SECTION 3

DESIGNER GUIDE SPECIFICATION GUIDELINES

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

Development of
Early Roller/Bush Chain

As the industrial revolution gained pace, the need for higher

performance chain ensured that the product did not stand still. A
quick look at the 1880 patent would give the impression that there is
no difference between it and modern chain.

In concept, this is true. However, early chain performance was very

much constrained by design knowledge, material sophistication and
production processes. For example, in order to achieve a close
tolerance on round parts, Hans Renold also pioneered centreless
grinding and at one time had a whole section devoted to grinding
3 cold drawn bar to size before further processing.

The shortcomings of available technology meant that, compared with

modern chain, there were low strength to weight ratios, erratic pitch
control, poor engagement characteristics and a tendency toward
point loading, causing high bearing pressures, wear and failure. The
ever increasing number of applications for chain resulted in a
continuous refinement of our production processes and the
introduction of heat treatment, improving Renold Chain to meet these
new and arduous demands.

Modern Chain

There is today a very wide range of chain products available. Some

of these are special low volume products, for example nuclear waste
handling chain. Other high volume products such as motorcycle
chain are an offshoot of one of the key groups shown below.

At the top level of the chain groups, conveyor chain is perhaps the
most difficult to compartmentalize, since most types of chain can be
used to convey. There is, however, a range of so called conveyor
chain products typified by its long pitch, large roller diameter and
emphasis on tensile strength rather than fatigue life.

CHAIN FAMILY TREE

Leaf chain is similar in construction to the old Galle chain, except
that plates are interleaved in various configurations right across the
width of the pin. This means that there is no way of providing
Roller Leaf Cranked Conveyor sprocket engagement and the chain can only be used to transmit
Chain Chain Link Chain
Chain force through suitably anchored ends. Chains are guided around
simple plain pulleys. Perhaps the best example of the use of leaf
chain is in the lifting mechanism of a fork lift truck.
European American
(BS) (ANSI)
Range Range This leaves the most important group of chain, the European and
American series of transmission chain. The European (from the old
British Standard) range, grew out of the early pioneering work of
Hans Renold, as mentioned above, and the size of components
Standard Double Bush Standard Heavy
Series Pitch Chain Series Series through the range therefore reflected a growing understanding of
chain design and probably was influenced by the availability of stock
material sizes. The American or ANSI range, which came later, has a
clear mathematical theme, whereby the sizes of components are
calculated in accordance with expressions now quoted in the ANSI
Cranked link chain, like conveyor chain, is intended to run only at low standard B29.1. It should also be mentioned here that the ANSI
speeds, since the presence of a cranked plate will reduce fatigue range of chain is shadowed by a range of similar chains, but using
life. This chain tends to be used in conveying applications where the side plate material from the chain of the next highest size. This
harsh environmental conditions prevail, in mineral excavation for results in a range of chains with higher fatigue life but not necessarily
example. higher tensile strength, since the pin diameters are unchanged.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

Both European and ANSI ranges of chain are available in double failure mode will then become wear related which is far safer, since a
pitch and bush chain forms. Double pitch is primarily another form of controlled monitor of chain extension can take place at suitable planned
conveyor chain using the round parts from a standard chain, but intervals. In practice, if a load ratio of tensile strength to maximum
having twice the pitch. working load of 8:1 is chosen, then the endurance limit will not normally
be exceeded. Careful consideration of the expected maximum working
Bush chain is simply roller chain without a roller and is also the only loads should be given since these are often much higher than the
design configuration possible on very small pitch chain, such as designer may think! It is also a requirement that any passenger lift
4mm and ANSI 25 or 1/4 inch pitch. Bush chain is used for lightly applications are designed with a safety factor of not less than 10:1.
loaded applications or those requiring only direct pull.
In most applications the failure mode is designed to be wear and
therefore some consideration of how a chain behaves in this mode
Modern chain has features incorporated which enable demanding are shown below.
applications to be tackled with ease. These include high wear and
fatigue resistance and transmission efficiency of around 98%. Examination of the wear characteristics graph below shows that
chain tends to wear in three distinct phases. The first phase, shown
3
Chain is also now manufactured in multiple strands joined together as bedding in, is a very rapid change in chain length associated
by a common pin, giving more scope for increased power with components adjusting to the loads imposed on them. The
transmission in restricted space. The range of products now degree of this initial movement will depend to a large extent on the
available with alternative materials, special coatings, endless quality of chain used. For example, good component fits, chain pre-
varieties of attachments, hollow bearing pins and anti-backbend, to loaded at manufacture, plates assembled squarely etc. Renold chain
name just a few, give scope for the widest portfolio of design has many features that minimise the degree of bedding in.
solutions imaginable.

Together with improvements to factory applied greases and better Wear Characteristics
understanding of applicational techniques, designers can now Projected life
specify transmission chain with confidence. Elongation (%) Bedding in. Adjust tension
15,000 hours

Chain Performance
Initial wear
Renold Chain products that are dimensionally in line with the ISO
standard far exceed the stated ISO minimum tensile strength
requirements. However Renold does not consider breaking load to
be a key indicator of performance because it ignores the principal Steady state wear
factors of wear and fatigue. In these areas, Renold products are
designed to produce the best possible results and independent
testing proves this.
100 200
In this catalogue, where the ISO breaking load is quoted, it should
be noted that we are stating that the Renold product conforms to the Elapsed Time (hours)
ISO minimum standard. Independent test results show that the
minimum (many companies quote averages) breaking loads were far
in excess of the ISO minimum. The second phase, shown as initial wear, might also be described
as secondary bedding in. This is caused firstly by the rapid
Where the quoted breaking load is not described as being the ISO
abrasion of local high spots between the mating surfaces of the pin
minimum, the product has no relevant ISO standard. In this case, the
and bush, and secondly by displacement of material at the bush
breaking loads quoted are the minimum guaranteed.
ends. This is explained more clearly by the inner link assembly
The performance of a chain is governed by a number of key factors. diagram shown, where it may be seen that in order to ensure good
The tensile strength is the most obvious since this is the means by fatigue life, the bush and plate have a high degree of interference fit
which a chain installation is roughly sized. However, since a chain is resulting in a tendency of the bush ends to collapse inwards slightly.
constructed from steel, the yield strength of which is around 65% of This localised bulge will wear rapidly until the pin bears equally along
the ultimate tensile strength, any load above this limit will cause some the length of the bush. Renold limits this effect by introducing
permanent deformation to take place with consequent rapid failure. special manufacturing techniques. Some manufacturers maintain
cylindricity by reducing the interference fit to a very low level. This
Reference to the s-n curve below shows that at loads below this 65% reduces fatigue performance.
line, finite life may be expected and at subsequent reductions in load
d2
the expected life increases until the fatigue endurance limit is
reached at around 8 000 000 operations.
Loads below the endurance limit will result in infinite fatigue life. The

d1 > d2 d1
s-n curve ZONE Failure
Mode
S A Overload
Breaking B Fatigue
Load
A C Wear

Permanent
Tendency of bush to collapse at assembly
LOAD

Deformation 65%
B
The final steady state of wear will continue at a very low rate until the
C Endurance
Limit
chain needs renewal. In a correctly designed and lubricated system,
1 8.0x10 6
15 000 hours continuous running should be normal.
n
Cycles to failure

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

The reason that wear takes place at all is demonstrated with Wear depends on the following variables in a drive system:
reference to the Stribeck diagram below. It may be seen from this
that where two mating surfaces are in contact, the coefficient of SPEED - The higher the speed of a system, the higher the
friction is very high at the point of initial movement, known as static frequency of bearing articulations, so accelerating wear.
friction. The reason for this is that the surface irregularities of the two
bodies are interlocked with little or no separating lubrication layer. As NUMBER OF SPROCKETS - The more sprockets used in a drive
the surface speeds increase, lubricant is drawn between the two system, the more frequently the bearings articulate.
surfaces and friction takes place with some surface contact. This
NUMBER OF TEETH - The fewer the number of teeth in a
condition is known as mixed friction. These two conditions result in
sprocket, the greater the degree of articulation, the higher the
material loss over time. With a continuing increase in surface speed,
hydrodynamic friction takes place, a condition where there is no wear.
metal to metal contact. CHAIN LENGTH - The shorter the length of chain, the more
frequently the bearings in the chain will have to operate, the faster
3 Stribeck diagram
wear takes place.
LUBRICATION - As already shown, using the correct
Coefficient of friction

Static friction lubrication is critical to giving good wear life.

Chain Types

SIMPLEX CHAIN
Mixed
friction Hydrodynamic friction

Boundary friction Rotational speed

STANDARD ISO 606 ANSI B29.1

If we consider the action of the mating surfaces of the bush and pin
during one cycle of a two sprocket system, it will quickly be realised
that these components are stationary with respect to each other DUPLEX CHAIN
during travel from one sprocket to the other, and accelerate rapidly
through a very small angle when engaging with the sprocket before
coming to rest once more. This means that the pin/bush
combination is operating between the static and mixed friction states
and that lubrication will therefore be an important aspect of system
design.

Wear Factors
STANDARD ISO 606 ANSI B29.1
As already shown, wear takes place from the friction between the
mating of the pin and bush. The rate of wear is primarily determined
by the bearing area and the specific pressure on these surfaces. The
hardened layers of the pin and bush are eroded in such a way that TRIPLEX CHAIN
the chain will become elongated.

ELONGATION may amount to a MAXIMUM of 2% of the nominal

length of the chain. Above 2% elongation, there can be problems
with the chain riding up and jumping the sprocket teeth.

Elongation should be limited to 1% when:

A sprocket in the system has 90 teeth or more.

STANDARD ISO 606 ANSI B29.1
Perfect synchronization is required.
Centre distances are greater than recommended and
not adjustable.

