KINEMATIC AND STATIC FORCE ANALYSIS OF ROCKER-PIN JOINTED SILENT CHAINS WITH INVOLUTE SPROCKETS

A quasi-static model has been developed for a silent (inverted-tooth) chain drive incorporating a rocker-pin-jointed chain and involute-toot hed sprockets. The kinematic effects of rocker-pin clearances and link /sprocket engagement are modeled and the influence of various model pa rameters on the chain drive torque-ratio variation, due to chordal act ion, is examined. In some cases, this variation is found to be less th an that for equivalent pin-jointed chain drives. Additionally, the cen ter distances corresponding to the maximum and minimum torque variatio n are not fixed, as in the case of a pin-joined chain. An optimization method is used in determining the governing geometric constrains as m ultiple joint configurations can occur, given the rocker-pin joint cle arances. The resulting system of equations is fully constrained for a physically consistent chain configuration.