Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction having opposed side edges and having an inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves for meshing with a ribbed surface of a rotatable pulley or the like and defining a plurality of transversely disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves that respectively extend between and to the opposed side edges, the longitudinal spacings between the transverse grooves or/and the depths of the transverse grooves being staggered so as to tend to reduce noise during normal operation of the belt construction with the pulley or the like.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction having opposed side edges and having an inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves for meshing with a ribbed surface of a rotatable pulley or the like and defining a plurality of transversely disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves that respectively extend between and to the opposed side edges, the longitudinal spacings between the transverse grooves or/and the depths of the transverse grooves being staggered so as to tend to reduce noise during normal operation of the belt construction with the pulley or the like.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction having opposed side edges and having an inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves for meshing with a ribbed surface of a rotatable pulley or the like and defining a plurality of transversely disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves that respectively extend between and to the opposed side edges, the longitudinal spacings between the transverse grooves or/and the depths of the transverse grooves being staggered so as to tend to reduce noise during normal operation of the belt construction with the pulley or the like.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction having opposed side edges and having an inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves for meshing with a ribbed surface of a rotatable pulley or the like and defining a plurality of transversely disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves that respectivley extend between and to the opposed side edges, the longitudinal spacings between the transverse grooves or/and the depths of the transverse grooves being staggered so as to tend to reduce noise during normal operation of the belt constructuion with the pulley or the like.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction having opposed side edges and having an inner surface defining a plurality of longitudinally disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves for meshing with a ribbed surface of a rotatable pulley or the like and defining a plurality of transversely disposed and alternately spaced apart projections and grooves that respectively extend between and to the opposed side edges, the longitudinal spacings between the transverse grooves or/and the depths of the transverse grooves being staggered so as to tend to reduce noise during normal operation of the belt construction with the pulley or the like.

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 pulley construction and method of making the same are provided, the pulley construction having a pair of opposed flanges respectively provided with surfaces for engagement with a V-belt construction when the V-belt construction is disposed therebetween. The pulley construction has structure for moving one of the flanges axially relative to the other of the flanges and has a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the one flange to dampen the axial movement of that one flange relative to the other flange with a restrictive force, the dampening unit comprising a flexible bladder having a part thereof operatively interconnected to that one flange.

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 a plurality of vanes extending outwardly from at least one of the opposed sides thereof, the vanes comprising a plurality of spaced apart curved vanes of substantially the same size and shape and disposed in a plurality of circular arrays that are generally concentrically disposed relative to each other about the axis and on the one side of the pulley for acting on fluid adjacent the pulley to tend to cool the pulley with the fluid. The curved vanes in each circular array are each disposed substantially evenly between an adjacent pair of curved vanes in the circular array adjacent thereto whereby the number of the curved vanes in each circular array is the same, each curved vane having a convex side and a concave side.

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 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 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: An endless power transmission belt and a transverse belt element therefor as well as methods of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an endless flexible carrier and a plurality of transverse belt elements assembled on the carrier, each belt element having a peripheral face and a medial slot passing therethrough and receiving part of the carrier therein. Each belt element has a slit in the peripheral face thereof that leads to the slot thereof and a hinge spaced from the slit thereof that permits the belt element to have the slit thereof opened sufficiently to permit at least part of the carrier to be received therethrough for subsequent positioning in the slot thereof and thereafter be moved to a closed position to prevent at least that part of the carrier from escaping through the slit.

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 having an endless flexible band unit and a plurality of belt elements carried by the band unit in sliding relation therewith. Each belt element has a slot arrangement receiving the band unit therein and has opposed faces disposed in compressed relation against adjacent faces of adjacent belt elements. Each belt element has opposed sides for respectively engaging pulley faces of the transmission, the slot arrangement for each belt element defining a pair of slots respectively interrupting the opposed sides thereof and being spaced from each other by a central stem portion of the element. The pair of slots for each element receive parts of the band unit therein and respectively define a pair of shoulders engaging the parts of the band unit.

Abstract: An endless power transmission V-belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction being formed mainly of polymeric material and having rounded top and bottom teeth respectively extending along the length of the top and bottom surfaces of the belt construction, the belt construction comprising a tension section having the top surface, a compression section having the bottom surface, and a load-carrying section disposed intermediate the tension section and the compression section. The bottom to top tooth pitch ratio of the belt construction, the bottom to top tooth depth ratio thereof, and the belt thickness to flex thickness ratio thereof may be varied in specific instances to optimize performance in specific uses.

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 a plurality of vanes extending outwardly from at least one of the opposed sides thereof, the vanes comprising a plurality of spaced apart curved vanes of substantially the same size and shape and disposed in a plurality of circular arrays that are generally concentrically disposed relative to each other about the axis and on the one side of the pulley for acting on fluid adjacent the pulley to tend to cool the pulley with the fluid. The curved vanes in each circular array are each disposed substantially evenly between an adjacent pair of curved vanes in the circular array adjacent thereto whereby the number of the curved vanes in each circular array is the same, each curved vane having a convex side and a concave side.

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 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 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 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 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.