IMPROVEMENTS IN BELTS OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Heap, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of
Lancaster, Tool-maker, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BELTS OR
BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by the said Joshua Heap at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th March 1880.
JOSHUA HEAP, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Tool-maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BELTS OR BANDS FOR. DRIVING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
My Invention relates principally to driving bands or belts composed partly of
leather and partly of steel or other metal, or composed of leather fillets strengthened
with metal ribands. Attempts have been made to strengthen driving bands by the
addition thereto of ribands of steel or wrought iron, but such bands when so
constructed have not had the necessary resiliency. To obviate this defect I
corrugate, crimp, or bend the metal ribands out of the straight line. A driving
band constructed in accordance with my Invention may consist of a fillet of leather
to which is or are attached a riband or one or more ribands of steel. The said
riband or ribands is or are corrugated or crimped either continuously or at intervals,
and is or are riveted, sewn, or otherwise suitably attached to the leather. The
corrugations or bends in the metal ribands permit the driving band to be extensile
to a certain extent. I do not confine myself to the use of steel nor to the use of
leather in conjunction with the metal ribands, as caoutchouc or canvas or woven
material or any material suitable to act upon the pullies may be employed in
conjunction with the corrugated metal ribands. In some cases I may employ
comparatively small pieces of leather or material connected together by means of
metal ribands, in which case the said ribands take the tensile strain. In such a
construction scraps of leather may be utilised, whereby economy in the cost of
formation is promoted. My Invention is also applicable in the formation of traces,
or of straps, belts, or bands for other purposes than the transmission of rotatory
motion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joshua Heap in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th September
1880.
JOSHUA HEAP, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster. “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BELTS OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates principally to driving bands or belts composed partly of
leather and partly of steel or other metal. Attempts have been made to strengthen
driving bands by the addition thereto of ribands of steel or wrought iron, but such
bands when so constructed have not had the necessary resiliency. To obviate this
defect I corrugate or bend the metal ribands out of the straight line. A driving
band constructed in accordance with my Invention may consist of a fillet of leather,
to which is or are attached a riband or one or more ribands of steel. The said
riband or ribands is or are corrugated or crimpled either continuously or at at intervals,
and is or are riveted, sewn, or otherwise suitably attached to the leather. The
corrugations or bends in the metal ribands permit the driving bands to be extensile
to a certain extent. I do'not confine myself to the use of steel nor to the use of
leather in conjunction with the metal ribands, as caoutchouc or canvas or woven
material, or any material suitable to act upon the pullies may be employed in
conjunction with the corrugated metal ribands. In some cases I may employ
comparatively small pieces of leather or material connected together by means of
metal ribands, in which cases the said ribands take the tensile strain. In such a
construction scraps of leather may be utilised, whereby cconomy in the cost of
formation is promoted. My Invention is also applicable in the formation of traces,
or of straps, belts, or bands for other purposes than the transmission of rotatory
motion.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will now refer to the
Sheet of Drawings, which I have furnished to accompany this Specification. In
the said Drawings Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a
cross section of a piece of wide leather belting drawn about half the full size. In
this example a, a, are six steel bands or ribands, each of which is corrugated at
intervals as indicated at b, b. To these ribands are riveted pieces of leather c, c;
each piece extends across the width of the belt, and is secured to each of the steel
ribands by means of the rivets d, d. In some cases a narrow strip of leather or
india rubber x is sewn to each side of the belt. The ends of a belt so formed are
riveted or united together so as to form an endless belt, which may take the place
of an ordinary belt made of two or more thicknesses of leather stitched together.
The corrugations b give an amount of elasticity to the belt, so that it will stretch
to some extent when subjected to tensile strain. In some cases continuous lengths
of leather are used instead of detached pieces; Figures 4 and illustrate a narrower
belt, in which a single riband of steel a is riveted to a continuous fillet of leather c.
One riband or two, three, or any suitable number of ribands of steel is or are used
according to the width of the belt, or as may be considered to be most advisable in
each case.
The corrugations may be closer together than the corrugations indicated
in the Drawing, and may be of other forms. Each piece of leather c may be secured
by means of more rivets than are shown in the Drawings if preferred, or the leather
may be stitched or otherwise secured to the ribands of steel. Great economy arises
from using these comparatively small pieces of leather as there is less waste of material
in cutting up the hides, and cheaper leather may be used as compared with ordinary
leather belts, depending for their strength upon the quality of the leather. Other
material than leather, as for example, caoutchouc, woven material, or wood may be
used. The ribands a may be made of brass or of other material than steel, but
steel is now considered to be the best material. Bands of the combined leather
and corrugated steel or metal may be used for traces or for other parts of harness
or for other purposes.

page_text: Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. Forming driving bands or belts by riveting pieces or filets of leather to
corrugated ribands of steel, brass, or other suitable metal or alloy, substantially
as set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Forming driving bands by stitching or securing corrugated ribands of
steel or metal to pieces or filets of leather or other suitable material.
And, lastly. Forming bands for various uses, substantially as set forth and
indicated.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Joshua Heap, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
in presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton Street,
Manchester.
(Agent for the Patentee.)
JOSHUA HEAP. (L.S.)