The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 10, 1981
Filed:
Oct. 29, 1979
Richard D Watson, Anderson, IN (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An automatic belt tensioner has a vacuum motor which is stroked by a variable vacuum source such as a gasoline engine intake to drive a one-way device which is operatively connected to rotate a nut in one direction. A nut is threadably engaged with a nonrotatable screw member and is connected to a pivotal support member. When the nut is rotated in one direction by the vacuum motor and the one-way device, the screw member is moved longitudinally to pivot the pulley support in a direction to increase belt tension. The reaction force between the nut and screw member which is proportional to belt tension is applied to a vacuum cut-off mechanism which disconnects the vacuum source from the vacuum motor so that a predetermined belt tension is maintained.