Chain Pin Interference-Fit Repair Using a Multi-Jackbolt Tensioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chain repair methods are laborious, cumbersome, and often require heavy-duty equipment or skilled operators, leading to increased downtime and the need for offsite repairs due to the difficulty in creating an interference fit between chain links and replacement pins in confined industrial environments.
Innovation Solution
A multi-jackbolt tensioner system that allows for the installation of a pin through chain links without heavy-duty equipment, using a push plate and fasteners to create an interference fit, with the option to fracture the pin at a notch for easy removal of excess length, enabling on-site repairs by a single operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional chain repair methods are used, then the chain can be repaired, but the repair process is laborious, cumbersome, and requires heavy-duty equipment or skilled operators
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the repair tool into multiple independent components: a body, a press plate, and multiple jackbolts. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function (the body provides structure, the press plate applies distributed force, and the jackbolts provide individual adjustment points), making the overall repair process simpler and more manageable while eliminating the need for heavy-duty equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-jackbolt tensioner is designed to be self-adjusting through its mechanism of distributing force across multiple jackbolts. The operator simply needs to tighten the jackbolts, and the system automatically distributes the tensioning force across the pin and chain link, eliminating the need for specialized skills or complex procedures to create the interference fit.
2Strength
If heavy-duty hydraulic or electric equipment is used for chain repair, then the pin can be installed, but the equipment is not readily available on site and is challenging to use in confined environments
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive, heavy-duty hydraulic or electric equipment with a simple, lightweight mechanical tool made of basic components (body, press plate, jackbolts). This tool can be easily transported to any location and does not require external power sources or specialized infrastructure, making it highly adaptable to confined environments and readily available for on-site repairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The press plate acts as an intermediary component that distributes the force from multiple jackbolts across the pin and chain link. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to generate the necessary installation force through simple mechanical means rather than requiring heavy-duty hydraulic or electric equipment, enabling deployment in confined spaces without power sources.
3Manufacturing precision
If the repair process uses multiple fasteners and a press plate, then the pin can be tensioned and installed, but the process requires precise coordination of fastener tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the force application into multiple independent jackbolts rather than using a single complex mechanism. Each jackbolt can be tightened independently and uniformly, which actually simplifies the operation compared to coordinating a single heavy-duty press. The segmented approach distributes the complexity across identical, simple components that are easier to manage and tighten in sequence.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The multi-jackbolt tensioner system significantly reduces downtime and the need for specialized equipment, allowing for quick and efficient chain repairs in confined spaces, even without extensive operator skill, by creating a robust interference fit between chain links and pins, thus minimizing the risk of subsequent failures.
Implementation Method 1
The multi-jackbolt tensioner can be configured to create an interference fit between the pin and the outer chain link at the bore of the outer chain link
Data Source
AI summary
A method of repairing a chain can include aligning a bore of an outer chain link with a bore of an inner chain link, inserting a pin through the aligned bores, the pin having a thread end opposite a head end, engaging a multi-jackbolt tensioner with the thread end of the pin, the multi-jackbolt tensioner having a plurality of fasteners, advancing each of the plurality of fasteners to press on the outer chain link, and forming an interference fit between the pin and the outer chain link at the bore of the outer chain link from the advancing of the fasteners.