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Chain guide for use in engine

  • US 7,967,708 B2
  • Filed: 05/28/2008
  • Issued: 06/28/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A chain guide for use in an engine, the chain guide comprising:

  • an elongated shoe having a front surface for sliding contact with a transmission chain travelling along the direction of elongation of the shoe, a back surface opposite from said front surface, and a pair of side edges extending in the direction of elongation of the shoe; and

    an elongated base supporting the shoe, the base having a front surface engaged with the back surface of the shoe along the direction of elongation of the shoe, a back surface, and a pair of opposed, parallel, side wall ribs extending from the front surface of the base, the ribs being elongated in the direction of elongation of the base, and spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the width of the shoe, whereby the ribs, by engaging the side edges of the shoe, limit lateral movement of the shoe with respect to the base while the back surface of the shoe is engaged with the front surface of the base, said base, the base also having opposite chain entry and chain exit ends spaced from each other along the direction of elongation of the base, whereby the base can be mounted so that a traveling chain moves from the chain entry end toward the chain exit end, the front surface of the base also having a depression formed therein;

    wherein the shoe is in a first longitudinal position relative to the base and has a chain entry end engaged with the chain entry end of the of the base, a chain exit end engaged with the chain exit end of the base, and a projection on the back surface of the shoe, the projection extending into the depression in the front surface of the base;

    the chain guide further including first hook formed on the shoe at the chain entry end thereof, and a second hook formed on the shoe at the chain exit end thereof, said hooks having base back-engaging portions engaged with the back surface of the base, said base back-engaging portions being spaced longitudinally from each other by a distance less than the length of the base, whereby said hooks are simultaneously engaged with the respective chain entry end and chain exit ends of the base when the shoe is in said first longitudinal position relative to the base, and said shoe being positionable, while between said side wall ribs, in a second longitudinal position relative to the base in which the second hook is engaged with the chain exit end of the base while the first hook is disengaged from the base and said projection on the back surface of the shoe is engaged with the front surface of the base;

    wherein the projection and depression have locking surfaces, the locking surfaces being mutually engageable, when the shoe is in said first position relative to the base, to limit sliding movement of the shoe relative to the base in a direction toward the chain entry end of the base, and thereby preventing disconnection of first hook from the chain entry end of the base; and

    wherein at least a portion of the shoe located between the projection and the chain entry end of the shoe is sufficiently flexible to allow the first hook to be moved into a position such that it can be engaged with the entry end of the base by longitudinal movement of the shoe relative to the base from said first position toward said second position while the projection is engaged with the front surface of the base at a location spaced longitudinally from said depression.

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