Chain cable

Abstract

A chain cable in which each link is characterised by being formed from a bar .[.bent into a.]. .Iadd.of .Iaddend.U-shape bridged at the extremities by a cylindrical pin of length substantially equal to its diameter which mates under load with the U-shaped bar of a next adjacent link to give a substantial bearing area between links so that bearing failure may be eliminated as a first-occurring manner of failure of the chain cable when it is subjected to a tensile load.

I claim: 
     
       1. A chain cable comprising a plurality of links, joined together in sequence, characterised in that each link includes a uniform bar member .[.bent into a.]. .Iadd.of .Iaddend.U-shape and a cylindrical pin member bridging the inside surfaces of the extremities of the bar member and attached .Iadd.integrally .Iaddend.thereto .[.by welding.]. such that under load the curved inside surface of the .[.bent.]. U-shaped bar member of a next adjacent link mates against a surface of the pin member whereby the pin member is restrained to have only one mode of rotational freedom relative to the next adjacent link, the radius of curvature of the cylindrical mating surface of the pin member being substantially equal to half the distance separating the inside surfaces of the extremities of the bar member and the cross-sectional area of the material of the pin member being not less than 1.1 times the cross-sectional area of a limb of the uniform bar member. 
     
     
       2. A chain cable, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the bar member of each link is of rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
       3. A chain cable, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pin member of each link is a hollow circular cylinder. 
     
     
       4. A chain cable, as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the hollow pin member of each link has an internal bore diameter substantially equal to 0.707 times its external diameter. 
     
     
       5. A chain cable, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the overall length of each link lies in the range 4 to 6.5 times the external diameter of the pin of each link.