A caterpillar chain is an endless chain used in tracked vehicles and conveying systems. It is made of durable materials and often uses bushings instead of rivets for consistency. Sprockets connect to the engine and engage the chain with teeth.
A caterpillar chain is an endless chain of transmission with no definite end. This means the chain is connected together at each end, creating a circle. The chain is manufactured with arranged teeth, or “dogs,” which are used to align properly and engage in a continuous feed system.
These types of chains are often used in tracked vehicles, meaning that the carrier system acts as wheels. This, in effect, allows for more surface-to-surface contact which increases vehicle control and stability. Caterpillar chain has a wide variety of uses in different types of conveying systems, but is most commonly used in so-called caterpillar drive chains.
Since Caterpillar chains are often in heavy and constant use, the material from which one of these chains is made must be able to handle the many tasks required by the machine it drives. Such chains must also typically be resistant to rust, as many of them are used in the outdoor elements and exposed to moisture, air, heat and cold. As a result, most Caterpillar chains are forged from different grades of treated steel or alloys, which while making them expensive, also makes them very strong. Those used in conveyor systems that aid in the automated processing of food products must be made of stainless steel to prevent rust and allow for sanitary cleaning.
The caterpillar chain has so many requirements for heavy use that, in addition to being made of durable materials, the chain itself must be made in a way that allows it to meet, or in most cases exceed, its designated workloads. As a result, the way most track drive chains are manufactured rules out the use of rivets because the rivets allow for wear over time and lead to inconsistencies in tooth-to-conveyor ratio timing. Rather, Caterpillar drive chains typically use different styles of bushings, which are secured by high-strength shot peened steel pins, preventing any unwanted adjustments in chain link spacing.
Most commonly, the apparatus that uses a track chain also uses sprockets that are directly connected to the crankshaft of the engine that turns them. The sprockets are driven by the motor. This engages the caterpillar chain with the teeth of the sprockets, which in turn engages the caterpillar chain, which uses its own teeth to engage the conveyor belt it is driving.
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