LINKBELT

Link-Belt – was born in 1874 when William Dana Ewart, a young farm implement dealer in Belle Plaine, Iowa, conceived an idea of a square detachable “link” for a chain belt … a “linked belt.”

Over the next several years, Ewart was relentless in pursuing his idea of using link-belt chain as a foundation for all types of power transmission and materials-handling equipment. It was this driving ambition and the continuous innovation of the link-belt that led to the founding of the Link-Belt Machinery Company in 1880 and the Link-Belt Engineering Company in 1888.

Around the turn of the decade, these fledgling Link-Belt companies developed the ancestor of today’s Link-Belt construction equipment … the first wide-gauge, steam-powered, coal-handling clamshell crane. Decades of growth and consolidations followed.

Today, the Link-Belt Bearing Division’s principal product line consists of cylindrical roller bearings, ball bearings and ball bearing units, self-aligning spherical roller bearings and spherical roller bearing units; babbittt and bronze sleeve bearing units and takeups. All in a wide range of sizes suitable for practically all industrial requirements.

Rexnord's Link-Belt® brand offers a range of bearings, including: 

• Encompassing ball bearings;
• Cylindrical roller bearings;
• Sleeve bearings;
• Collar- and adapter-mounted spherical roller bearings; and
• Automotive and industrial bearings, inserts and mounted units.

Link-Belt's bearing products are specifically designed for use in heavy duty fans and blowers such as those used in the industrial and commercial air handling industries. They are also used in ditchers, trenchers and pavers.

Link-Belt® roller chains are designed and manufactured to have an extremely hard wearing surface as well as the strength to resist shock loads. Link-Belt® chain products feature:

• Variety of chain types (conveyor, industrial, cast mill);
• Induction hardening and deep case carburizing capabilities;
• Double flex chains that flex around corners;
• Ability to predict a chain’s wear life to eliminate costly, unexpected maintenance downtime.

New Link-Belt Bearing Product

In August, 2011, Rexnord announced the launch of the Link-Belt® Centrik-Lok® CL Series Normal Duty Bearing, a new concentric locking ball bearing for high-speed, high-vibration applications.

The new Link-Belt® Centrik-Lok® CL design represents a concentric-style shaft mount for Link-Belt Ball Bearings. Designed for demanding applications that require superior holding force; including air handling, package handling, aggregates, agriculture, construction and shipping –concentric locking provides straightforward installation for longer bearing life and performance.

Centrik-Lok’s inner ring featuring eight gripping tabs solve the toughest shaft mounting problems. Its unique split-collar design utilizes a high-strength socket head cap screw for secure and easy installation. The locking collar yields superior axial holding force, which is 20 percent or greater than industry competitors.

The primary benefit provided by the Centrik-Lok CL design is the industry-leading, axial-holding force for concentric style mounting collar, which includes:

• 360 degree concentricity for high-speed, high-vibration applications;
• A retained two-piece collar design for maximum holding force on undersized shafting (up to -0.004”);
• An innovative retention feature that keeps the locking collar attached to the bearing during installation;
• Super-finished raceways that are precision ground and run coolly and quietly; and
• Black oxide inner ring/outer ring and collar and powder coated housing for corrosion resistance.