Interlocking chain

Abstract

To provide a meshing chain that ensures load-bearing capacity against extremely large localized tensile forces while reducing friction loss and noise during meshing, improving safety, and extending its lifespan. [Solution] The system has an inner chain member 120 and an outer chain member 130 that are driven to move back and forth and interlock with each other to form a single unit, wherein the first distance between the connecting pins 125 of the inner chain member 120 is smaller than the second distance between the connecting pins of the outer chain member 130, and at least one of the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 includes a specific pair of links in which the total thickness of the plates in the chain width direction at the interlocking portion is thinner than the total thickness of the plates in the chain width direction at the connecting portion.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a meshing chain having at least a pair of chain members capable of advancing and retracting, wherein the paired chain members mesh with each other and integrate when moving in the advancing direction, and the chain members disengage from each other and branch when moving in the retracting direction from the integrated meshed state. [Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, meshing chains are known in which a plurality of pairs of forward / backward movable chain members mesh with each other and integrate as they move in the advancing direction, and branch as they disengage from each other when moving in the retracting direction from the integrated meshed state. As such a meshing chain, in order to move a movable body connected to the end portion on the advancing direction side of the meshing chain along a curved movement trajectory, when paired chain members mesh with each other and integrate as they move in the advancing direction, among the paired chain members, the chain member having a relatively smaller distance between a pair of pin holes in the link plates constituting the chain member is positioned on the inner peripheral side to form an integrally curved shape, and is capable of advancing and retracting along a curved movement trajectory with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved shape (hereinafter also referred to as "arc chain"), which is publicly known (see, for example, Patent Document 1, etc.). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6814861 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] A so-called linear-acting meshing chain is designed to receive load by transmitting it between link plates in the payout direction, without placing a load on the connecting pins, and is configured to generate a large force in the compression direction. However, in arc chains where the meshing chain is extended in a curved shape, bending deformation occurs as the angle between the direction of extension and the direction of the load received from the tip increases as the extension progresses. As a result, as shown in Figure 13 (exaggerated depiction of bending deformation), there are points in the arc chain where forces are applied not only in the compressive direction but also in the tensile direction. Specifically, excessive tensile stress is generated around the pin holes in localized areas in the direction of the arc chain's forward and backward movement. This significantly affects the durability of the arc chain.

[0005] The claw portion of a link plate is an element that holds the load when a compressive load is applied, but in an arc chain, the compressive load generated on the claw portion is small. Therefore, if all link plates are configured to have claws, as in the meshing chain described in Patent Document 1, the number of claws is excessive and results in over-engineering. This leads to increased weight and greater resistance during meshing, which in turn increases the thrust required to extend and retract the chain, resulting in a greater motor load. Furthermore, when the interlocking chain is used, for example, as a drive unit for opening and closing truck wings, the movable mechanism including the interlocking chain is installed on top of the truck bed, which raises the truck's center of gravity. Therefore, if the weight of the movable mechanism including the interlocking chain is large, there is a concern that the lateral moment will increase, making the truck more prone to overturning, for example, when turning left or right, driving in a zigzag pattern, or when subjected to lateral loads such as strong winds or gusts.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve these problems and provide a meshing chain that can reduce friction loss and noise during meshing, improve safety, and extend lifespan while ensuring load-bearing performance against extremely large localized tensile forces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to an interlocking chain having at least one pair of movable inner and outer chain members, wherein the pair of inner and outer chain members interlock and integrate with each other as they move in the direction of travel, and disengage and branch from each other as they move in the direction of retreat from that integrated interlocked state, wherein each of the pair of chain members has a plurality of first link plates having a pair of first pin holes aligned in the direction of movement of advance and a plurality of second link plates having a pair of second pin holes aligned in the direction of movement of advance and retreat, such that one of the first pin holes in the first link plate overlaps with the other of the second pin holes in the adjacent second link plate in the direction of movement of advance and retreat The chain members are arranged in a row and rotatably connected by connecting pins inserted through the first and second pin holes, wherein the first distance between the connecting pins aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement of the inner chain member is smaller than the second distance between the connecting pins aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement of the outer chain member, and when the first and second link plates adjacent in the direction of forward and backward movement are considered a link pair, at least one of the pair of chain members includes a specific link pair in which the total thickness of the plates in the chain width direction at the meshing portion where the pair of chain members interlock is thinner than the total thickness of the plates in the chain width direction at the connecting portion connected by the connecting pins, thereby solving the above problem. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, in principle, by ensuring sufficient plate thickness of each link plate at the connecting portion of the inner chain member and the outer chain member, a stress reduction effect can be obtained around the first and second pin holes of each link plate in the inner and outer chain members. Furthermore, by including a specific pair of links in which the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the meshing portion of the chain members is thinner than the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the connecting portion, it is possible to reduce the contact area between the meshing portions when the meshing portions of one chain member and the meshing portions of the other chain member mesh, thereby reducing friction and noise during meshing. Furthermore, since the chain components can be made lighter, the thrust of the drive source required to move the meshing chain back and forth can be reduced. This reduces the load on the drive source, extending its lifespan, and allows for the use of a smaller drive source, thus reducing the weight of the movable body movement mechanism using the meshing chain itself. In addition, by making the meshing chain lighter, for example, when used as a drive unit for opening and closing truck wings, the lateral moment caused by the lateral load on the truck can be reduced. This reduces the risk of the truck rolling over, thereby improving safety.

