Dos and Don’ts of Leaf Chain Anchor Bolts

Posted by Ash Breshnan on April 14th, 2021

Leaf chain systems consist of a rollerless chain consisting of link plates and pins. It is the simplest form of steel chains used in a variety of handling and lifting applications such as forklift trucks and telehandlers or any other kind of hanging, balancing, or motion transmitting uses. This system offers greater tensile strength over roller chains while making use of sheaves rather than sprockets. The anchor bolt design used in leaf chain systems forms a significant part of the entire assembly. However, there are certain design constraints and considerations you need to keep in mind while designing an anchor bolt for use with a leaf chain.

Don’t dismiss standardization

Although a manufacturer can incorporate slight dimensional changes, it is advisable to designing and producing slots and holes as shown in ISO4347. This ensures flexibility of options in case you think of switching suppliers or a brand of leaf chain fitting for replacement.

Don’t use elongated leaf chain irresponsibly

The parts of the leaf chain system are prone to wear and tear just like any other line system with time. Consider limiting the range of adjustment to elongate the life of your chain system. For convenient adjustment, consider the area of your chain undergoing articulation (read wear) and keep the available adjustment length below this figure.

Do consider the size of the thread

Size including thickness and length of your thread matters. Usually, bolts with coarse and rough threads have a larger pitch which is generally specified for most applications. If any application requires finer adjustments, needful adjustments are made such as for increasing strength by a few units.

Do ensure a strong linkage

Connection in a leaf chain system is established via placement of leaf chain ends on inner links and securing the fit internally to the chain anchor. This ensures the maximum number of sheer faces and the highest amount of tensile strength. In case of space limitations, the chain can connect to an anchor on the external links with the chain rivet pin being the broadest part. This also saves up on the bar size cost. However, this can compromise tensile strength. To compensate for this, you can choose a sturdier material or maybe be harden your former one.

Another noteworthy thing to keep in mind is the quality of heat treatment used to achieve desired mechanical properties. Non-uniform heating and quenching can give rise to issues like residual stress, cracks, and structural deformation. Consider surface treatment such as zinc plating. Designing a leaf chain is can be a bit complicated. If you keep these tips in mind, a good, safe, and durable design can be achieved.