Chain with endless braided chain-link

1. A chain comprising:

a plurality of interconnected chain links, wherein

at least one of the chain links comprises a Turk's head braided core comprising at least two consecutive turns of at least one primary strand, wherein

the at least one primary strand comprises polymeric elongated elements having a tenacity of at least 1.0 N/tex.

2. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary strand is a tendon of parallel polymeric yarns.

3. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary strand is a braided, twisted or laid rope.

4. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises a cross-section which is comprised of a number of cross-sections of the at least one first primary strand.

5. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises at least three consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

6. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises a plurality of primary strands, wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises at least two consecutive turns of each of the plurality of primary strands.

7. The chain according to claim 6 , wherein

each of the plurality of primary strands comprises a plurality of polymeric elongated elements, and wherein

each of the polymeric elongated elements is formed of the same type of polymer.

8. The chain according to claim 7 , wherein at least one and another of the plurality of polymeric elongated elements differ by at least one property selected from the group consisting of material, tenacity, yarn titer, filament titer and creep rate.

9. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements of the at least one primary strand have a tenacity of at least 1.2 N/tex.

10. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary strand is a braided or laid primary strand having at least two terminal ends connected together with a splice.

11. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one chain link comprises a cover, and wherein either

(i) the at least one primary strand is sheathed with the cover, or

(ii) the Turk's head braided core is sheathed with the cover.

12. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements are at least partially coated with a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer.

13. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has a cross-section of between 5 mm 2 and 5 dm 2 .

14. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the chain has a tenacity of at least 0.55 N/tex.

15. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the chain has a static strength of at least 300 kN.

16. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises at least four consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

17. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises at least six consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

18. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has at most 24 consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

19. The chain according to claim 18 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has at most 18 consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

20. The chain according to claim 18 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has at most 12 consecutive turns of the at least one primary strand.

21. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises a plurality of primary strands, and wherein the Turk's head braided core comprises at least six consecutive turns of each of the plurality of primary strands.

22. The chain according to claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of primary strands comprises a plurality of polymeric elongated elements comprising polymeric yarns of the same type.

23. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements of the at least one primary strand have a tenacity of at least 2.0 N/tex.

24. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements of the at least one primary strand have a tenacity of at least 2.5 N/tex.

25. The chain according to claim 12 , wherein the thermoset and the thermoplastic are polymer silicone resins and plastomers, respectively.

26. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has a cross-section between 10 mm 2 and 3 dm 2 .

27. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the Turk's head braided core has a cross-section between 50 mm 2 and 100 cm 2 .

28. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein each of the polymeric elongated elements is an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) yarn having a tenacity of at least 1.8 N/Tex.

29. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein each of the polymeric elongated elements is an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) yarn having a tenacity of at least 2.5 N/Tex.

30. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the chain has a tenacity of at least 0.60 N/tex.

31. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary strand is a woven strand.

32. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements comprise fibers made from organic synthetic material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyaramides; poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), poly(p-phenylene-2, 6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO), liquid crystal polymers, poly{2,6-diimidazo-[4,5b-4′,5′e]pyridinylene-1,4(2,5-dihydroxy)phenylene}, polyesters, polyvinyl alcohols and polyacrylonitriles.

33. The chain according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elongated elements comprise fibers made from organic synthetic material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide), copolymers of para hydroxybenzoic acid and para hydroxynaphtalic acid, poly(hexamethyleneadipamide), poly(6-aminohexanoic acid); poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), and poly(1,4 cyclohexylidene dimethylene terephthalate).