When the demands of the system become even higher, it is As with all engineered products, industry demands that chain be
necessary to reduce the allowable percentage elongation further. produced to a formal standard. The key transmission chain
standards are summarised on page 92.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
International Standards
European Standard Range of Application

Chains manufactured to the above standards are covered by ISO The transmission chain market worldwide is divided between these
606 and DIN 8187. These standards cover 3 versions: two chain standards, based on the economic and historical
influences within their regions.
SIMPLEX
DUPLEX American standard chain is used primarily in the USA, Canada,
Australia, Japan and some Asiatic countries.
TRIPLEX
European standard chains dominate in Europe, the British
The range of pitch sizes can vary between 4mm, (0.158 inch) to Commonwealth, Africa and Asian countries with a strong British
114.3mm, (4.500 inch). historical involvement.

They are characterised by a large pin diameter, especially for the

larger pitch sizes. This results in better wear resistance due to the
In Europe around 85% of the total market uses European standard
chain. The remaining 15% is American standard chains found on:
3
greater bearing area.
Machinery imported from countries where American standard
The ISO standard has a simple form of part numbering, for example chain dominates.
1/2 inch pitch duplex chain would be 08B-2.
Machinery manufactured in Europe under licence from
American dominated markets.
The first two digits are the pitch size in 1/16s of an inch, therefore
08 = 8/16 or 1/2 inch.
Chain Not Conforming to ISO Standards
The letter B indicates European Standard.
The suffix 2 indicates the number of strands in the chain, in this There are also Renold manufacturing standards for special or
case a duplex chain. engineered chain which can be split as follows:

American Standard 1. HIGHER BREAKING LOAD CHAIN - This chain

usually has plates that undergo a special treatment,
has thicker side plate material and/or pin diameters
American standard chains are covered by ISO 606,
that slightly deviate from the standards.
ANSI B29.1 and DIN 8188 and eight versions are covered.
2. SPECIAL DIMENSIONS - Some chains can be a
SIMPLEX, DUPLEX and TRIPLEX as for the European mixture of American and European standard dimensions
standard chains. or the inner width and roller diameters vary, such as in
motorcycle chains.
QUADRUPLEX, 4 strands.
3. APPLICATIONAL NEEDS - Special or engineered
QUINTUPLEX, 5 strands. chain is manufactured for specific applicational use,
SEXTUPLEX, 6 strands. examples being:

OCTUPLEX, 8 strands.
Stainless steel chain.
DECUPLEX, 10 strands.
Zinc or nickel plated chain.
The pitch sizes covered by this standard are 1/4 to 3 inch pitch. Chain with plastic lubricating bushes.
Chains with hollow bearing pins.
American standard chains have a smaller pin diameter than their
European standard equivalent. Wear resistance is therefore reduced Chain that can bend sideways, (SIDEBOW).
when compared with European standard chains with the one
exception, 5/8 inch pitch. In this case the pin and bush diameter is In applications requiring a special or engineered chain, we would
larger in an American standard chain. suggest that you contact our technical sales staff for more
information.
American standard chains are normally referred to under the ANSI
standard numbering system, for example a 1/2 inch pitch duplex
chain would be, ANSI 40-2.

The ANSI numbering system works as follows:

The first number is the pitch size in 1/8 inch, ie 4/8

= 1/2 inch pitch.
The second number refers to the chain being a roller chain,
0 = roller chain. A 5 replacing the 0 would indicate a bush chain.
The suffix, as with European standard chain, refers to the number
of strands in the chain, that is 2 = duplex chain.

ANSI chain is also available in heavy duty options with thicker plates
(H) and through hardened pins (V). An ANSI heavy chain would be
specified using these suffixes.
ie. ANSI 140-2HV Duplex, thick plates, through hardened pin
ANSI 80H Simplex, thick plates

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Standards Reference Guide
Transmission Chain Types
ISO ANSI OTHER

Short Pitch Transmission Chain and Sprockets 606 B29.1M DIN8187

DIN8188

Short Pitch Bush Chains and Sprockets 1395 DIN8154

Double Pitch Roller Chain and Sprockets 1275 B29.3M DIN8181

Oilfield Chain and Sprockets 606 B29.1M API Spec 7F

3 Cycle Chains 9633

Motorcycle Chains 10190

Cranked Link Chain and Sprockets 3512 B29.1M DIN8182

Lifting Chain Types

ISO ANSI OTHER

Leaf Chain, Clevises and Sheaves 4347 B29.8M DIN8152

Roller Load Chains for Overhead Hoists B29.24M

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Advantages of Chain Drives
Steel transmission roller chain is made to close tolerances with Roller chain can also be fitted with link plate attachments and
excellent joint articulation, permitting a smooth efficient flow of power. extended bearing pins etc., which allow them to be used for
Any friction between the chain rollers and sprocket teeth is virtually mechanical handling equipment and the operation of mechanisms.
eliminated because the rollers rotate on the outside of the bushes, These attachments are detailed in this catalogue.
independent of bearing pin articulation inside the bush. As a result,
very little energy is wasted and tests have shown chain to have an Roller chain drives are available for ratios up to 9:1 and to transmit
efficiency of between 98.4% and 98.9%. up to 520 kw at 550 r.p.m. Beyond this, four matched strands of
triplex chain can achieve 3200 kw at 300 r.p.m.
This high level of efficiency, achieved by a standard stock chain drive
under the correct conditions of lubrication and installation, is Roller chain does not deteriorate with the passage of time, the only
equalled only by gears of the highest standard with teeth ground to evidence of age being elongation due to wear which normally is
very close tolerances. gradual and can be accommodated by centre distance adjustment
or by an adjustable jockey sprocket. Provided a chain drive is
Roller chain offers a positive, non-slip driving medium. It provides an
accurate pitch by pitch positive drive which is essential on
selected correctly, properly installed and maintained, a life of 15000
hours can be expected without chain failure either from fatigue or
3
synchronised drives such as those to automobile and marine wear.
camshafts, packaging and printing machinery. Under conditions of Where complete reliability and long life are essential, chains can be
high speed and peak load when efficiency is also required, the roller selected on their assured performance for applications such as
chain has proved consistently quiet and reliable. hoists for control rods in nuclear reactors and control systems for
aircraft.
Centre distances between shafts can range from 50mm up to more
than 9 metres in a very compact installation envelope. Drives can be Chain is a highly standardised product available in accordance with
engineered so that the sprocket teeth just clear each other or so that ISO Standards all over the world. It is also totally recyclable and
a considerable span is traversed by the chain. In this later category, causes no harmful effects to the environment.
double pitch chain comes into its own.
Shown below is a simple table comparing the merits of different
Roller chain has a certain degree of inherent elasticity and this, plus transmission/lifting media.
the cushioning effect of an oil film in the chain joints, provides good
shock absorbing properties. In addition, the load distribution Summary of Advantages
between a chain and sprocket takes place over a number of teeth,
which assists in reducing wear. When, after lengthy service, it FEATURE GEARS ROPE BELT CHAIN
becomes necessary to replace a chain, this is simple and does not
normally entail sprocket or bearing removal. EFFICIENCY A X B A
POSITIVE DRIVE A X B A
Roller chain minimises loads on the drive motor and driven shaft CENTRE DISTANCE C A B A
bearings since no pre-load is required to tension the chain in the ELASTICITY C A A B
static condition. WEAR RESISTANCE A C B A
NO PRE-LOAD A C C A
One chain can drive several shafts simultaneously and in almost any MULTIPLE DRIVES C X C A
configuration of centre distance or layout. Its adaptability is not HEAT RESISTANT B B C A
limited to driving one or more shafts from a common drive point. It CHEMICAL RESISTANT B A C A
can be used for an infinite variety of devices including reciprocation, OIL RESISTANT A A C A
racks, cam motions, internal or external gearing, counterbalancing, ADAPTATIONS C B C A
hoisting or weight suspension. Segmental tooth or necklace chain POWER RANGE A X B A
sprocket rims can be fitted to large diameter drums. EASE OF MAINTENANCE C B B A
STANDARDISED C B B A
Since there are no elastomeric components involved, chain is ENVIRONMENT A A C A
tolerant of a wide variety of environmental conditions, including
extremes of temperature. Chain is used successfully in such harsh A = EXCELLENT B = GOOD
environments as chemical processing, mining, baking, rock drilling C = POOR X = NOT APPROPRIATE
and wood processing. Special coatings can easily be applied for
further enhancement. NOTE : To achieve the above ratings, different types of belt would be
required.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Chain Selection
The notes given below are general recommendations and should be The effect of this cyclic variation can be shown in the extreme case
followed in the selection and installation of a chain drive, in order that of a driver sprocket with the absolute minimum number of teeth, i.e.
satisfactory performance and drive life may be ensured. three. In this instance, for each revolution of the sprocket the chain is
subjected to a three-phase cycle; each phase being associated with
Chain Pitch the engagement of a single tooth. As the tooth comes into
engagement, for a sixth of a revolution the effective distance, or
The Rating Charts (pages 101 and 102) give the alternative sizes of driving radius from the sprocket centre to the chain is gradually
chains that may be used to transmit the load at a given speed. The doubled; for the remaining sixth of a revolution, it falls back to its
smallest pitch of a simplex chain should be used, as this normally original position. Thus, as the linear speed of the chain is directly
results in the most economical drive. If the simplex chain does not related to the effective driving radius of the driver sprocket, the chain
satisfy the requirements dictated by space limitations, high speed, speed fluctuates by 50% six times during each revolution of the
quietness, or smoothness of running, then consider a smaller pitch driver sprocket.
of duplex or triplex chain.
3 When the power requirement at a given speed is beyond the
capacity of a single strand of chain, then the use of multistrand Radius 1R

drives permits higher powers to be transmitted.

These drives can also be made up from multiples of matched

simplex, duplex or triplex ISO chains or in the case of ANSI chain,
multiplex chain up to decuplex (10 strands) are available.
Radius 2R
Please consult our technical staff for further information.

