Saw chain for a work tool with drive links and tie straps

Abstract

A saw chain (100) for a work tool (400), the saw chain (100) comprising drive links (110) interleaved by tie straps (120) where the chain (100) extends in a forward direction (F), where each drive link (110) is pivotally interconnected to tie straps (120a, 120b) at respective pivots (130a, 130b), where the pivots (130a, 130b) are associated with respective pivot axes (A1 ) normal to the plane (P), where the tie straps (120) are received in the gaps (240) between the side sections (210a, 210b) of the drive links (110), where side sections (210a, 210b) of the drive links comprise a forward and a rearward drive surface (230a, 230b) arranged to engage respective drive teeth (313, 313a, 313b), where the drive surfaces (230a, 230b) extend transversal to the plane (P) on rearward facing edges of the side sections (210a, 210b), where at least some of the tie straps (120, 120a, 120b) extend in the plane (P) past at least one of the drive surfaces (230a, 230b) of the drive links (110) to expose supporting surfaces (280a, 280b, 720) facing out from the plane (P), where the supporting surfaces (280a, 280b) are configured to engage lateral sides of the drive teeth (313, 313a, 313b).

Description

[0001] TITLE

[0002] SAW CHAIN FOR A WORK TOOL WITH DRIVE LINKS AND TIE STRAPS

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present disclosure relates to saw chains and to construction equipment such as wall saws, power cutters, floor saws and chain saws. There are disclosed saw chains, production methods and endless chain work tools suitable for abrasive processing of concrete and stone objects, as well as for cutting softer objects like wood.

[0005] BACKGROUND

[0006] A cut-off disc is commonly used in power cutters for cutting into hard materials such as concrete and stone. Abrasive elements are then arranged along the rim of a rigid steel disc to abrade the material to be cut. Cut-off discs are relatively heavy and store a significant amount of kinetic energy during operation. This weight and stored energy make handling the disc cumbersome. Also, the achievable cutting depth using cut-off discs is limited to about half the diameter of the disc, which is a drawback. WO2021107827 describes an example cut-off disc power cutter that is battery powered.

[0007] Chain saws have been adapted for abrasive operation and successfully used for cutting hard materials. An abrasive saw chain does not store as much energy as the cut-off disc, which is an advantage since it can be stopped more easily in case of, e.g., a hazardous kick-back event. A chain saw can also be designed to cut deeper cuts compared to cut-off discs.

[0008] WO2020263154 discloses a new type of endless chain tool which mitigates many of the issues related to previously known work tool for processing hard objects. This tool comprises a rotating ring or annular member that supports a saw chain for making deep cuts in an efficient and safe manner. It is, however, desired to further improve this type of endless saw chain work tool. TWM538450U relates to an abrasive saw chain for cutting stone.

[0009] SUMMARY

[0010] It is an objective of the present disclosure to provide improved saw chains and endless chain work tools for processing concrete, stone and other objects. This objective is at least in part obtained by a saw chain for a work tool. The saw chain comprises drive links interleaved by tie straps in an endless loop that lies in a plane. The chain extends in a forward direction and each drive link is pivotally interconnected to a forward tie strap and to a rearward tie strap at respective forward and rearward pivots, where the forward and rearward pivots are associated with respective forward and rearward pivot axes normal to the plane. Each drive link comprises first and second side sections extending along the plane with a gap inbetween, and a top section extending transversal to the plane and joining the two side sections at side section edges that face out from the endless loop in use. The tie straps are received in the gaps between the side sections of the drive links. Each side section comprises a forward and a rearward drive surface arranged to engage respective drive teeth extending radially out from an annular member and / or drive sprocket. The drive surfaces extend transversally to the plane on rearward facing edges of the side sections. This saw chain is driven directly on the drive links, which advantageously reduces the stress on the tie straps which are not in driving engagement with the drive teeth. It is also an advantage that each drive link has two drive surfaces on each side of the drive link, i.e., four drive surfaces in total, allowing each drive link to be driven by two drive teeth pairs on the annular member or drive sprocket.

[0011] The top section may comprise an abrasive element for processing concrete and stone objects, or a cutting implement such as a tooth for cutting into a softer object such as wood.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, at least some of the tie straps of the saw chain are formed so as to extend in the plane past at least one of the drive surfaces of the drive links to expose lateral supporting surfaces facing out from the plane, i.e., in a direction essentially normal to the plane. These lateral supporting surfaces are configured to engage lateral sides of the drive teeth when the drive teeth are in meshing engagement with the saw chain. The lateral supporting surfaces provide lateral stability to the saw chain in use, allowing the saw chain to resist forces directed transversal to the plane. The lateral supporting surfaces of the tie straps permit the saw chain to be efficiently driven by an annular member with drive teeth extending radially outwards, allowing deep cuts to be made in concrete and stone objects like walls and other surfaces, as will be discussed in more detail below. Due to the lateral support surfaces formed by the tie straps, it is possible to construct a saw tool with a maximum width normal to the plane defined by the width of the abrasive element attached to or constituting the top section of the drive link.

[0013] The first and second side sections of each drive link preferably comprises a cutout portion forming a waist on the drive link inbetween the forward and rearward pivots. This means that the drive tooth engaging the forward drive surface mates with the drive link to allow a reduced build height of the saw chain. This also improves the lateral stability of the saw chain since the drive links are laterally supported by the drive teeth, such as via engagement with the tie straps. In a preferred realization of the saw chain, each drive link is arranged to engage a first drive tooth at a rearward end of the drive link and a second drive tooth at a midpoint of the drive link.

[0014] According to some aspects, the top section is welded to the side section edges that face out from the endless loop in use. Thus, each drive link can be formed by providing two side sections that are then welded to the top section and thereby joined to each other. The tie straps can be attached at the time of welding the top section to the side sections.

[0015] A forward facing edge of a side section on a first drive link preferably forms an acute angle with a rearward facing edge of a side section on a second drive link immediately in front of the first drive link on the chain, where a vertex of the acute angle points out from the endless loop. This way the saw chain is able to bend in the plane, and the adjacent top sections are close to each other in use, despite the saw chain assuming an arcuate form in the plane.

