ROLLER CHAIN

Type of Chain:
1. Roller Chain
2. Inverted tooth or Silent Chain
Roller Chain Designation
Example:
RC XX X
0: Chain of usual proportion
1: Light weight chain
5: Roller less chain
: Replacement chain pitch

Roller Chain construction

Pin Plate
Link Plate

Pin
Roller
Bushing
Roller
Pin

Pitch (P)
Pitch of Chain Distance between centers of adjacent Rollers
Minimum Number of Sprocket Teeth
Ntmin = 12 for very low speed

Pitch circle

P2

Ntmin =
Ntmin =
Ntmin =
Ntmin =

d
D

17
21
25
23

for
for
for
for

low speed
moderate speed
high speed
speed increasing drives

Estimation Formula for the Chain Pitch

p

[ ]

900 3
: inch
Nt
n1

rpm of the small (faster) sprocket

Pitch Diameter of Sprocket

C

D=

p
180
sin
n1

[ ]

n1 = rpm of the small (faster)

sheave
D = pitch diameter of
sprocket
P = chain pitch
d = sprocket bore

Chain Length

(N t 1+ N t 2)
( N t 2+ N t 1)2
L=
+2C p +
2
2C p
Where:
L = length of chain in pitches, links or teeth (preferably even number to avoid the
use of an offset link)
Cp = center distance between the sprockets in pitches
Nt1 = number of teeth of small sprocket
Nt2 = number of teeth of large sprocket

Center Distance
Average good center distance for chain drive

v =D2+

D1
2

Thus:

N t 1 n1=N t 2 n2 :n1 D1 n2 D2
Where:
n1 = rpm of small sprocket
n1 =rpm of large sprocket

Sprocket Teeth in terms of Sprocket Bore

N t min =

4d
+5
p

: for RC with pitches up to 1 inch

N t min =

4d
+4
p

: for RC with pitches 1 4

N t min =

4d
+6
p

: for a Silent Chain

inch to 2 4

inch

Horsepower Capacity of Roller Chain

1. Roller Chains
A. Based on Link Plate Fatigue Strength

hp
=0.004(N t 1)1.08 (N t 1)0.9 [ p(30.07 p) ]
strand

Nt1 = number of teeth of small sprocket

N1 = rpm of small sprocket
p = chain pitch in pitches
B. Based on Roller-Bushing Impact Strength

100 N t 1
hp
=K r
strand
n1

1.5

( p)

0.8

Nt1 = number of teeth of small sprocket

N1 = rpm of small sprocket
p = chain pitch in pitches
Kr = roller chain constant
Kr = 17 for RC 40 to RC 240, except RC 41
Kr = 3.4 for RC 41
Kr =29 for RC 25 and RC 35
Note:
Compare hp/strand values computed in A and B; use whichever is smaller
For multiple strands, multiply the above rating by:
1.7 for 2 strands
2.5 for 3 strands
3.3 for 4 strands

2. Silent Chain
Rated Hp per inch of chain width

pv
vm
hp
= m 1
inch of width 53
425 ( N t 18 )

Thus, the width of chain required can be computed as:

b=

Design HP
hp
(
)
inchof width

WIRE ROPES

Dr = rope diameter
Dw = wire diameter

Designation
AxB
Number of wires per stand
Number of strand

Dw Dr

1 6 x 19 MPS a wire rope made of a mild plow steel (MPS) with a rope diameter D r =
1, consisting of strands with 19 wires per strand
Different Ropes Sizes with their Common Application refer to p. 471 Faires
Materials with their Ultimate Strengths - refer to p. 471 Faires
Properties of Wire Ropes - refer to AT28 Faires
Wire Rope Loads
A. Total tensile load
This includes the effect of acceleration.

[ ]

Ft =(W L +W R ) 1+

a
g

Where
WL = weight of attached load
WR = weight of rope
a = acceleration of load
g = gravitational acceleration
B.

Equivalent load

Fb =

ED w
( Am)
Ds

Where
FL = equivalent load due to bending around the sheave
E = modulus of elasticity of rope material
Dw = wire diameter
Ds = sheave pitch diameter
Am = metallic cross-sectional area of rope
Factors of Safety
A. Static approach

N=

Fu Fb
F1

Fu = breaking strength of rope

B. Fatigue approach

p
)S
Su u
2 F1

DR D s (
N=

Where
Su = ultimate strength of material
p/Su = ratio of bearing pressure to ropes ultimate strength.
(For indefinite life, p/Su 0.0015)
Ft = ropes total tensile load

Brake Drum

FB

BRAKES

Brake arm

BAND BRAKES
A. Simple Band Brake one end of the band is fixed to a pivot support
a

Pivot Point

Band Tension Ratio

F 1
=e
F2
F1 F2
Friction Torque

T =( F 1 + F 2)

D
2

Braking Force
From the given setup above, the brake is self-energized in a clockwise drum
rotation. That is, braking force is minimum in a clockwise drum rotation.

0
R

FB
a
L

F1=F 2

[]
a
L

F2

F1
Since F2 < F1 , FB is minimum
Power Absorbed by the Brake (Friction Power)

Power=T ( n )=(F 1F 2 )

( D2 )n

Brake Drum

FB
Brake arm
B. Differential Band Brake
b
C.
L

If the drum rotates counterclockwise, the required braking force is:

F B=

[(

F 1 bF 2 a )
L

If the drum rotates clockwise, the required braking force is:

F B=

[(

F 2 bF 1 a )
L

If this braking force FB becomes zero or negative, the brake is said to be

self-locking in a clockwise rotation.

Maximum Tensile Stress in the Band

St=

Ft
=Sd
bt
F1
t

F1
Maximum Lining Pressure between Band and Drum

Pmax =

2 F1
D(b)

b
Rx

Ry

Rx
Ry

BLOCK BRAKES
A. Single Block Brake
b

D
c

Braking Force R:
a) Drum rotates clockwise

R=

P ( a )F (c )
(a+b)

Where
R = braking force required
P = normal force at the drum or block
F = frictional force at the drum or block

F=Pf

4 sin
2 +sin 2

2 = contact angle between drum and block

f = coefficient of friction between block and drum

b) Drum rotates counterclockwise

In a counterclockwise drum rotation, the braking force R becomes:

R=

P ( a ) + F (c)
(a+ b)

This shows that the block-brake setup is self-energizing in a clockwise drum

rotation (i.e. the braking force required is smaller).
Friction Power
T

Ry

R
R

M =0

T =F

4 sin
D
( D2 )=Pf [ 2 +sin
(
2 ] 2 )

Power=T (n)

B. Double Block Brake

FL
FR
PL
Ry
T
D

PR

Two pair of forces (P and F) act at each block. Thus, the friction torque equation
becomes

T =( F L + F R )

( D2 )

Where

F L =PL f L

4 sin L
2 L +sin 2 L

4 sin R
2 R +sin 2 R

F R=P R f R

]
]

CLUTCHES
DISK OR PLATE CLUTCH

Driving Disk

Key or
spline
Driven Disk

Driven Shaft

b
N
d

Spring
D

Driving
Shaft

p
dr

d
Dr