BELTS, ROPES, AND PULLEY

1. Tipes of Belts
Though there are many types of belts used these days, yet the following are
important from the subject pont of view:
a. Flat belt
The flat belt is mostly used in the factories and work-shops, where a
moderate amount of power is to be transmitted, fom one pulley to another
when the two pulleys are not more than 10 m apart.
b. v-belt
The v-belt is mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a great
amount of power is to be transmitted, from one pulley to another, when the
two pulleys are very near to each other.
c. Circular belt or rope
The circuler belt or rope is mostly used in the factories and workshops,
where a great a mount of power is to be transmitted, from one pulley to
another, when the two pulleys are more than 5 m apart.

2. Materials used for belts

The material used for belt and ropes must be strong, flexible, and durable. It
must have a high coefficient of friction. The belts, according to the material used,
are classified as follow; leather belt, cotton or fabric belt, rubber belts, and balata
belts.
3. Working stresses in belt
The ultimate strength of leather belt varies from 210 kg/cm2 to 350 kg/cm2
and a factor of savety may be taken as 8 to 10.
4. Belt speed
A little concideration will show that when the speed of belt increases, the
centrifugal force also increases which tries to pull the belt away from the pulley.
This will result in the decreases of power transmitted by the belt. It has been
found that for the efficient transmission of power, the belt speed 20 m/sec to 22,5
m/sec may be used.
5. Types of flat belt drives
a. Open belt drives
Is used with shafts arranged parallel an rotating in the same direction.
When the centre distance between the two shaft is large, then the tight side
of the belt should be the lower one.

b. Crossed or twist belt drive

Is used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the opposite directions.

c. Quarter turn belt drive

Is used with shaft arranged at right angles and rotating in one definite
direction.
d. Belt drive with idler pulleys
Is used with shafts arranged parallel and when an open belt drive can not
be used due to small angle of contact on the smaller pulleys.

e. Compound belt drive

Is used when power is transmitted from one shaft to another through a
number of pulleys.
f. Stepped or cone pulley drive
Is used for changing the speed of the driven shaft while the main or
driving shaft runs at constant speed.

g. Fast and loose pulley drive

Is used when the driven or machine shaft is to be started or stopped
whenever desired without enterferring with the driving shaft.When the
driven shaft is required to be stopped, the belt is pushen on to the loose
pulley by means of sliding bar having belt fork.
6. Ratio of tensions for flat belt

Let T1 = tension in the belt on the tight side

T2 = tension in the belt on the slack side
Ǿ = angle of contact in radians.
Now consider a small portion of the belt PQ, subtending an angle δǾat the
centre of the pulley as shown in Fig.17.16. the belt PQ is in equilibrium under the
following forces:
 Tension T in the belt at P
 Tension T+δT in the belt at Q
 Normal reaction RN
 Frictional force F = µ X RN
Where µ is the coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley.
7. Centrifugal tension
Since the belt continuously runs over the pulley, therefore, some centrifugal
force is caused, whose, effect is to increase the tension on both, tight as well as the
slack side.

Consider a small portion PQ of the belt subtending an angle dǿ at the centre

of the pulley, as shown in fig. 17.18.
 W = weight of the belt per unit length
e = linear velocity of the belt
r = radius of the pulley over whivh the belt runs.
Tc = centrifugal tension acting tangentially at P and Q.
Length of the belt PQ = rdǿ
Weight of the belt PQ = w X rdǿ
𝑊𝜋 2
We know the centrifugal force = 𝑔𝑟