[0009] By using a link plate in which the thickness of the claw portion is thinner than the thickness of the plate body portion, a specific pair of links can be formed, thereby stably maintaining a curved, integrated meshing state between the paired inner and outer chain members.

[0010] By including a first link plate having a different thickness from the second link plate, it becomes possible to make the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the first link plate of the outer chain member contacts the first link plate of the inner chain member when meshing equal to the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the second link plate of the outer chain member contacts the second link plate of the inner chain member when meshing, without changing the shape of the contact surfaces in a side view. As a result, the load-bearing capacity of the first link plates and the load-bearing capacity of the second link plates can be made equal, resulting in high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction and maximizing the driving force per occupied space.

[0011] By making the third distance from the end edge of the inner chain member opposite to the outer chain member to the central axis of the connecting pin in the inner chain member greater than the fourth distance from the end edge of the outer chain member opposite to the inner chain member to the central axis of the connecting pin in the outer chain member, the load-bearing capacity of the inner chain member against tensile forces generated near the end of the curved section is improved, thereby preventing damage to the link plate even with large curves or long extensions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of an example of a movable body movement mechanism using an interlocking chain according to one embodiment of the present invention, when the interlocking chain is being extended. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an enlarged front view showing the configuration near the drive unit of the movable body movement mechanism. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view from the inner chain member side, showing a portion of the structure of a meshing chain in an interlocked state. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view from the outer chain member side, showing a portion of the configuration of a meshing chain in an interlocked state. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the inner chain members. [Figure 6]It is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of an outer chain member. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram showing a first distance between central axes of adjacent connection pins in an inner chain member and a second distance between central axes of adjacent connection pins in an outer chain member. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram showing the plate thickness of each link plate that constitutes a specific link pair in the inner chain member. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram showing the plate thickness of each link plate that constitutes a specific link pair in the outer chain member. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of an engaged meshing chain according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram showing the plate thickness of each link plate that constitutes a specific link pair in the inner chain member. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing the plate thickness of each link plate that constitutes a specific link pair in the outer chain member. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram exaggeratingly showing the bending deformation of the meshing chain. Description of Embodiments

[0013] A meshing chain according to an embodiment of the present invention and a movable body moving mechanism that moves a movable body using the meshing chain will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In this specification, the "forward / backward movement direction" represents the direction in which the meshing chain extends, and the "width direction" represents the direction of the central axis of the connection pin. Furthermore, "front-back" in this specification represents front-back in the "forward / backward movement direction".

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the movable body moving mechanism 100 includes: a meshing chain 110 capable of moving forward and backward along a curved movement path having a predetermined curvature; a drive unit 140 fixedly disposed on the proximal end side of the meshing chain 110; and a movable body 105 connected to the distal end portion of the meshing chain 110 via a joint link 101.

