×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Leaf Chain Design

Leaf Chain Design

Leaf Chain Design

(OP)
Hi,
I need as much good advice on Leaf Chain Design as can be mustered. Competitors in my industry are utilising leaf chain as a means of transferring a cylinders push/pull into a lift with a doubling of speed and distance (everybody has made use of rope conventionally for exactly the same purpose). The nominal loads are defined quite easily (cylinder pressure valve settings) and I would be looking to utilise the leaf chain in the same way due to the obvious space savings over rope (with huge sheave diameters) without a drop in the smoothness of operation. I have found a few documents on the web which is good but does anyone have any reference to a standard for material handling.

In particular advise would be most beneficial for:
a) Things not to do!!!
b) Safety Factors (if the failure of the chain is considered catastrophic). I have always followed crane standards in regards to rope (Please note its not a people mover).
c) Service Factors (considering the operator and maintenance is limited and the environment can be corrosive, salty). I guess a marine environment is over the top but something from someone in the industry may help with this (if the industry uses leaf chain or stays away from it for example).
d) Roller Diameters (My Leaf Chain runs on rollers, not sprockets) and their direct effect on chain tensions, friction etc.
e) Terminations. Do I have to make my own and if so what are the dos and don'ts?? They say you can buy them, but, I'm at a loss when looking for a supplier.

Anything from anybody that has used the stuff can pass on would be helpful because we have to bite the bullet and start using it or be left behind.

We're tearing the competitors machine apart next month to have a look how they do it but quite frankly that's just not going to do it for me in regards to designing my own, even if they are achieving good life.

Cheers,
ExDrill.

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link!"

RE: Leaf Chain Design

Your roller diameter will have an effect on chain life and capacity. Impact and lubrication are other concerns. Contact Tsubaki directly for design help.

Ed Danzer
www.danzcoinc.com
www.dehyds.com

RE: Leaf Chain Design

(OP)
Cheers UncleSyd, Do you make your own terminations or buy them  from renold direct?

RE: Leaf Chain Design

When we had gobs and gobs of fork trucks (71) we became an authorized repair station for a major brand (R) who's trucks we had the most of.

For quite a number of years we did make the terminations and did change the MOC of several parts all with the approval of the manufacturer.  The chains are now purchased complete with terminations.  I don't know who supplies the hardware but I believe the chain is still Renold.

I recently talked with the person in charge of the remaining trucks and found out they have closed the fork truck shop and what little maintenance is done by a contractor, who uses the hardcore unemployable.  

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources