An Improved Driving Belt or Band.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1893-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Driving Belt or Band.
JAMES WEST KNIGHTS, of 1 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Analytical Chemist,
and FRANK WRIGHT BIRD, of 1 Sidney Street Cambridge Waterproof Cover
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to the manufacture of belts by weaving yarns or cords of
hemp, jute or other vegetable fibres with metallic wires; the metallic wires form
the weft and the hemp or jute yarns or cords form the warp.
In making a belt for driving machinery, say six inches wide, we form a warp of
a sufficient number of yarns of the thickness we desire to use, to measure six inches
across when placed side by side, these are then woven together in the ordinary
manner either in a loom or by hand with a weft of copper wire.
The belt when woven has the appearance of an ordinary woven belt but the
edges are protected by the portions of copper wire that project beyond the warp,
and the belt is prevented from wearing away by friction at the edges when in use,
it is also very much strengthened and its durability increased by the copper wire.
The yarns or cords previous to weaving can be coated with tar or paint or any
other waterproofing composition; or the belt can be so treated after it is woven,
which will add to its durability.
Iron or steel wire, or wire of any metal can be used but we prefer copper as it
is not liable to rust and is soft and flexible in comparison with other metals.
The weft can be formed of two wires crossing each other, instead of one as in
the ordinary manner of weaving that is to say, one wire passing to the right and
the other to the left, in each weft, by this method the edges are doubly protected.
Dated this Twentieth day of September 1892
JAMES WEST KNIGHTS.
FRANK WRIGHT BIRD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Driving Belt or Band.
JAMES WEST KNIGHTS of 1 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Analyst and FRANK
WRIGHT BIRD of 49 Jesus Lane (formerly of 1 Sidney Street) Cambridge
Waterproof Cover Manufacturer, 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 :-
We make a woven band of strong cord to be used as a belt for driving machinery,
but in order to strengthen the belt and enable it to stand the wear and tear, the
cords are woven together by means of wire instead of ordinary yarns, or the wire
may be in addition to the yarn.
To enable this invention to be properly understood we will proceed to describe
the same with aid of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1, a plan view of a piece of. belting of our invention according to one
mode of construction.
Figure 2, a section of same.
Figure 3, a plan view of a modification.
Figure 4, side and sectional view of same.
The weft of wire B may
A, the cords wove or platted on the weft of wire B.
be either continuous, that is in one length running from side to side of the band
the turn of each weft forming the selvage, and giving the necessary protection to
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page_text: the edges of the belt; or it may be in separate short pieces of wire C woven in
the belt having a flattened head D or protection at each end, the heads being
sufficiently large to form a selvage and prevent the belt from revelling. To make
a belt of 4 inches wide we take tarred hemp yarns of best quality and lay three
yarns together in the ordinary way well known to rope makers, to form a cord
inch in diameter; with this cord we form a warp of 32 cords and fix them in a
loom, we then weave in the ordinary manner with either copper or steel wire of
about No. 16 or 17 gauge; the weaving is done with two shuttles one passing each
way and crossing each other in each weft for the purpose of forming an extra
strong selvage.
Or if we desire to make a belt without a continuous wire weft, we take for the
weft a number of pieces of wire 4 inches long and headed at each end with a head
like the head of a wire nail, and a thin yarn of tarred hemp. The weaving is done
with the tarred hemp yarn in the ordinary way and a wire is inserted in each weft.
When finished, the result is a length of belting 4 inches wide the warp of which
consists of 32 tarred hemp cords held together by a weft of wire.
We can in the same manner make belts of any desired width by using a greater
or less number of cords or yarns in the warp.
Wire of any metal may be used but for most purposes either steel or copper wire
is the most suitable, and yarns of any vegetable fibre may be used but either hemp,
manilla or cotton is most suitable as having greater strength than jute or other
cheap yarns.
Instead of being tarred the yarns can be coated or impregnated with any water-
proofing composition, or in some cases where the belt will be protected from the
weather, the yarns can be left uncoated, but generally speaking it will be better to
have the yarns coated with some waterproof composition, and wood tar will answer
well in most cases.
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. The combination of metallic wire and fibrous yarns in forming a woven belt
for driving machinery substantially as described.
2. The weaving of belts for power transmission with a weft composed wholly or
partly of wire.
Dated this Seventh day of June 1893.
JAMES WEST KNIGHTS.
FRANK WRIGHT BIRD.
Frederic Prince,
1, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, Agent for Applicants.