An Improved Manufacture of Linked Driving Belts.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Manufacture of Linked Driving Belts.
We, FREDERIC BUTTERFIELD, of Park House, Bishop Monkton, via Leeds, in
the County of York, WALTER RENTON, of Lindley House, Bishop Monkton afore-.
said, Paper Manufacturer, and JOSEPH REFFITT, 34, York Place, Harrogate, in
the same County, Dyer and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved manufacture of link driving belts,
and to a combination of materials used in construction thereof.
Link driving belts, as at present in use, are made of short pieces of leather,
punched into links of various sizes and shapes according to requirements, and
afterwards formed into flat bands of any desired width, by being slipped on to
headed pins or rods of the length required, and the outer ends of same being
rivetted over metal washers to keep them in position, thus forming a belt which is
found to run on driving pulleys with great evenness and regularity, and this
has caused this form of belt to be very largely used, where steadiness of running
is essential, as in driving dynamos for electric lighting, and other mechanism
requiring steady running. Belts of leather, made as described, are found to
stretch considerably after being put to work, causing frequent stoppages for
tightening, and they are also more costly to produce than ordinary flat leather
belting.
The object of our invention is to cheapen the cost of link belting, by making
the links forming the body of the belt of a mixture of materials of great fibrous
strength, such as flax, hemp, jute and other suitable fibres. We first of all make
the material flat and to a much greater thickness than required; afterwards the
flat material is compressed to a suitable uniform thickness which can be water-
proofed if desired. We find, by this method, that we can produce a material
which is as readily punched into links as leather, having equal or greater tensile
strength without liability to stretch, and at a greatly reduced cost. When formed
into a linked belt, the edge or grain of our material is presented to the pulley,
and we find it forms a frictional, wear-resisting surface equal, if not superior to,
the leather it replaces. Although a material formed as we have described is
capable of resisting almost any amount of wear on edge, we do not consider it
calculated to stand such side friction as the frequent use of a belt shifting fork
would subject it to, therefore, to provide for this, we may make the outside links
or selvage preferably of leather, but guttapercha, vulcanite or any non-laminated
material might be used. These outside links are recessed or countersunk to
receive the heads and tails of the connecting rods, so that there are no projections
to catch against anything on which the edge of the belt, when running, might
mpinge, and if necessary, we further protect the edge or selvage by an additional
ayer of leather or non-laminated material fixed by prongs or pins driven there-
through.
Having now described how a belt may be built up of our compressed fibrous
material as to its driving part, with its edge or selvage of a non-laminated

page_text: material preferably leather, to withstand side friction, we claim to have invented
a composite driving belt which has all the advantages of one formed wholly of
leather as to durability, without its inconvenient stretching property, besides the
reduction in cost of production owing to the lower price of material used, and
it should enable our improved, easily jointed, steady running, linked form of
driving band to be largely adopted where hitherto the price has been prohibitive.
T
1
1000
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Halifax,
Agents for Applicants.
We, FREDERIC BUTTERFIELD, of Park House, Bishop Monkton, via Leeds, in
the County of York, WALTER RENTON, of Lindley House, Bishop Monkton afore-
said, Paper Manufacturer, and JOSEPII REFFITT, 34, York Place, Harrowgate, in
the same County, Dyer and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to an improved manufacture of link driving belts,
and to a combination of materials used in construction thereof.
Link driving belts, as at present in use, are made of short pieces of leather,
punched into links of various sizes and shapes according to requirements and
afterwards formed into flat bands of any desired width by being slipped on to
headed pins or rods of the length required, the outer ends of which are rivetted
over metal washers to keep them in position, thus forming a belt which is
found to run on driving pulleys with great evenness and regularity, and which
has caused this form of belt to be very largely used, where steadiness of running
is essential as in driving dynamos for electric lighting, and other mechanism
requiring steady running. Belts of leather, made as described, are found to
stretch considerably after being put to work, causing frequent stoppages for
tightening, and they are also more costly to produce than ordinary flat leather
belting.
The object of our invention is to cheapen the cost of linked belting, by making
the links forming the body of the belt of a mixture of materials of great fibrous
strength, such as flax, hemp, jute and other suitable fibres or fibrous materials.
We pulp the material and form to a greater thickness than required; then compress.
to a lesser even thickness, and waterproofed if desired. We find, by this method,
that we can produce a material which is as readily punched into links as leather,
and having equal or greater tensile strength without liability to stretch, and at
a greatly reduced cost. When formed into a linked belt, the edge or grain of our
material is presented to the pulley, which we find forms a frictional, wear-
resisting surface equal, if not superior to, the leather it replaces. Although a
material, composed of the substances we have described, is capable of resisting
almost any amount of wear on edge, we do not consider it calculated to stand
such side friction as the frequent use of a belt shifting fork would subject it to;
therefore, to provide for this, we make the outside links or selvage preferably of
leather, but guttapercha, vulcanite or any non-laminated material might be used.
These outside links are recessed or countersunk to receive the heads and tails of
the connecting rods, so that there are no projections to catch against anything on
which the edge of the belt, when running, might impinge, and if necessary we

page_text: further protect the edge or selvage by an additional layer of leather or non-
laminated material fixed by prongs or pins driven therethrough.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is plan view and Fig. 2 side elevation of
belting.
fragment of our improved
Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views shewing a modified construction.
Referring to the drawings, letter A represents links composed of fibres or
fibrous materials such as flax, hemp, jute, and the like, compressed into a hard
solid mass or plate of the thickness required from which the links are punched
out. These links are slipped on to headed pins or rods B chainwise to form the
body of the strap or belt of which the edges or grain of the links, comprise the
wearing, or contact surfaces. C represents links made of leather or guttapercha,
vulcanite or other non-laminated material secured at both sides of the belt to
form selvages thereto for resisting lateral wear and friction on the belt.
These leather links are recessed or countersunk as shewn to receive the heads
and tails of the connecting rods B so that they shall not project beyond the
surface of the selvages.
It may be desirable to further protect the edges or selvages by adding other
links of leather or non-laminated material, as shewn at D in Figs. 3 and 4,
these additional links D) being secured to the links C by prongs or pins E driven
therethrough.
Having now described how a belt may be built up of our compressed fibrous
material as to its driving part, with its edge or selvage of a non-laminated
material preferably leather, to withstand side friction, we claim to have invented
a composite driving belt which has all the advantages of one formed wholly of
leather as to durability, without its inconvenient stretching property, in addition to
the reduction in cost of production owing to the lower price of material used, and
it should enable our improved, easily jointed, steady running, linked form of
driving band to be largely adopted where hitherto the price has been prohibitive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A driving belt or strap built up as to its driving part of links A composed
of compressed fibres or fibrous material waterproofed or otherwise, in combination
with links C forming edges or selvages thereto, and composed of a non-laminated
material, preferably leather, substantially as herein set forth and for the purposes
described.
2. In a driving belt the combination with links A forming the driving part
of the belt and composed of compressed fibres or fibrous material and links C
forming the edges or selvages to said driving part, and composed of a non-laminated
material such as leather, of additional links D composed of a non-laminated
material and secured to the links C by prongs or spikes, substantially as set forth
and for the purposes stated.
Dated this 4th dow of June 1808
TASKER & CROSSLEY.
Patent Agents, Halifax,