[0016] According to some aspects, the pivots are received in bores formed in the side sections. This way the pivots do not necessarily need to be riveted in place, since they are held in position by the bores formed in the side sections. The pivots may be formed separately from the drive links and separately from the tie straps and held in position by the side sections. The pivots may be of cylindrical shape and extend axially in a direction normal to the plane. A ridge having an axial width matched to the gap between the side sections may be formed so as to extend radially from the pivot at an axial midpoint of the pivot.

[0017] According to an alternative, the pivots are formed as rivets extending through the side sections and through the tie strap.

[0018] According to some aspects, the pivots are integrally formed with the tie straps as protrusions that extend in the direction of the pivot axes.

[0019] According to some aspects, a distance between the pivot axes of a drive link, measured perpendicular to the pivot axes, is within 5% of, and preferably equal to, a distance between the forward pivot axis of a first drive link and the rearward pivot axis of a drive link adjacent to the first drive link.

[0020] The present disclosure also relates to a work tool comprising an annular member extending in a plane, where drive teeth are evenly spaced along a rim of the annular member, and where the annular member is rotatably supported by one or more support rollers on an inside of its annulus and by a drive mechanism engaging the drive teeth evenly spaced along the rim, where the annular member is arranged to support and to drive a saw chain on a rim segment of the annular member. This “ring saw” is advantageously combined with the saw chains discussed above, to form an efficient work tool having a large cutting depth.

[0021] The drive mechanism may comprise a drive wheel arranged in the plane and distanced from the annular member and at least one transmission wheel connected inbetween the drive wheel and the annular member, where the annular member is arranged to support a saw chain on a rim segment of the annular member facing away from the drive wheel, and where the drive wheel is arranged to support the saw chain on a rim segment of the drive wheel facing away from the annular member. A support wheel may also be arranged in the plane and distanced from the annular member, where the drive mechanism is arranged inbetween the annular member and the support wheel. The annular member is advantageously arranged to support the saw chain on a rim segment of the annular member facing away from the support wheel. The support wheel is also arranged to support the saw chain on a rim segment of the support wheel facing away from the annular member.

[0022] According to some aspects, the support wheel is biased in a direction away from the annular member, thereby providing a chain tensioning function.

[0023] The drive mechanism may furthermore comprise taps arranged in a ring, where the ring is aligned with the plane and the taps extend in a direction normal to the plane. Each tap is configured to drivingly engage the annular member inbetween consecutive drive teeth on the rim. The taps preferably comprise bearings configured to bear a rotational movement between the tap and the rim of the annular member. The bearings are advantageously formed as sliding bearings. This reduces the wear on the drive mechanism and also on the annular member in an advantageous manner.

[0024] Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a / an / the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc." are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated. Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person realizes that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0025] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, where

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates part of an example abrasive chain;

[0028] Figures 2A-B show details of an example abrasive chain;

[0029] Figure 3A-B illustrate an abrasive chain with a drive mechanism;

[0030] Figures 4A-B show example construction equipment;

[0031] Figures 5A-B are flow charts illustrating production methods,

[0032] Figure 5C illustrates a method for processing an object,

[0033] Figure 6 shows an annular member engaging a saw chain, and

[0034] Figure 7 illustrates details of an example tie strap.

[0035] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain aspects of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments and aspects set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

[0037] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

[0038] Figure 1 illustrates a part of an example saw chain 100. This particular example is fitted with abrasive elements 1 15 for cutting into hard objects such as concrete and stone by work tools such as wall saws and power cutters. Power cutters 400 that use examples of the endless saw chain 100 according to the teachings herein are exemplified in Figure 4A and in Figure 4B and will be discussed in more detail below. The saw chain can also be used with a wall saw, such as the wall saw that was discussed in WO2020263154, or with a more traditional chain saw that supports the endless saw chain on an elongated blade. The saw chain may also be used on other types of construction equipment, such as floor saws and the like.

[0039] The saw chains 100 discussed herein can just as well be fitted with cutting implements, such as cutting teeth, in order to process softer materials such as wood and the like.

[0040] The saw chain 100 comprises drive links 1 10 interleaved by tie straps 120 that connect to each other to form an endless loop. The drive links 1 10 support the abrasive elements 115 (or the cutting elements in case of a wood-working saw chain), and the tie straps 120 pivotally connect adjacent drive links 1 10. As for most saw chains, this saw chain 100 extends in a forward direction F and lies in a plane P, regardless of how the links are pivoted relative to each other, since the pivot axes A1 are normal to the plane P. A rearward direction R of the chain 100 is opposite to the forward direction F of the chain 100 as illustrated in Figure 1. Of course, some play can be expected in the links between the chain elements, such that the chain can be bent at an angle relative to the plane P, i.e., laterally or transversally with respect to the plane P. The chain links, i.e., the drive links and the tie straps are interleaved along the chain, one after the other. Every chain link has a forward side and a rearward side, where the forward side is the side facing the forward direction F and the rearward side is the opposite side of the chain link. A drive member such as a drive tooth that is pushing a drive link in the forward direction engages the drive link on a rearward facing drive surface.

[0041] The saw chain 100 has an upper part where the abrasive segment 1 15 or cutting implement is arranged and a lower part opposite to the upper part. An upwards direction U on the saw chain 100 is a direction from the lower part towards the upper part.

[0042] A downwards direction D on the saw chain is a direction from the upper part towards the lower part as indicated in Figure 1 . It is appreciated that the saw chain 100 in use forms an endless loop. A direction facing out O from the endless loop in use is generally aligned with the upwards direction U of the saw chain 100, at a specific point on the chain, as illustrated in the insert 140 in Figure 1 .

[0043] Each drive link 1 10 is pivotally interconnected to a forward tie strap 120a and to a rearward tie strap 120b at respective forward and rearward pivots 130a, 130b. The pivots 130a, 130b may also be referred to as pins or trunnions and are elements that connect the tie straps to the drive links such that they can pivot relative to each other. The forward and rearward pivots 130a, 130b are associated with respective forward and rearward pivot axes A1 that are normal to the plane P, i.e., perpendicular to the plane P.

[0044] Many saw chains use rivets as pivots, and rivets can be used here also. However, advantageous alternatives to using rivets as pivots in the saw chain 100 will be discussed below.

