flat spring blades (15) with the ends contained in pockets (13a, 14a) provided in the enlarged ends of the shoe. The ends of the flat spring blade or blades (15) are slightly curved with the convexity turned toward the same side on which the spring presents a concavity, to prevent these ends, as they wear, from creating a groove in the surface of the plastic material of the shoe pocket and blocking the free flow of the ends of the spring in the pockets.