METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING WEAR OF A CONTINUOUS CHAIN

摘要

A method and apparatus for automatically and accurately monitoring the wear of a continuous conveyor chain without having to stop the chain. The present invention provides first and second sensors fixedly spaced along the conveyor chain at a predetermined distance. The first and second sensors generate signals corresponding to the presence and absence of successive links provided in the conveyor chain. The generated signals are received and processed and the necessary time intervals are calculated for providing an output indicative of chain wear of any portion of the chain. Several parameters of chain wear may be calculated, including chain stretch and instantaneous chain speed. The calculated chain wear values may be compared to predetermined values previously input and stored, and if the calculated values exceed the predetermined values, an indicator means indicates that the conveyor chain should be serviced.