Maximum Operating Speeds

For normal industrial drives, experience has established a maximum

sprocket speed for each pitch of chain. These speeds, which relate As the graph below shows, the percentage of cyclic speed variation
to driver sprockets having 17 to 25 teeth inclusive, are given in the decreases rapidly as more teeth are added. With the driver sprocket
graph below; they are applicable only if the method of lubrication of 19 teeth, therefore, this cyclic speed variation is negligible; hence
provided is in line with recommendations. we recommend that driver sprockets used in normal application
drives running at medium to maximum speeds, should have not less
than 19 teeth.

Maximum Operating Speeds

Cyclic Speed Variation %

6000

5000 50
Speed (rpm)

4000 40

3000
30

2000
20
1000
10
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Chain Pitch (mm) 0
5 10 15 20 25

No. of Teeth

Polygonal Effect There are, however, applications where space saving is a vital design
requirement and the speed/power conditions are such that the
Four important advantages of a chain drive are dependent directly smaller numbers of teeth (i.e. below 17) give acceptable
upon the number of teeth in the driver sprocket (Z1). performance so that a compact, satisfactory drive is achieved, e.g.
office machinery, hand operated drives, mechanisms, etc.
The advantages are smooth uniform flow of power, quietness of
operation, high efficiency and long life, the reason for their The limiting conditions with steady loading for using small numbers
dependence being that chain forms a polygon on the sprocket. of teeth are:
Thus, when the sprocket speed is constant, the chain speed (due to
the many sided shape of its path around the teeth) is subject to a No. of Teeth Percentage of Percentage of
regular cyclic variation. This cyclic variation becomes less marked as Maximum rated Maximum rated
the path of the chain tends towards a true circle and in fact, speed power
becomes insignificant for most applications as the number of teeth in
the driver sprocket exceeds 19. 11 20 30
13 30 40
15 50 60
17 80 90

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Sprocket and Chain Compatibility
Most drives have an even number of pitches in the chain and by Recommended centre distances for drives are:
using a driver sprocket with an odd number of teeth, uniform wear
distribution over both chain and sprocket teeth is ensured. Even Pitch Inch 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 1 1 1/4
numbers of teeth for both the driver and driven sprockets can be mm 9.525 12.70 15.87 19.05 25.40 31.75
used, but wear distribution on both the sprocket teeth and chain is
poor. Centre
Distance mm 450 600 750 900 1000 1200
Number of Teeth
Pitch Inch 1 1/2 1 3/4 2 2 1/2 3
The maximum number of teeth in any driven sprocket (Z2) should mm 38.1 44.45 50.80 63.50 76.20
not exceed 114. This limitation is due to the fact that for a given
elongation of chain due to wear, the working pitch diameter of the Centre
chain on the sprocket increases in relation to the nominal pitch Distance mm 1350 1500 1700 1800 2000
diameter, i.e. the chain assumes a higher position on the sprocket
tooth. The allowable safe chain wear is considered to be in the order
3
of 2% elongation over nominal length. Lie of Drive

A simple formula for determining how much chain elongation a Drives may be arranged to run horizontally, inclined or vertically. In
sprocket can accommodate is 200 general, the loaded strand of the chain may be uppermost or
N lowermost as desired. Where the lie of the drive is vertical, or nearly
expressed as a percentage where N is the number of teeth on the so, it is preferable for the driver sprocket (Z1) to be above the driven
largest sprocket in the drive system. sprocket (Z2); however, even with a drive of vertical lie it is quite
feasible for the driver sprocket to be lowermost, provided care is
It is good practice to have the sum of teeth not less than 50 where taken that correct chain adjustment is maintained at all times.
both the driver and driven sprockets are operated by the same
chain, e.g. on a 1:1 ratio drive, both sprockets should have 25 teeth
each. CENTRES

Centre Distance The centre distance

between the axis of two
For optimum wear life, centre distance between two sprockets shafts or sprockets
should normally be within the range 30 to 50 times the chain pitch.
On drive proposals with centre distances below 30 pitches or greater
C
than 2m, we would recommend that the drive details are discussed
with our technical staff.

The minimum centre distance is sometimes governed by the amount C

of chain lap on the driver sprocket, our normal recommendation in
this circumstance being not less than 6 teeth in engagement with the ANGLE
chain.
The lie of the drive is given by the angle formed by the line
through the shaft centres and a horizontal line.

ROTATION
Minimum 6 teeth
Viewed along the axis of the driven shaft the rotation can be
The centre distance is also governed by the desirability of using a
clockwise or anti-clockwise
chain with an even number of pitches to avoid the use of a cranked
link, a practice that is not recommended except in special
circumstances. Z2

For a drive in the horizontal plane the shortest centre distance

Z1 Z2
possible should be used consonant with recommended chain lap on
the driver sprocket.
Z1

Formulae for the calculation of chain length and centre distance for
two-point drives are given on page 99.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Drive Layout
One chain can be used for driving a number of shafts and due to the MULTI-SHAFT DRIVES
ability of roller chains to gear on either face, individual shafts in the
same drive can be made to rotate in the same or opposite directions The permissible number of driven shafts will vary according to
by arranging the driven sprockets to gear in different faces of the drive characteristics.
chain. The number of driven sprockets permissible in any one drive
depends on the layout.
Z2 Z2 Z1 Z2 Z2
A selection of possible drive layouts is shown below.

Five sprockets coupled by four simple drives.

DRIVES WITH VARIABLE SHAFT POSITIONS
Whilst the efficiency of a single stage drive is approximately
3 98%, where a series of drives are interconnected as in live
roller conveyors, the overall efficiency will vary with the
Z2 number of drives involved. It is necessary in applications of
Z2 this nature to increase the calculated motor power to allow for
this reduced efficiency.
4 drives overall efficiency = 94%
8 drives overall efficiency = 87%
12 drives overall efficiency = 80%

Z1

J
Z1 J J Z1

Floating countershaft and floating jockey Eight shafts rotated by a single chain with high efficiency but
CHAIN LAP - Recommended 120. Minimum of 90 reduced tooth contact.
permissible for sprockets of 27 teeth or over. The jockey is used to ensure adequate chain lap on the
CENTRES - Pitch of chain multiplied by 30 to 50. driven sprockets.
SHEET A/W

DRIVES WITH ABNORMALLY LONG CENTRES HORIZONTAL DRIVES

Could incorporate countershafts

Z1 Z2
Z2 Z1
Or supporting jockeys
J
Plan
Z2
Z1 Two shafts vertically mounted
J

When centres are long, use guide strips to support chain

For slow and medium chain speed applications up to 150 strands with generous lead-in to ensure smooth entry and
metres per minute. exit of chain.
Z2
Or supporting guides

Z1
Z2 Z2
Z1
Plan
For applications where countershafts or supporting jockeys Three shafts vertically mounted
cannot be employed and where the chain speed does not CHAIN LAP - Recommended 120. Minimum of 90
exceed 60 metres per minute. permissable for sprockets of 27 teeth or over.
CENTRES - Shortest possible.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Selection Method
Introduction
1 Select Drive and Ratio
Chain selected using this method will have a minimum life
expectancy with proper installation and lubrication of 15000 hours. Chart 1 may be used to choose a ratio based on the standard
sprocket sizes available. It is best to use an odd number of teeth
Warning combined with an even number of chain pitches.

The rating charts page 101 and page 102 exceed the minimum Ideally, chain sprockets with a minimum of 19 teeth should be
standards and selection of chain using the figures quoted in this chosen. If the chain drive operates at high speed or is subjected to
section is only valid for RENOLD CHAIN. impulsive loads, the smaller sprockets should have at least 25 teeth
Use our interactive Chain Selector on www.renold.com. and should be hardened.
It is recommended that chain sprockets should have a maximum of
Symbols, Terms and Units 114 teeth.

Z1 = Number of teeth on drive sprocket. Drive ratio can otherwise be calculated using the formula:
3
Z2 = Number of teeth on driven sprocket.
C = Centre distance (mm). i = Z2
P = Chain pitch (mm). Z1
i = Drive ratio.
L = Chain length (pitches). For large ratio drives, check that the angle of lap on Z1 is not less
than 120 degrees.

In order to select a chain drive the following essential information

must be known:

The power in kilowatts to be transmitted. 120

Min
The speed of the driving and driven shafts.
The characteristics of the drive.
Centre distance. Driver Sprocket (Z1)

From this base information the selection power to be applied to the SELECT DRIVE RATIO AND SPROCKETS - Z2
ratings chart is derived. Z1

Chain Reduction Ratios to One Using Preferred Sprockets

z Selection Summary Chart 1

Page No. of Teeth No. of Teeth

Select drive ratio and sprockets 75 Driven Sprocket Z2 Drive Sprocket Z1
1 Z1 = 19 teeth minimum
15 17 19 21 23 25
25 - - - - - 1.00
Establish selection application factors 76 38 2.53 2.23 2.00 1.80 1.65 1.52
2 f1 takes account of dynamic loads 57 3.80 3.35 3.00 2.71 2.48 2.28
76 5.07 4.47 4.00 3.62 3.30 3.04
Tooth factor f2 (19/Z1) 95 6.33 5.59 5.00 4.52 4.13 3.80
114 7.60 6.70 6.00 5.43 4.96 4.56

Calculate selection power 77 FOR RECOMMENDED CENTRE DISTANCES SEE PAGE 93

3 = power x f1 x f2 (kw)

Select chain drive 77 Driven Sprocket

4 Use rating charts 79-80 Driver Z2
Sprocket
Z1
Calculate chain length 77
5 using formulae

Calculate exact centre distance 77

6

Choose lubrication method 81

FINALLY

C
Centre Distance

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

2 Establish Selection Factors

The following factors will be used later on to determine the selection

power.

Application Factor f1

Factor f1 takes account of any dynamic overloads depending on the

chain operating conditions. The value of factor f1 can be chosen
directly or by analogy using chart 2.

