| 1. An elongated, double-sided silent chain comprising a plurality of link plates, each having a pair of pin holes, a pair
of link teeth projecting in a first direction, and a back surface facing in a direction opposite to said first direction,
each said back surface having a portion that is flat when viewed in a direction mutually perpendicular to said first direction
and the direction of elongation of the chain, said link plates including outermost link plates on both sides of the chain
in the widthwise direction of the chain, and the link plates being interleaved, connected together in an endless loop by connecting
pins extending through the pin holes and fixed to the outermost link plates, wherein the link plates include a first set of
link plates including said outermost link plates and adjacent outer link plates, and a second set of inner link plates disposed
between the outer link plates, the teeth of one of the sets projecting toward the inside of the loop, and the teeth of the
other set projecting toward the outside of the loop, wherein all the teeth of the outermost link plates and of the outer link
plates project toward one of said inside and outside of the loop, wherein the flat portion of the back surface of each of
the outermost link plates extends at least as far as any other part thereof in the direction opposite to the direction in
which the teeth thereof protrude, wherein the flat portion of the back surface of each of said outer link plates also extends
at least as far as any other part thereof in the direction opposite to the direction in which the teeth thereof protrude,
wherein the tooth forms of the outermost link plates are the same as the tooth forms of said outer link plates, and wherein
the heights of the back surfaces of the outermost link plates are the same as the heights of the back surfaces of said outer
link plates and greater than the heights of the back surfaces of the inner link plates.
|