[0045] With reference to Figure 2A and 2B, each drive link 110 comprises first and second side sections 210a, 210b that extend along the plane P with a gap 240 inbetween. The side sections can be formed in many ways, but one simple alternative is to use planar elements that are also parallel to each other and to the plane P, with a gap between them into which the tie strap 120 can enter. The side sections 210, 210b comprise bores at the forward end and at the rearward end matched to the pivot elements. The side sections extend in the forward direction F and in the upwards direction U. A top section 220 extends transversal to the plane P and joins the two side sections at side section edges 250 that face out O from the endless loop in use. An abrasive element comprising diamond particles or other abrasives held in a metal matrix can with advantage be used as top section. The abrasive element can then be welded or otherwise attached directly onto to the side section edges 250 that face out O from the endless loop in use, as illustrated in Figure 2B. A piece of sheet metal cut to shape can also be used as top section, e.g., in case it is desired to attach a cutting implement to the top section 220. It is also possible to bend a piece of sheet metal in a U-shape to form the side sections integrally with the top section. An abrasive element or cutting implement can then be attached to the top section by, e.g., welding.

[0046] The side sections are preferably formed in a durable metal material, such as steel or some steel alloy. Sheet metal can be used with advantage. In this case the sheet metal can be cut to shape in an efficient manner during production of the saw chain 100.

[0047] The tie straps 120 are received in the gaps 240 between the side sections 210a, 210b of the drive links 1 10 as shown, e.g., in Figure 1 . The width of the gap 240, measured normal to the plane P, is preferably matched to the thickness of the tie strap, measured normal to the plane P, such that some play is allowed between drive link 1 10 and tie strap 120. The tie straps 120 can be dog-bone shaped and are preferably planar elements that extend along the plane P at the lateral center of the saw chain 100. The distance between the two holes in a tie-strap may be on the order of 1 1 mm, such as between 10-12mm, or about 10,9mm. The tie straps may be about 1 mm thick. Note that the tie straps 120 in the examples extend past the drive links 1 10, such that a part of the tie strap 120 is visible when viewed in a direction normal to the plane P. These visible parts of the tie strap 120 provide lateral support to the saw chain in use, since a pair of drive teeth can engage both sides of a tie strap to support the tie strap against forces transversal to the plane P. The largest such lateral supporting surface in the illustrated examples is between two adjacent drive links 1 10, but there are also lateral supporting surfaces exposed inbetween the pivots of each drive link 1 10.

[0048] Each side section 210a, 210b comprises a forward and a rearward drive surface 230a, 230b as indicated in Figure 2A. The drive surfaces 230a, 230b are arranged to engage respective drive teeth of a work tool on either side of the tie strap 120 as illustrated in Figure 3A and in Figures 4A-B. One work tool drive tooth engages the drive link 1 10 at its rear 230b and another work tool drive tooth engages the drive link at its midpoint 230a, as illustrated, e.g., in Figure 3A. The drive surfaces 230a, 230b extend transversal to the plane P on rearward facing edges of the side sections 210a, 210b. A row of drive teeth can enter into meshing engagement with the saw chain 100 to drive it in the forward direction F. Every other drive tooth may enter in between two drive links 1 10 and every other drive tooth may enter into the waist portion of the drive link 1 10 at its midpoint where the forward drive surface 230a is arranged.

[0049] The saw chains 100 described herein are designed to be driven by an annular member 310 comprising drive teeth 313 that extend radially outwards from the annular member, as illustrated in, e.g., Figures 3A-B and Figures 4A-B. The saw chain 100 balances on the periphery of the annular member in use, and it therefore needs lateral support, i.e., support against forces in directions transversal to the plane P, since otherwise the saw chain may easily derail or slip off from the annular member 310 in use. This lateral support can be provided at least in part by the tie straps 120 of the saw chain 100 which enter into supporting engagement with lateral sides of the drive teeth 313 as the drive teeth mesh with the saw chain.

[0050] With reference to Figure 6 and Figure 7, at least some of the tie straps 120, 120a, 120b on the saw chain 100 extend in the plane P past at least one of the drive surfaces 230a, 230b of the drive links 1 10 to expose lateral supporting surfaces 280a, 280b, 720 facing out from the plane P. In other words, if viewed from the side, a significant part of the tie strap 120 will be visible behind the drive link 1 10. A significant portion of the planar tie strap material is visible inbetween the drive links, as shown in Figure 6. A planar tooth extending radially out from the annular member 310 is supported by the supporting surface provided by the tie strap, since this supporting surface will be parallel to the planar drive tooth. Thus, a force transversal to the plane P is resisted by the saw chain, since this force will be absorbed by the drive teeth 313 on the annular member 310.

[0051] It is appreciated that some smaller number of tie straps may lack supporting surfaces, i.e., not all of the tie straps on a saw chain 100 are shaped to form lateral supporting surfaces. It is normally sufficient that a majority of tie straps form the lateral supporting surfaces described above.

[0052] The supporting surfaces 280a, 280b are configured to engage lateral sides of the drive teeth 313, 313a, 313b, thereby supporting the saw chain 100 laterally on the annular member 310. In other words, once the saw chain enters into meshing engagement with the drive teeth 313 of the annular member 310, as illustrated in Figure 6, the saw chain 100 is stably supported against forces in directions transversal to the plane P. Each pair of teeth on the annular member engages the lateral supporting surfaces of the tie strap on its opposite sides and thus holds the tie strap stably against forces directed transversal to the plane P.

[0053] At least some of the tie straps 120 may extend in the plane P to cover a rectangular bounding box 730 of the pivot apertures formed in the tie strap 120. This means that there is tie strap material in the area between the pivot apertures formed in the tie strap. This material supports the lateral sides of the drive teeth as the drive teeth enter into meshing engagement with the saw chain 100, as illustrated in Figure 6. At least some of the tie straps 120 may also comprise a supporting surface 720 which intersects a straight line 730 drawn between centers of pivot apertures formed in the tie strap 120, as exemplified in Figure 7.

[0054] According to some aspects, the tie straps 120 comprise corners 740 facing away from the top section 220 as shown in Figure 7, with a first radius r1 (shown in Figure 7) that is larger than a corresponding radius r2 of a rounded corner on the drive links 1 10 (shown in Figure 6). This means that the tie straps extends out past the drive links in the plane P, thus providing supporting surfaces for the drive teeth 313 to engage next to the rounded corners. The corner radii r1 , r2 are in this case measured from the center of the pivot 130a, 130b closest to the rounded corner 740, as shown in Figure 6 and in Figure 7.

[0055] The first and the second side sections 210a, 210b of each drive link 1 10 optionally comprises a cutout portion forming a waist on the drive link 1 10 inbetween the forward and rearward pivots 130a, 130b as illustrated in, e.g., Figure 2A. This waist at the midpoint of the drive link 110 allows a drive tooth to enter into driving engagement with a drive surface 230a arranged in the cutout portion, which is an advantage. However, drive surface can be formed also in other ways, such that each drive link 1 10 is arranged to engage a first drive tooth at a rearward end of the drive link 1 10 and a second drive tooth at an approximate midpoint of the drive link 1 10.

[0056] According to one example, the waists 610 on the drive links 1 10 are deeper compared to the waists 710 formed on at least some of the tie straps 120, 120a, 120b, in order to expose supporting surfaces 720 on the tie straps 120. This means that the cutout portions on the drive links are larger than those on the tie straps. In Figure 7, there is only a very shallow waist 710, which leaves a supporting surface 720 that will engage the sides of the drive teeth 313 on the annular member, as illustrated in Figure 6.

[0057] An example of the meshing engagement between example drive teeth 313 and saw chain 100 is illustrated in Figure 3A. Another example would be to use a drive wheel 330 and a support wheel formed in the same manner as the drive wheel 330 on both ends of a chain saw blade. The drive surfaces preferably have shapes that are complimentary to the shape of the drive teeth on the work tools, such that the drive teeth on the work tools may engage the drive surfaces in an efficient manner. It is an advantage that the drive force from the drive teeth is transferred directly to the abrasive element of the cutting implement via the side sections on the drive link without passing via a tie strap or pivot, at least in part since this reduces the wear on the chain links. It is also possible to build a work tool with a low build height in this manner, where the build height d3 of the chain is measured, e.g., from the top edge of a drive tooth to the top of the abrasive element as illustrated in Figure 1 .

[0058] The endless chain disclosed in WO2020263154 has been shown to give good results when cutting hard material such as concrete and stone. However, it does have a build height (measured as the height of the chain from the work tool support) which may cause the chain to diverge from a straight line cut when objects such as reinforcement bars are encountered in use. The saw chain 100 disclosed herein has a smaller build height, which is an advantage in some applications.

[0059] The drive links on the saw chain in WO2020263154 are not used to support abrasive elements or other cutting implements, which means that the force from the drive links must traverse the pivots to reach the object. This is not optimal, at least in some applications. The saw chain disclosed herein is driven directly on the chain links that support the abrasive elements or cutting implements.

[0060] The saw chain described in TWM538450U is at least partly driven on the tie straps between the drive links carrying the abrasive segments, and therefore lacks the lateral supporting surfaces required to support the saw chain in the periphery of an annular member 310 comprising drive teeth extending radially out from the annular member 310.

[0061] Bicycle chains for transferring drive torque between the pedals and the rear wheel of a bicycle are known in the art. The saw chain 100 can be described as an inverted bicycle chain. However, instead of having drive surfaces in the center of the chain on the chain pivots, the saw chain 100 has two drive surfaces on either side of the drive link, i.e., four contact points per drive link. The forces from the object is directly transferred from the abrasive element or cutting implement to the drive teeth of the work tool without passing through and stressing the pivots on the chain. In fact, the forces on the tie straps 120 are relatively small in use. The tie straps mainly serve to balance the chain in use, as discussed above, not to transfer any significant force between the object and the work tool power source. Figure 2B shows a cross section of the chain 100, seen along the plane in the forward direction F. In this example realization of the saw chain 100 the pivots 130 are received in bores, i.e., holes formed in the side sections 210a, 210b. The bores in the side sections may be circular or in some other shape. The pivots 130 may be formed separately from the drive links 1 10 and separately from the tie straps 120, and held in position by the side sections 210a, 210b. This is an advantage from a manufacturing point of view since no riveting is required. The tie straps can instead be assembled with the pivots and the drive link 1 10 can then be formed around the pivot and tie strap assembly to form the saw chain 100. It is also possible to form the pivots and the tie straps in one piece. In this case the pivots appear as trunnions on the tie straps that extend out transversally to the tie strap at each end of the elongated planar tie strap. The side sections then pivotably hold the trunnions in position.

[0062] According to some aspects, the pivots 130 are of cylindrical shape and extend axially in a direction normal to the plane P and a ridge 260 having an axial width matched to the gap between the side sections 210a, 210b extends radially from the pivot at an axial midpoint of the pivot 130. The ridge 260 ensures that the pivot does not move axially out from the side section bores. The diameter d4 of the pivot element is about 4mm or between 3-5mm. The ridge diameter d5 is about 5mm, or between 4-6mm.

[0063] The pivots 130 may of course also be formed as rivets extending through the side sections 210a, 210b and through the tie strap 120, as in a conventional saw chain.

[0064] According to another alternative, the pivots 130 are integrally formed with the tie straps 120 as protrusions that extend in the direction of the pivot axes A1 . A tie strap comprising the pivot protrusions or trunnions are then assembled with the drive link as the saw chain is manufactured. Two side sections may be placed on either side of a tie strap, and a top section can then be welded onto the side sections in order to pivotably secure the tie strap.

[0065] With reference to Figure 5A, one way to produce the saw chains 100 discussed herein is to obtain Sa1 a plurality of elongated pivot elements 130 with circular ridges 260 formed at axial midpoints of the pivot elements 130, obtain Sa2 a plurality of planar elongated tie straps 120 with bores formed at both ends that match the circular ridges 260 of the pivot elements 130, and also obtain Sa3 a plurality of elongated planar side sections 210a, 210b with bores formed at both ends that match the axial end sections of the pivot elements 130, as exemplified in Figure 1 . The production method comprises assembling Sa4 one pivot element 130 in each tie strap bore, assembling Sa5 two pivot elements and two tie straps inbetween two opposing side sections 210a, 210b, where each pivot element is held at its axial end sections in respective bores of the opposing planar side sections, and attaching Sa6 a top section 220 to top edges 250 of the opposing side sections 210a, 210b as exemplified in Figure 2B to secure the pivot elements 130 and the tie straps 120, while at the same time forming a drive link 1 10 of the saw chain 100. This way a saw chain can be formed in an efficient manner with high precision.

