Belts, Ropes and Chain: Flexible Connectors
Belts, Ropes and Chain: Flexible Connectors
Belts, Ropes and Chain: Flexible Connectors
Flexible Connectors – are used when the distance between the driving shaft and the driven shaft is
too great to be connected by gears. There must be sufficient friction between the band and the
surface of the pulleys to prevent slipping.
1. BELTS
made of leather, rubber, or woven fabrics are flat and thin, and run on cylindrical
pulleys with smooth surfaces
to connect shafts as much as 30 ft apart
may run economically as high as 4500 fpm
Belts are made with V-shaped cross section to be used with grooved pulleys
V-belts are usually used to connect shafts with less that 15 ft apart
Speed ratios up to 7 to 1
Belt speeds up to 5000 fpm
2. ROPES
made of manila hemp, cotton, or wire are nearly circular in section and run either
grooved pulleys or drum with flanges
to connect shafts up to 100 ft apart
should operate of less than 600 fpm
3. CHAIN
are composed of metal links jointed together, and run on either sprockets or drums
either grooved, notched, or toothed to fit the link of the chain
usually used to connect shafts that are less than 15 ft apart
speed of the chain may depend upon the type of chain, but roller and silent chain may
operate up to 2500 fpm
(1) N4 = D2 + 2ρ where:
N2 D4 + 2ρ N = angular speed, rpm; D = pitch dia. of pulleys, in;
ρ = half thickness of belts, in.
(2) N4 = D2
N2 D4
1
Length of Belt Connecting Parallel Axis (Open-Belt). Refer to Fig 10-5.
(5) Note: Equations 3 & 5 are exact, but equations 4 & 6 are
only approximate.
(6)
(7)
N = speed of the driver (shaft A), rpm
n1 = speed of the driven pulley (shaft B), rpm
D2 = Diameter of driver (shaft A), in.
d1 = diameter of driven pulley (shaft B), rpm
(8)
Dx = Diameter of driving pulley, in
dx = diameter of driven pulley, in
nx = speed of driven pulley, rpm
2
For stepped pulleys, two factors must be taken into account:
i. The speed ratio of the diameters of successive pairs of steps must be such as to
give the desired speed ratios.
ii. The sum of the diameters of any pair of steps must be such as to maintain the
proper tightness of the belt for all positions.
(9)
(10)
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Study Example Problems 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Chapter 10, Elements of Mechanism by Doughtie &
James.
jnr.03.06.12
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