OPTIMIZED CHAIN LENGTH CONTROL

Abstract

A method for controlling the length of a sprocket chain of a chain type includes alternately arranged inner chain links and outer chain links that are connected together by, means of a chain joint, wherein each outer chain link has two outer plates, each of which comprises two openings and two pins that are pressed into the openings of the outer plates, each pin of the outer chain links having a joint region, which contacts the inner chain link and has a joint diameter, and two joining regions, which are pressed into the openings of the outer plates and have a joining diameter. The method prevents the disadvantages known from the prior art and in particular leads to a simple chain length control. For this purpose, the method has the following steps: providing a pin set comprising a plurality of pins, wherein at least two of the pins of the pin set have different joint diameters in the joint regions; and for at least one of the pins of the pin set; the joint diameter of the joint region differs from the joining diameter of the joining regions; ascertaining the pin joint region diameter required for a specified chain length; selecting the pin with the ascertained joint region diameter from the pin set; pressing the joining regions of the pin into the openings in the outer plates; and completing the sprocket chain. The use of a pin in such a method and to a pin set for such a method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for chain length control of a sprocket chain of a chain type comprising alternately arranged inner chain links and outer chain links each connected to each other by means of a chain joint, each outer chain link having two outer link plates each with two openings and two pins pressed into the openings of the outer link plates, the pins of the outer chain links each have a joint region, in contact with the inner chain links and having a joint diameter (D.sub.G), and two joining regions pressed into the openings of the outer link plates and having a joining diameter (D.sub.F), comprising the following steps: providing a pin set comprising a plurality of pins, at least two of the pins from the pin set having different joint diameters (D.sub.G) of the joint regions and, for at least one of the pins from the pin set, the joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the joint region differing from the joining diameter (D.sub.F) of the joining regions, determining the joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the joint region of the pins required for a given chain length, selecting the pins with the determined joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the joint region from the pin set, and pressing the joining regions of the pins into the openings in the outer link plates and completing the sprocket chain.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining regions of all pins of the pin set are formed identically and the joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the joint regions of the pins is set to the required diameter.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the joint regions of the pins is greater than or equal to the joining diameter (D.sub.F) of the joining regions of the pins.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each inner chain link comprises two inner link plates arranged at a distance from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) of the sprocket chain, and two sleeves, each inner link plate has two openings, into which the sleeves are pressed and the sleeves hold the inner link plates at a distance from one another, and the pins of the outer chain links are guided with their joint regions through the sleeves of two adjacent inner chain links.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a joining chamfer is formed on the joining regions of the pins.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the length (L.sub.F) of the joining chamfer is about 0.4 to 2.5 mm, preferably 0.6 to 1.5 mm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the length (L.sub.F) of the joining chamfer corresponds approximately to the thickness (d) of the outer link plates.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chamfer angle (α) of the joining chamfer is approximately 0.3° to 2°, preferably 0.5° to 1°.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining chamfer extends linearly.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining chamfer extends progressively.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the joining chamfer extends degressively.

12. A use of a pin in a method for chain length control of a sprocket chain of a chain type according to claim 1, wherein the pin has a central joint region with a joint diameter (D.sub.G) and joining regions with a joining diameter (D.sub.F) adjoining the joint region on both sides, the joining diameter (D.sub.F) of the pin remaining unchanged when the joint diameter (D.sub.G) of the pin is changed.

13. A pin set for chain length control of a sprocket chain of a chain type, comprising a plurality of pins, each of the pins having a joint region with a joint diameter (D.sub.G) and two joining regions with a joining diameter (D.sub.F) adjoining the joint region on both sides, wherein at least two of the pins have different joint diameters (D.sub.G) and, for at least one of the pins, the joint diameter (D.sub.F) differs from the joining diameter (D.sub.F).

14. The pin set according to claim 13, wherein the joining diameter (D.sub.F) of the joining regions of all pins is designed identically and the joint diameters (D.sub.G) of the joint regions of the pins are greater than or equal to the joining diameter (D.sub.F) of the joining regions of the pins.

15. The pin set according to claim 13, wherein the pins have a joining chamfer in their joining regions.

Description

[0031] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to Figures. In the Figures:

[0032] FIG. 1: is a section through a short section of a sprocket chain manufactured according to the chain length control method of the invention, and

[0033] FIG. 2: shows a pin of an outer chain link of the sprocket chain of FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a section through a short section of a sprocket chain 1 of a chain type in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the sprocket chain 1. The sprocket chain 1 includes alternately arranged outer chain links 2 and inner chain links 3. Each inner chain link 3 includes two inner link plates 4 arranged at a distance from each other and aligned parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the sprocket chain 1, and two sleeves 6. Each inner link plate 4 has two openings 5. The sleeves 6 are pressed into the openings 5 of each inner link plate 4, with the sleeves 6 holding the inner link plates 4 at a distance from one another.

[0035] Each outer chain link 2 includes two outer link plates 7, each with two openings 8. Two pins 9 are pressed into the openings 8 of each outer link plate 7. The pins 9 hold the outer link plates 7 spaced apart from each other. The outer link plates 7 are also aligned parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the sprocket chain 1. The pins 9 of the outer chain links 2 are guided through the sleeves 6 of two adjacent inner chain links 3, thus connecting inner chain links 3 arranged next to each other. The sleeves 6 of the inner chain links 3 and the pins 9 of the outer chain links 2 guided through the sleeves 6 form chain joints 10. The pins 9 of the outer chain links 2 therefore have two different functional areas. These are, on the one hand, a central joint region 11, i.e. the area of the pins 9 which is guided through the sleeves 6 of the inner chain links 3 and together therewith forms the chain joint 10, and two joining regions 12 which adjoin the central joint region 11 at both ends of the pins 9. The pins 9 are pressed into the openings 8 of the outer link plates 7 by means of these joining regions 12.

