The universality of the drop forged rivetless chain makes it an integral part of most conveyor systems. There are millions of feet of this chain in use invarious types of industrial plants globally because of their reliable 24/7 service. A rough estimate of 90% of all of the conveyor chain in use with overhead trolleys is of the drop forged rivetless type. For this particular use, it has replaced almost all of the other kinds of chain for the overhead trolley operations.
There are three main components of drop forged rivetless chain: center links, side links, and pins. The simplicity of the design and construction of the chain makes it easy to replace links or sections without loss of time; assembling or disassembling is a simple, speedy operation. In addition to the main components, a variety of trolleys, attachments and pusher dogs can be used to fit the specific needs of a plant\’s conveyor line.
Trolleys are wheels that mount to the conveyor chain, and allow it to ride on I-beam or in steel channel. Attachments can be outfitted to the chain to allow parts to connect to the conveyor line and be processed. Pusher dogs engage key areas of the system to cause specific actions to happen.
The parts can be easily reversed allowing assembly or disassembly without special tools or equipment to prolong the chain\’s life with reduced replacement cost. Furthermore, the design and manufacture of the chain keeps disconnection while in service a thing of the past. This same design and construction makes for ease of installation. The chain is normally shipped in ten-foot chunks, which are fed into the system, and then linked to each other by turning a conveyor pin.
Drop forged rivetless chain can be used overhead, or on the floor. When used overhead, the chain hangs from an I-beam with the trolleys above, and the load below. Chain that is used on the floor is referred to as inverted, as the trolleys are below the chain, while the load rides above it. The chain is propelled by conveyor drives, which engage the chain and move it through the system. Because of its flexible design, rivetless chain will operate over irregular paths with both horizontal and vertical changes in direction.
There are differences between conveyor chains. The factors of metallurgy, accurate forging, precise broaching, and well-controlled heat treatment give the particular qualities to the drop forged rivetless chain. High carbon steel, high alloy steel and microtuff materials are all common metals used in its manufacture. There are also several finishes utilized in its making like zinc, dichromate, or black diamond. These finishes are applied to the chain to enable it to operate well in differing environments.
Rivetless chain is available in the following sizes: X698, X678, X458 and X348. The larger the chain, the heavier the load it can sustain. Heavy-duty applications will likely call for X678 chain, which rides in 6-inch track and can have an ultimate tensile strength in excess of 125,000 pounds. Light manufacturing facilities may utilize X348 chain, which goes into 3-inch track and typically has an ultimate tensile strength of less than 40,000 pounds.
This capability to be used for many needs make the choice of the drop forged rivetless conveyor chain very attractive for use in many manufacturing processes. This chain remains a major technology to be used in several fields due to its low maintenance costs.
To learn more about Conveyor Drives or other Conveyor Components please visit Wilkie Brother Conveyors.