[0066] Alternatively, the pivots are integrally formed with the tie straps, as trunnions extending transversely from the planar elongated tie straps. The trunnions then replace the bores in the tie straps. This method of production is illustrated in Figure 5B and comprises obtaining Sb1 a plurality of planar elongated tie straps 120 with trunnions extending transversal to the tie strap at both ends, obtaining Sb2 a plurality of elongated planar side sections 210a, 210b with bores formed at both ends that match the trunnions on the tie straps 120, assembling Sb3 two tie straps inbetween two opposing side sections 210a, 210b, and attaching Sb4 a top section 220 at top edges 250 of the opposing side sections 210a, 210b to secure the tie straps 120, while also forming a drive link 1 10 of the saw chain 100.

[0067] Figure 5C illustrates a method for processing an object by a work tool. The method comprises providing Sc1 a saw chain 100 comprising drive links 1 10 interleaved by tie straps 120 in an endless loop that lies in a plane P, where the chain 100 extends in a forward direction F, where each drive link 1 10 is pivotally interconnected to a forward tie strap 120a and to a rearward tie strap 120b at respective forward and rearward pivots 130a, 130b, where the forward and rearward pivots 130a, 130b are associated with respective forward and rearward pivot axes A1 normal to the plane P, each drive link 1 10 comprising first and second side sections 210a, 210b extending along the plane P with a gap 240 inbetween, and a top section 220 extending transversal to the plane P and joining the two side sections at side section edges 250 that face out O from the endless loop in use, where the tie straps 120 are received in the gaps 240 between the side sections 210a, 210b of the drive links 1 10, where each side section 210a, 210b comprises a forward and a rearward drive surface 230a, 230b arranged to engage respective drive teeth 313, where the drive surfaces 230a, 230b extend transversal to the plane P on rearward facing edges of the side sections 210a, 210b.

[0068] The method further comprises providing Sc2 a work tool 300, 400, and using Sc3 the saw chain 100 assembled on the work tool 300, 400 to process the object.

[0069] With reference to Figure 2A, a distance d1 between the pivot axes A1 of a drive link 1 10, measured perpendicular to the pivot axes A1 , is within 5% of, and preferably equal to, a distance d2 between the forward pivot axis of a first drive link and the rearward pivot axis of a drive link adjacent to the first drive link. Thus, the distances between the pivot axes of the saw chain 100 are equal or at least approximately equal, which is an advantage since the teeth can be placed closer to each other this way which gives a more even torque transfer between the annular member 310 and the saw chain.

[0070] The gap 270 between adjacent drive links 1 10 on the chain in use is at most 0,8mm, and preferably less than about 6mm. It is an advantage that the drive links 1 10 are positioned relatively close to each other in the saw chain 100. In order to allow pivoting by the chain links relative to each other despite the closeness of the drive links, the forward facing edge of the side section 130 on a first drive link preferably forms an acute angle a with a rearward facing edge of the side section 130 on a second drive link immediately in front of the first drive link on the chain 100, as illustrated in Figure 1 , where a vertex of the acute angle a points out from the endless loop.

[0071] A build height d3 of the chain 100, measured from a pivot axis A1 or from the top of a drive tooth in direction perpendicular to the forward direction F to an extreme point of the top section 220 as illustrated in Figure 1 , is preferably below 7mm or so.

[0072] According to some aspects, a width W of a drive link 1 10 measured normal to the plane P and perpendicular to the forward direction F is between 4-5mm or so.

[0073] Figure 3A illustrates a drive mechanism for a work tool such as the example power cutter 400 illustrated in Figures 4A-B, or the wall saw discussed in WO2020263154. The drive mechanism comprises an annular member 310 extending in a plane P in a manner similar to W02020263154, but this annular member comprises drive teeth 313 that are evenly spaced along a rim 312 of the annular member 310, similar to the gears on a bicycle. These drive teeth on the annular member 310 engage the drive surfaces 230a, 230b on the saw chain 100 in use.

[0074] The annular member 310 is rotatably supported by one or more support rollers 320 on an inside 31 1 of its annulus and by a drive mechanism 330, 340 that engages the drive teeth 313 evenly spaced along the rim 312 on the outside of the annulus of the annular member 310. The drive mechanism 330, 340 thus drives on the outside of the annular member 310. To be rotatably supported here means that the annular member can rotate about a center axis but is otherwise fixedly held in position. More than one support roller 320 can be arranged on the inside of the annulus, and the drive mechanism can also be arranged in different ways, as will be discussed in more detail below. It is also possible to configure support rollers 430 laterally on the annular member 310. One or more support rollers 420 can also be arranged on the outside 312 of the annular member, and also laterally 430 relative to the annular member 310 as illustrated in Figures 4A-B. In Figure 3A, a support wheel 350 is arranged in the plane P and distanced from the annular member 310 in a manner similar to the saw chain arrangements discussed in WO2020263154, but in this case the drive mechanism 330, 340 is arranged inbetween the annular member 310 and the support wheel 350, where it is enclosed by the endless loop formed by the saw chain 100. The support wheel 350 can be biased B in a direction away from the annular member 310.

[0075] In the example power cutters illustrated in Figure 4A and in Figure 4B there is no support wheel 350 arranged distanced from the annular member 310. Instead, the drive wheel 330 also supports the saw chain 100. The drive wheel 330 in Figures 4A-B drives the annular member 310 via one transmission wheel 340.

[0076] The annular member 310 is ring-shaped and therefore center-less. The radial width W, indicated in Figure 3A, of the ring may vary, but a radial width range of between 30-80 mm may be suitable, and preferably about 40mm or 50mm. The diameter D of the annular member 310 is according to some aspects selectable to provide different torque or speed ratios and will be discussed in more detail below. The values for the annular member diameter D may vary from about 200mm to about 800mm.