[0036] In FIG. 2, there is shown an enlarged view (not to scale) of a pin 9 of the sprocket chain 1 of FIG. 1. The pin 9 has joining regions 12 at each of its ends 13, 14. The joining regions 12 differ in shape from the central joint region 11 of the pin 9. In the joint region 11, the pin 9 is cylindrical in shape and has a constant joint diameter D.sub.G. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, in the joining regions 12 the pin 9 is conical in shape and has a mean diameter, i.e., the joining diameter D.sub.F. The joining diameter D.sub.F is less than the joint diameter D.sub.G. Due to the conical shape of the joining regions 12, they are formed as a joining chamfer 15. The joining regions 12 and thus also the joining chamfers 15 at both ends 13, 14 of the pin 6 are formed identically to one another. The joining regions 12 are the areas of the pin 6 which, in the fully assembled state of the chain 1, are arranged in the openings 8 of the outer link plates 7. In the present context, a joining chamfer is to be understood as an area of the pin, in which the diameter of the pin decreases so that the assembly of the pins 9 in the respective opening 8 of the outer link plates is facilitated. In the case shown in FIG. 2, the two joining chamfers 15 are formed by a conical taper. Each joining chamfer 15 has a length L.sub.F. This length L.sub.F is approximately 0.4 to 2.5 mm, preferably 0.6 to 1.5 mm. The length L.sub.F of the joining chamfer 15 approximately corresponds to the thickness d of the outer link plates 7. The chamfer angle α of the joining chamfers 15 is in a range of approximately 0.3° to 2°, preferably 0.5° to 1°. In the present case, the chamfer angle α is the angle between the extension of the lateral surface A.sub.G of the cylindrical central part of the pin and the lateral surface A.sub.F of the joining chamfers 15. As already described, the lateral surface A.sub.F of the joining chamfers 15 is conical and therefore corresponds essentially to a straight truncated circular cone. The pin 9 has a rounding 17 on its two end faces 16. This rounding 17 has a radius r of approximately 0.4 mm.

[0037] The outer surface of the joining chamfer, however, need not be an exact conical surface. It is sufficient if the range of chamfer angles described above is maintained. A progressive or degressive chamfer profile is then also possible.

[0038] In further embodiments, the joining regions of the pins may be formed without a joining chamfer and then have a cylindrical shape, for example. It is important that the joint diameter of the joint region of the pins may be changed without changing the joining diameter of the pins. This may be realized, for example, by the joining diameter of the joining regions being different from the joint diameter of the joint region. The joint diameter of the joint region may then be adjusted without changing the joining regions or the joining diameter. Regardless of the joint diameter, the joining regions then always have the same shape, so that the deformation of the outer link plates when the pins are pressed into the outer link plates is always identical and the chain length control is not affected by this.

[0039] In FIG. 1, only a short section of the sprocket chain 1 is shown, namely an outer chain link 2 and an inner chain link 3 connected thereto with the respective following outer and inner chain links. The complete sprocket chain of the one chain type includes a certain number of outer chain links 2 and inner chain links 3 and a fixed chain length. In order to precisely set the chain length of the sprocket chain of the specific chain type, a chain length control method is used, which is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0040] The chain length control is realized by installing pins 9 with different joint diameters D.sub.G. Therefore, in order to adjust the chain length of a sprocket chain of one chain type, a pin set including a plurality of pins 9 is provided. As described above, each of these pins 9 has a joint region 11 with a joint diameter D.sub.G and two joining regions 12 with a joining diameter D.sub.F. Pins 9 with different joint diameters D.sub.G are included in the pin set. The joining diameter D.sub.F is identical for all pins 9. First, the joint diameter D.sub.G required for the specified chain length of the sprocket chain of the particular chain type is then determined. The corresponding pins 9 with the determined joint diameter D.sub.G are then selected from the pin set. The inner chain links 3 with the sleeves 6 pressed into the inner link plates 4 are provided. The selected pins 9 are guided through the sleeves 6 of the inner chain links 3 so that the joint region 11 of the pins 9 is arranged in the sleeves 6 of the inner chain links. The pins 9 are pressed into the openings 8 of the outer link plates 7. In this manner, the outer chain links 2 are closed and, thus, the sprocket chain is completed.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0041] 1 Sprocket chain [0042] 2 Outer chain link [0043] 3 Inner chain link [0044] 4 Inner link plate [0045] 5 Opening of the inner link plate [0046] 6 Sleeve [0047] 7 Outer link plate [0048] 8 Outer link plate openings [0049] 9 Pin [0050] 10 Chain joint [0051] 11 Joint region [0052] 12 Joining regions [0053] 13 End of pin [0054] 14 End of pin [0055] 15 Joining chamfer [0056] 16 End surface of pin [0057] 17 Rounding [0058] L Longitudinal direction of sprocket chain [0059] D.sub.G Joint diameter [0060] D.sub.F Joining diameter [0061] L.sub.F Length of joining chamfer [0062] d Thickness of outer link plates [0063] α Chamfering angle [0064] A.sub.G Curved surface area of joint region [0065] A.sub.F Curved surface area of joining chamfer