Regal Rexnord
Leaf Chain
Regal Rexnord leaf chain is a precision - engineered chain category constructed from stacked, link - plate assemblies connected by hardened pins — a design that provides extremely high tensile strength with minimal elongation, ideal for tension - linkage, counterweight, and lifting applications where the chain functions as a flexible tensile member rather than as a power - transmission element wrapping a sprocket.Under the Rexnord and Link - Belt brands, our leaf chain line spans standard AL, BL, and LL series in single - pin and double - pin configurations, with tensile strengths from a few thousand to over 100,000 pounds per strand.Forklift mast designers, hydraulic lift - table manufacturers, and heavy - machinery engineers specify Regal Rexnord leaf chain when their mechanism requires a flexible tension element that can articulate at the pin joints while maintaining precise, repeatable length under load — critical for synchronized multi - stage mast assemblies and accurate load - positioning systems.Leaf chain is manufactured from heat - treated alloy steel with controlled pin - end riveting and shot - peened link plates that maximize fatigue strength.With stainless - steel and self - lubricating variants available, our leaf chain meets the specific environmental and maintenance requirements of material - handling, construction, and industrial - machinery applications worldwide.
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Extremely High Tensile Strength - to - Size Ratio
Stacked link - plate construction maximizes the cross - sectional area carrying the load, achieving strengths that chain of comparable size and weight cannot match.
Minimal Elastic Elongation Under Load
The pin -in -plate design and high - material - hardness minimize the stretch that would cause load - drift in tension - linkage and mast applications — essential for precise load positioning.
Fatigue - Rated Link Plates with Shot Peening
Link plates manufactured to precise hole - location tolerances and shot - peened to induce compressive surface stresses that retard fatigue - crack initiation under cyclic loading.
Standard, Heavy, & Super - Duty Series(AL, BL, LL)
Progressive plate thickness and pin diameter options that allow the designer to select the chain series that optimally balances strength, weight, and cost for the application’s rated load.
Corrosion - Resistant Stainless - Steel Variants
304 and 316 stainless - steel leaf chain for food - processing, marine, chemical, and outdoor exposure where carbon - steel chain would require frequent replacement.
Clevis & Anchor End Fittings
Standard and custom end terminations that connect the leaf chain to the machine structure, with pin - and - cotter or bolt - on configurations for straightforward installation and replacement.
Leaf Chain in Forklift Masts & Hydraulic Lift Tables
Leaf chain is the primary load - lifting element in forklift masts worldwide, transmitting the force of the lift cylinders to elevate the carriage and load.In this application, chain reliability is a safety - critical attribute — a chain failure could release the load and cause catastrophic equipment damage or operator injury.Regal Rexnord leaf chain for mast applications is manufactured with the precise pitch control and fatigue - rated link plates required for the millions of load cycles a forklift mast experiences over its service life.Multi - stage masts(duplex and triplex) require synchronized chain lengths to ensure the inner mast sections raise simultaneously; the minimal elongation of high - quality leaf chain is essential for maintaining this synchronization.Our leaf chain meets ANSI / ITSDF B56.1 requirements and is available in the standard lengths and with the anchor fittings required by every major lift - truck OEM.
Leaf Chain Selection & Fatigue Life Calculations
Unlike power - transmission roller chain, leaf chain is selected primarily for its ultimate tensile strength(minimum breaking load) and its fatigue life under the cyclic loading of the application.The design safety factor — typically 4: 1 or 5: 1 on minimum breaking load for lifting applications — is just one selection criterion; the number of load cycles the chain will experience over its service life determines whether a standard - duty or higher - fatigue - resistance series is required.Regal Rexnord application engineering can assist with fatigue - life analysis based on the load spectrum and estimated annual cycles of the specific mechanism, ensuring that the selected leaf chain series meets the safety and service - life requirements of the applicable machinery directive or industry standard.