[0015] The meshing chain 110 includes a pair of an inner chain member 120 and an outer chain member 130 that can mesh with each other. The meshing chain 110 is configured such that when the paired inner chain member 120 and outer chain member 130 move in the forward direction, they mesh with each other and integrate; and when the inner chain member 120 and outer chain member 130 move in the backward direction from the integrated meshing state, they disengage from each other and separate.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner chain member 120 includes: a first link plate 121 comprising a pair of widthwise inner outer plates 122 each having a pair of front and rear first pin holes 124, and a plurality of inner middle plates 123 disposed between the pair of widthwise inner outer plates 122 and each having a pair of front and rear first pin holes 124; and a second link plate 126 comprising a plurality of inner inner plates 127 each having a pair of front and rear second pin holes 128.

[0017] The inner outer plates 122, the inner middle plates 123, and the inner inner plates 127 are arranged in series such that one first pin hole 124 of each of the inner outer plates 122 and the inner middle plates 123 overlaps with the other second pin hole 128 of the adjacent inner inner plate 127 in the forward-backward movement direction, and are rotatably connected by a connecting pin 125 inserted through the first pin holes 124, 124 and the second pin hole 128, whereby the first link plates 121 and the second link plates 126 are configured to be bendable alternately in the forward-backward movement direction. The connecting pins 125 are provided so as to protrude outward on both sides in the width direction.

[0018] Each link plate of the inner chain member 120, consisting of the inner outer plate 122, inner middle plate 123, and inner inner plate 127, has the same outer contour shape. It has a roughly rectangular plate body Pb with arc-shaped ends in the direction of forward and backward movement, and a hook-shaped claw Pc facing the direction of travel that is continuous with one side edge of the plate body Pb (the side edge on the outer chain member 130 side). In the inner outer plate 122 and inner middle plate 123, a pair of first pin holes 124 are formed in the plate body Pb, and in the inner inner plate 127, a pair of second pin holes 128 are formed in the plate body Pb.

[0019] As shown in Figure 6, the outer chain member 130 includes a first link plate 131 which includes a pair of outer plates 132 in the width direction having a front and rear pair of first pin holes 134 and a plurality of outer middle plates 133 which are arranged between the pair of outer plates 132 in the width direction and have a front and rear pair of first pin holes 134, and a second link plate 136 which includes a plurality of outer inner plates 137 which have a front and rear pair of second pin holes 138.

[0020] The outer plate 132, outer middle plate 133, and outer inner plate 137 are rotatably connected by connecting pins 135 inserted through the first pin holes 134, 134 and the second pin holes 138, respectively, with one first pin hole 134, 134 in each of the outer plate 132 and outer middle plate 133 overlapping with the other second pin hole 138 in the adjacent outer inner plate 137 in the direction of forward and backward movement. This configuration allows the first link plate 131 and the second link plate 136 to bend alternately in the direction of forward and backward movement. The connecting pin 135 is provided so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction.

[0021] Each link plate of the outer chain member 130, consisting of the outer outer plate 132, outer middle plate 133, and outer inner plate 137, has the same outer circumferential contour shape. It has a roughly rectangular plate body Pb with arc-shaped ends in the direction of forward and backward movement, and a hook-shaped claw Pc facing the backward direction that is continuous with the other side edge of the plate body Pb (the side edge on the inner chain member 120 side). In the outer outer plate 132 and outer middle plate 133, a pair of first pin holes 134 are formed in the plate body Pb, and in the outer inner plate 137, a pair of second pin holes 138 are formed in the plate body Pb.