Chart 2
3
CHARACTERISTICS OF DRIVER

SMOOTH RUNNING SLIGHT SHOCKS MODERATE SHOCKS

DRIVEN MACHINE Electric Motors, Steam Internal Combustion Internal Combustion
CHARACTERISTICS and Gas Turbines, Engines with 6 cyls or Engines with less than 6
Internal Combustion more with mechanical cyls, with mechanical
Engines with Hydraulic Coupling, Electric coupling
coupling Motors with frequent starts

Centrifugal Pumps and

Compressors, Printing
SMOOTH Machines, Paper Calanders,
RUNNING Uniformly Loaded Conveyors, 1 1.1 1.3
Escalators, Liquid Agitators
and Mixers, Rotary Driers,
Fans

Pumps and Compressors

(3+ cyls), Concrete Mixing
MODERATE
SHOCKS
Machines, Non uniformly 1.4 1.5 1.7
Loaded Conveyors, Solid
Agitators and Mixers

Planers, Excavators, Roll and

Ball Mills, Rubber Processing
HEAVY Machines, Presses and
SHOCKS Shears 1 & 2 Cyl Pumps
1.8 1.9 2.1
and Compressors,
Oil Drilling Rigs

Tooth Factor f2

The use of a tooth factor further modifies the final power selection.
The choice of a smaller diameter sprocket will reduce the maximum
power capable of being transmitted since the load in the chain will
be higher.

Tooth factor f2 is calculated using the formula f2 = 19

Z1

Note that this formula arises due to the fact that selection rating
curves shown in the rating charts (see pages 101 and 102) are those
for a 19 tooth sprocket.

f2 factors for standard sprocket sizes

Z1 f2

15 1.27
17 1.12
19 1.00
21 0.91
23 0.83
25 0.76

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Drive with Multiple Sprockets

3 Calculate The Selection Power

When designing a drive with multiple sprockets, the chain length

Multiply the power to be transmitted by the factors obtained from calculation becomes more complicated. Most CAD systems,
STEP TWO. however, can be used to calculate chain length by wrapping a
polyline around the PCDs of each sprocket. A scale manual drawing
Selection POWER = POWER to be transmitted x f1 x f2 (kw). could also give a fairly accurate result as follows:

This selection power can now be used with the appropriate rating 1 LT1
chart, see pages 101 and 102.
L T4

2
4
4 Select Chain Drive 3
From the rating chart, select the smallest pitch of simplex chain to L
T3
transmit the SELECTION POWER at the speed of the driving L T2
sprocket Z1.
Measure lengths LTi
This normally results in the most economical drive selection. If the Measure angles bi 3
SELECTION POWER is now greater than that shown for the simplex
chain, then consider a multiplex chain of the same pitch size as The theoretical length in pitches can now be calculated by the
detailed in the ratings chart. addition of all LT and b values using the following formula.
Where:
P = the chain pitch
Zi = the number of teeth
5 Calculate Chain Length

To find the chain length in pitches (L) for any contemplated centre i=n i=n
distance of a two point drive, use the formula below: Number of pitches = 1 L Ti + i Zi
P 360
_ 2 i=1 i=1
+ ( Z22 pZ1 ) x P
Length (L) = Z1 Z2 + 2C + This calculation method can also be applied on drives where the
2 P C
chain is driven on guide rails or around jockey sprockets. These
The calculated number of pitches should be rounded up to a whole should be considered as ordinary sprockets.
number of even pitches. Odd numbers of pitches should be avoided
because this would involve the use of a cranked link which is not Sprockets for Transmission Chain
recommended. If a jockey sprocket is used for adjustment purposes,
two pitches should be added to the chain length (L). Renold manufacture a comprehensive range of stock sprockets for
European standard chains up to 2 inch pitch.
C is the contemplated centre distance in mm and should generally
be between 30 - 50 pitches. Other sizes of sprocket, including those to American standard
dimensions, are available on request.
e.g. for 1 1/2 pitch chain C = 1.5 x 25.4 x 40 = 1524mm.
Special sprockets are also manufactured on request, in special
materials or formats, normally to suit a specific application in harsh
or difficult drive situations, examples being:

6 Calculate Exact Centre Distance Sprockets incorporating shafts.

Welded or detachable hubs.
The actual centre distance for the chain length (L) calculated by the
method above, will in general be greater than that originally Shear pin devices fitted.
contemplated. The revised centre distance can be calculated from Necklace sprockets made up of chain plates and individual tooth
the formula below. sections for turning large drums or tables.
Combination sprockets (two or more sprockets
combined having different pitch sizes and numbers of teeth).
C= P ( )
2 2
2L Z2 Z1 + ( 2L Z 2 Z1 ) 3.88 ( Z 2 Z1 )
8 Sprockets in two or more sections, ie split sprockets or
segmental sprockets.
Where P = Chain pitch (mm)
L = Chain length (pitches)
Z1 = Number of teeth in driver sprocket
Z2 = Number of teeth in driven sprocket

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

Examples of two typical special sprockets. Rating Chart Construction

The rating charts at first sight look complicated, however, they are
constructed from 3 simple lines. From this it may be seen that at
SPLIT
lower speeds the failure mode is likely to be plate fatigue if the
SPROCKET
maximum power recommendation is exceeded. However, pin galling
will occur due to boundary lubrication break down at very high
speeds. At the intersection of these lines the bush and roller fatigue
curve comes into play and accounts for the rounded tops to each of
the selection curves.

3 RATING CHART CONSTRUCTION

Bush & Roller

fatigue

NECKLACE e

POWER
gu
ati
SPROCKET teF
k Pla
Lin
Pin Galling

SPEED

Selection of Sprocket Materials

Choice of material and heat treatment will depend upon shape, Bearing Pressures
diameter and mass of the sprocket. The table below
can be used as a simple guide on the correct selection of sprocket When a chain has been correctly selected, the mode of failure over a
material. very long period of time is most likely to be wear.
SPROCKET SMOOTH MODERATE HEAVY The subject of wear, which depends on many factors, has been
RUNNING SHOCKS SHOCKS addressed earlier in this guide, however, a very useful indicator of the
likely wear performance is the magnitude of pressure between the
key mating surfaces i.e. pin and bush.
EN8 or EN9 EN8 or EN9
EN8 Hardened and Hardened and This pressure is known as the bearing pressure and is obtained by
UP TO 29T or Tempered or Tempered or dividing the working load by the bearing area. Bearing areas for
EN9 Case Hardened Case Hardened standard chains are quoted in the designer data at the end of this
Mild Steel Mild Steel guide.
The following table gives an indication of the implications of various
bearing pressures but should not be used without reference to the
EN8 or EN9 other chain selection methods given in this guide.
30T AND Mild Steel or Hardened and
Cast Iron Tempered or
OVER Meehanite
Case Hardened
Mild Steel Contact Renold
SIMPLEX

MULTIPLEX

80 Reduced life
Good life
MULTIPLEX
2

Kilowatt ratings, for European and ANSI chains, shown in

SIMPLE
BEARING PRESSURE N/mm

60 expectancy
the ratings charts on pages 101 and 102 are based on the
MULTIPLEX

following conditions:-
SIMPLE

a. service factor of 1. 40
b. wheel centre distance of 30 to 50 times the chain pitch.
c. speed of driver sprocket (Z1) whether on the driving or 20
driven shaft.
d. two sprocket drive arrangement.
e. adjustment by centre distance or jockey on unloaded SLOW MEDIUM HIGH
strand.
CHAIN VELOCITY m/s
f. riveted endless chain (press fit connector).
g. correct lubrication.
h. accurate shaft/sprocket alignment. Slow velocity up to 60% of maximum allowale speed
Under these conditions a service life of approximately Medium velocity 60 to 80% of maximum allowable speed
15,000 hours can ordinarily be expected when the chain High velocity over 80% of maximum allowable speed
operates under full rating. The kilowatt ratings for multiple
strand European chains up to triplex are given respectively Note: there is some variation between chains, and the above
in columns 2 and 3, for ANSI chains up to quadruplex in figures should be used as a guide only.
columns 2, 3 and 4.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
European Chain Rating Chart
EUROPEAN STANDARD CHAIN DRIVES
Rating Chart using 19T Driver Sprocket

SIMPLEX
TRIPLEX

DUPLEX

DRIVER SPROCKET SPEEDS - (min -1)

10000
20

30

40

50
60
70
80
90
100

200

300

400
500
600
700
800
900

3000
1000

2000

4000

5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
3 2 1
15

1000
900
800
700
600
500
For selection of drives to the right
of this line, consult Renold
3
400
Engineers to obtain information on
750 510 300 optimum drive performance.

