BELT DRIVE

A belt is a looped strip of flexible material, used to mechanically link two or

more rotating shafts. They may be used as a source of motion, to efficiently transmit
power, or to track relative movement. Belts are looped over pulleys. In a two pulley
system, the belt can either drive the pulleys in the same direction, or the belt may be
crossed, so that the direction of the shafts is opposite. As a source of motion, a
conveyor belt is one application where the belt is adapted to continually carry a load
between two points.
Power Transmission
Belts are the cheapest utility for power transmission between shafts that may
not be parallel. Power transmission is achieved by specially designed belts and
pulleys. The demands on a belt drive transmission system are large and this has led to
many variations on the theme. They run smoothly and with little noise, and cushion
motor and bearings against load changes, albeit with less strength than gears or
chains. owever, improvements in belt engineering allow use of belts in systems that
only formerly allowed chains or gears.
Flat belts
Fig 1.Belts on a Yanmar 2GM20 marine iesel engine.
!ig." shows the application of a flat belt drive where power is transmitted
from motor to engine flywheel. !lat belts were used early in line shafting to transmit
power in factories. It is a simple system of power transmission that was well suited to
its day. It delivered high power for high speeds #$%% hp for "%,%%% ft&min', in cases of
wide belts and large pulleys. These drives are bulky, re(uiring high tension leading to
high loads, so vee belts have mainly replaced the flat)belts #except when high speed is
needed over power.
Fig 2. Flat belt
!lat belt pulleys shown in fig.* need to be carefully aligned to prevent the belt
from slipping off. Because flat belts tend to slip towards the higher side of the pulley,
pulleys were made with a slightly convex or +crowned+ surface #rather than flat' to
keep the belts centered. The flat belt also tends to slip on the pulley face when heavy
loads are applied. ,any proprietary dressings were available that could be applied to
the belts to increase friction, and so power transmission. -rip was better if the belt
was assembled with the hair #i.e. outer' side of the leather against the pulley although
belts were also often given a half)twist before .oining the ends #forming a ,/bius
strip', so that wear was evenly distributed on both sides of the belt #0B'. Belts were
.oined by lacing the ends together with leather thonging, or later by patent steel comb
fasteners. A good modern use for a flat belt is with smaller pulleys and large central
distances. They can connect inside and outside pulleys, and can come in both endless
and .ointed construction.
Ro!n belts
Fig ". Ro!n belt
1ound belts shown in fig.2 are a circular cross section belt designed to run in
a pulley with a circular #or near circular' groove. They are for use in low tor(ue
situations and may be purchased in various lengths or cut to length and .oined, either
by a staple, gluing or welding #in the case of polyurethane'. 3arly sewing machines
utili4ed a leather belt, .oined either by a metal staple or glued, to great effect.
Vee belts
Fig #. Vee belt
5ee belts shown in fig.6 #also known as 5)belt or wedge rope' solved the
slippage and alignment problem. It is now the basic belt for power transmission. They
provide the best combination of traction, speed of movement, load of the bearings,
and long service life. The 5)belt was developed in "7"8 by 9ohn -ates of the -ates
1ubber :ompany. They are generally endless, and their general cross)section shape is
trape4oidal. The +5+ shape of the belt tracks in a mating groove in the pulley #or
sheave', with the result that the belt cannot slip off. The belt also tends to wedge into
the groove as the load increases ; the greater the load, the greater the wedging
action ; improving tor(ue transmission and making the vee belt an effective
solution, needing less width and tension than flat belts. 5)belts trump flat belts with
their small center distances and high reduction ratios. The preferred center distance is
larger than the largest pulley diameter, but less than three times the sum of both
pulleys. <ptimal speed range is "%%%)8%%% ft&min. 5)belts need larger pulleys for their
larger thickness than flat belts. They can be supplied at various fixed lengths or as a
segmented section, where the segments are linked #spliced' to form a belt of the
re(uired length. !or high)power re(uirements, two or more vee belts can be .oined
side)by)side in an arrangement called a multi)5, running on matching multi)groove
sheaves. The strength of these belts is obtained by reinforcements with fibers like
steel, polyester or aramid #e.g. Twaron'. This is known as a multiple)belt drive. =hen
an endless belt does not fit the need, .ointed and link vee)belts may be employed.