[0022] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6, each of the link plates in the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130, the first link plates 121, 131 and the second link plates 126, 136, is constructed by stacking two plate elements. However, each link plate may be constructed by stacking two or more plate elements, or it may be constructed from a single thick plate element. By having a laminated structure for each of the first link plates 121, 131 and the second link plates 126, 136, or by having plate elements constituting each link plate have sufficient thickness, the tensile load that causes deflection deformation of the meshing chain 110 can be distributed among multiple link plates. This makes it possible to reduce the excessive stress generated around the first pin hole 124 and the second pin hole 134 in each of the link plates of the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the drive unit 140 includes pin guide guides 141 arranged on both sides of the meshing chain 110 and provided with guide grooves 142, 142 for guiding the connecting pins 125, 135, an inner guide guide 143 for guiding the edge of the inner chain member 120 opposite to the outer chain member 130, an outer guide guide 144 for guiding the edge of the outer chain member 130 opposite to the inner chain member 120, and a drive sprocket 145 that engages with the connecting pin 125 of the inner chain member 120 to drive it. The drive sprocket 145 is configured to rotate in both forward and reverse directions, and is positioned to engage with the portions of the connecting pin 125 of the inner chain member 120 that protrude from both ends in the width direction in the section in which the inner chain member 120 moves along a curved trajectory to engage with the outer chain member 130.

[0024] The drive unit 140 is configured such that when the drive sprocket 145 is rotated in the forward direction by a motor (not shown), the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 housed in the housing section (not shown) are guided by the guide grooves 142, 142 and engage with each other to be unwound as a single meshing chain 110. When the drive sprocket 145 is rotated in the reverse direction, the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 separate within the drive unit 140 and are housed in their respective housing sections.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, the first distance P1 between the central axes of adjacent connecting pins 125 of the inner chain member 120 is set to be smaller than the second distance P2 between the central axes of adjacent connecting pins 135 of the outer chain member 130. As a result, when the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 mesh, the meshing chain 110 takes on a curved shape toward the inner chain member 120, making it possible to move the movable body 105 back and forth along the curved trajectory.

[0026] Furthermore, the third distance W1 from the edge of the inner outer plate 122 of the inner chain member 120 opposite to the outer chain member 130 to the central axis of the connecting pin 125 is set to be greater than the fourth distance W2 from the edge of the outer outer plate 132 of the outer chain member 130 opposite to the inner chain member 120 to the central axis of the connecting pin 135. The relationship between the inner middle plate 123 and the outer middle plate 133, and the relationship between the inner inner plate 127 and the outer inner plate 137, are similar. As a result, even if a localized, extremely large tensile force occurs near the end of the curved section, as shown in Figure 13, the load-bearing capacity of the inner chain member 120 against tensile force is improved, preventing damage to the inner chain member 120 even with large curves or long extensions.

[0027] In the meshing chain 110 according to this embodiment, the inner chain member 120 is configured to include a specific link pair (hereinafter referred to as the "thickness-changing link pair") in which, when the first link plate 121 and the second link plate 126 adjacent in the direction of forward and backward movement are formed as a link pair, the total thickness in the chain width direction at the meshing portion where the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 interlock is thinner than the total thickness in the chain width direction at the connecting portion connected by the connecting pin 125. The outer chain member 130 is also configured to include a thickness-changing link pair when the first link plate 131 and the second link plate 136 adjacent in the direction of forward and backward movement are formed as a link pair.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the inner chain member 120 consists of an inner middle plate 123 and an inner inner plate 127, which are link plates having constant plate thicknesses dm and di, respectively, while the inner outer plate 122 is a plate thickness changing link plate in which the sum of the plate thicknesses dpc of the claw portions Pc of the two plate elements is smaller than the plate thickness dpb of the plate body portion Pb. As a result, a plate thickness changing link pair is formed in which the sum of the plate thicknesses in the chain width direction at the meshing portion 111, which is made up of the claw portions Pc of each link plate, is smaller than the sum of the plate thicknesses in the chain width direction at the connecting portion 115, which is made up of the plate body portion Pb of each link plate.

[0029] Similarly, as shown in Figure 9, the outer chain member 130 consists of an outer middle plate 133 and an outer inner plate 137, which are link plates having constant plate thicknesses dm and di, respectively, and the outer outer plate 132 is a plate thickness changing link plate in which the sum of the plate thicknesses dpc of the claw portions Pc of the two plate elements is smaller than the plate thickness dpb of the plate body portion Pb. As a result, a plate thickness changing link pair is formed in which the sum of the plate thicknesses in the chain width direction at the meshing portion 111, which is made up of the claw portions Pc of each link plate, is smaller than the sum of the plate thicknesses in the chain width direction at the connecting portion 115, which is made up of the plate body portion Pb of each link plate.

