Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with a support unit and a belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against a belt with a force to tension the belt, and a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof, the fluid dampening unit comprising a rotary dampening unit and being coaxially aligned with the spring unit.

Abstract: An endless traction belt and a method for its manufacture are provided. The traction belt has a main body made primarily of elastomeric material and is adapted to be moved in an endless path having a longitudinal axis. The main body comprises a substantially smooth inner surface and a ground engaging outer surface having a plurality of traction increasing portions or teeth. The teeth also act as sprocket engaging means for driving the belt.

Abstract: A belt construction for a continuously variable transmission, a transverse belt element therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an endless flexible band unit, and a plurality of belt elements carried by the band unit in sliding relation therewith, each belt element having a slot arrangement receiving the band unit therein and having opposed faces disposed in compressed relation against adjacent faces of adjacent belt elements. Each belt element is formed substantially solely from a high performance polymeric material that has high heat resistance, high compressive modulus, high toughness and high strength.

Abstract: A reinforced elastomeric drive belt 20 having tooth-like protuberances 21 for meshing with the teeth of a pulley is provided with reinforcing fibers 27 distributed through at least a portion of each tooth 21.Also provided is a method for building the improved belt and an improved apparatus for building such a belt.

Abstract: A belt construction comprising a tension section, a compression section, a load-carrying section intermediate the tension section and the compression section, and a load-supporting top section secured to the tension section and extending beyond opposed sides of the tension section, the top section and the tension section being formed of the same material and being homogeneously secured together. A fabric covering covers the exterior of the tension, compression and load-carrying sections and is substantially U-shaped in cross section with the free ends of the legs thereof being embedded in the top section. The top section has opposed surfaces one of which has an intermediate portion thereof secured to the tension section and the other of which provides a load supporting surface for the belt construction, the top section having a tire cord reinforcing member disposed intermediate the opposed surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A method of making an arched endless belt and belt made employing the method are provided wherein the method comprises the steps of disposing in tubular form a plurality of uncured belt-defining layers with the layers being adapted to define corresponding sections of the belt and curing the layers in a controlled environment to define the belt having a longitudinal axis and an arched configuration relative to the axis wherein prior to the disposing step the method comprises wrapping a shaping material consisting of an uncured gum material around a belt building device and the disposing step comprises wrapping the plurality of layers against the shaping material so that during the curing step the shaping material and controlled environment cooperate to define the arched configuration of the belt including all of its layers and during the curing step the shaping material is bonded to the layers and comprises an inner portion of the belt with the cured gum shaping material serving as a crack barrier for such inn

Abstract: A belt pulley and method of making the same are provided, the pulley having a hub and a peripheral groove for receiving part of an endless belt therein that is to drive the pulley or be driven thereby whereby the pulley is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the hub. The pulley has at least one passage provided with an inlet adjacent the hub and an outlet adjacent the peripheral groove whereby fluid passing through the passage from the inlet to the outlet thereof will tend to cool the pulley and/or the belt as the pulley rotates about the axis of the hub. A rotatably operable fluid flow forcing unit is carried by the pulley so as to be rotated and thereby operated in unison with the pulley and is disposed upstream from the inlet for forcing fluid into the inlet and thus through the passage as the pulley and the fluid flow forcing unit rotate about the axis of the hub.

Abstract: A polymeric product having a fabric layer and method of making the same are provided, the fabric layer being provided with opposed sides and at least one polymeric part secured to the fabric layer. The fabric layer comprises a first substantially planar layer of threads disposed in superimposed relation with a second substantially planar layer of threads whereby the threads of the first layer are not woven with the threads of the second layer, the polymeric part effectively being the sole securement that secures the threads of the first layer to the threads of the second layer and thereby imparting its flexible characteristic to the securement between the threads of the first and second layers.

Abstract: A belt pulley and method of making the same are provided, the pulley having a hub and a peripheral groove for receiving part of an endless belt therein that is to drive the pulley or be driven thereby whereby the pulley is adapted to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the hub. The pulley has a pair of opposed facing sides defining at least part of the groove therebetween and has a pair of oppositely facing outboard sides, the sides each having an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portion. The pulley has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart and radially disposed substantially straight vanes extending outwardly from at least one of the outboard sides thereof.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof with a restricting force of the dampening unit.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt or the like that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a polymeric spring unit being operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a coiled mechanical spring also being operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt whereby the polymeric spring unit and the mechanical spring combine to define the tensioning force for the belt while the polymeric spring unit additionally tends to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit, the mechanical spr

