Dayco Products, Inc.

Nancy M Green

Mark P Foley

A belt tensioner and method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support for being fixed relative to a belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support and being movable relative thereto, a spring operatively associated with the support and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a frictional dampening unit operatively associated with the support and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support, the dampening unit comprising a pair of frictionally engaging first and second parts with the first part comprising an annular pad of friction material that is coaxially disposed and axially movable on a shaft of the support relative to the second part, and a second spring urging the first part against the second part with a certain spring force, the first part of the dampening unit having a guide thereon, one of the support and the belt engaging unit having an opening therein that receives the guide therein to guide axial movement of the first part, the annular pad and the guide of the first part of the dampening unit comprising a one-piece homogeneous member.

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Springfield, MO, United States of America

Nancy M Green