500 340 200

250 170 100

225 153 90
200 136 80
175 119 70
150 102 60
125 85 50
h
100 68 40 itc
)p
SELECTION POWER (KW)

m O
IL
m
75 51 30 2 0 TY ST
6, PE RE
(7 4 AM
3"
h
50 34 20 itc
)p
m O
m I
50 TY LB
6 3, PE AT
"( 3 H
2 /2
1
h
itc
25.0 17.0 10.0 )p
22.5 15.3 9.0 m
20.0 13.6 8.0 m h
,8
0 itc
17.5 11.9 7.0 (5
0 )p
m
15.0 10.2 6.0 2" m D
R
45 h
4, itc TY IP
12.5 8.5 5.0 4 )p PE FE
"( m 2 D
E
1 /4
3
m
10.0 6.8 4.0 , 10
( 38
1 "
7.5 5.1 3.0 1/2
h
itc
5.0 3.4 2.0 )p
m M
m
75 TY AN
3 1, PE UA
"( h 1 L For driver sprocket speeds less
1/4
1
itc
)p than 10rpm, multiply transmitted
m
2.50 1.70 1.0 m
40 power by 10 and read from 10rpm
2.25 1.53 0.9 5,
(2 n
2.00 1.36 0.8 1" column.
1.75 1.19 0.7
1.50 1.02 0.6 h Where n = driver sprocket speed.
itc
1.25 0.85 0.5 )p
m
m
1.00 0.68 0.4 05
1 9,
3 /4"( h
0.75 0.51 0.3 itc
)p
m
m
5
, 87 h h
0.50 0.34 0.2
( 15 itc itc
5 /8" )p )p
m m
m m h
0 5 tc
,7 52 pi
( 12 (9, m
1 /2" 3 /8" m
8
0.250 0.17 0.1
15

20

30

40

50
60
70
80
90

200

300

400
500
600
700
800
900

2000

3000

4000

5000
6000
7000
8000
9000

1 Kilowatt = 1.34 hp.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
ANSI Rating Chart
AMERICAN STANDARD CHAIN DRIVES
Rating Chart using 19T Driver Sprocket
QUADUPLEX

SIMPLEX
TRIPLEX

DUPLEX

DRIVER SPROCKET SPEEDS - (min -1)

4 3 2 1
10

15

20

30

40

50
60
70
80
90
100

150

200

300

400

500
600
700
800
900
1000

1500

2000

3000

4000

5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
660 500 340 200

3 495 375 255 150

330 250 170 100

297 225 153 90
264 200 136 80
231 175 119 70
198 150 102 60
165 125 85 50
132 100 68 40

99 75 51 30
SELECTION POWER (kw)

66 50 34 20
h
itc
50 38 26 15 )p
m
0m OI
33.0 25.0 17.0 10.0 3,5 L
(6 h OI TY S TR
29.7 22.5 15.3 9.0 1 /2" itc TY LBA PE EA
26.4 20.0 13.6 8.0 2 )p PE TH 4 M
23.1 17.5 11.9 7.0 m c h 3
19.8 15.0 10.2 6.0
,8 0m ) pi
t
16.5 12.5 8.5 5.0
(5
0 m itch
m
2" 5 ) p
4,4
13.2 10.0 6.8 4.0
m
3 "
(4 0 m DR
9.9 7.5 5.1 3.0 1 /4 38,1 h TYIP F
1 "
( itc PE EE
1 /2 )p
6.6 5.0 3.4 2.0 m 2 D For selection of drives to the right
5 m
, 7
5.0 3.8 2.6 1.5 (3
1 h of this line, consult Renold
1 " itc
1 /4 )p M
3.30 2.50 1.00 m A
TY NU
Engineers to obtain information on
0m
1.70
2.97 2.25 1.53 0.90 , 4 PE AL
2.64 2.00 1.36 0.80 ( 25 1 optimum drive performance.
2.31 1.75 1.19 0.70 1" tc
h
1.98 1.50 1.02 0.60 i
)p
1.61 1.25 0.85 0.50 m
1.32 1.00 0.40 5m
9,0
0.68 h
( 1 itc
0.99 0.75 0.51 0.30 3 /4" )p
m h h h
5m itc itc itc
,87 )p )p )p
0.66 0.50 0.34 0.20 15 m m m
( m m m
5 /8" 0 5
2,7 ,52 ,35
0.50 0.38 0.26 0.15
(1 3 /8"
(9 1 /4"
(6
1 /2"

0.33 0.25 0.17 0.10

10

15

20

30

40

50
60
70
80
90
100

150

200

300

400

500
600
700
800
900
1000

1500

2000

3000

4000

5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000

Transmission Equations Where:

Md = Torque of the driver sprocket Nm
The following equations give the relationships between power, Pr = Power kW
torque and velocity for various drive arrangements. d1 = Pitch circle diameter of the driver sprocket in mm
n1 = Driver sprocket speed rpm
Z1 = Number of teeth in the driver sprocket
Z2 = Number of teeth in the driven sprocket
v = Linear speed of the chain m/s
F1 = Chain pull N
Torque Md = F1.d1 P = Pitch of the chain mm
or 9550.Pr (Nm)
2000 n1
Centripetal Acceleration

Centripetal acceleration affecting parts of the chain engaged on

Power Pr = Md.n1 or F1.v (kw) the sprockets is determined by:
9550 1000

F 2 = q.v 2 (N)
Force F1 = 1000.Pr or 2000.Md (N)
v d1 Where:
F2 = Force in N
q = Mass of the chain in kg/m
Velocity v = n1.Z1.P (m/s)
60000 From this formula we can see that at high speed, this force is not
negligible and is the main reason for speed limitation.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Chain Suspension Force
The force acting between one link and the next due to the mass of Lubricating Methods
the chain is small and is internally balanced within the chain. This will
do no more than cause the chain to adopt a sagging catenery shape There are four basic methods for lubricating chain drives. The
between the sprockets. recommended lubrication method is based on the chain speed and
power transmitted and can be found in the rating charts (see pages
Allowance will need to be made in the installation for the slightly 101 and 102).
different postures adopted by the chain between zero and maximum
load. TYPE 1, Manual Operation

Lubrication Oil is applied periodically with a brush or oil can, preferably once
every 8 hours of operation. Volume and frequency should be
sufficient to just keep the chain wet with oil and allow penetration of
Chain drives should be protected against dirt and moisture and be
clean lubricant into the chain joints.
lubricated with good quality non-detergent mineral based oil. A
periodic change of oil is desirable. Heavy oils and greases are 3
generally too stiff to enter the chain working surfaces and should not
Health and Safety
be used. Ensure all machinery
is stationary and
Care must be taken to ensure that the lubricant reaches the bearing isolated, prior to
areas of the chain. This can be done by directing the oil into the RENOLD
applying any
clearances between the inner and outer link plates, preferably at the lubricant - carefully
point where the chain enters the sprocket on the bottom strand. following machine
manufacturers
The table below indicates the correct lubricant viscosity for various instructions.
ambient temperatures.
Applying lubricant by aerosol is also a satisfactory
Ambient Temperature Lubricant Rating
method, but it is important that the aerosol lubricant is of an
approved type for the application, such as that supplied by Renold.
Celsius SAE BS4231
This type of lubricant winds in to the pin/bush/roller clearances,
resisting both the tendency to drip or drain when the chain is
-5 to +5 20 46 to 68
stationary and centrifugal flinging when the chain is moving.
5 to 40 30 100
40 to 50 40 150 to 220
TYPE 2, Drip Lubrication
50 to 60 50 320
Oil drips are directed between the link plate edges from a drip
For the majority of applications in the above temperature range, a
lubricator. Volume and frequency should be sufficient to allow
multigrade SAE 20/50 oil would be suitable.
penetration of lubricant into the chain joints.
Use of Grease

As mentioned above, the use of grease is not recommended.

However, if grease lubrication is essential, the following points should
be noted:

Limit chain speed to 4 m/s.

Applying normal greases to the outside surfaces of a chain only
seals the bearing surfaces and will not work into them. This
causes premature failure. Grease has to be heated until fluid and
the chain is immersed and allowed to soak until all air bubbles
cease to rise. If this system is used, the chains need regular
cleaning and regreasing at intervals depending on the drives
TYPE 3, Bath or Disc Lubrication
power and speed. It should also be noted that temperatures
above 80C will cause damage to many greases and reduce their With oil bath lubrication the lower strand of chain runs through a
effectiveness. sump of oil in the drive housing. The oil level should cover the chain
at its lowest point whilst operating.
Abnormal Ambient Temperatures
Single Slinger Disc
Lubrication
For elevated temperatures up to 250C, dry lubricants such as
colloidal graphite or MoS2 in white spirit or poly-alkaline glycol
carriers are most suitable.

Conversely, at low temperatures between -5C and -40C, special

low temperature initial greases and subsequent oil lubricants are
necessary. Lubricant suppliers will give recommendations.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

With slinger disc lubrication an oil bath is used, but the chain Lifting Applications
operates above the oil level. A disc picks up oil from the sump and
deposits it on the chain by means of deflection plates. When such This section covers applications such as lifting and moving, where
discs are employed they should be designed to have peripheral the loads involved are generally static. Obviously, dynamic loads are
speeds between 180 to 2440 m/min. also involved in most applications and the designer needs to take
due consideration of these. The machinery designer should also
TYPE 4, Stream Lubrication refer to DTI Publication INDY J1898 40M which summarises
legislation in place from 1st January 1993 and 1st January 1995
A continuous supply of oil from a circulating pump or central regarding machinery product standards.
lubricating system is directed onto the chain. It is important to ensure
that the spray holes from which the oil emerges are in line with the Chain for lifting applications falls into 2 main categories:
chain edges. The spray pipe should be positioned so that the oil is
delivered onto the chain just before it engages with the driver
Leaf Chains.
3 sprocket.
Bush/Roller Chains.

Leaf Chain
Leaf chain is generally used for load balancing type lifting
applications as illustrated below. They must be anchored at either
end since there is no means of geared engagement in the chain
itself.

Oil feed Safety Factors

to chain

Spray pipe
A safety factor of 7:1 is normal for steady duty reciprocating motion,
e.g. fork lift trucks. For medium shock loads, 9:1 and for heavy
shock loads, 11:1.
This ensures that the lubricant is centrifuged through the chain and
assists in cushioning roller impact on the sprocket teeth. Stream Operating Speed
lubrication also provides effective cooling and impact damping at
high speeds. Applications should not exceed a maximum chain speed of 30
metres/min.
Effect of Temperature

An important factor to control in a drive system is the chain and

chaincase temperatures during operation. Depending on the severity
of the drive service, continuity of use, etc., special attention to the
lubrication method may be required.

Chain temperatures above 100C should be avoided if possible due

to lubrication limitations, although chain can generally give
acceptable performance up to around 250C in some
circumstances. A way of improving the effectiveness of the
lubrication and its cooling effect is to increase the oil volume (up to
4.5 litres per minute per chain strand) and incorporate a method of
external cooling for the oil.
Applications
1. Machine Tools - Planers, 2. Fork Lift Trucks, Lifts,
Drills, Milling Heads, Machine Hoists.
Centres.

