Plate sprockets (plate wheels)

Plate sprockets, also called plate wheels, are flat toothed rims without a hub. You bore the plate to suit the shaft, bush or hub, then weld or bolt it to a flange. It is the best solution when a standard hub sprocket does not fit the design - for example with your own hub, on a drum or where there is not enough space on the shaft.

Plate wheels - full design freedom and easy rim replacement

A plate wheel gives the greatest design freedom: you decide on the bore diameter, the fixing method and the installed width. Bolted to a flange, it lets you later replace a worn rim without removing the hub from the shaft, which shortens servicing and lowers its cost. Plate wheels are light and flat, so they are easy to store and cheap to ship. We make them to the standard, so they work with chain from any manufacturer.

Plate sprockets for B series chains and light 1/2 inch chains

Plate wheels for European series roller chains, from the smallest metric pitches to the largest industrial chains, and also for light 1/2" chains designated 081, 083/084 and 085. In larger sizes simplex, duplex and triplex versions are available, arranged in subgroups. The standard material is C45 steel, and in many sizes we also offer plate wheels with induction-hardened teeth - they have the word "hardened" in the name.

Preparing a plate wheel for fitting - bore, welding, bolting

Bore the hole concentric with the tooth rim, and before welding a larger plate apply preheating, which reduces the risk of cracking. Run the weld alternately around the circumference so as not to cause rim runout. Stainless steel plate wheels can be found in the Stainless steel sprockets group, and plate wheels for American chains - in the ASA sprockets group.

Frequently asked questions about plate sprockets

When should I choose a plate wheel instead of a hub sprocket?

When the sprocket is to be welded to your own hub, drum or flange, or when the installation dimensions do not allow a standard hub. A hub sprocket only needs to be bored out and fitted on the shaft.

Can a plate wheel be bolted on instead of welded?

Yes. After machining a centring bore and holes for the bolts, you bolt the plate to the hub flange. This kind of connection makes later rim replacement easier.

Does the number of strands on the plate wheel have to match the chain?

Yes. The tooth rims of a multi-strand plate wheel are spaced exactly like the chain strands, so a duplex chain needs a duplex plate wheel.