[0077] The diameter of the support wheels 320, 420 are in the range 50-100mm, and preferably about 70 mm. When selecting the diameter of a drive wheel or a support wheel, it is preferred to avoid polygon effects and the like. It is appreciated that the diameter of the support wheel can be selected freely. The diameter of the support wheel and the diameter of the annular member together determine a torque or speed ratio of the work tool.

[0078] For example, a ratio between the annular member diameter D and support wheel diameter may be between 3 and 10, and preferably between 4 and 8.

[0079] The saw chain extends from the rim of the support wheel 350 or the drive wheel 330 to the rim of the annular member 310 and back again to the support wheel. When used for cutting, the annular member side of the work tool is brought to engage the material to be cut, with the support wheel 350 or drive wheel 330 trailing the annular member 310.

[0080] During a cutting operation by the work tool, the chain is powered by the drive mechanism, whereby the annular member 310 revolves in support of the chain. This means that the chain does not slide on metal, as is often the case with traditional chain saw blades. The present arrangement with the revolving annular member reduces friction and alleviates mechanical stress on the chain, thereby providing a more durable and efficient work tool. The annular member also drives directly on the chain links that support the abrasive segments or the cutting implements, which reduces the stress on chain pivots 130 and tie straps 120.

[0081] The drive mechanism may be any of a combustion engine, an electrical motor, or a hybrid combustion engine and electrical motor drive arrangement. The drive mechanism may also comprise a hydraulic drive arrangement. Due to the relatively low weight of the annular member and chain combination, compared to a cut-off wheel of similar dimension, the disclosed work tool is particularly suitable for use with battery (or other electrical energy storage) powered drive mechanisms. This is at least partly because a low weight annular member requires less energy to bring up to operational rotation speeds compared to a heavier cut-off disc. The battery may be an on-board battery, i.e., a battery comprised in the work tool and carried together with the work tool.

[0082] The annular member 310 may rotate in clockwise or anti-clockwise direction depending on application. This disclosure is not limited to any particular direction of rotation.

[0083] The annular member 310 is arranged to support the saw chain 100 on a rim segment 410 of the annular member 310 that faces away from the support wheel 350 and / or drive wheel 330. Either the support wheel 350, the drive wheel 330 or both are arranged to support the saw chain 100 on respective rim segment 355, 335 that face away from the annular member 310. The build height of the saw chain 100 can also be calculated relative to the annular member 310, for instance as the distance between an outermost radial point on the annular member and the outermost point on the chain, which in this case is the distance from the top of a drive tooth on the annular member to the end of the abrasive segment.

[0084] The drive teeth 313 in the example illustrated in Figure 3A extend in two parallel and angularly aligned tangential rows along the rim 312. Thus, there are two axially spaced rows of drive teeth 313a, 313b on the annular member 310, where the teeth are formed in pairs that are located at the same angle on the annular member 310. The rows of teeth 313a, 313b are separated by a continuous gap 314 as illustrated in Figure 3B.

[0085] According to an alternative embodiment, the drive teeth 313 are of a first type and of a second type alternating along the rim 312. A drive tooth of the first type extends axially across the rim 312 perpendicular to a rotation direction of the annular member 310, and a drive tooth of the second type has a tangential gap formed at its axial center and extending in the rotation direction of the annular member 310.

[0086] The drive mechanism 330, 340 optionally comprises taps 341 arranged in a ring 342, where the ring 342 is aligned with the plane P and the taps 341 extend in a direction normal to the plane P, where each tap 341 is configured to drivingly engage the annular member 310 inbetween consecutive drive teeth 313 on the rim 312.

[0087] The taps 341 may be formed as simple trunnions, but preferably comprise bearings configured to bear a rotational movement between the tap 341 and the rim of the annular member 310. These bearing significantly reduce friction in the drive mechanism, which is an advantage. The bearings may be formed as sliding bearings.

[0088] The drive mechanism preferably comprises a drive wheel 330 with a tangential row of drive teeth 331 arranged to drivingly engage taps 341 formed on at least one transmission wheel 340. The taps 341 are arranged in a ring 342, where the ring 342 is aligned with the plane P and the taps 341 extend in a direction normal to the plane P, where each tap 341 is configured to drivingly engage the annular member 310 inbetween consecutive drive teeth 313 on the rim 312. The teeth on the drive wheel preferably has the same dimensions as the teeth on the annular member 310, such that both the drive wheel 330 and the annular member 310 are matched to the transmission wheel or wheels 340.

[0089] The annular member 310 can be formed by two annular sideplates with an annular centerplate arranged in-between the two sideplates. The drive teeth 313 are preferably formed in the side plates and the smallest diameter of the side plates is at least as large as the diameter of the centerplate. The two annular sideplates and the centerplate can be riveted and / or spot-welded together. The annular member 310 is optionally replaceable by one or more alternative annular members having different annular member diameters D measured as the largest distance across the annular member 310.

[0090] The work tool may comprise a chain brake arranged to stop the chain from rotating. Such a chain brake may optionally be implemented as a disc brake configured to engage the annular member 310. The brake device may also be configured to engage with any of the support rollers 320, or with the support wheel 350 to prevent rotation of the saw chain 100.

[0091] A problem associated with many known work tools is to provide different drive speed or torque ratios. Often, a gearbox is provided in order to allow selection of different drive speed or torque ratios. Advantageously, the present design does not require a gearbox since the annular member is optionally arranged to be replaceable by one or more alternative annular members having different diameters, thereby providing for different speed or torque ratios between cutting chain and drive mechanism. The different annular members and the work tool may be provided as a kit of parts.

[0092] According to some aspects, the support wheel 350 shown in Figure 3 is also used as a tensioning mechanism to provide a controlled amount of tension to the cutting chain 100. In this case the support wheel is arranged biased B in a direction away from the annular member 310. The example work tool 400 in Figure 4A comprises a chain tensioning mechanism where the annular member 310 is arranged rotatable with respect to the support wheel 340, such that the annular member 310 can move relative to the support wheel 340 in direction D1 , which tensions the chain 100 on the upper side of the work tool 400.

