早zao在zai我wo國guo商shang代dai馬ma具ju上shang就jiu出chu現xian了le青qing銅tong鏈lian條tiao，西xi安an出chu土tu的de秦qin代dai銅tong車che馬ma上shang
，用yong的de是shi金jin屬shu鏈lian條tiao。二er者zhe雖sui都dou是shi鏈lian條tiao但dan並bing不bu屬shu於yu鏈lian傳chuan動dong。中zhong國guo古gu代dai最zui早zao用yong來lai作zuo為wei傳chuan遞di運yun動dong和he動dong力li的de鏈lian條tiao應ying用yong在zai翻fan車che上shang
，出chu現xian在zai東dong漢han時shi期qi。翻fan車che世shi界jie上shang出chu現xian最zui早zao
、流傳最久遠的農用水車。《後漢書》記有身為宦官的畢嵐始作翻車，後三國馬鈞加以完善。