GB2041549A - Measuring tension in chains - Google Patents
Measuring tension in chains Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2041549A GB2041549A GB7903799A GB7903799A GB2041549A GB 2041549 A GB2041549 A GB 2041549A GB 7903799 A GB7903799 A GB 7903799A GB 7903799 A GB7903799 A GB 7903799A GB 2041549 A GB2041549 A GB 2041549A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- plate
- chain
- tension
- plates
- strain
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L5/00—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
- G01L5/04—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands
- G01L5/10—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands using electrical means
- G01L5/101—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands using electrical means using sensors inserted into the flexible member
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Force Measurement Appropriate To Specific Purposes (AREA)
Abstract
A device for measuring the tension in a chain comprised of a plurality of connected links comprises a pair of link plates 10, 11 which are mounted in spaced-apart relationship on articulator blocks 12, 14. Each plate is profiled as indicated by sections 20, 21, 22, 24, 25 and at least one of the plates carries a strain gauge. The device is arranged to form one link in a chain and the profile of each plate is such that when it is under tension that part carrying the strain gauge deforms. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in or relating to the measurement of tension in chains
This invention relates to the measurement of tension in chains.
A known device for measuring tension in a chain, particularly a chain of a chain conveyor, is arranged to constitute one link of the chain. The device comprises a pair of planar side plates which are mounted in parallel spaced relationship by articulators located at each end of the plates. Each plate carries strain indicating means which may take the form of two strain gauges, one extending laterally and the other longitudinally of the plate. The four strain gauges are connected together to form a bridge network and the electrical output from the bridge is sensed to provide an indication of the tension in the chain..
A drawback of this arrangement is that, when the chain is under tension, the strain in each plate is relatively low because the forces generated operate within the plane of each plate. The signal produced by each strain gauge is low and thus the signal to noise ratio of the device is poor.
We propose to profile at least one of the plates so that when the plate is under tension at least part of the plate deforms, strain indicating means being carried by that part of the plate which deforms.
Thus according to the present invention there is provided a device for measuring tension in a chain comprised of a plurality of connected links, said device being arranged to form a link of the chain and comprising a pair of link plates mounted in spaced relationship on mounting members located towards the ends of the plates, at least one of said plates being profiled such that when the plate is under tension at least a part of the plate deforms, and strain indicating means carried by said plate part.
The strain indicating means may comprise a strain gauge carried by said plate part and means for sensing the strain gauge signal.
Preferably each plate is profiled and carries two strain gauges, one on each side of said plate. Each strain gauge may form one arm of a bridge network.
The bridge network may be connected to an electrical indicating instrument which is arranged to indicate the tension in the chain.
Each plate may be profiled to define a central planar portion, two planar end portions parallel to but displaced from the plane of the central portion and intermediate portions extending at an acute angle to the end portions and the central portion which connect the central portion to the end portions. Alternatively each plate may have two planar end portions and a smoothly curved central portion extending between and integral with the end portions.
Due to the profile of the plate when tension is applied to it, the central portion is subjected to a bending strain which results in a substantial signal being generated in the strain gauges.
The invention will be described now by way of example only with particular reference to the accmpanying drawings. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a device in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1,and Figure 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating the way in which the strain gauges of the device are connected together.
The device shown in the drawings has been designed for use in measuring the tension in a chain of a chain conveyor which is used in postal sorting offices. The tension measuring device comprises a pair of link plates 10, 11 which are mounted in spaced apart relationship on articulator blocks 12, 14 located one at each end of the plates. The plates are secured to the blocks by means of nuts 15 which engage the ends of a two piece spindle comprising a bearing sleeve keyed to one of the plates 10, 11 and a central draw spindle. Wheels 16 are located between each nut 15 and the respective end of the plates 10, 11.
Each articulator block 12, 14 comprises a first generally cylindrical portion 17 which is coaxial with the nuts 15 and a second generally cylindrical portion 18 which is integral with the first portion and whose axis extends perpendicular to the first portion 17. The second portion 18 has a central through aperture 19 and is provided to allow the tension measuring device to be connected to links in a chain in a conventional manner.