3. Counterweight Balances -
Jacks, Doors, Gates etc.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Bush & Roller Chains
Bush and roller chains can be used for lifting and moving purposes Renold ANSI XTRA chains are available as follows:
and have the advantage over leaf chain in that they may be geared
into a suitable driving sprocket. Roller chain has a better wear XTRA H RANGE - Thicker plates
resistance than leaf chain and may be used at higher speeds. XTRA V RANGE - Through hardened pins
XTRA HV RANGE - Thicker plates and
Safety Factors through hardened pins

Applications vary widely in the nature of loads applied and it is The H and HV chains are not suitable or appropriate for high speed
therefore recommended that factors of safety are applied which transmission applications.
allow for some degree of abuse.
The following points should also be noted:
A factor of safety of 8:1 in non-passenger applications
A factor of safety of 10:1 in passenger applications The V range of chains are totally interchangeable with standard

Lower factors of safety than these may be used (except for

ANSI chain. 3
passenger applications), where careful consideration of the Simple chains of standard, H or HV designs all have
maximum loads and health and safety implications have been made. identical gearing dimensions and therefore can operate on the
For comments on this see the section Influences on chain life. same sprockets as for standard chains. The thicker plates will
require a larger chain track and it may be desirable to use
Operating Speeds sprockets with heat treated teeth. Multiplex chain requires an
increased transverse pitch of the teeth but other gearing
Applications should not normally exceed a maximum chain speed of
45 metres/min. For speeds higher than this, consider selection as if dimensions are the same.
the chain were in a power transmission application converting the The only reason to use H or HV chains is where fatigue life is a
chain load to power using the following formula: problem. We do not make any cranked (offset) links or slip-fit
connecting links for this range, since these have a lower fatigue
POWER = FV (kw)
resistance.
Where: F = Load KN Detachable (cottered) versions can be produced if required as
V = Velocity of chain (m/s) could triplex or wider chains.

Then apply selection power factors as shown in step 2 of DRIVE Influences on Chain Life
SELECTION.

Calculate equivalent RPM by using the smallest sprocket in the Factors of Safety
system where speed = 60000V
PZ All Renold chain is specified by its minimum tensile strength. To
obtain a design working load it is necessary to apply a FACTOR OF
Where: P = Chain Pitch (mm) SAFETY to the breaking load. However, before considering this, the
Z = No of Teeth in Sprocket following points should be noted:

Select lubrication methods also from the selection chart. Most chain side plates are manufactured from low to medium
carbon steel and are sized to ensure they have adequate
ANSI Xtra Range strength and also ductility to resist shock loading.
These steels have yield strengths around 65% of their ultimate
Transmission chain is also available in heavy duty versions of the tensile strength. What this means is that if chains are subjected
ANSI standard range of chain.
to loads of greater than this, depending upon the material used
These chains are suitable where frequent or impulsive load reversals in the side plates, then permanent pitch extension will occur.
are involved. Typical applications are in primary industries such as Most applications are subjected to transient dynamic loads well
mining, quarrying, rock drilling, forestry and construction machinery. in excess of the maximum static load and usually greater than the
designers estimate.
In order to accommodate these higher fatigue inducing loads,
material for inner and outer plates is increased in thickness by Motors, for example, are capable of up to 200% full load torque
approximately 20%. output for a short period.

This modification does not improve the tensile strength since the pin
then becomes the weakest component. However, heavy duty chains
with higher tensile strength are available. This is achieved by through
hardening instead of case hardening the pin, but unfortunately this
action reduces wear performance due to the lower pin hardness.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

The consequences of these points are that chain confidently Important Note
selected with a factor of safety of 8:1 on breaking load is, in effect,
operating with a factor of safety of around 5:1 on yield and much For factors of 5:1 the resulting bearing pressure is 50% higher than
less than this when the instantaneous overload on the drive is recommended and chain working under these conditions will wear
considered. prematurely, whatever type of lubrication regime is used.

Harsh Environments

Safety Factors In anything other than a clean and well lubricated environment, the
factor of safety should be adjusted if some detriment to the working
life of the chain is to be avoided. Low temperatures will also
12
Harsh Environments decrease working life, especially if shock loads are involved.

Safety Critical
Axial breaking force/max working load

11
3 10 Passenger Lifts The following tables give a general guide to the appropriate safety
factors for different applications for a target life of
9 8,000,000 cycles.
Transmission
8 Cleanliness
Lubrication Clean Moderately Clean Dirty/Abrasive
7 High Cycle Lifting Regular 8 10 12
Occasional 10 12 14
None 12 12 14
6
Low Cycle Lifting Temperature (Celsius)
5 Lubrication +10 to 150 150 to 200 200 to 300
4 Regular 8 10 12
3 Occasional 10 12 14
2 Not Normally Used
None 12 12 14
1

Load Regime
Temperature C SmoothModerate Shocks Heavy Shocks
A further consideration when applying a factor of safety to a chain +10 to +150 8 11 15
application is the required chain life.
0 to +10 10 15 19
In a properly maintained application a life of 8,000,000 cycles or -20 to Zero 12 20 25
15,000 hours, whichever comes first, is normal. Wear will be the -40 to -20 15 25 33
usual mode of failure.

In applications where low factors of safety are required, the life will Chain Extension
reduce accordingly.
When designing lifting applications it can be useful to know how
The maximum working load is obtained by dividing the chain much a chain will extend under a given load.
minimum tensile strength by the factor of safety.
The approximate elongation of a chain under a given load can be
The table below gives a rough indication of life for various factors of measured by using the following formulae.
safety.
Simplex chain
(14.51) .10-5.L
FACTOR CYCLES TYPE OF L= .F 1
MAXIMUM APPLICATION
p2
SIMPLE MULTIPLEX Duplex Chain
L = (9.72) .10 2 .L .F 1
-5
5.0 6.0 1,000,000 Dynamic load does not
6.0 7.2 2,000,000 exceed working load
p
8.0 8.0 8,000,000 Dynamic loads can Triplex Chain
L = (7.26) .102 .L .F 1
-5
occasionally exceed
working load by 20% p
10.0 10.0 8,000,000 All Passenger Lifts Where:
It should be noted that at factors below 8:1, bearing pressures
increase above the maximum recommended, with the result that L = Change in chain length mm
L = Original length of the chain mm
increased wear will arise unless special attention is taken with P = Pitch of the chain mm
lubrication, e.g.: F1 = Average load in the chain

More frequent lubrication.

Higher performance lubricants.
Better methods of applying lubrication.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Matching of Chain
Any application in which two or more strands of transmission chain Pitch Matching Adapted Transmission Chains
are required to operate side by side in a common drive, or (when attachments are fitted to chains)
conveying arrangement, may involve the need for either pairing or
matching. Such applications generally fall into one of the following With the sole exception of extended bearing pins, it is not possible to
categories : match the pitch of holes in attachments themselves to within very
fine limits, due to the additional tolerances to be contended with
Length Matching for Conveying and Similar Applications (bending, holing, etc.).

Wherever length matching of transmission chain is necessary it is Colour Coding

dealt with as follows:
For customers who wish to match their chains, perhaps in order to fit
The chains are accurately measured in handling lengths between special attachments in situ, Renold colour code short lengths of
3m to 8m as appropriate and then selected to provide a two (or chain within specified tolerance bands. These will normally be RED,
more) strand drive having overall length uniformity within close
limits. However, such length uniformity will not necessarily apply
YELLOW or GREEN paint marks to indicate lower, mid and upper
thirds of the tolerance band. For even finer tolerance bands
3
to any intermediate sections along the chains, but the actual additional colours can be used, but normally a maximum of five
length of all intermediate sections, both along and across the colours will be more than adequate.
drive, will not vary more than our normal manufacturing limits.
However, adapted transmission chains are usually manufactured COLOUR RED 0.05%
to specific orders which are generally completed in one YELLOW 0.10%
production run so that it is reasonable to assume that length GREEN 0.15%
differences of intermediate sections will be small. BLUE For Finer
WHITE Tolerances
Chains are supplied in sets which are uniform in overall length
within reasonably fine limits and will be within our normal To Measure Chain Wear
manufacturing limits. It should be noted that chain sets supplied
against different orders at different times may not have exactly the A direct measure of chain wear is the extension in excess of the
same lengths to those supplied originally, but will vary by no more nominal length of the chain. The chain wear can therefore be
than our normal tolerance of 0.0%, +0.15%. ascertained by length measurement in line with the instructions given
below.
Pitch Matching Transmission Drive Chains
Lay the chain, which should terminate at both ends with an inner
Pitch matched chains are built up from shorter subsections (usually link (part No 4), on a flat surface, and, after anchoring it at one
300 to 600mm lengths) which are first measured and then graded for end, attach to the other end a turnbuckle and a spring balance
length. All subsections in each grade are of closely similar length suitably anchored.
and those forming any one group across the set of chains are
selected from the same length grade. Apply a tension load by means of the turnbuckle
amounting to:
The requisite number of groups are then connected to form a pitch
matched set of chains, or alternatively, if this is too long for SIMPLEX CHAIN P2 x 0.77 (N)
convenient handling, a set of handling sections for customer to DUPLEX CHAIN P2 x 1.56 (N)
assemble as a final set of pitch matched chain. Suitable tags are TRIPLEX CHAIN P2 x 2.33 (N)
fixed to the chains to ensure they are connected together in the
correct sequence. Where P is the pitch in mm.

Identification of Handling Lengths

Handling Handling Handling

Length 1 Length 2 Length 3
A Strand A-A1 A1-A2 A2-A3
B Strand B-B1 B1-B2 B2-B3
C Strand C-C1 C1-C2 C2-C3

Long chains are made up in sections, each section being numbered

on end links. Sections should be so joined up that end links with
similar numbers are connected. Where chains are to run in sets of
two or more strands, each strand is stamped on end links of each
section with a letter, in addition to being numbered. Correct
consecutive sections for each strand must be identified from the end
links and joined up as indicated.

