Patent ID: 8285494

Claim:
A system for monitoring the wear of a moving conveyor chain having at least a first link, a third link, and a second link which couples the first and the third links, said system comprising: a first detector for detecting a leading end of the first link and providing a first signal corresponding thereto; a second detector for detecting a trailing end if the first link and providing a second signal corresponding thereto; a third detector for detecting a leading end of the third link and providing a third signal corresponding thereto; and a processor operative to receive and process said first, second, and third signals so as to determine: a first distance D 1 which is the distance between the leading end and trailing end of the first link, a second distance D 2 which is the distance between the trailing end of the first link and the leading end of the third link, and a third distance D 3 which is the distance between the leading end of the first link and the leading end of the third link, wherein said distances D 1 , D 2 , and D 3 as measured for said chain are compared with previously determined values of D 1 , D 2 , and D 3 , and deviations from said values are indicative of chain wear.