Product Information

The Series AL – American type, light series leaf chains correspond to the old American standard. Although this standard was withdrawn several years ago, the chains are still used occasionally. The applicable dimensions are according to ANSI Standard.
ELITE leaf chains are used wherever loads must be lifted, hoisted or pulled and high fatigue strength is crucial to function and safety. The most common use of ELITE leaf chains is In forklift truck masts, but they are also used as counterbalance chains in machine tools , as draw bench chains or in container pallet jacks. Unlike roller chains, leaf chains have very high fatigue strength values, since they consist only of pins and plates. High fatigue strength is gained at the expense of wear resistance, because leaf chains do not have the classic pin and bush bearings common to other chains.

Classification of leaf chains
Leaf chains can be classified synonymously according to standard ISO 4347. Leaf chains from the LH series correspond with the BL series, and LL series chains are commonly referred to as F series. This is a result of the harmonisation of American and European standards and language conventions in a single unified standard. Leaf chains with the prefix “LH” [ “BL”] are based on the ANSI chain series according to ISO 606, leaf chains with the prefix “LL” [F] correspond with the British Standard series according to ISO 606. The prefix is followed by a four-digit number whose first two digits represent the chain pitch. Dividing of the latter by 16 gives the chain pitch in inches. The last two digits denote the plate configuration (number of plates in outer and inner link).

The same principle applies to the American “BL” chain classification, except that the chain pitch in inches is obtained by dividing the first digit (pitches up to 1.0 inch) or the first two digits (for pitches of 1.25 inches or more) by eight rather than 16. In the case of series “LL” [F] chains, the first two digits are rounded up to the next full inch to obtain the pitch figure.

ELITE highlights

• ELITE chain plates with optimum geometry are precisionformed and heat-treated. The tapered and shot-blasted chain plates also have particularly high contact ratios
• ELITE pins are smooth and have an extra hard surface for increased wear resistance