By these means, the actual length of any intermediate portion of one

strand (as measured from any one pitch point to any other) will
correspond closely with that of the transversely equivalent portion on
the other strands, generally within 0.05mm, depending on the chain
pitch size.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

In the case of double pitch chains (e.g. chains having the same If a transmission chain sustains damage due to an overload, jam-up,
breaking load and twice the pitch) apply measuring loads as for the or by riding over the sprocket teeth, it should be carefully removed
equivalent short pitch chains. from the drive and given a thorough visual examination. Remove the
lubricating grease and oil to make the job easier.
As an alternative, the chain may be hung vertically and the
equivalent weight attached to the lower end. Depending on the damage, it may be practicable to effect temporary
repairs using replacement links. It is not, however, a guarantee that
M the chain has not been over stressed and so made vulnerable to a
future failure. The best policy, therefore, is to remove the source of
trouble and fit a new chain. This should be done for the following
reasons.

1. The cost of down time to the system or machine can

3 Measure length M (see diagram above) in millimetres from
often outweigh the cost of replacing the chain.

which the percentage extension can be obtained from the 2. A new or even used portion of chain or joints assembled into the
following formula: failed chain will cause whipping and load pulsation. This can, and
probably will, produce rapid failure of the chain and will
Percentage Extension = M - (N.P) x 100 accelerate wear in both the chain and its sprockets.
N.P
If a chain has failed two or more times, it is certain the chain will fail
Where N = number of pitches measured again in time. If no replacement is immediately available, repair the
Where P = pitch chain, but replace it at the earliest opportunity.

As a general rule, the useful life of the chain is terminated and the Chain Adjustment
chain should be replaced when extension reaches 2 per cent (1
per cent in the case of double pitch chains). For drives with no To obtain full chain life, some form of chain adjustment must be
provision for adjustment, the rejection limit is lower, dependent provided, preferably by moving one of the shafts. If shaft movement
upon the speed and layout. A usual figure is between 0.7 and 1.0 is not possible, an adjustable jockey sprocket engaging with the
per cent extension. unloaded strand of the chain is recommended. Generally the jockey
should have the same number of teeth as the driver sprocket and
Renold Chain Wear Guide care should be taken to ensure the speed does not exceed the
maximum shown in the rating charts (see pages 101 and 102).
A simple-to-use chain wear guide is available from Renold Chain for
most popular sizes of chain pitch. Please contact your Sales Office The chain should be adjusted regularly so that, with one strand tight,
for details. the slack strand can be moved a distance A at the mid point (see
diagram below). To cater for any eccentricities of mounting, the
Repair and Replacement adjustment of the chain should be tried through a complete
revolution of the large sprocket.
Sprockets
A = Total movement
C = Horizontal Centre Distance
Examination of both flanks will give an indication of the amount of
Total movement A (mm) = C (mm)
wear which has occurred. Under normal circumstances this will be
K
evident as a polished worn strip about the pitch circle diameter of
the sprocket tooth.
Where K = 25 for smooth drives
50 for shock drives
If the depth of this wear X has reached an amount equal to 10% of
the Y dimension, then steps should be taken to replace the
sprocket. Running new chain on sprockets having this amount of A
tooth wear will cause rapid chain wear.

Depth
of wear
Y
X=
10
X
PCD PCD

For vertical drives please consult the installation and maintenance

section, which gives more details on chain adjustment.
It should be noted that in normal operating conditions, with correct
lubrication the amount of wear X will not occur until several chains
have been used.

Chain

Chain repair should not as a rule be necessary. A correctly selected

and maintained chain should gradually wear out over a period of
time (approximately 15000 hours), but it should not fail. Please refer
to the Installation and Maintenance section, which gives an
indication of the service life remaining.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

Design Ideas Table of PCD Factors

A variety of applications To obtain pitch circle diameter of any sprocket with 9 to 150 teeth,
multiply chain pitch by appropriate factor.
Conveying, Indexing, Lifting and Pulling, Power Transmission, e.g. The PCD of a 38T sprocket of 3/4" (19.05mm) pitch
Timing. = 19.05 x 12.110 = 230.70mm

Number PCD Number PCD Number PCD

of Factor of Factor of Factor
teeth teeth teeth

9 2.924 57 18.153 105 33.428

3
10 3.236 58 18.471 106 33.746
11 3.549 59 18.789 107 34.064
12 3.864 60 19.107 108 34.382
13 4.179 61 19.426 109 34.701
14 4.494 62 19.744 110 35.019
15 4.810 63 20.062 111 35.337
16 5.126 64 20.380 112 35.655
17 5.442 65 20.698 113 35.974
18 5.759 66 21.016 114 36.292
19 6.076 67 21.335 115 36.610
20 6.392 68 21.653 116 36.928
21 6.709 69 21.971 117 37.247
22 7.027 70 22.289 118 37.565
23 7.344 71 22.607 119 37.883
24 7.661 72 22.926 120 38.202
25 7.979 73 23.244 121 38.520
26 8.296 74 23.562 122 38.838
27 8.614 75 23.880 123 39.156
28 8.931 76 24.198 124 39.475
29 9.249 77 24.517 125 39.793
30 9.567 78 24.835 126 40.111
31 9.885 79 25.153 127 40.429
32 10.202 80 25.471 128 40.748
33 10.520 81 25.790 129 41.066
34 10.838 82 26.108 130 41.384
A variety of industries 35 11.156 83 26.426 131 41.703
36 11.474 84 26.744 132 42.021
Aircraft, Automotive, Marine, Mechanical Handling, 37 11.792 85 27.063 133 42.339
Motorcycle, Nuclear, Oilfield. 38 12.110 86 27.381 134 42.657
39 12.428 87 27.699 135 42.976
40 12.746 88 28.017 136 43.294
41 13.063 89 28.335 137 43.612
42 13.382 90 28.654 138 43.931
43 13.700 91 28.972 139 44.249
44 14.018 92 29.290 140 44.567
45 14.336 93 29.608 141 44.885
46 14.654 94 29.927 142 45.204
47 14.972 95 30.245 143 45.522
48 15.290 96 30.563 144 45.840
49 15.608 97 30.881 145 46.159
50 15.926 98 31.200 146 46.477
51 16.244 99 31.518 147 46.795
52 16.562 100 31.836 148 47.113
53 16.880 101 32.154 149 47.432
54 17.198 102 32.473 150 47.750
55 17.517 103 32.791
56 17.835 104 33.109

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Simple Point to Point Drives - Example One
The following worked examples give simple step-by-step guidance on selecting various types of chain drive systems.
Renold technical staff are available to advise on any chain selection problems.
For details of transmission equations see page 102.

Example One 5 Centre Distance Calculation

Rotary Pump Drive
GIVEN: The centre distance of the drive can now be calculated using the
Pump speed 360 rpm formula shown below:
Power absorbed 7.5 kw
Driver Electric motor at 1440 rpm
= P ( 2L (
Z2 Z1 ) Z2 Z1 )
2 2
2L Z 2 Z 1 +
3 Constraints Centre distance approx 458 mm
Adjustment by shaft movement
8 3.88

= 12.7 (( 2 x 122 ) 76 19 ) + (( 2 x 122 ) 76 19 )

2 x ( 76 19 )2
1 Selection Parameters
8 3.88
Use Z1 = 19T
= 458.6mm
No polygonal effect
Satisfactory for smooth drives
Calculate the drive ratio as follows: 6 Adjustment

Drive Ratio = i = Z 2 = N2 = 1440 = 4 Provide for chain wear of 2% or two pitches, whichever is smaller, in
Z1 N1 360
this case, (122x1.02) - 122 = 2.44 pitches.
Therefore the driven number of teeth

Z2 = 4 x Z1 = 4 x 19 = 76T Therefore use 2 pitches and recalculate using:

L = 124 in the above equation. This gives

C = 471.7mm
2 Selection Factors
i.e. total adjustment of 13.1mm.
Application Factor f1=1 (driver and driven sprockets smooth
Note that in practice, some negative adjustment will facilitate
running)
assembly and will be essential if it is intended to assemble chain
Tooth Factor f2 = 19 = 19 = 1 which is pre-joined into an endless loop.
Z1 19

Selection Power = 7.5x1x1 = 7.5kw 7 Other Data

Chain Velocity N.P. Z 1 = 1440 x 12.7 x 19 = 5.79m/s

3 Select Chain 60000 60000
The chain can now be selected using charts 3 and 4 and cross
referencing power to speed, giving the following possibilities: Load in chain due to power transmitted =
Q.1000
(Where Q = Selection power (kw)) v
0.5 BS Simplex (Approx 81% of rated Capacity)
0.375 BS Duplex (Approx 98% of rated Capacity)
= 7.5 x 1000 = 1295N
0.5 ANSI Simplex (Approx 83% of rated Capacity)
0.375 ANSI Duplex (Approx 84% of rated Capacity)
5.79
Load in chain due to centripetal acceleration
2
0.375 ANSI Duplex chain is unsuitable as it is a bush chain. = Chain mass/metre x Velocity
2
Note - The approximate percentage of rated capacity is calculated = 0.68 x 5.79
by dividing the selection power at 1440 rpm by the chains maximum = 23N
capacity at 1440 rpm.
Total chain working load = 1318N
For this example we will choose 0.5 European Simplex
Note the load in the chain due to centripetal acceleration becomes
much more significant at higher speeds since the square of the
4 Installation Parameters
chain velocity is in the equation.

LUBRICATION - European Chain Rating Chart (see page 101) clearly Chain axial breaking force = 19000N
indicates the chain needs OILBATH lubrication. The chain will need (See pages 10-11)
to be enclosed and run in a sump of oil.
Chain safety factor = 1900 = 14.4
We now calculate the CHAIN LENGTH
1318
2
( Z 2 Z1 )
Z 1 + Z2 2
+ 2C + P.
2
L= Chain bearing area = 50mm (see pages 10-11 and 30-31)
2 P C
2
Bearing pressure = WORKING LOAD = 1318 = 26.36 N/mm
12.7 ( 76 19
2

2
) BEARING AREA 50
L = 19 + 76 + 2 x 458 + = 121.9
2 12.7 458
Round up to the nearest number of even pitches i.e. 122.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Simple Point to Point Drives - Example Two
The following worked examples give simple step-by-step guidance on selecting various types of chain drive systems.
Renold technical staff are available to advise on any chain selection problems.
For details of transmission equations see page 102.