Each plate comprises first and second planar end portions 20, 21 which are disposed adjacent respective wheels 16, a central planar portion 22 which extends parallel with the end portions 20, 21 but whose plane is displaced inwardly of the device relative to the end portions, and intermediate portions 24, 25 which are integral with the end and central portions and extend at a small acute angle to the end and central portions.
The device includes upper and lower plates 26A, 26B which are mounted on end plates 27 which are loosely pinned or keyed into the link plates 10, 11.
The upper, lower and end platestogetherform a box which is loosely mounted around the link plates and gives protection to electrical components contained within it. The upper plate 26A supports a switching block 29 which contains means by which the position of the device can be sensed electromagnetically at positions along the length of the chain. These sensing means are known and will not be described.
Each side plate 10, 11 carries a pair of strain gauges which are located one on each side of the plate at positions indicated generally at 28. Each strain gauge is bonded to the respective surface of the plate by a resin-based glue. The four strain gauges are connected together in a bridge formation as illustrated in Figure 3. The four strain gauges are represented at 30,31,32 and 33. The bridge arrangement is connected to a terminal plug 35 in a conventional manner. Power is supplied to the bridge via terminals 36,37 and the signal appearing across the bridge appears across terminals 38,39.
The terminals 38,39 are connected to an electrical measuring instrument (not shown) in a conventional manner. The instrument provides an indication of the strain in the plates 10,11.
It will be appreciated that when the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is connected as one link in a chain consisting of a plurality of links and tension is applied to the chain, the central portion 22 of each plate bows which compresses the strain gauge on one side of the plate whilst elongating the strain gauge on the other side. Thus a signal appears across the bridge network and this signal is applied via the terminals 38, 39 to the electrical measuring instrument to indicate the tension in the chain. By profiling the plates as shown in the drawings the signal obtained from the strain gauges is significantly greater than that obtained in the prior art arrangementwhere purely planar side plates were employed.
As an alternative to strain gauges the central section of each link plate may be coated with a brittle lacquer e.g. "Stresscoat". This technique for indicating stress is well known.
Claims (7)
1. A device for measuring tension in a chain comprised of a plurality of connected links, said device being arranged to form a link of the chain and comprising a pair of link plates mounted in spaced relationship on mounting members located towards the ends of the plates, at least one of said plates being profiled such that when the plate is under tension at least a part of the plate deforms, and strain indicating means carried by said plate part.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strain indicating means comprises a strain gauge carried by said plate part, and means for sensing the strain gauge signal.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein each plate is profiled and carries two stran gauges, one on each side of said plate.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said strain gauge forms one arm of a bridge network.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the bridge network is connected to an electrical indicating instrument which is arranged to indicate the tension in the chain.
6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein each plate is profiled to define a central planar portion, two planar end portions parallel to but displaced from the plane of the central portion and intermediate portions extending at an acute angle to the end portions and the central portion which connect the central portion to the end portions.