𝑊 𝑥 𝑟𝑑∅ 𝑥 𝑣 2 𝑤 𝑑∅ 𝑣 2
Centrifugal force of the belt PQ = =
𝑔𝑥𝑟 𝑔

8. Centrifugal for the transmission of maximum of maximum power

We know that the horce power transmitted by belt,
(𝑇1− 𝑇2 )𝑥 𝑣
P= 75

Where T1 = tension on the tight side in kg

T2 = tension on the slack side in kg
v = velocity of the belt in metres/sec
9. Initial tension in the belt
When a belt is wound round on the two pulleys, (i.e., driver and follower), its
two ends are joined together; so that the belt may continuosly move over the
pulleys, since the motion of the belt (from the driver) and the follower (from the
belt) is governed by a firm grip due to friction between the belt and the pulleys.
When the drivers starts totating, it pulls the belt from one side (increasing
tension in the belt on this side) and delivers to the other side (decreasing the
tension in the belt on that side). The increased tension in one side of the belt is
called tension in tight side and the decreased tension in the other side of the belt is
called tension in the slack side.
Let To = initial tension in the belt
T1 = tension on the tight side of the belt
T2 = tension on the slack side of the belt
α = coefisient of increase of the belt length per unit
force.
A little consideration will show that the increase of tension in the tight side
 = T1 - To
And increase in the length of the belt on the tight side
= α (T1 - To)
Simirly, decrease in tension in the slack side
= To – T2
And decrease in the length of the belt on the slack side
= α (To – T2)
10. V-belt drives
The v-belt are made of fabric and cords moulded in rubber and covered with
fabric and rubber. These belts are moulded to a trapezoiodal shape and are mode
endless. These are particularly suitable for short drives. The included angle for the
v-belt is usually from 30o – 40o. the power is transmitted by the wedging action
between the belt and the v-groove in the pulley or sheave. A clearance must be
provided at the bottom of the groove. In order to prevent touching of the bottom
as it becomes narrower from wear. The v-belt drive may be inclined at any angle
with tight side either at top or bottom. In order to increase the power out put,
several v-belt may be operated side by side. It may be noted yhat in multiple v-
belt drive, all the belt should stretch at the same rate so that the loud s equally
divided between them. When one of the set of belt break, the entire set should be
replaced at the same time. If only one belt is replaced, the new unworn and
unstreached belt will be more tightly stretched and will move with different
velocity.

11. Rope drive

 Ropes for transmitting power are usually made of manila, hemp and cotton.
They are usually circular in cross-section. One of the main advantage of rope
drives is that a number of separate drives may be taken from the one driving
pulley.

12. Pulleys
The pulleys are used to transmitted power from one shaft to another by means
of belt or ropes. Since the velocity ratio is the averse ratio of the diameters of
driving and driven pulleys, there are the pulley diameter should be carefully
selected in order to have a desired velocity ratio. Pulleys must be in perfect
alignment in order to allow the belt to travel in aline normal to the pulley races.
13. Cast iron pulleys
When a cast pulley contracts in thr mould, the arms are in a state of stress and
very liable to break. The curved arms tend to vield rather than to break. The arms
are generally tapered with maximum width near the hub.

The cast iron pulleys are generally made with rounded rims. This slight
convexity is known as crowning. The crowning tends to keep the belt in centre on
a pulley rim while in motion. Thr crowning may be 9 mm for 300 mm width of
pulley face.
Cast iron pulleys may be solid or split tape. When it is necessary to mount a
pulley on a shaft which already carrying pulleys etc. or have its and swelled, it is
easier to use a split pulley. There is a clearance between the faces and the two
halves are readily tightened upon the shaft by the bolts.

14. Design of cast iron pulleys

a) Dimension of pulleys
(i) The diameter of the pulley (D) may be obtained either from velocity ratio
consideration or centrifugal stress consideration. We known that the centrifugal
stress include in the rim of the pulley,
𝜌𝑣 2
ft = 𝑔

where ρ = density of the rim material

= 72 gm/cm3 or 72 x 10-3 kg/cm3 for cast iron
v = velocity of the rim in cm/sec
𝜋𝐷𝑁
= 60

Where D = diameter of pulley

N = speed ogf pulleys in r.p.m
b) Dimension of arms
T = torque transmitted
R2 = radius of pulleys
 n = number of arms
tangential load per arm
2𝑇
= 𝑅𝑥𝑁

Maximum bending moment on the arm at the hub end,

2𝑇 2𝑇
M = 𝑅𝑥𝑁 𝑥 𝑅 = 𝑛

And section modulus

𝜋
Z = 32 ba2

Now using the relation

fb or ft = M/Z, the cross-section of the arms is obtained

c) Dimension of hub
The iamter of the hub (d1) in term of shaft diameter (d) may be fixed by the
following relation:
d1 = 15d + 25 mm
the diameter of the hub should not be greater than 2 d.
the length of the hub,
𝜋
L = 2 d.