[0093] Alternatively, or as a complement, the support wheel 340 which is arranged inbetween the drive wheel 330 and the annular member 310 is arranged movable in direction M, i.e., on a path between the centers of the annular member 310 and the drive wheel 330. Movement of the support wheel 340 along this path tensions the chain, since it pushes the annular member 310 in a direction away from the drive wheel 330.

[0094] The skilled person realizes that there are many ways in which the saw chain can be tensioned. The present disclosure only describes some of these possible ways.

[0095] A separate chain tensioning support roller 440, as exemplified in Figure 4B, can be used to improve the chain tensioning on the work tool 400. This support roller pushes the chain 100 outwards, in direction D2.

[0096] In some cutting scenarios flush cutting is desired. The outer support rollers 430 may then be removed in order to allow the flush cutting operation. When the work tool is used in a wall saw arrangement, overcut can be reduced by allowing the tool to cut using the flat portion of the chain 100 between the annular member and the support wheel 350 or drive wheel 330.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A saw chain (100) for a work tool (400), the saw chain (100) comprising drive links (1 10) interleaved by tie straps (120) in an endless loop that lies in a plane (P), where the chain (100) extends in a forward direction (F), where each drive link (1 10) is pivotally interconnected to a forward tie strap (120a) and to a rearward tie strap (120b) at respective forward and rearward pivots (130a, 130b), where the forward and rearward pivots (130a, 130b) are associated with respective forward and rearward pivot axes (A1 ) normal to the plane (P), each drive link (1 10) comprising first and second side sections (210a, 210b) extending along the plane (P) with a gap (240) inbetween, and a top section (220) extending transversal to the plane (P) and joining the two side sections at side section edges (250) that face out (O) from the endless loop in use, where the tie straps (120) are received in the gaps (240) between the side sections (210a, 210b) of the drive links (1 10), where each side section (210a, 210b) comprises a forward and a rearward drive surface (230a, 230b) arranged to engage respective drive teeth (313, 313a, 313b) extending radially outwards from an annular member (310), where the drive surfaces (230a, 230b) extend transversal to the plane (P) on rearward facing edges of the side sections (210a, 210b),2. The saw chain (100) according to claim 1 , where at least some of the tie straps (120, 120a, 120b) extend in the plane (P) past at least one of the drive surfaces (230a, 230b) of the drive links (1 10) to expose lateral supporting surfaces (280a, 280b, 720) facing out from the plane (P), where the lateral supporting surfaces (280a, 280b) are configured to engage lateral sides of the drive teeth (313, 313a, 313b).

3. The saw chain (100) according to claim 1 or 2, where the first and second side sections (210a, 210b) of each drive link (1 10) comprises a cutout portion forming a waist (610) on the drive link (110) inbetween the forward and rearward pivots (130a, 130b).

4. The saw chain (100) according to claim 3, where the waists (610) on the drive links (1 10) are deeper compared to respective waists (710) formed on at least some of the tie straps (120, 120a, 120b).

5. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where at least some of the tie straps (120) extend in the plane (P) to cover a rectangular bounding box (730) of pivot apertures formed in the tie strap (120).

6. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where at least some of the tie straps (120) comprises a lateral supporting surface (720) which intersects a straight line (730) drawn between centers of pivot apertures formed in the tie strap (120).

7. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the tie straps (120) comprise corners (740) facing away from the top section (220) with a first radius (r1 ) that is larger than a corresponding radius (r2) of the drive links (1 10)8. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where each drive link (1 10) is arranged to engage a first drive tooth at a rearward end of the drive link (1 10) and a second drive tooth at a midpoint of the drive link (1 10).

9. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the top section (220) is welded to the side section edges (250) that face out (O) from the endless loop in use.

10. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where a forward facing edge of a side section (210) on a first drive link forms an acute angle (a) with a rearward facing edge of a side section (210) on a second drive link immediately in front of the first drive link on the chain (100), where a vertex of the acute angle (a) points out from the endless loop.

11. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the pivots (130) are received in bores formed in the side sections (210a, 210b).

12. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the pivots (130) are formed separately from the drive links (1 10) and separately from the tie straps (120) and held in position by the side sections (210a, 210b).

13. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the pivots (130) are of cylindrical shape extending axially in a direction normal to the plane (P), where a ridge (260) having an axial width matched to the gap between the side sections (210a, 210b) extend radially from the pivot at an axial midpoint of the pivot (130).

14. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the pivots (130) are formed as rivets extending through the side sections (210a, 210b) and through the tie strap (120).

15. The saw chain (100) according to any of claims 1 -1 1 , where the pivots (130) are integrally formed with the tie straps (120) as protrusions that extend in the direction of the pivot axes (A1 ).

16. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the tie straps (120) are dog-bone shaped.

17. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the tie straps (120) are planar elements extending along the plane (P).

18. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where a distance (d1 ) between the pivot axes (A1 ) of a drive link (1 10), measured perpendicular to the pivot axes (A1 ), is within 5% of, and preferably equal to, a distance (d2) between the forward pivot axis of a first drive link and the rearward pivot axis of a drive link adjacent to the first drive link.

19. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where a gap (270) between adjacent drive links (1 10) on the chain in use is at most 0,8mm.

20. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where a build height (d3) of the chain (100) measured from a pivot axis (A1 ) in direction perpendicular to the forward direction (F) to an extreme point of the top section (220) is below 7mm.21 . The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where a width (W) of a drive link (1 10) measured normal to the plane (P) and perpendicular to the forward direction (F) is between 4-5mm.

22. The saw chain (100) according to any previous claim, where the top section (220) comprises an abrasive element for processing concrete and stone objects.

23. The saw chain (100) according to any of claims 1 -21 , where the top section (220) comprises a cutting implement such as a tooth for cutting into an object.

24. A work tool (300, 400) comprising an annular member (310) extending in a plane (P), where drive teeth (313) are evenly spaced along a rim (312) of the annular member (310), where the annular member (310) is rotatably supported by one or more support rollers (320) on an inside (31 1 ) of its annulus and by a drive mechanism (330, 340) engaging the drive teeth (313) evenly spaced along the rim (312), where the annular member (310) is arranged to support and to drive a saw chain (100) on a rim segment (410) of the annular member (310).

