Styles and Forms of Chains

Regardless of whether chains are roller chains, silent chains, engineering steel chains, or flat-top chains, their styles may be classified as follows  

FIGURE 2-1 Typical offset and straight link drive chains. 

These differences in configuration and details are important to both manufacturers and users, not only because of cost, but for other reasons of a technical nature. 

It is obvious that chains exist in about every possible combination of the styles listed above. All told, however, there is probably a good deal less offset chain furnished than straight link, and more with rollers than without them. 

---