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A conveyor chain is chain that has been designed specifically for chain conveyor systems. It consists of a series of journal bearings that are held together by constraining link plates. Each bearing consists of a pin and a bush on which the chain roller revolves.
1. Hollow bearing pin chain
Hollow bearing pin chain allows attachments to be bolted through the hollow bearing pins. Attachments may be tightly fixed or held in a 'free' manner.
2. Solid bearing pin chain
Solid bearing pin chain has the same dimensions as hollow bearing pin chain but is more robust and thus suitable for more arduous conveyor applications.
3. Deep link chain
Deep link chain has deeper side plates than the normal chain plates and so provides a continuous carrying edge above the roller periphery. Deep link chain comes in solid and hollow bearing pin varieties.
4. Drop forged chain
Drop forged chain (also known as en-masse conveyor chain or scraper chain) is already fitted with attachments that have been welded directly onto the chain links.
Each type of conveyor chain is available in a range of different pitches. The minimum pitch is dictated by the need for adequate wheel tooth strength and the maximum is determined by plate rigidity. The maximum pitch can be exceeded if the chain is strengthened with bushes between the link plates and there is still enough clearance with the wheel teeth.
Attachments are fitted to a conveyor chain to adapt it for a particular conveying application. Conveyor chain attachments are typically made from steel but scrapers made from multi-laminated beech are becoming increasingly common, especially in the cement, biomass and recycling industries.
Sprockets are used in the conveyor system to drive the chain. Conveyor sprockets typically have an odd number of teeth although sprockets with an even number have become more prevalent over the last thirty years. Most sprockets are made from fabricated steel and are parallel or taper keyed to a through shaft. Conveyor sprockets are also available in double pitch and shear pin varieties. Double pitch sprockets wear evenly and offer a longer service life than standard sprockets. Shear pin sprockets break when overloaded, stopping the conveyor and saving considerable expense and downtime.
In order for a conveyor chain to perform well, the bearing surfaces must be lubricated. Correct lubrication will minimise power absorption, wear rate, corrosion and noise. In normal conditions and operating temperatures a quality mineral oil with medium viscosity e.g. SAE 20W50 will suffice. Self-lubricating chains that require no additional lubrication are available from a variety of chain manufacturers as well.
Conveyor chain can be manufactured to a number of different standards.
1. British Standard
The British Standard chain designed to meet the requirements of the British market as well as those where British engineering design and purchasing dominates.
2. International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization is used throughout the European market except in Germany which has its own standard.
3. Deutsche Institut für Normung
This standard is the dominant standard in Germany and is not interchangeable with the BS and ISO standards.
Conveyor chains are used in
A bearing is a machine element that constrains relative motion to only the desired motion, and reduces friction between moving parts. The design of the bearing may, for example, provide for free linear movement of the moving part or for free rotation around a fixed axis; or, it may prevent a motion by controlling the vectors of normal forces that bear on the moving parts. Most bearings facilitate the desired motion by minimizing friction. Bearings are classified broadly according to the type of operation, the motions allowed, or to the directions of the loads (forces) applied to the parts.
A chainsaw is a portable gasoline-, electric-, or battery-powered saw that cuts with a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain driven along a guide bar. It is used in activities such as tree felling, limbing, bucking, pruning, cutting firebreaks in wildland fire suppression, and harvesting of firewood. Chainsaws with specially designed bar-and-chain combinations have been developed as tools for use in chainsaw art and chainsaw mills. Specialized chainsaws are used for cutting concrete during construction developments. Chainsaws are sometimes used for cutting ice; for example, ice sculpture and winter swimming in Finland.
A bicycle chain is a roller chain that transfers power from the pedals to the drive-wheel of a bicycle, thus propelling it. Most bicycle chains are made from plain carbon or alloy steel, but some are nickel-plated to prevent rust, or simply for aesthetics.
Lubrication is the process or technique of using a lubricant to reduce friction and wear and tear in a contact between two surfaces. The study of lubrication is a discipline in the field of tribology.
Flat chain is a form of chain used chiefly in agricultural machinery. Early machinery made extensive use of flat chain. It has been gradually replaced in most applications by roller chain, which is quieter, lasts longer, and requires less frequent retensioning.
Roller chain or bush roller chain is the type of chain drive most commonly used for transmission of mechanical power on many kinds of domestic, industrial and agricultural machinery, including conveyors, wire- and tube-drawing machines, printing presses, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. It consists of a series of short cylindrical rollers held together by side links. It is driven by a toothed wheel called a sprocket. It is a simple, reliable, and efficient means of power transmission.
A plain bearing, or more commonly sliding contact bearing and slide bearing, is the simplest type of bearing, comprising just a bearing surface and no rolling elements. Therefore, the journal slides over the bearing surface. The simplest example of a plain bearing is a shaft rotating in a hole. A simple linear bearing can be a pair of flat surfaces designed to allow motion; e.g., a drawer and the slides it rests on or the ways on the bed of a lathe.
The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings and power transmission products. Timken operates from 42 countries.
Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles.
The o-ring chain is a specialized type of roller chain used in the transmission of mechanical power from one sprocket to another.
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A chain may consist of two or more links. Chains can be classified by their design, which can be dictated by their use:
An idler-wheel is a wheel which serves only to transmit rotation from one shaft to another, in applications where it is undesirable to connect them directly. For example, connecting a motor to the platter of a phonograph, or the crankshaft-to-camshaft gear train of an automobile.
A chain conveyor is a type of conveyor system for moving material through production lines.
Skip-link chain is an obsolete roller chain for bicycles in which side plates are alternately short and long, and so rollers are alternately close together and far apart.
The saw chain, or cutting chain, is a key component of a chainsaw. It consists of steel links held together by rivets, and superficially resembles the bicycle-style roller chain, although it is closer in design to a leaf chain. Its key differences are sharp cutting teeth on the outside of the chain loop, and flat drive links on the inside, to retain the chain on the saw's bar and allow propulsion by the engine or motor.
A bolt is a form of threaded fastener with an external male thread requiring a matching pre-formed female thread such as a nut. Bolts are very closely related to screws.
A master link or quick-release link is a roller chain accessory that allows convenient connection and disconnection of a chain without the need for a chain tool. It acts as a set of the chain's outer plates, so joining two sets of the chain's inner plate ends. Such master links may or may not be re-usable. A chain tool is nonetheless needed to adjust a chain's length, for example to shorten a new chain before connecting its ends. They are used on bicycles and motorcycles.
Self-lubricating chains, also referred to as lube-free chains, are commonly found in both roller chain and conveyor chain varieties, with specialty self-lubricating chains also available. These chains utilize a bush made of an oil-impregnated sintered metal or plastic to provide continuous lubrication to the chain during drive, eliminating the need for further lubrication.
IPX 2000 Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is an engineered polyethylene compound developed to maintain many traits of UHMW, while increasing abrasion resistance, UV stability and decreasing friction and thermal expansion. IPX UHMW was developed in the early 2000s by material scientists at Interstate Plastics in Sacramento, CA and was first brought to market in 2005 by Interstate Plastics, under the trademark IPX. The acronym IPX-UHMW-PE stands for Interstate Plastics eXtra ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.
