Chain Drives 547

The pitch of this chain is (16/16) inch or 1 (b) 16A chain with simple construction (single
inch, i.e., 25.4 mm. The letter A indicates strand)
American Standard ANSI series. There is a specific term, breaking load, in Table
(ii) The chain number given in the first column is 14.1. Breaking load is defined as the maximum
supplemented by a hyphenated suffix 1 for simple tensile load, which if applied will result in chain
chain, 2 for duplex chain, 3 for triplex chain, and failure. In this definition, the failure is considered
so on. For example, to have occurred at the first point, where increasing
08B-2 or 16A-1 extension is no longer accompanied by increasing
load, i.e., the limit of load-extension diagram.
These designations indicate The numbers given in brackets in Table 14.1 are
(a) 08B chain with duplex construction (double equivalent and approximate chain numbers.
strand)
Table 14.1 Dimensions and breaking loads of roller chains
ISO chain Pitch p Roller Width b1 Transverse Breaking load (min) N
number (mm) diameter d1 (mm) pitch pt
(mm) (min.) (mm) Simple Duplex Triplex
(max.)
05B 8.00 5.00 3.00 5.64 4 400 7 800 11 100
06B 9.525 6.35 5.72 10.24 8 900 16 900 24 900
08A (ANSI-40) 12.70 7.95 7.85 14.38 13 800 27 600 41 400
08B 12.70 8.51 7.75 13.92 17 800 31 100 44 500
10A (ANSI-50) 15.875 10.16 9.4 18.11 21 800 43 600 65 400
10B 15.875 10.16 9.65 16.59 22 200 44 500 66 700
12A (ANSI-60) 19.05 11.91 12.57 22.78 31 100 62 300 93 400
12B 19.05 12.07 11.68 19.46 28 900 57 800 86 700
16A (ANSI-80) 25.40 15.88 15.75 29.29 55 600 111 200 166 800
16B 25.40 15.88 17.02 31.88 42 300 84 500 126 800
20A(ANSI-100) 31.75 19.05 18.90 35.76 86 700 173 500 260 200
20B 31.75 19.05 19.56 36.45 64 500 129 000 193 500
24A (ANSI- 38.10 22.23 25.22 45.44 124 600 249 100 373 700
120)
24B 38.10 25.40 25.40 48.36 97 900 195 700 293 600
28A(ANSI-140) 44.45 25.40 25.22 48.87 169 000 338 100 507 100
28B 44.45 27.94 30.99 59.56 129 000 258 000 387 000
32A(ANSI-160) 50.80 28.58 31.55 58.55 222 400 444 800 667 200
32B 50.80 29.21 30.99 58.55 169 000 338 100 507 100
40A(ANSI-200) 63.50 39.68 37.85 71.55 347 000 693 900 1040 900
40B 63.50 39.37 38.10 72.29 262 400 524 900 787 300
48A 76.20 47.63 47.35 87.83 500 400 1000 800 1501 300
48B 76.20 48.26 45.72 91.21 400 300 800 700 1201 000
64B 101.60 63.50 60.96 119.89 711 700 1423 400 —
550 Design of Machine Elements