7. A device for measuring tension in a chain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accmpanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB7903799A GB2041549B (en) | 1979-02-02 | 1979-02-02 | Measuring tension in chains |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB7903799A GB2041549B (en) | 1979-02-02 | 1979-02-02 | Measuring tension in chains |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB2041549A true GB2041549A (en) | 1980-09-10 |
GB2041549B GB2041549B (en) | 1983-08-17 |
Family
ID=10502936
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB7903799A Expired GB2041549B (en) | 1979-02-02 | 1979-02-02 | Measuring tension in chains |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2041549B (en) |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4566339A (en) * | 1983-12-23 | 1986-01-28 | Southern Systems, Inc. | Chain pull monitor system |
US5224388A (en) * | 1990-07-16 | 1993-07-06 | Pratt Hugh M | Load measuring device |
WO2007012796A1 (en) * | 2005-07-23 | 2007-02-01 | Renold Plc | Transmission chain monitoring system |
GB2429534A (en) * | 2005-08-24 | 2007-02-28 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co | Chain tension measurement |
CN100451587C (en) * | 2006-05-25 | 2009-01-14 | 长安大学 | Steel twisted line tension test sensor |
EP2485972A4 (en) * | 2009-10-06 | 2016-10-19 | Ecolab Usa Inc | Conveyor chain tension monitor |
US20220003636A1 (en) * | 2020-07-02 | 2022-01-06 | U.S. Tsubaki Holdings, Inc. | Chain monitoring systems and methods |
-
1979
- 1979-02-02 GB GB7903799A patent/GB2041549B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4566339A (en) * | 1983-12-23 | 1986-01-28 | Southern Systems, Inc. | Chain pull monitor system |
US5224388A (en) * | 1990-07-16 | 1993-07-06 | Pratt Hugh M | Load measuring device |
AU646058B2 (en) * | 1990-07-16 | 1994-02-03 | Hugh Michael Oppen Pratt | Load measuring device |
WO2007012796A1 (en) * | 2005-07-23 | 2007-02-01 | Renold Plc | Transmission chain monitoring system |
US7634949B2 (en) | 2005-07-23 | 2009-12-22 | Renold Plc | Transmission chain monitoring system |
US7886613B2 (en) | 2005-07-23 | 2011-02-15 | Renold Plc | Transmission chain monitoring system |
GB2429534A (en) * | 2005-08-24 | 2007-02-28 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co | Chain tension measurement |
US7418875B2 (en) | 2005-08-24 | 2008-09-02 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co. | Tension measuring method and apparatus for chain |
CN100451587C (en) * | 2006-05-25 | 2009-01-14 | 长安大学 | Steel twisted line tension test sensor |
EP2485972A4 (en) * | 2009-10-06 | 2016-10-19 | Ecolab Usa Inc | Conveyor chain tension monitor |
US20220003636A1 (en) * | 2020-07-02 | 2022-01-06 | U.S. Tsubaki Holdings, Inc. | Chain monitoring systems and methods |
US11976999B2 (en) * | 2020-07-02 | 2024-05-07 | U.S. Tsubaki Holdings, Inc. | Chain monitoring systems and methods |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2041549B (en) | 1983-08-17 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US2499033A (en) | Impact dynamometer | |
SE311573B (en) | ||
JPS6432139A (en) | Tension measuring apparatus | |
GB2041549A (en) | Measuring tension in chains | |
AU4875090A (en) | Device for monitoring the gait in particular of a horse and monitoring system to which it is applied | |
GB2205411A (en) | Load cell | |
US3599479A (en) | Strain gage | |
CA2348902A1 (en) | Disk brake testing device and system employing the same | |
IT1246916B (en) | MEASURING DEVICE AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURE IN A LIFTING EQUIPMENT, IN PARTICULAR IN A LIFTING ROPE UNDER LOAD FOR LIFTING DEVICES | |
CA2298338A1 (en) | A cable testing apparatus | |
CA1319275C (en) | Load cell | |
CA2114768A1 (en) | Load insulator for a lifting device | |
US2563425A (en) | Torque responsive apparatus | |
US4836036A (en) | Bending force receiver, in particular, for balances | |
US4433586A (en) | Electronic cable load gauge | |
GB2298280A (en) | Extensometer | |
DE3278141D1 (en) | Device for introducing forces into a structure, especially vehicle axles, tyre suspensions and the like | |
EP0580947A3 (en) | Method for measuring electrical quantities. | |
DE3873901D1 (en) | DEVICE FOR MEASURING WEIGHT. | |
ATE33522T1 (en) | DEVICE FOR MEASURING TORQUE OR TORSION ANGLE. | |
IT1236824B (en) | Pick-up using two machined test pieces and eight stress measuring instruments | |
DE59410048D1 (en) | Measuring device for testing the connections between at least two assemblies | |
GB1279883A (en) | Gauge apparatus for measuring forces | |
DE3573655D1 (en) | Tension measuring device and method for flexible linear material | |
CA2135652A1 (en) | Method of Violin Construction and a Violin |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
746 | Register noted 'licences of right' (sect. 46/1977) | ||
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19940202 |