Abstract: A polymeric belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising a polymeric belt body and a polymeric-coated fabric layer secured to a surface of the polymeric belt body, the fabric layer comprising a fabric layer having opposed sides and a layer of polymeric material secured to one of those sides and having an outer surface facing away from the fabric layer and being secured to the surface of the polymeric belt body by a heat curing operation on the belt body and the layer in the assembled relation thereof, the polymeric layer comprising a foamed polymeric layer whereby the outer surface thereof readily conforms to the surface of the belt body to improve the bond therebetween during the heat curing operation thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a polymeric coated layer is provided, the method comprising the steps of providing a strand layer with the strands thereof disposed in a predetermined pattern, forming the strand layer to comprise a first substantially planar layer of strands disposed in superimposed relation with a second substantially planar layer of strands whereby the strands of the first layer are not woven with the strands of the second layer, disposing a liquid polymeric coating on the strand layer while the strands thereof are disposed in the pattern thereof, doctoring the coating, stretching the strand layer in one direction after the step of disposing the coating thereon, and drying the coating with a heating unit to at least a degree thereof that will hold the strands of the strand layer in substantially the pattern thereof whereby the coating effectively is the sole securement securing the strands of the first layer to the strands of the second layer and thereby imparts its flexible characteristic

Abstract: A polymeric-coated fabric layer, product using the layer, method and apparatus for making such layer and a method of making a belt construction comprising a polymeric belt body having a surface and a polymeric-coated fabric layer having an outer surface secured to the surface of the belt body are provided, the method of making a belt construction comprising the steps of providing a fabric layer having opposed sides, securing a main layer of polymeric material to one of the sides of the fabric layer, forming the main layer of polymeric material to have the outer surface facing away from the one side of the fabric layer, disposing the outer surface of the fabric layer against the surface of the belt body to provide an assembly thereof, bonding the outer surface of the layer to the surface of the belt body by a heat curing operation on the assembly, securing a gauge building layer of fibers to the one side of the fabric layer with another layer of polymeric material that is disposed on the one side before the la

Abstract: A multiple fluid conveying hose assembly comprising a principal vacuum conveying hose for a vacuum cleaning system, and a smaller diameter liquid conveying hose passing through its interior. A molded end connector on the principal hose provides an outlet for the smaller hose and serves to separate the ends of the two hoses for use. Alternatively, the hose may utilize reinforcing wire coils which also serve as electrical conductors.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction or the like formed of material that is mainly polymeric material and a method and apparatus for forming the same are provided, the belt construction comprising a tension section, a compression section, and a load-carrying section disposed intermediate the tension section and the compression section with at least part of the material of at least one of the sections having been oriented by the force of field line means imposed thereon.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt having a toothed compression section and method of making the same are provided, the belt being formed substantially of polymeric materials and comprising a tension section, a compression section, and a load-carrying section disposed between the tension section and the compression section and having a transverse centerline, the compression section having an outer layer and an inner layer joined to the outer layer and defining an interface therewith that is substantially uniformly spaced from the load-carrying section by the outer layer throughout substantially the entire width and length of the belt. The compression section has an inner surface in the form of alternating transverse teeth and grooves with the grooves respectively defining the roots of the teeth. The inner layer has a thickness from the interface to the tips of the teeth thereof that is approximately the same as the thickness of the outer layer.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof, the dampening unit comprising a piston unit and a cylinder unit having the piston unit therein and defining two chambers for fluid in the cylinder unit on opposite sides of the piston unit.

Abstract: A belt pulley and method of making the same are provided, the pulley having a hub and a peripheral groove for receiving part of an endless belt therein that is to drive the pulley or be driven thereby whereby the pulley is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the hub. The groove of the pulley defines an annular bottom surface of the groove and a pair of spaced apart angled inside surfaces of the groove that join with the bottom surface and diverge away from each other as the angled surfaces extend away from the bottom surface. The angled surfaces are adapted to be engaged by opposed angled sides of the belt in such a manner that a bottom of the belt will be spaced from the bottom surface. The pulley has opposed outer sides.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction having power transmitting contact faces and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an axial tensioning unit, a plurality of lateral stiffening units carried by the tensioning unit, and friction material carried by at least one of the tensioning unit and stiffening units, the tensioning unit and the stiffening units being formed of polymeric material that provides an axial and lateral stiffness in excess of that normally provided by polymeric friction material that normally forms the main body of a belt construction that is reinforced with such a tensioning unit and stiffening units. The stiffening means and the tensioning means are formed of the same material and comprise a one-piece construction.