Dayco Corporation

Lee R Burris

Billy L Speer

Anderson W Howerton

Jerry W Rogers

Melvin D Gayer

James D Hill, Jr

A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with a support unit and a belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against a belt with a force to tension the belt, and a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof, the fluid dampening unit comprising a rotary dampening unit and being coaxially aligned with the spring unit. The rotary dampening unit comprises an outer ring member and an inner ring member disposed in the outer ring member with the members being arranged for relative rotational movement therebetween, the outer ring member being operatively interconnected to the support unit and the inner ring member being operatively interconnected to the belt engaging unit. The support unit comprises a cup-shaped housing containing the spring unit therein and having a closed end and an open end, the housing being operatively interconnected to the outer ring member. Part of the open end of the housing extends over the outer ring member and is secured thereto.

Belt tensioner and method of making the same

A tensioner for a power transmission belt or the like that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a polymeric spring unit being operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a coiled mechanical spring also being operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt whereby the polymeric spring unit and the mechanical spring combine to define the tensioning force for the belt while the polymeric spring unit additionally tends to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit, the mechanical spring being substantially completely embedded in the polymeric spring unit so that the mechanical spring is substantially completely engaged and surrounded by the polymeric spring unit.

An apparatus and method for measuring the angle of at least one side surface of an endless power transmission belt construction of a V-belt type is provided, the apparatus having a first part against which the belt construction is adapted to be disposed in a belt construction measuring position thereof and having a second part pivotally mounted to pivot on an axis thereof and being adapted to be pivotally disposed against the one side surface to indicate the angle thereof by the relation of its pivoted position relative to a reference when the belt construction is against the first part in the measuring position thereof, the apparatus having a moving device operatively interconnected to the second part to tend to move the same toward the belt construction in a direction substantially transverse to the axis thereof when the belt construction is in the measuring position thereof. A method of making such an apparatus is also provided.

Apparatus for measuring a belt construction and methods

A combination hay conveying belt and working element is provided which comprises a belt made primarily of elastomeric material and having an inner compression section, a load-carrying section and an outer tension section, the tension section having grooves disposed transverse to the endless path of the belt, and a working element attached exteriorly to the belt within each groove by means substantially conforming to at least a portion of the groove. Also provided is a hay or vegetation gathering apparatus which employs at least one of the above belts in combination with the working elements so that the belts travel parallel to the ground and the working elements extend perpendicular to the ground.

Growing community of inventors

Nixa, MO, United States of America

Lee R Burris