Roller chain is a steel chain with roller bushings that run smoothly around a sprocket. It is used in bicycles, farm machinery, automobile transmissions, and transfer cases. Proper lubrication and tension are critical for its long life. Roller chain is sized by ANSI, with common sizes being 40, 50, and 60. It is used in conveyors, automobile timing chains, chain saws, and plumbing tools.
Roller chain is a steel chain that uses roller bushings at each connecting link. Bushings help the chain run smoothly around a sprocket and give the chain long life and strength. Roller chain is commonly found on bicycles and farm machinery and is also a major component in automobile transmissions and transfer cases. Some types of high-performance roller chains use small rubber O-rings at each end of the bushings to help retain oil, which helps keep the chain in tip-top condition.
There are many types of roller chains, each intended for a specific purpose. In the US, roller chain is sized by the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, with the most common sizes being 40, 50, and 60. Chain sizing reflects the chain pitch in eighths of an inch (0.3175 centimeters) , this is denoted by the first digit, and the last digit indicating the strength of the chain. While 0 represents standard chain and 1 represents light chain, 5 is used to show bushed chain without rollers. This means that a standard bicycle chain with a pitch of half an inch (1.27 centimeters) would be a size 40 chain.
The typical roller chain is made up of links that are fused together by pins. The pins are driven through the ends of each link and are held in place by friction. Each chain is connected at the ends to form a full circle or chain loop using a master link. The master link is a chain link that uses a clip to hold the sides in place rather than being a friction fit. Roller chain can be shortened by removing links with a chain breaker tool and lengthened by adding full or half links.
Proper lubrication and tension are critical to ensuring the long life of any roller chain. A chain should never be tight. There should always be a slight slack in a properly adjusted chain. The school of thought is about 2 to 4 percent of the distance between the centers of the sprockets. Clean, light oil should be used to keep the chain properly lubricated.
The various uses of roller chain include not only bicycles, but also conveyors, automobile timing chains, and chain saws. By attaching small cutting teeth to a chain, a chainsaw can cut through a tree quickly. In another application, small pieces of chain are attached to a handle, allowing plumbers to grip and twist sections of pipe.
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