25. The work tool (400) according to claim 24, where the drive mechanism (330, 340) comprises a drive wheel (330) arranged in the plane (P) and distanced from the annular member (310) and at least one transmission wheel (340) connected inbetween the drive wheel (330) and the annular member (310), where the annular member (310) is arranged to support a saw chain (100) on a rim segment (410) of the annular member (310) facing away from the drive wheel (330), and where the drive wheel (330) is arranged to support the saw chain (100) on a rim segment (335) of the drive wheel (330) facing away from the annular member (310).

26. The work tool (300) according to claim 24, where a support wheel (350) is arranged in the plane (P) and distanced from the annular member (310),where the drive mechanism (330, 340) is arranged inbetween the annular member (310) and the support wheel (350), where the annular member (310) is arranged to support a saw chain (100) on a rim segment (410) of the annular member (310) facing away from the support wheel (350), and where the support wheel (350) is arranged to support the saw chain (100) on a rim segment (355) of the support wheel (350) facing away from the annular member (310).

27. The work tool (300, 400) according to claim 26, where the support wheel (350) is biased in a direction away from the annular member (310).

28. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-27, where the drive teeth (313) extend in two parallel angularly aligned tangential rows along the rim (312), where the rows are separated by a continuous gap (314).

29. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-27, where the drive teeth (313) are of a first type and of a second type alternating along the rim (312), where a drive tooth of the first type extends axially across the rim(312) perpendicular to a rotation direction of the annular member (310), and a drive tooth of the second type has a tangential gap formed at its axial center and extending in the rotation direction of the annular member (310).

30. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-29, where the drive mechanism (330, 340) comprises taps (341 ) arranged in a ring (342), where the ring (342) is aligned with the plane (P) and the taps (341 ) extend in a direction normal to the plane (P), where each tap (341 ) is configured to drivingly engage the annular member (310) inbetween consecutive drive teeth(313) on the rim (312).

31. The work tool (300, 400) according to claim 30, where the taps (341 ) comprise bearings configured to bear a rotational movement between the tap (341 ) and the rim of the annular member (310).

32. The work tool (300, 400) according to claim 30, where the bearings are sliding bearings.

33. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-32, where the drive mechanism comprises a drive wheel (330) comprising a tangential row of drive teeth (331 ) arranged to drivingly engage taps (341 ) formed on at least one transmission wheel (340), where the taps (341 ) are arranged in a ring (342), where the ring (342) is aligned with the plane (P) and the taps (341 ) extend in a direction normal to the plane (P), where each tap (341 ) is configured to drivingly engage the annular member (310) inbetween consecutive drive teeth (313) on the rim (312).

34. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-33, where the annular member (310) is formed by two annular sideplates with an annular centerplate arranged in-between the two sideplates, where the drive teeth (313) are formed in the side plates and where a diameter of the side plates is at least as large as the diameter of the centerplate.

35. The work tool (300, 400) according to claim 34, wherein the two annular sideplates and the centerplate are riveted and / or spot-welded together.

36. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-35, wherein the annular member (310) is replaceable by one or more alternative annular members having different annular member diameters (D) measured as a largest distance across the annular member (310).

37. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-36, comprising a separate support roller (440) arranged to apply a tensioning force on the saw chain (100) directed out (D2, O) from the endless loop formed by the saw chain (100).

38. The work tool (300, 400) according to any of claims 24-37, where the work tool is a handheld power cutter, a floor saw, or a wall saw.

39. A method for producing a saw chain (100), the method comprisingobtaining (Sa1 ) a plurality of elongated pivot elements (130) with circular ridges (260) formed at axial midpoints of the pivot elements (130), obtaining (Sa2) a plurality of planar elongated tie straps (120) with bores formed at both ends that match the circular ridges (260) of the pivot elements (130), obtaining (Sa3) a plurality of elongated planar side sections (210a, 210b) with bores formed at both ends that match axial end sections of the pivot elements (130), assembling (Sa4) one pivot element (130) in each tie strap bore, assembling (Sa5) two pivot elements and two tie straps inbetween two opposing planar side sections (210a, 210b), where each pivot element is held at its axial end sections in respective bores of the opposing planar side sections, and attaching (Sa6) a top section (220) at side section top edges (250) to secure the pivot elements (130) and the tie straps (120).

40. A method for producing a saw chain (100), the method comprising obtaining (Sb1 ) a plurality of planar elongated tie straps (120) with trunnions extending transversal to the tie strap at both ends, obtaining (Sb2) a plurality of elongated planar side sections (210a, 210b) with bores formed at both ends that match the trunnions on the tie straps (120), assembling (Sb3) two tie straps inbetween two opposing side sections (210a, 210b), and attaching (Sb4) a top section (220) at side section edges (250) of the opposing side sections (210a, 210b) to secure the tie straps (120).41 . A method for processing an object by a work tool, the method comprising providing (Sc1 ) a saw chain (100) comprising drive links (1 10) interleaved by tie straps (120) in an endless loop that lies in a plane (P), where the chain (100) extends in a forward direction (F),where each drive link (1 10) is pivotally interconnected to a forward tie strap (120a) and to a rearward tie strap (120b) at respective forward and rearward pivots (130a, 130b), where the forward and rearward pivots (130a, 130b) are associated with respective forward and rearward pivot axes (A1 ) normal to the plane (P), each drive link (1 10) comprising first and second side sections (210a, 210b) extending along the plane (P) with a gap (240) inbetween, and a top section (220) extending transversal to the plane (P) and joining the two side sections at side section edges (250) that face out (O) from the endless loop in use, where the tie straps (120) are received in the gaps (240) between the side sections (210a, 210b) of the drive links (1 10), where each side section (210a, 210b) comprises a forward and a rearward drive surface (230a, 230b) arranged to engage respective drive teeth (313) extending radially outwards from an annular member (310), where the drive surfaces (230a, 230b) extend transversal to the plane (P) on rearward facing edges of the side sections (210a, 210b), the method further comprising providing (Sc2) a work tool (300, 400), and using (Sc3) the saw chain (100) assembled on the work tool (300, 400) to process the object.

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