Alas, they are weaker and only speed up to 6%%% ft&min. A link v)belt is a number of
rubberi4ed fabric links held together by metal fasteners. They are length ad.ustable by
dissasembling and removing links when needed.
!ig.$ Open belt drive.
!ig.> Cross belt drive.
The most common belt)pulley arrangement, by far, is the open belt drive #!ig.
$'. ere both shafts are parallel and rotate in the same direction. The cross)belt drive
of !ig. > shows parallel shafts rotating in opposite directions. Timing and standard 5)
belts are not suitable for cross)belt drives because the pulleys contact both the inside
and outside belt surfaces.
Velo$it% ratio &
?
*
& ?
"
@0
"
& 0
*
?
"
@ Apeed of driver pulley in rpm
?
*
@ Apeed of driven pulley in rpm

0
"
@ 0iameter of driver pulley in mm
0
*
@ 0iameter of driven pulley in mm
Lengt' o( belt
Bength of the belt @ B @*:C D & * #0
"
C 0
*
' C #0
*
E

0
"
'
*
& 6: # !or open belt'
Bength of the belt @ B @*:C D & * #0
"
C 0
*
' C #0
"
C 0
*
'
*
& 6: # !or cross belt'
: ) :enter 0istance between the pulleys
)ngle o( *onta$t &
Angle of contact is the angle subtended by the belt overlapon pulley, The angle of
contact for smaller pulley will be #"F%)*' whereas for bigger pulley, it is #"F%C*'
Ratio between belt tensions
T
"
& T
*
@ e

T
"
and T* are the tensions in the tight and slack side
is the coefficient of friction between belt and pulley surface
is the angle of contact of the belt with the pulley in radians
Power transmitte b% belt ri+e
Power transmitted, P @ #T
"
) T
*
' 5 #=att'
5 is the velocity of the belt @ D 0
"
?
"
& >% #m&sec'
Industrial belts are usually reinforced rubber or leather, the rubber type
being predominant. ?on reinforced types, other than leather, are limited to light)duty
applications.
Belts probably fail by fatigue more often than by abrasion. The fatigue is
caused by the cyclic stress applied to the belt as it bends around the pulleys. Belt
failure is accelerated when the following conditions are presentG high belt tensionH
excessive slippageH adverse environmental conditionsH and momentary overloads
caused by shock, vibration, or belt slapping.
,li- o( t'e belt
The power transmission in belt drive is caused by friction between belt and
pulleys. owever, some relative movement will always exist at driver)belt interface
and belt)driven pulley interface due to ineffective friction. This phenomenon is called
as slip the belt. Alip is expressed in percentage. 0ue to slip, the belt speed will be less
than the peripheral speed of the driving wheel and slightly more than peripheral speed
of the driven wheel.
Tig't an sla$. sie
In clockwise rotation of the driver, the driver pulls belt from lower side and
delivers it to the upper side. Thus the tension in the lower side belt will be more than
that of the upper side belt. ence the lower side is called as tight side and upper side
is called as slack side.
Film belts
Though often grouped with flat belts, they are actually a different kind. They
consist of a very thin belt #%.$)"$ millimeters or "%%)6%%% microns' strip of plastic
and occasionally rubber. They are generally intended for low)power #"% hp or 8 k=',
high)speed uses, allowing high efficiency #up to 7FI' and long life. These are seen in
business machines, tape recorders, and other light)duty operations.
Timing Belts
!ig.8 Timing belt
Timing belts, shown in fig.8 #also known as Toot'e, /ot$' or *og' are
positive transfer belt and can track relative movement. These belts have teeth that fit
into a matching toothed pulley. =hen correctly tensioned, they have no slippage, run
at constant speed, and are often used to transfer direct motion for indexing or timing
purposes #hence their name'. They are often used in lieu of chains or gears, so there is
less noise and a lubrication bath is not necessary. :amshafts of automobiles, miniature
timing systems, and stepper motors often utili4e these belts. Timing belts need the
least tension of all belts, and are among the most efficient. They can bear up to *%% hp
#"$% k=' at speeds of ">,%%% ft&min.
