FME 212: Chain Drive Problems

1. Name five advantages of chain drives as compared to belt drives. A four-strand 12.7 mm pitch roller chain transmits 20 kW from a 21-tooth driving sprocket, which turns at 1200 rpm. The velocity ratio, defined as the ratio of the speed of the input shaft to that of he output shaft, is 0.25. Determine the tension in the chain. What should be the length of the chain if the centre distance is to be approximately 500 mm. 2. In a roller chain drive, discuss the effect of chain pitch on the impact between chain rollers and the sprockets. Discuss too, the effect of the number of teeth on the smaller sprocket, on the range of variation in chain speed due to chordal action. A roller chain of 16 mm pitch is to be used to transmit 5 kW of power between a 15tooth driving sprocket that rotates at a constant speed of 250 rpm and a 50-tooth driven sprocket. Determine: (a) The pitch diameters of the sprockets (b) The mean chain velocity (c) The output shaft torque, if mechanical efficiency is 100% (d) The velocity of impact between chain rollers and the smaller sprocket. 3. A roller chain drive is to be used to drive a maize shelling mechanism that must operate at 1000 rpm. The power source rotates at 540 rpm and delivers 30 kW. The centre distance of the drive is approximately 0.61 m. Given that the pitch of the chain is 19 mm and that the smaller sprocket should have no less than 25 teeth, determine the length of the chain in pitches and calculate the centre distance. What will be the mean speed of the chain and the percentage variation in chain speed? Give three major applications of chain drives in engineering. Name the three most common types of power transmission chains. State two major advantages, and two major disadvantages of chain drives as compared to belt drives. Discuss the phenomenon of impact between the rollers of a roller chain and the chain sprockets in a chain drive, and how this phenomenon limits the speed of

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operation of chain drives. Comment on how to appropriately combine a chain drive and a belt drive into a single drive train. 5. An air fan that requires 2.25 kW is to be driven at 300 rpm through a roller chain drive that has a mechanical efficiency of 90%. The power source is a motor whose speed is 1200 rpm. If the smaller sprocket should have no less that 19 teeth, determine: (a) The required motor power (b) The chain pitch, given that the mean chain speed is 8 m/s (c) The number of teeth on, and the pitch circle diameter of the sprockets (d) The length of the chain in number of pitches given that the centre distance in to be 650 mm, with a small allowance for take up (e) The higher velocity of impact between the chain rollers and the sprockets. 6. A machine requiring 4.5 kW is to be driven by a motor of 5 kW through a roller chain drive with a speed reduction ratio of 4:1. The chain has a pitch of 21 mm and the smaller sprocket is to be of 128 mm pitch circle diameter. If the length of the chain is to be 113 pitches, determine: (a) The mechanical efficiency of the drive (b) The numbers of teeth on the sprockets and the pitch circle diameter of the larger sprocket (c) The mean chain velocity if the motor speed is 2 400 rpm (d) The approximate centre distance of the drive, given that the angle of wrap on the smaller sprocket is 146 degrees. (e) The lower velocity of impact between the chain rollers and the sprockets. Resources BUDYNAS, RICHARD G. and J. KEITH NISBETT. Shigleys Mechanical Engineering Design, 8th Edition, Chapter 17 Flexible Mechanical Elements. McGraw-Hill International, 2008. DIMAROGONAS, ANDREW D. Machine Design. A CAD Approach: Chapter 13 Design of Fixed Speed Drives. Wiley Interscience, 2001. WILSON, CHARLES E. Computer Integrated Machine Design: Chapter 11 Chain Drives. Prentice Hall International, 1997.

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BURR, ARTHUR H. and JOHN B. CHEATHAM. Mechanical Analysis and Design, Second Edition, Chapter 4 Miscellaneous Transmission Components. Prentice Hall, 1995. SPOTTS, M. F. Design of Machine Elements, 6th Edition, Chapter 6 Belts, Clutches, Brakes, and Chains. Prentice Hall, 1991. JUVINALL, ROBERT C. Fundamentals of Machine Component Design, Chapter 19 Miscellaneous Power Transmission Components. John Wiley and Sons, 1983. BLACK, PAUL H. and O. EUGENE ADAMS, Jr. Machine Design, Third Edition: Chapter 15 Power Transmission Chains. McGraw-Hill International, 1981. DEUTSCHMAN, A. D., W. J. MICHELS and C. E. WILSON. Machine Design: Chapter 12 Belt and Chain Drives. Collier Macmillan, 1975. TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN COMPANY. The Complete Guide to Chain. http://chain-guide.com/ www.emerson-ept.com/eptroot/public/schools/beltchan.pdf Other Internet Resources.

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