Example Two 4 Installation Parameters

4-Cylinder Compressor
GIVEN: LUBRICATION - European Chain Rating Chart (see page 101) clearly
Pump speed 250 rpm shows that an oilstream system is required on this drive. The chain
should run in an enclosure with a pump and sump arrangement.
Power absorbed 250 kw
Driver Electric motor at 960 rpm We will now calculate the CHAIN LENGTH
Constraints Centre distance approx 1500 mm
95 25 2 3
25 + 95 2 x 1500 31.75 ( 2 )
L= + + = 157.12
1 Selection Parameters 2 31.75 1500
Use a 25T sprocket for an impulsive drive (see page 92 selection of Round up to the nearest number of even pitches i.e. 158
drive ratio and sprockets.
5 Centre Distance Calculation
Drive Ratio = Z 2 = N2 = 960 = 3.84 The centre distance of the drive can now be calculated using the
Z1 N1 250
standard formula below:
Number of teeth Z2 = 3.84 x Z1 = 3.84 x 25 = 95T = 1514.44mm

C= 31.75 (( 2 x 158 ) 95 25) + (( 2 x 158 ) 95 25)

2 ( 95 25 ) 2
2 Selection Factors 8 3.88
Application Factor f1 = 1.5 (driver and driven sprocket medium
impulsive)
6 Adjustment
Tooth Factor f2 = 19 = 19 = 0.76 960 x 31.75 x 25 = 12.7m/s
Z1 25 Chain Velocity 60000
Selection Power = Transmitted power x f1 x f2 (kw) Load in the Chain 285 x 1000 = 22440 N
Selection Power = 250 x 1.5 x 0.76 = 285kw 12.7
Load in the chain due to centripetal acceleration =
3 Select Chain 11.65 x 2 x 12.7 x 12.7 = 3758 N
The chain can now be selected using European Chain Rating Chart
Total chain WORKING LOAD = 26027 N
(see page 101) by cross referencing the power (285kw on the
vertical axis) and speed (960 rpm on the horizontal axis). 2
Bearing = WORKING LOAD = 23272 = 14.7N/mm
Two matched strands of 1.25 pitch European triplex chains could be Pressure BEARING AREA 885 x 2
used with a heat treated 25 tooth steel driver and a 95 tooth driven
sprocket to give a drive ratio of 3.8 to 1. Chain Safety = BREAKING LOAD = 294200 x 2 = 22.6
Factor WORKING LOAD 26027

Multi-Shaft Drives
SHAFTS IN SERIES Roller conveyors with less than 10 rollers can be driven from one of
This arrangement shows the driving of live roller conveyors. the ends of the track. When the number of rollers is higher, it is
recommended that the driving arrangement is in the middle of the
conveyor in order to have a better distribution of the power and the
highest overall efficiency.

If we assume that a drive operating under ideal conditions such as a

clean environment and correct lubrication achieves an efficiency of
R%, then the overall efficiency of a roller conveyor with X rollers will be:

x
100 ( R ) = Rx
100 100 ( x - 1 )
The choice of the chain is based on the slipping torque between the If the individual drive efficiency R is equal to 98%, then the drive of a
rollers and the material to be transported. The safety factor to be roller conveyor with 30 rollers will therefore only have an overall
applied for this type of drive is typically: efficiency of 55%

Safety factor = 5 for one direction drives Consequently, it is recommended that no more than 30 rollers per
Safety factor = 8 for reversible drives drive are used. For roller conveyors with more than 30 rollers, use
multiple drives.
Every roller except the last comprises two simple sprockets, or one
special sprocket to be used with two simple chains. At low speeds or The drive should be able to develop a torque corresponding to the
in reversible drives, sprockets with hardened teeth should be used. slipping torque of the loaded rollers.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide
Simple Point to Point Drives - Example Three
The following worked examples give simple step-by-step guidance on selecting various types of chain drive systems.
Renold technical staff are available to advise on any chain selection problems.
For details of transmission equations see page 102.

Example Three The friction force for a friction coefficient of 0.25 is

35000 x 0.25 = 8750 N
GIVEN: The corresponding torque is equal to:
Moving a stack of steel plates.
20 rollers with a diameter of 150mm. F x d (force x distance) = 8750 x 0.15 = 656Nm
2
Shafts with a diameter of 60mm on ball bearings.
Weight of one roller 1900N.
3 There are two stacks on the conveyor at any one time.
One stack weighs 17500N with a length of 1500mm.
Note: Where d = radius of shaft
The total drive torque is 656 + 81 = 737 Nm
Total nett load : 35000N (two stacks). The effective torque is therefore:
Centre distance of the rollers : 300mm.
Linear speed : 15 m/min. 737 = 902Nm
PCD of the sprockets : 140mm. 0.817
Impulsive load : 30 starts per hour, in one direction.
The pull in the chain then becomes:

1 Assumptions 2000 .Md = 2000 x 902 = 12886 N

d1 140
A drive is placed in the middle with 10 rollers on each side
The rolling resistance of the rollers is 0.05 Per drive we can now evaluate chain ISO 16B-1 or Renold Chain
The friction resistance between the rollers and the load is 0.25 110088 running with two sprockets with 17 teeth and a pitch circle
diameter of 138mm.
The efficiency per drive is 98%
In normal use:
2 Selection Calculations Axial Breaking force 67000
The safety factor = = 47.4
Working load 1414
Every stack of steel is 17500 N and is conveyed by
Working load = 1414 = 6.83 N/mm 2
Bearing pressure
Stack length Bearing area 207
= 1500 = 5 Rollers
Centre distance of rollers 300
When slipping they are:
or 10 rollers for the total nett load.
The safety factor Axial Breaking Force = 67000 = 5.2
If a nett load of 35000 N is added to the total weight of 10 bearing Pull in Chain 12886
rollers (19000 N), then this gives a gross load of 54000 N.
The tangential force for 10 rollers is : 54000 x 0.05 = 2700 N and the Bearing pressure Chain Pull = 12886 = 62.26 N/mm 2
corresponding torque is: Bearing Area 207
The linear speed of the chain is:
F x d (force x distance) = 2700 x 0.06 = 81Nm
2
stack speed x d1 1 = 15 x 0.138 = 0.23 m/sec
Note: Where d = shaft diameter roller dia ( 60 ) 0.15 x 60
For each group of 10 rollers the efficiency will be:
Note: Where d1 = PCD of sprocket in metres
98 10 = 81.7%
100 9 For each group of 10 rollers the power is: F 1.V
1000
The effective torque then becomes: Under normal working conditions

Actual Torque 81 Working load x linear speed = 1414 x 0.23 = 0.33 kW

= = 99 Nm 1000 1000
Efficiency 0.817
For sprockets with a pitch circle diameter of 140mm, the pull in the Chain pull x linear speed = 12886 x 0.23 = 2.96 kW
chain will be: 1000 1000
When the rollers are slipping
2000 x Md = 2000 x 99 = 1414 N
d1 140
Taking the efficiency of the gear unit into account and adding a
factor of 25% to this total power, 3.7kW will be necessary.

NOTE - At higher linear speeds, we should also take into account

other additional factors such as the moment of inertia of the rollers
and the power needed to accelerate the various components of the
system.

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 Renold Chain Designer Guide

Shafts in Parallel Safety Warnings

Connecting Links

No 11 or No 26 joints (slip fit) should not be used where high speed

or arduous conditions are encountered. In these or equivalent
circumstances where safety is essential, a riveting link No 107
(interference fit) must be used.

Wherever possible, drives should have sufficient overall adjustment

Figure 1
to ensure the use of an even number of pitches throughout the
useful life of the chain. A cranked link joint (No 12 or No 30) should
only be used as a last resource and restricted to light duty, non-
critical applications. 3
Chain Maintenance

The following precautions must be taken before disconnecting and

removing a chain from a drive prior to replacement, repair or length
alteration.
Figure 2
1. Always isolate the power source from the drive or
Drives of this type will only be used when:
equipment.

There is a steady load, preferably divided evenly over the 2. Always wear safety glasses.
sprocket system.
At linear speeds not higher than 1.5 m/sec. 3. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, hats,
It is driven in one direction only. gloves and safety shoes, as warranted by the
circumstances.
The efficiency of this driving method is higher than for the series
drive because there is reduced tooth contact. 4. Always ensure tools are in good working condition and
used in the proper manner.
Every drive needs special attention with regard to the positioning of
the driver sprocket, the jockey and the reversing pinions. 5. Always loosen tensioning devices.

The layout of the sprockets, the support and the guidance of the 6. Always support the chain to avoid sudden unexpected
chain determine to a large extent, the service life of the chain. movement of chain or components.

The chain in most cases is quite long and a good grip on the driver 7. Never attempt to disconnect or reconnect a chain
sprocket is only possible when a degree of pre-tensioning is applied. unless the method of safe working is fully understood.
This should never exceed half the normal pulling load of the
application. 8. Make sure correct replacement parts are available
before disconnecting the chain.
The method of selection is the same as for that detailed under
SHAFTS IN SERIES. 9. Always ensure that directions for correct use of any
tools is followed.
Drives mounted as in figure 2 have an efficiency under normal
conditions of: 10. Never re-use individual components.

11. Never re-use a damaged chain or chain part.

94% with 5 rollers
89% with 10 rollers 12. On light duty drives where a spring clip (No 26) is
84% with 15 rollers used, always ensure that the clip is fitted correctly in
79% with 20 rollers relation to direction of travel.
75% with 25 rollers

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