Timing belts with a helical offset tooth design are available. The helical offset
tooth design forms a chevron pattern and causes the teeth to engage progressively.
The chevron pattern design is self)aligning. The chevron pattern design does not make
the noise that some timing belts make at idiosyncratic speeds, and is more efficient at
transferring power #up to 7FI'.
0isadvantages include high cost, need for toothed pulleys, less protection from
overload and .am, no clutch action.
,tanars (or !se
The open belt drive has parallel shafts rotating in the same direction, whereas
the cross)belt drive also bears parallel shafts but rotate in opposite direction. The
former is far more common, and the latter not appropriate for timing and standard 5)
belts, because the pulleys contact both the both inner and outer belt surfaces.
?onparallel shafts can be connected if the beltJs center line is aligned with the center
plane of the pulley. Industrial belts are usually reinforced rubber but sometimes
leather types, non)leather non)reinforced belts, can only be used in light applications.
,ele$tion $riteria
Belt drives are built under the following re(uired conditionsG speeds of and
power transmitted between drive and driven unitH suitable distance between shaftsH
and appropriate operating conditions. The e(uation for power isG
power #k=' @ #tor(ue in newton)meters' K #rpm' K #*L radians'&#>% sec K "%%% ='
Belt wear
!atigue, more so than abrasion, is the culprit for most belt problems. This wear
is caused by stress from rolling around the pulleys. igh belt tensionH excessive
slippageH adverse environmental conditionsH and belt overloads caused by shock,
vibration, or belt slapping all contribute to belt fatigue.
,-e$i(i$ations
To fully specify a belt, the material, length, and cross)section si4e and shape
are re(uired. Timing belts, in addition, re(uire that the si4e of the teeth be given. The
length of the belt is the sum of the central length of the system on both sides, half the
circumference of both pulleys, and the s(uare of the sum #if crossed' or the difference
#if open' of the radii. Thus, when dividing by the central distance, it can be visuali4ed
as the central distance times the height that gives the same s(uared value of the radius
difference on, of course, both sides. =hen adding to the length of either side, the
length of the belt increases, in a similar manner to the Pythagorean theorem. <ne
important concept to remember is that as 0
"
gets closer to 0
*
there is less of a distance
#and therefore less addition of length' until its approaches 4ero.
<n the other hand, in a crossed belt drive the sum rather than the difference of
radii is the basis for computation for length. Ao the wider the small drive increases,
the belt length is higher. <therwise it is similar.
)+antages o( belt ri+e areG
". They are simple.
*. They are economical.
2. Parallel shafts are not re(uired.
6. <verload and .am protection are provided. ?oise and vibration are damped
out. ,achinery life is prolonged because load fluctuations are cushioned
#shock)absorbed'.
$. They are lubrication)free.
>. They re(uire only low maintenance.
8. They are highly efficient #7%E7FI, usually 7$I'. Aome misalignment is
tolerable. They are very economical when shafts are separated by large
distances.
F. :lutch action may be obtained by relieving belt tension.
7. 5ariable speeds may be economically obtained by step or tapered pulleys.
Disa+antages in$l!eG
". The angular)velocity ratio is not necessarily constant or e(ual to the ratio of
pulley diameters, because of belt slip and stretch. eat buildup occurs.
*. Apeed is limited to usually 8%%% feet per minute #2$ meters per second'. Power
transmission is limited to 28% kilowatts #$%% horsepower'.
2. <perating temperatures are usually restricted to E2" to "F$M! #E2$ to F$M:'.
Aome ad.ustment of center distance or use of an idler pulley is necessary for
wear and stretch compensation. A means of disassembly must be provided to
install endless belts.
There are four general types of beltsG flat belts, 5)belts, film belts, and timing
belts. 3ach has its own special characteristics, limitations, advantages, and special)
purpose variations for different applications.
!lat belts, in the form of leather belting, served as the basic belt drive from the
beginning of the Industrial 1evolution. They can transmit large amounts of power at
high speeds. !lat belts find their widest application where high)speed motion, rather
than power, is the main concern. !lat belts are very useful where large center
distances and small pulleys are involved. They can engage pulleys on both inside and
outside surfaces, and both endless and .ointed construction are available.
