DRIVES - Chain Drive , its Advantages, Application, Classification

DRIVE- Chain Drive


            We have seen in belt and rope drives that slipping may occur. In order to avoid slipping, steel chains are used. The chains are made up of rigid links which are hinged together in order to provide the necessary flexibility for warping around the driving and driven wheels.

The chains are mostly used to transmit motion and power from one shaft to another, when the distance between the centers of the shafts is short such as in bicycles, motor cycles, agricultural machinery, road rollers, etc.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Following are the advantages and disadvantages of chain drive over belt or rope drive :

Advantages

1. As no slip takes place during chain drive, hence perfect velocity ratio is obtained.
2. Since the chains are made of metal, therefore they occupy less space in width than a belt
or rope drive.
3. The chain drives may be used when the distance between the shafts is less.
4. The chain drive gives a high transmission efficiency (upto 98 per cent).
5. The chain drive gives less load on the shafts.
6. The chain drive has the ability of transmitting motion to several shafts by one chain only.

Disadvantages

1. The production cost of chains is relatively high.
2. The chain drive needs accurate mounting and careful maintenance.
3. The chain drive has velocity fluctuations especially when unduly stretched.
4. Cannot be used in applications where the drive must slip
5. Typically require frequent lubrication
6. Are noisy and can cause vibrations 
7. Do not have the load capacity or service life of gear drives 


Classification of Chains

The chains, on the basis of their use, are classified into the following three groups :
1. Hoisting and hauling (or crane) chains,
2. Conveyor (or tractive) chains, and
3. Power transmitting (or driving) chains.


Chain drives are used in many types of industrial applications, such as:

  1.     Rigging and moving heavy materials
  2. Hydraulic lift truck fork operation
  3. Increasing or decreasing a driver’s output speed by altering gear ratios between the driver and the sprocket being driven
  4. Overhead hoists
  5. Operating conveyer belts


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