The Martin ball bearing idler sprocket with hardened teeth is suitable for use with the series 80 chain, 1.00” pitch. Hardened teeth offer longer service life. Ball bearings reduce wear, guide and support the load of the moving part, and provide a replaceable load surface. Made from high carbon steel, this sprocket has high strength and durability.

The idler sprocket has the following options: 12 teeth; an outer diameter encompassing the entire idler sprocket of 4.33”; stock bore size of 0.750”; length through bore of 0.61”; a tooth width of 0.575”; and a weight of 1.50 lb. The tolerance of the stock bore is + or - 0.005 to 0.000”. All Martin sprockets meet or exceed ANSI standards.

As chains wear, they elongate, which can cause issues that affect performance and wear characteristics. Idler sprockets can be used to take up slack caused by elongation, to change direction of rotation for a driven shaft to guide chain around an obstruction, or to help provide more wrap (more teeth engaged with the chain) on another sprocket. Ball bearings decrease friction and have good axial and lateral bearing load protections.

A sprocket is a wheel with teeth around the perimeter that meshes with a chain, track, or other perforated or indented material. Unlike gears that mesh with another gear, sprockets mesh with a chain, which then interacts with another sprocket. Gears can be used to transmit power around a corner, based on how they fit together. Sprockets with chains only work in straight lines. Some common benefits of chain-drive systems include minimal slippage, a fixed ratio between rotating shafts, and versatility with many different chain attachments and sprocket material selections. An example of a power transmission system is a standard bicycle, which has a sprocket and a chain to deliver power from the rider’s legs to the wheels making the bike move.

Martin Sprocket & Gear manufactures power transmission and conveying products. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Arlington, TX. Martin provides tools that meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Aerospace Standard (NAS), and Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) standards.