5)belts are the basic power)transmission belt, providing the best combination
of traction, operating speed, bearing load, and service life. The belts are typically
endless, with a trape4oidal cross section which runs in a pulley with a 5)shaped
groove. The wedging action of the belt in the pulley groove allows 5)belts to transmit
higher tor(ue at less width and tension than flat belts. 5)belts are far superior to flat
belts at small center distances and high reduction ratios. 5)belts re(uire larger pulleys
than flat belts because of their greater thickness. Aeveral individual belts running on
the same pulley in separate grooves are often used when the power to be transmitted
exceeds that of a single belt. These are called multiple)belt drives.
!ilm belts are often classified as a variety of flat belt, but actually they are a
separate type. :onsisting of a very thin strip of material, usually plastic but sometimes
rubber, their widest application is in business machines, tape recorders, and other
light)duty service.
Timing belts have evenly spaced teeth on their bottom side which mesh with
grooves cut on the periphery of the pulleys to produce a positive, no)slip, constant)
speed drive. They are often used to replace chains or gears, reducing noise and
avoiding the lubrication bath or oiling system re(uirement. They have also found
widespread application in miniature timing applications. Timing belts, known also as
synchronous or cogged belts, re(uire the least tension of all belt drives and are among
the most efficient.

*'ain ri+e
!ig.F 1oller chain and sprocket
!ig.F shows the application of a chain drive. *'ain ri+e is a way of
transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey
power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used
in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles.
,ost often, the power is conveyed by a roller chain, known as the ri+e
$'ain, passing over a sprocket gear, with the teeth of the gear meshing with the holes
in the links of the chain. The gear is turned, and this pulls the chain putting
mechanical force into the system. Another type of drive chain is the ,orse chain,
invented by the ,orse :hain :ompany of Ithaca, ?ew Nork, OAA. This has inverted
teeth.
Aometimes the power is output by simply rotating the chain, which can be
used to lift or drag ob.ects. In other situations, a second gear is placed and the power
is recovered by attaching shafts or hubs to this gear. Though drive chains are often
simple oval loops, they can also go around corners by placing more than two gears
along the chainH gears that do not put power into the system or transmit it out are
generally known as idler)wheels. By varying the diameter of the input and output
gears with respect to each other, the gear ratio can be altered, so that, for example, the
pedals of a bicycle can spin all the way around more than once for every rotation of
the gear that drives the wheels.
*'ains +ers!s belts
0rive chains are similar to drive belts in many ways, and which device is used
is sub.ect to several design tradeoffs. 0rive chains are most often made of metal,
while belts are often rubber, plastic, or other substances. This makes drive chains
heavier, so more of the work put into the system goes into moving a chain versus
moving a belt.
P
<n the other hand, well)made chains are often stronger than belts.
Also, drive belts can often slip #unless they have teeth' which means that the output
side may not rotate at a precise speed, and some work gets lost to the friction of the
belt against its rollers.
Teeth on toothed drive belts generally wear faster than links on chains, but
wear on rubber or plastic belts and their teeth is often easier to observeH you can often
tell a belt is wearing out and about to break more easily than a chain. :hains often last
longer.
:hains are often narrower than belts, and this can make it easier to shift them
to larger or smaller gears in order to vary the gear ratio. ,ulti)speed bicycles with
derailleurs make use of this. Also, the more positive meshing of a chain can make it
easier to build gears that can increase or shrink in diameter, again altering the gear
ratio.
Both can be used to move ob.ects by attaching pockets, buckets, or frames to
themH chains are often used to move things vertically by holding them in frames, as in
industrial toasters, while belts are good at moving things hori4ontally in the form of
conveyor belts. It is not unusual for the systems to be used in combinationH for
example the rollers that drive conveyor belts are themselves often driven by drive
chains.
0rive shafts are another common method used to move mechanical power
around that is sometimes evaluated in comparison to chain driveH in particular shaft
drive versus chain drive is a key design decision for most motorcycles. 0rive shafts
tend to be even tougher and more reliable than chain drive, but weigh even more
#robbing more power', and impart rotational tor(ue.
