Thread Content
During the use of toothed chains, the sealing and lubrication of their gears are important issues that need to be taken into consideration. If not handled properly, this can lead to premature failure of the gears in the toothed chain; therefore, we must pay attention to both sealing and lubrication of these gears. Currently, the sealing methods for sprocket assemblies can be classified into the following types: 1. Toothed chain rotary oil seal sealing. This type of sealing is easy to implement, has a simple structure and manufacturing process, is convenient for installation and removal, and requires low costs. The disadvantage is poor sealing ability and a shorter service life. Therefore, it is mostly used in small scraper conveyor equipment. 2. The floating seal for toothed chains boasts advantages such as high sealing performance and a long service life, and is widely used in the sprocket assemblies of scrapers. At present, most applications in China use floating seals with two types of cross-sections: O-ring type and rectangular (diamond) ring type. 0-ring type floating seal, featuring automatic centering and suitable for applications with large angular deviations. The rectangular (rhombus) ring-type floating seal has advantages such as insensitivity to axial deviation, as well as a simple seal chamber shape that facilitates manufacturing and assembly. Both types of floating seals require that the rubber rings have stable quality, particularly excellent elasticity and good adaptability ； For iron rings, high flatness of the shiny surface is required, along with good wear and heat resistance. 3. The toothed chain labyrinth, felt rings, and dust seals serve as essential auxiliary sealing elements; where space permits, they should be installed promptly. These elements play a positive role in improving the sealing performance of the sprocket assembly. In fact, the core principle behind sealing to prevent dust should be: it’s better to avoid dust than to try to block it. If a good structure can be used to avoid locations with harsh environmental conditions such as coal dust, it will greatly enhance the effectiveness of sealing. That is all regarding the relationship between sealing and lubrication for sprocket gears.