The second epistle of Feeder chains.In the beginning were the feeder beaters. The feeder beater was good. The feeder beater yea verily would not getteth the crop to the cylindereth of the rotaries. (neither was it equippedth with a reverser yet) On the second generation the feeder chain idea was borrowedth from the heathen. The feeder chain was driven by two sprockets (sometime three) . The only way a chain can "jump" a cog is through excess slack from somewhere. In the case of our machines it comes from a slug tightening the idler chain thus allowing the sprocket to continue to turn and the chain not on the slack side. Also a slug entering between the sprocket and chain will do this. (This is what the dreaded strippers ((metal not female)) try to prevent.) This, as referred to in other posts, causes the slats to take a "set" and slightly preload the chain in the sinful "want to jump" condition. Straightening out the wanten chain by loosening and retightening slats as prescribed below is paramount for future performance. Second the chain speed is important. If it runs too fast it can "whip" ; never run the chain on fast speed if you have variable speed drive over 50 % overspeed.As well in heavy wet down corn with lots of fodder you can run the chain TOO SlOW. This will slug the chain as well. Feed drum shocks, proper max. tention on feed drums springs, and the tip of extending the heilical on the top lh (view from rear) entrance to the processor will generally eliminate the unholy jumps. Having the older low wire grates "dewired" , 3_4 spaced bars, adding the two missing helical bars and cutting the paddles and extending bars will lessen sluggin as well. (after doing this my chain hasn't jumped once- knock on wood) Yea verily this is all I can remember 'bout this subject... amen, for now. Revelation-the other heathens ain't rid theirselves of the "jumps" completely either, if its any consolation.