0se in +e'i$les
Bi$%$les
:hain drive was the main feature which differentiated the safety bicycle
introduced in "FF$, with its two e(ual)si4ed wheels, from the direct)drive penny)
farthing or +high wheeler+ type of bicycle. The popularity of the chain)driven safety
bicycle brought about the demise of the penny)farthing, and is still a basic feature of
bicycle design today.
)!tomobiles
Transmitting -ower to t'e w'eels
!ig.7 Aide chain gear
!ig.7 shows athe application of a chain drive.*'ain ri+e was a popular
power transmission system from the earliest days of the automobile. It gained
prominence as an alternative to the Systme Panhard with its rigid Hotchkiss
driveshaft and universal .oints.
A chain drive system uses one or more roller chain to transmit power from a
differential to the rear axle. This system allowed for a great deal of vertical axle
movement #for example, over bumps', and was simpler to design and build than a
rigid driveshaft in a workable suspension. Also, it had less unsprung weight at the rear
wheels than the otchkiss drive, which would have had the weight of the driveshaft to
carry as well, which in turn meant that the tires would last longer.
Insie motors
Internal combustion engines often use chain drive to power the timing chain
used to drive overhead camshaft valvetrains. This is an area in which chain drives
fre(uently compete directly with belt drive systems, and an excellent example of
some of the differences and similarities between the two approaches. !or this
application, chains last longer, but are often harder to replace. Being heavier, the chain
robs more power, but is also less likely to fail. The camshaft of a four stroke engine
must rotate at half crankshaft speed, so some form of reduction gearing is needed and
a direct drive from the crankshaft isnJt possible. Alternatives to chain drives include
gear trains, bevel gear and shaft drives, or toothed flexible belt drives.
:hain drive versus belt drive or use of a driveshaft is a fundamental design
decision in motorcycle designH nearly all motorcycles use one of these three designs.
Aee ,otorcycle construction for more details.
PR1BLEM,
". An engine running at *%% rpm drives a line shaft, by means of a belt drive. The
engine pulley is 8$% mm in diameter, and the pulley on the shaft is 6$% mm in
diameter. 0termine the speed of the line shaft. Assume no slip.
AolutionG
?
"
@ *%% rpm
0
"
@8$% rpm
0
*
@6$% rpm
?
*
@ ?
"
Q #0
"
&0
*
'
@ *%%#8$%&6$%'
@ 222.26 rpm.
*. !ollowing are the details of a crossed belt drive
0iameter of the driver G *%% mm
0iameter of the follower G 6%% mm
:enter distance of the drive G *m
Apeed of the drive G 6%% rpm
Angle of contact G "78.2
0etermine the length of the belt re(uired.
AolutionG
0
"
@ *%% mm
0
*
@ 6%% mm
: @ *m
?
"
@ 6%% rpm
Bength of the belt @ B @*:C D & * #0
"C
0
*
' C #0
"C
0
*
' & 6:
@ #*x*' C D & * #%.*C %.6' C #%.*C %.6' & 6x*
@ 6.77 m
2. !or the above drive if tension on tight side is ".2 k?, and the coefficient of friction
between the belt and pulley is %.*$, find the power capacity of the drive.
T
"
@ ".2 k?
@ "78.2 x #D &"F%' radians
5 @ D 0
"
?
"
& >%
@ #D x %.*' #6%%&>%'
@ 6.* m&s
T
"
& T
*
@ e

".* x "%
2
& T
*
@ e
#%.*$ x "78.2 x D

&"F% '
T
*
@ $%>.22 ?
Power transmitted, P @ #T
"
) T
*
' 5
#"*%%)$%>.22'x6.*
@ *.7 k=
,'ort )nswer 2!estions
". 0ifferentiate between open belt and crossed belt drive.
*. =hat are the commonly used materials for flat beltsR
2. Bist out the applications of belt drives.
6. =hat do you mean by slip in a belt driveR
$. 0ifferentiate between belt drive and chain drive.
Long )nswer 2!estions
". 3xplain with neat sketch, the types of various flat belt drives.
*. Bist out the advantages and disadvantages of belt drives.
2. :ompare flat belt and 5 belts.
6. Briefly explain chain drives.