Measuring Wheels

All four measuring wheel types have an aluminum body, orange urethane tire (Shore hardness 83A), and are fastened to a shaft using one or two set screws. Each type is available in english or metric versions. Details of each (from left to right in the picture) are:

The MW-8 measuring wheel is 8" circumference and the MW-20 is 20cm circumference. Both are designed for use with the R22 encoder.
The MW-1 measuring wheel is 12" circumference and the MW-30 is 30cm circumference. Both are designed for use with any Photocraft encoder.
The MW-1R and MW-30R are made using the same aluminum wheel as the MW-1 and MW-30, but have a replaceable O-ring that can be ordered separately and field installed. The MW-1W and MW-30W are similar to the MW-1 and MW-30 but have are 1" (25mm) wide urethane tire. Need a larger or smaller measuring wheel? Ask about our programmable encoder that can simulate a different wheel size, yet use a standard size wheel.To use a wheeled encoder on a curved section of conveyor, see the IW modification for the RH or RH-P wheeled encoders.
 

Flexible Shaft Couplings
Aluminum, helical coil style flexible couplings are available for shaft-to-shaft connection of the encoder. These significantly reduce bearing wear caused by axial and angular misalignment of the mating shafts.
 

Flexible Mounting Brackets
All flexible mounting brackets are made from stainless steel that flexes to accommodate the axial misalignment between the rigidly coupled encoder/motor shafts and the motor mount. Failure to use a flexible mounting such as this can significantly reduce the life of the encoder's bearings.
The table shows the flexible mounting bracket model, mounting bolt circle, the encoders it will fit, and a picture.
 

Rigid Tethers
Rigid tethers are used to hold the encoder stationary when the encoder's shaft or hollow shaft is rigidly coupled to a motor shaft. However, unlike a flexible tether (as shown above) the arm of the rigid tether cannot be rigidly fastened to the motor housing. Rather it should be held in place by fastening a pin to the motor housing that is parallel to the motor shaft and a short distance from the shaft such that it engages the tether's slot. This holds the tethered encoder stationary while still allowing it to float on the shaft, and thus preventing damage to the encoder bearings. 
 

Rigid Shaft Couplings
Rigid aluminum couplings are available for shaft-to-shaft connection of the encoder. These are appropriate where axial and angular misalignment is not an issue.
The MB-085 (shown at the right) couples a 3/8" diameter encoder shaft to a 1" diameter shaft.The MB-085-.75 couples a 3/8" diameter encoder shaft to a 3/4" diameter shaft.The MB-085-.375 couples a 3/8" diameter encoder shaft to a 3/8" diameter shaft.
 

Shaft Stub
Alloy steel shaft stub that can be threaded into a drilled and tapped hole at the end of a conveyor roller. The shaft stub provides a small diameter shaft for mounting a hollow shaft encoder.
 

Cables and Connectors
Cable assemblies: consist of a mating connector for the encoder and 10' (3m) of cable, fully assembled and tested (other lengths are available):
Mating connectors: mating connector and hardware for the encoder.Extension cables: consists of a cable assembly with the encoder mating connector (socket) on one end and a plug that will mate with another cable assembly on the other end.

Encoder Mounting Adapters
The adapters shown in the figures to the right can be attached to the model R20, RG, RJ or RS encoders as described in the datasheet. They provide alternate bolt hole patterns or methods of mounting the encoder.

R20, RG, and RJ Measuring Wheel Adapters
The MB-RD and MB-RD2 mounting brackets adapts the R20, RG or RJ encoders for use with a measuring wheel. It may be rigidly attached to a mounting beam (not provided) or used with the Y-1G Yoke Assembly. The Y-1G provides a pivot point that allows the model R20, RG or RJ encoder to ride on top of a conveyor belt, roller, or web. The weight of the encoder is sufficient to maintain contact when mounted above the moving material.

