1. Different chain types

1.1 Roller chains

Roller chains are made up of a succession of two different types of links arranged alternately (figure 1 ): inner links and outer links.

• The inner links are made up of two inner plates of steel, treated or untreated, into which are inserted two tubular parts called bushes, generally made of case-hardened steel.

  Depending on the application, there are several variants:

  • in the most general case, the bushes receive another freely rotating tubular part called a roller, hence the name given to this family of chains;

  • when the roller has...