Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Wire Belting.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Wire Belting.
We, JAMES EZEKIEL EMERSON and THOMAS MIDGLEY, both residing at Beaver Falls,
in the County of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of
America, Manufacturers, 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 Wire Belting, and has for its object certain improvements
in the construction thereof, which will hereinafter more fully appear.
Reference being had to the Drawings :
Figure 1, represents a plan of a section of coiled wire.
Figure 2, a plan of a section of belting composed of two layers of sections of coiled
wire.
Figure 3, an edge view showing the belting in its several stages of construction.
Figure 4, is a similar view of a section of belting composed of seven layers of sections
of coiled wire.
Figure 5, a plan of a section of stretched belting.
Figure 6, an edge view thereof.
Figure 7, a plan view of a section of wire belting with a narrow portion of the edges
filled with rubber.
Figure 8, an edge view of the same.
Figure 9, a plan showing the ends of the belt secured together, and-
Figure 10, a perspective showing the fastener detached.
The
In the drawings, A, indicates a section of coiled spring-tempered wire, made of
various gages according to the strength of the belt required. The pitch of the spirals
or helices is made to afford space for each section to engage with two or more sections
throughout the length and width of the belt, or sheet from which the belt is made, and
to prevent the sections from being pressed down into each other when in use.
proper gage of wire and the pitch of the helices having been determined, the wire is
coiled into sections, A, of any desired length, and intertwined in two or more ply or
layers, according to the strength of belt required. In intertwining the sections, A, in
the lower layer of the sheet, each section engages with two adjacent sections, and in
the upper layer each section engages with one of the sections of the lower layer, and
with the two adjacent sections in the upper layer, thus making each section engage
with three other sections, and form a union of the upper and lower layers.
In constructing a three-ply belt, or a belt composed of three layers of sections, A,
each of the sections in the middle layer engages with one section in the lower layer,
two in the middle layer, and one in the upper layer, making each section of the middle
layer engage with four other sections in the belt. The same rule prevails in belts of
any greater ply or number of layers of sections.
For main belts from an engine to a line of shafting we prefer this style or kind of
belt. It is well known that in shops where heavy machinery is used, and suddenly
put into use, that a severe shock or strain is imparted to the engine each time the
machinery is started. This is due to the fact that the belt does not take up the strain.
Stretched wire belts, leather, and rubber belts are flexible, but they are not elastic or
resilient. We have therefore constructed a belt having sufficient strength to drive
the machinery, and at the same time possessing sufficient elasticity or resiliency to
take up the sudden shock or strain produced under the circumstances described, and
relieve the engine.
To form a working edge on the belt each section is cut off one half of a coil
alternately on opposite edges of the belt, as shown at, a, a, and the protruding ends b, b,
of an upper and lower section are bent over each other, and back into the body of the

page_text: belt, thus securely locking the sections against disengagement, and forming a neat
smooth edge which will not tear the hand of a workman using or handling the belt.
In Figure 4, is shown a belt of seven layers of sections, A, designated for use in
hoisting, and other machinery where great strength is required. In this construction,
the sections, A, are secured together in layers as in those hereinbefore described and
the edges are formed by cutting the ends of two of the layers of sections, A, off, back
in the body, as shown at, c, and then folding or bending the ends, b, b, over each other
in pairs, making three separate layers or rows of folds, the middle fold being formed
by bending the ends of adjacent sections in the middle layer.
When the outer layer, or working surface, becomes worn, it may be removed by
unscrewing the sections, A, of the worn layer, and inserting a layer of new sections
as in the original construction of the belt, or the belt may be used for lighter work
after the worn layer of sections has been removed, or the belt may be reversed and
worked on the opposite side without removing the worn layer.
The belt may be shortened at any time by unlocking the bent ends, b, b, of any
sections at any point in the belt and unscrewing them from the belt.
The ends of the belt after having been stretched over pulleys, or over the main
drive wheel of an engine and a pulley on the main shaft of a shop or factory, may he
joined by intertwining two or more of the coiled sections, A, in the manner the belt
was formed, according to the number of layers in the belt, and then form a continuous
belt of the same material.
In Figure 5, we have shown our working edge applied to our stretched belt shown
in our patent, bearing date of February 26th. 1889, Number 3,445.
Each transverse section, A, has its ends,a, bent back into one of the adjacent sections,
thus crossing the wire longitudinally at, b, on the edges of the belt and producing a
double thickness of wire at that point.
The interstices on the edges of the helt may be filled with rubber, c, (as shown in
Figures 7 and 8) or its equivalent material, and rolled so that the rubber will cover
the ends, e, of the sections, A. The rubber produces a neat finish, pre-ents an
appearance like selvedge on cloth, pleasing to the eye, and affords increased protection
to the hands of the workmen.
The ends of this flattened belt when placed upon pulleys may be joined by
opening the end links and screwing a section, A, into them, but we prefer to place
the flattened links of one end of the belt between the links of the opposite end, and
insert a flat bar or fastener, B, in the free ends of the links, as shown in Figure 9.
The end, C, of the fastener, is then cut off, and both ends, e, f, are bent back upon the
body of the belt, thus securely locking the fastener in place.
The flat bar shown, is preferable in large belts, but in small belts made of fine wire
and in small coils, a round rod, or a piece of wire not larger in diameter than the wire
of which the belt is made, may be used advantageously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. A wire belt composed of two or more layers of intertwined sections of coiled
spring-tempered wire, having the edges of the belt formed by interlocking the ends of
the sections, substantially as described.
Second. A wire belt composed of intertwined helices, and having the edges formed,
substantially as described.
Third. A wire belt in which the working surface is renewable, substantially as
described.
Fourth. A wire belt composed of intertwined helices, and having its ends joined,
substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of Santumbo- 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.