Y-1, Y-2A, or Y-3 Yoke Assembly
The yoke assembly provides a single point of attachment that allows the model RH pulse position indicator (PPI) to maintain alignment with the conveyor belt or rollers, and therefore minimize wheel wear. With its double wheel construction, the PPI is self-aligning when allowed to pivot freely from the yoke, and its weight is sufficient to maintain contact when mounted above the moving material.


MB-UB1 Under-Belt Mounting Assembly
The MB-UB1 Counter weight assembly facilitates mounting the model RH or RH-P wheeled encoder under the conveyor belt (or roller) as shown in the figure. It provides a single pivot point so the wheels maintain contact and alignment with the belt, compensating for up/down and some sideways movement of the belt.The MB-UB1A is identical to the MB-UB1 except it has 2 weights rather than 1. This doubles the force of the measuring wheels against the conveyor belt
 

MB-UB2 Offset Mounting for Wheeled Encoders
The MB-UB2 was designed for the RH wheeled encoder, and R20, RG or RJ encoders when used with an MB-RD2 bracket and a measuring wheel. It mounts to the side of a moving web and provides a pivot point so the encoder measuring wheels can ride on the moving web.
The MB-UB2 can be ordered with either a 7" or an 11-1/4" arm. The extension and height of the arm is fully adjustable

MB-UB3 Under-Belt Mounting Assembly
The MB-UB3 Counter weight assembly facilitates mounting the model RH or RH-P wheeled encoder under the conveyor belt (or roller) as shown in the figure. The pivot yoke rotates 360° relative to the mounting plate giving maximum flexibility in locating the plate. The pivot point allows for up and down movement of the encoder with the conveyor belt while the two springs assure constant contact of the wheels to the conveyor. The pivot point and pivot yoke are centered on the encoder to automatically optimize alignment with the conveyor and minimize wheel wear.
 

MB-UB4 Under-Belt Mounting Assembly
The MB-UB4 Counter weight assembly facilitates mounting the model RH or RH-P wheeled encoder under the conveyor belt (or roller) as shown in the figure. It provides a pivot point that allows for up/down and some sideways movement of the encoder with the conveyor belt while the springs assure constant contact of the wheels to the conveyor. The pivot point is centered on the encoder to automatically optimize alignment with the conveyor and minimize wheel wear.

MB-FL5 L-bracket Mounting Assembly
The MB-FL5 provides a rigid mounting bracket for the RL encoder (see RL or RL-P encoders). During installation it can be adjusted in all three dimensions to optimize alignment with the mating shaft. Because it is a rigid mounting, we recommend the use of a flexible shaft coupling when directly coupling the encoder shaft to another shaft.
 

MB-FB2C, MB-FB5C and MB-FB2D Conveyor Mounting Adapter
The MB-FB2C provides a means to mount the model HS20 hollow shaft encoder to a conveyor roller that is supported by a two bolt, flanged bearing with a bolt spacing of 3.4" to 5.9" (87mm to 149mm). The MB-FB5C does the same for the HS30 encoder with a flange bearing bolt spacing of 5" to 8" (127mm to 203mm). A threaded stud is inserted into a hole drilled in the end of the conveyor roller. A flexible tether prevents the encoder from rotating and accommodates the misalignment between the threaded stud and the encoder shaft, minimizing excess load on the encoder bearings.The MB-FB2D is similar, but uses a rigid tether rather than flexible, and the flanged bearing bolt spacing must be within 3.75" to 6.75" (95mm to 171mm). The rigid tether is allowed to float on a pin that prevents the encoder from rotating while accommodating any misalignment between the threaded stud and the encoder shaft.

MB-FL8 Conveyor Mounting Adapters
The MB-FL8 provides a means to mount the model R20, RG, RL, and RS shaft encoders to a conveyor roller that is supported by a two bolt, flanged bearing with a bolt spacing of 4" to 6" (102mm to 152mm). A threaded stud is inserted into a hole drilled in the end of the conveyor roller. A flexible rubber hose accommodates the misalignment between the threaded stud and the encoder shaft, minimizing excess load on the encoder bearings. (Shown with an RS-P encoder, and mounted on a 1.75" ID flange bearing.)