number of factors, such as the type of chain, pitch plates. For infinite life, the tensile stress should be
of the chain link, number of teeth on the smaller lower than the endurance limit of the link plates.
sprocket, chain velocity, the type of power source
(iii) Impact The engagement of rollers with
and driven machinery and the system of lubrication.
the teeth of the sprocket results in impact. When
In practice, the power rating of the roller chain is
excessive, this may lead to the breakage of roller
obtained on the basis of four failure criteria, viz.,
or bushing. Increasing the number of teeth on
wear, fatigue, impact and galling.
the sprocket or reducing chain tension and speed
(i) Wear The wear of the chain is caused by reduces the magnitude of the impact force.
the articulation of pins in the bushings. The wear
(iv) Galling Galling is a stick-slip phenomenon
results in elongation of the chain, or in other words,
between the pin and the bushing. When the chain
the chain pitch is increased. This makes the chain
tension is high, welds are formed at the high spots
‘ride out’ on the sprocket teeth, resulting in a faulty
of the contacting area. Such microscopic welds
engagement. When the elongation is excessive,
are immediately broken due to relative motion of
it becomes necessary to replace the chain. The
contacting surfaces and leads to excessive wear,
permissible elongation for the chain is 1.5 to 2.5%.
even in the presence of the lubricant.
When the chain is properly lubricated, a layer of oil
The manufacturer’s catalogues give extensive
film between the contacting surfaces of the pin and
details, like charts and tables, for the power rating
the bushing reduces wear.
of chains. They are based on the above criteria of
(ii) Fatigue As the chain passes around the sprocket chain failure. Since the chain manufacturing is a
wheel, it is subjected to a tensile force, which varies specialized industry, like ball and roller bearings, it
from a maximum on the tight side to a minimum is necessary for the designer to select a proper chain
on the loose side. The chain link is, therefore, from these catalogues. Table 14.2 gives values of
subjected to one complete cycle of fluctuating power rating for simple (single-strand) roller chains.
stresses during every revolution of the sprocket These values are based on the assumption that
wheel. This results in a fatigue failure of side link there are 17 teeth on the driving sprocket wheel.
Table 14.2 Power rating of simple roller chain
Pinion Power (kW)
speed (rpm) 06 B 08A 08 B 10A 10 B 12A 12 B 16A 16 B
50 0.14 0.28 0.34 0.53 0.64 0.94 1.07 2.06 2.59
100 0.25 0.53 0.64 0.98 1.18 1.74 2.01 4.03 4.83
200 0.47 0.98 1.18 1.83 2.19 3.40 3.75 7.34 8.94
300 0.61 1.34 1.70 2.68 3.15 4.56 5.43 11.63 13.06
500 1.09 2.24 2.72 4.34 5.01 7.69 8.53 16.99 20.57
700 1.48 2.95 3.66 5.91 6.71 10.73 11.63 23.26 27.73
1000 2.03 3.94 5.09 8.05 8.97 14.32 15.65 28.63 34.89
1400 2.73 5.28 6.81 11.18 11.67 14.32 18.15 18.49 38.47
1800 3.44 6.98 8.10 8.05 13.03 10.44 19.85 — —
2000 3.80 6.26 8.67 7.16 13.49 8.50 20.57 — —
For a given application, the kW rating of the where
chain is determined by the following relationship: Ks = service factor
kW rating of chain K1 = multiple strand factor
(kW to be transmitted ) ¥ K s K2 = tooth correction factor
= (14.8) The service factor takes into consideration the
K1 ¥ K 2
effect of shocks and vibrations on the power to
 Chain Drives 551

be transmitted. The power rating in Table 14.2 is Table 14.5 Tooth correction factor (K2)
based on 17 teeth on the driving wheel. In a given
application, the number of teeth on the driving Number of teeth on the K2
wheel can be less than or more than 17. The tooth driving sprocket
correction factor K2 accounts for this variation. 15 0.85
Similarly, the values of the power rating given in 16 0.92
Table 14.2 are based on the assumption that the 17 1.00
chain has a single strand. There are duplex and 18 1.05
triplex chains too. This variation in the number of
19 1.11
strands is taken into account by the multiple strand
factor K1. The values of Ks, K1 and K2 are given in 20 1.18
Tables 14.3, 14.4 and 14.5 respectively2. 21 1.26
22 1.29
Table 14.3 Service factor (Ks)
23 1.35
Type of driven load Type of input power 24 1.41
IC Electric IC
engine motor engine 25 1.46
with hy- with me- 30 1.73
draulic chanical
drive drive For a satisfactory performance of roller chains,
(i) Smooth: agitator, 1.0 1.0 1.2 the centre distance between the sprockets should
fan, light provide at least a 120° wrap angle on the smaller
conveyor sprocket. In practice, the recommended centre
(ii) Moderate shock: 1.2 1.3 1.4 distance is between 30 to 50 chain pitches.
machine tools,
Therefore, 30p < a < 50p (14.9)
crane, heavy
conveyor, food The expected service life of these chains is
mixer, grinder 15,000 hours. The velocity ratio should be kept
(iii) Heavy shock: 1.4 1.4 1.7 below 6 : 1 to get a satisfactory performance.
punch press,
hammer mill, 14.6 SPROCKET WHEELS
reciprocating
conveyor, rolling There are different constructions for sprocket
mill drive wheels as shown in Fig. 14.9. Small sprockets up
Table 14.4 Multiple strand factor (K1)
to 100 mm in diameter are usually made of a disk
or a solid disk with a hub on one side (Fig. 14.9a
Number of strands K1 and b). They are machined from low carbon steel
1 1.0 bars. Large sprockets with more than 100 mm
2 1.7 diameter are either welded to a steel hub or bolted
3 2.5 to a cast iron hub (Fig. 14.9c and d). In general,
sprockets are made of low carbon or medium carbon
4 3.3
steels. In certain applications, stainless steel is
5 3.9
used for sprockets. When the chain velocity is less
6 4.6 than 180 m/min, the teeth of the sprocket wheel are
heat-treated to obtain a hardness of 180 BHN. For

2
Courtesy: Diamond Chain Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.