The most commonly used sprocket types in industry are as follows:
Silent (Inverted-Tooth) Chain Sprockets
These sprockets, used in the engine industry and marine transport, are generally used to transmit power from an engine to a machine or transmission. They run very quietly at speeds up to 6.5 m/s. The number of teeth should not be fewer than 17, and the speed ratio should not go below 1/7. Otherwise they run noisily.
The number of teeth varies depending on the tooth profile. Being quiet is their main selling point. Depending on their intended use, these sprockets are made with a straight-side profile, center-guided, or side-guided. Center- and side-guided sprockets keep the chain from sliding off to either side.
Guided sprockets keep the chain from sliding to either side. The tooth profile of quiet-running silent-chain sprockets varies with the number of teeth.
Roller Chain Sprockets
These sprockets are generally used to transmit power from one shaft to another. They run with moderate quietness, at a speed of 4 m/s.
Single- and double-row roller chain sprocket
These gears are also called sprockets. Depending on where they’ll be used, they’re made from cast iron, cast steel, or rolled steel.
They are used in automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, machine tools, and similar places. They are made single-row, double-row, and multi-row. The number of teeth should not be fewer than 10, and is generally between 19 and 30.
Elements of single- and double-row roller chain sprockets
The image above shows the front sprocket of a Kawasaki motorcycle.
NOTE: A sprocket’s pitch is taken from the chain. A sprocket cannot be made without the chain.
Silent Chain Quietness
Silent (inverted-tooth) chains are made of many thin plates, which lets them run more quietly than standard chains.
Roller Chain Durability
Roller chains give a long service life by reducing sprocket wear thanks to the rollers that turn freely on them.
Industrial Prevalence
Roller chain-and-sprocket systems are among the most widely used power-transmission methods in industry, thanks to their durability and efficiency.
Block Chain Sprockets
These are similar to roller chain sprockets. They are gears used in machines to transmit power from one shaft to another. They are especially preferred in motorcycles, bicycles, and printing machines. They are suitable for transmitting small amounts of power.
Standard Chain Sprockets
These sprockets are generally the same as block chain sprockets. They are made with 1, 2, or 3 strands. For this reason, they transmit fairly large forces from the engine to the machine. In particular, 2- and 3-strand standard chain sprockets are always preferred.
Pintle (Cast Link) Chain Sprockets
These are used where torque is low but the load is high. On these sprockets, the shaft spacing should be adjustable, and as a rule the distance between shafts should not be less than 1.5 times, nor more than 4-6 times, the diameter of the driving sprocket.
Vertical arrangements should also be avoided as much as possible. Great care must be given to installation and lubrication.
Depending on how they’ll be used and the loads they’ll bear, these gears are specially made from cast iron, hard casting, or cast steel. The number of teeth ranges from 4 to 7. They come in single- and multi-pocket versions. Multi-pocket versions are used in simple cranes and as ship anchor chain sprockets (wildcats).
Related Questions
A small number of teeth causes the chain to move around the sprocket in a more angular, jerky way. Since this angular motion causes the system to run noisily, it’s recommended not to go below a certain number of teeth.
These sprockets physically prevent the chain from sliding sideways during operation. This anti-slip feature increases reliability, especially in applications where there’s a risk of the chain coming off the sprocket.
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