[0030] Furthermore, in the inner chain member 120, the first link plate includes one having a thickness different from that of the second link plate. In this embodiment, the plate thickness dpb of the plate body Pb of the inner outer plate 122, which is the first link plate 121, and the plate thickness dm of the inner middle plate 123, which is the first link plate 121, are the same size as each other, and are configured to be different in size from the plate thickness di of the inner inner plate 127, which is the second link plate 126. The same applies to the outer chain member 130. By including a first link plate 121 having a different thickness from the second link plate 126, it becomes possible to make the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the first link plate 121 of the inner chain member 120 contacts the first link plate 131 of the outer chain member 130 when meshing, and the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the second link plate 127 of the inner chain member 120 contacts the second link plate 137 of the outer chain member 130 when meshing, equal without changing the shape of the contact surfaces in a side view. As a result, the load-bearing capacity of the first link plates 121 and 131 and the load-bearing capacity of the second link plates 126 and 136 can be made equal, resulting in high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction and maximizing the driving force per occupied space.

[0031] Thus, with the meshing chain 110 configured as described above, by ensuring sufficient thickness of each link plate at the connecting portion 115 in each of the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130, a stress reduction effect can be obtained around the first pin holes 124, 134 and the second pin holes 128, 138 of each link plate in each of the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130. Moreover, since both the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 include a plate thickness changing link pair, it is possible to reduce the contact area between the meshing portions 111 of the inner chain member 120 and the meshing portions 111 of the outer chain member 130 when they mesh, thereby reducing friction and noise during meshing.

[0032] Furthermore, since the inner chain member 120 and the outer chain member 130 can be made lighter, the thrust of the drive source required to move the meshing chain 110 back and forth can be reduced. This reduces the load on the drive source and extends its lifespan, and also allows the use of a smaller drive source, making it possible to lighten the movable body movement mechanism 100 using the meshing chain 110 itself. In addition, by making the meshing chain 110 lighter, for example, when used as a drive unit for opening and closing truck wings, the lateral moment caused by the lateral load on the truck can be reduced. This reduces the risk of the truck rolling over and improves safety.

[0033] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration. For example, in the above embodiment, both the outer chain member and the inner chain member are configured to include a plate thickness changing link pair, but either the outer chain member or the inner chain member may be configured to include a plate thickness changing link pair. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, all link pairs in each of the outer chain member and the inner chain member are composed of plate thickness changing link pairs, but some of the link pairs may be composed of plate thickness changing link pairs. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the plate thickness changing link pair is formed by composing the outer plate with a plate thickness changing link plate. However, the plate thickness changing link pair may also be formed by composing the middle plate or inner plate with a plate thickness changing link plate, or by composing two types of link plates selected from the outer plate, middle plate, and inner plate with plate thickness changing link plates.

[0034] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a specific link pair is formed by making at least one of the outer plate, middle plate, and inner plate link plates from thickness-changing link plates. However, a specific link pair may also be formed by making at least one of the outer plate, middle plate, and inner plate link plates from link plates that do not have claw portions. An example of such an interlocking chain configuration is shown in Figures 10 to 12.

[0035] As shown in Figure 11, the inner chain member 120 of the meshing chain 110 according to this embodiment is composed of link plates having constant plate thicknesses dp, dm, and di, respectively, with the inner outer plate 122 not having a claw portion Pc. As a result, a specific link pair is formed in which the total plate thickness in the chain width direction of the meshing portion 111, which is composed only of the claw portions Pc of the inner middle plate 123 and the inner inner plate 127, is smaller than the total plate thickness in the chain width direction of the connecting portion 115, which is composed of the plate body portion Pb of each link plate. Similarly, as shown in Figure 12, the outer chain member 130 is composed of link plates having constant plate thicknesses dp, dm, and di, respectively, with the inner outer plate 132 having no claw portion Pc. As a result, a specific pair of links is formed in which the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the meshing portion 111, which is composed only of the claw portions Pc of the inner middle plate 133 and the inner inner plate 137, is smaller than the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the connecting portion 115, which is composed of the plate body portion Pb of each link plate.

