The issues of improvement of chain drives of agricultural equipment

In the article it is presented the results of the analysis of the wear of the joints of roller chains and sprocket teeth in drives of agricultural machines, the main advantage of which is the ability to transfer large loads with a wide variation of the center-to-center distances of the shafts and drive with one chain contour of several working bodies of the machine. It has been found that roller chains are very difficult to manufacture, have low durability and high cost. They have a number of disadvantages, among which the wear of the joints, the violation of the chain pitch, as well as the active wear of the sprocket teeth by them prevail. In addition, the used roller chain designs, when operating without lubrication, quickly reduce the maximum transmitted force and create significant noise during operation. The results of the development of an improved lamellar chain, consisting of only two standard-size parts (identical plates and a stepped roller) instead of five for a serial sleeve-roller chain, are presen-ted. The mechanism of operation of the proposed chain transmission is described, which clearly differs from the process of operation of a serial roller chain. The new chain has, as it were, a bifurcated hinge with the work of each link alternately with two rollers, which halves the step increase. The mechanism of operation of the chain joints has also been changed to ensure a gra-dual, even rotation of the rollers, which also contributes to an increase in the durability of the chain. The possibility of the proposed chain is shown to better adapt its hinges to the working surface of the rollers. and simplification of the manufacturing technology of its parts. The design features of the new chain increase its durability five times in comparison with the serial roller analogue in comparable conditions and reduce its metal consumption by 35%.