[0036] In the meshing chain according to this embodiment, either the outer chain member or the inner chain member may be configured to include a plate thickness changing link pair, and a portion of the link pair may be composed of a specific link pair. Furthermore, a specific link pair may be formed by composing the middle plate or inner plate with a link plate without claws, or by composing two types of link plates selected from the outer plate, middle plate, and inner plate with link plates without claws.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, all link plates of the outer plate and middle plate of the first link plate are configured such that the thickness of the plate body portion is different from the thickness of the plate body portion of the second link plate. However, some link plates of the outer plate and middle plate may be configured such that the thickness of the plate body portion is different from the thickness of the plate body portion of the second link plate. In other words, it is not necessary for all link plates of the outer plate and middle plate to have the same thickness as each other. The same applies to the second link plate. Furthermore, the interlocking chain may be composed of two or more pairs of inner chain members and outer chain members. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 100 ··· Movable body movement mechanism 101 ··· Joint Link 105... Movable body 110 ··· Interlocking chain 210... Arc chain (interlocking chain) 111 ··· Mating part 115... Connecting part 120 ··· Inner chain component 121 ··· 1st Link Plate 122 ··· Inner outer plate 123 ··· Inner middle plate 124 ··· First pin hole 125... Connecting pin 126... Second Link Plate 127 ··· Inner plate 128 ··· Second pinhole 130 ··· Outer chain component 131 ··· 1st Link Plate 132 ··· Outer plate 133 ··· Outer middle plate 134 ··· First pin hole 135 ··· Connecting pin 136 ··· Second Link Plate 137 ··· Outer inner plate 138 ··· Second pinhole 140 ··· Drive unit 141... Pin Guide 142 ··· Guide groove 143 ··· Interior Guide 144 ··· Exterior Guide 145 ··· Drive sprocket Pb ··· Plate body Pc... Claw part

Claims

1. An interlocking chain having at least one pair of movable inner and outer chain members, wherein the pair of inner and outer chain members interlock and integrate with each other as they move in the direction of travel, and disengage and branch from each other as they move in the direction of retreat from that integrated interlocked state, Each of the inner chain member and the outer chain member is configured such that a plurality of first link plates having a pair of first pin holes aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement and a plurality of second link plates having a pair of second pin holes aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement are rotatably connected by connecting pins inserted through the first pin holes and the second pin holes, with each first link plate being arranged in series such that one of the first pin holes in the first link plate overlaps with the other second pin hole in an adjacent second link plate in the direction of forward and backward movement. The first distance between the connecting pins aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement in the inner chain member is smaller than the second distance between the connecting pins aligned in the direction of forward and backward movement in the outer chain member. An interlocking chain characterized in that, when the first link plate and the second link plate adjacent in the forward and backward movement direction are considered a link pair, at least one of the paired inner chain member and the outer chain member includes a specific link pair in which the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the interlocking portion where the paired inner chain member and the outer chain member interlock is thinner than the total plate thickness in the chain width direction at the connecting portion connected by the connecting pin.

2. The first link plate includes a pair of outer plates in the width direction and a middle plate positioned between the outer plates, The second link plate includes a plurality of inner plates positioned between the outer plate and the middle plate, or between the outer plate and the middle plate, and between the middle plates. The outer plate, the middle plate, and the inner plate each have a plate body portion that constitutes the connecting portion and a claw portion that constitutes the interlocking portion. The meshing chain according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the outer plate, middle plate, and inner plate in the particular link pair is formed such that the thickness of the claw portion is thinner than the thickness of the plate body portion.

3. The meshing chain according to claim 1, characterized in that the first link plate includes one having a thickness different from that of the second link plate.

4. The meshing chain according to claim 1, characterized in that the third distance from the end edge of the inner chain member opposite to the outer chain member to the central axis of the connecting pin in the inner chain member is greater than the fourth distance from the end edge of the outer chain member opposite to the inner chain member to the central axis of the connecting pin in the outer chain member.

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