Improvements in Belting.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Belting.
I, THOMAS DUNN, of 83 Tierney Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of London,
Member of the Stock Exchange, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for object to provide belting that shall be lighter, cheaper and
more efficient in use that the leather, cotton and other belting heretofore employed"
and which, whilst possessing considerable flexibility both longitudinally and
transversely and it may be a certain amount of longitudinal elasticity, shall be
practicably inextensible in length beyond the normal working length.
For this purpose my improved belting according to one construction is composed
of longitudinal wires of suitable material, for example steel, arranged side by side,
and a series of transverse plates bars or pins (hereinafter called transverse plates) of
elastic material such as india rubber over and, under which adjacent wires are passed
alternately so that they assume a wavy or corrugated form. For preventing the
longitudinal wires slipping over, the ends of the transverse plates, they are connected
together transversely, which may be done by a weft of finer wire interwoven
therewith. Belting thus constructed will possess a certain degree of elasticity in
the direction of its length and will be also very flexible transversely as well as
longitudinally and when formed into bands or belts for driving purposes will possess
a very powerful contractile action that will enable a very efficient driving connection
or grip to be obtained between the bands or belts and the peripheries of the wheels
or pulleys around which they pass. The flexibility in a transverse direction enables
the bands to readily adapt themselves to the curvature, in a transverse direction, of
the peripheries of the wheels or pulleys upon which they work.
The degree of the elasticity of the bands will be in proportion to the nature and
thickness of the transverse plates and to the number of them in a given length of
band, and the degree of their contractile action will depend on the degree of tension
under which the bands are used.
In a modified construction the longitudinal wires are replaced by longitudinal
strips of material such as metal which may be interlaced with transverse strips, of
elastic material, as in the case of the wires, or of more rigid material such as
vulcanite, wood and the like which will serve to prevent the belting from extending
in length under tensile strain, but which will not, as in the previous case impart a
slight degree of longitudinal elasticity to the belting and corresponding contractile
action to bands or belts made therefrom.
According to another construction the belting is composed of a number of short
links of suitable material for example metal, held together lengthways by elastic or
yielding material that imparts a certain amount of longitudinal elasticity to the
belting but which prevents the belting being increased in length beyond a given
amount. This construction gives a greater proportionate degree of elasticity than
the former one, but is not designed to bear such high strains.
In one arrangement of this kind the links consist of flattened wire spirals or coils
which are connected together by being inserted edgeways into one another until the
spirals of each pair overlap to the extent of say about half their length and inserting
within and between the ends of each pair, cushions consisting of strips or blocks of

page_text: elastic material such for example as india rubber, preferably covered with material
such as canvas, rods or strips of some hard substance such as metal, wood, vulcanized
fibre or the like being preferably placed before and behind the elastic cushions to
prevent the wires cutting them. The size of the spiral wire links and the relative
size of the elastic strips or blocks may be varied so as to give the band a greater or
less degree of elasticity as may be desired. The wires of each spiral may advan-
tageously cross one another at one or more points in their length and as seen in edge
view of the belting, so that the belting when formed into driving bands may bend
freely at the crossing points.
According to a modified construction the strips or blocks of elastic material are
dispensed with, and the flattened wire spirals are simply connected together by
transverse pins of hard material which limit the extent to which the links can be
drawn apart, but permit them to slide towards each other when necessary.
Belting constructed as hereinbefore described can be used for various purposes
other than for machine bands or belts. It may, as when used with wooden wheels
or pulleys be left bare. In other cases it may be embedded in suitable material for
example india rubber, so as outwardly to resemble ordinary india rubber belting or
the spaces on the sides between the transverse plates may on one or both sides be
filled with leather or other suitable packing the pieces being sewn or rivetted in
place, or they may be secured in their places by the band being covered all over with
suitable material such as leather or canvas with a coating of vulcanized rubber.
Dated
I, THOMAS DUNN, of 83 Tierney. Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of London,
Member of the Stock Exchange, 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:-
This invention has for object to provide machine belting that shall be stronger,
lighter, cheaper and more efficient in use than the leather, cotton and other belting
heretofore employed and which, whilst possessing considerable flexibility both
longitudinally and transversely, and, it may be a certain amount of longitudinal
elasticity, shall be practically unstretchable in length beyond the normal working
length.
For this purpose my improved belting is constructed as I shall now describe with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in
plan and edge view one construction thereof.
According to this construction the belting is composed of longitudinal wires or
cords 1 of suitable material, for example steel, arranged side by side, and a series of
transverse plates, bars or pins 2 (hereinafter called transverse strips) of elastic material
such as india rubber, over and under which adjacent wires are passed alternately
as shown so that they assume a wavy or corrugated form. For preventing the
longitudinal wires slipping over the ends of the transverse strips, they are connected
together transversely, which may be done by a weft of fine wire interwoven therewith;
or by binding wires 3 placed at suitable intervals.
The several longitudinal wires 1 may be independent wires, as indicated at the
left hand end of Fig. 1, or they may, as in the case of comparatively short bands or

page_text: belts, form part of a single length of wire which after extending to one end of the
band or belt is turned over and led back again as indicated at the right hand end of
Fig. 1. Or the belt may be made endless by passing one wire or band round and
round as often as may be necessary to make the belt of the desired breadth. Belting
constructed as described possesses a certain degree of elasticity in the direction of its
length and is very flexible transversely as well as longitudinally, and when formed"
into bands or belts for driving purposes, will possess a very powerful contractile
action that will enable a very efficient, driving connection or grip to be obtained
between the bands or belts and the peripheries of the wheels or pulleys around
which they pass. The flexibility in a transverse direction enables the bands to'
readily adapt themselves to the curvature, in a transverse direction, of the peripheries
of the wheels or pulleys upon which they work.
The degree of the elasticity of the bands will be in proportion to the nature and
thickness of the transverse. plates 2 employed and to the number of them in a given
length of band, and the degree of their contractile action will depend on the degree.
of tension under which the bands are used.
I prefer to use in the manufacture of the belting, wire of small gauze so that the
band will be as flexible as possible longitudinally; There may conveniently be about
twenty to thirty wires per inch of breadth of the belt.
Figs. 3 and 4 show respectively in plan and edge view, a modified construction of
the belting in which the longitudinal wires (or cords) I shown in Figs 1 and 2, are.
replaced by longitudinal strips or tapes 1 of material such as metal, for example-
steel, which may be interlaced with transverse strips 2 of elastic material, as in the
case of the wires, or of more rigid material such as vulcanite, wood and the like,
which will serve to prevent the belting from extending in length under tensile strain,
but which will not, as in the previous case, impart a slight degree of longitudinal
elasticity to the belting and a corresponding contractile action to bands or belts made
therefrom.
According to another construction the belting is composed of a number of short
links of suitable material, for example metal, held together lengthways by elastic or
yielding material that imparts a certain amount of longitudinal elasticity to the.
belting. This construction gives a greater proportionate degree of elasticity than t
the former one, but is not designed to bear such high strains.
Figs. 5 and 6 show respectively in plan and edge view, one arrangement of this
kind in which the links consist of flattened wire spirals or coils 4 which are
connected together by being inserted endways into one another as shown, until the
spirals of each pair overlap to any suitable extent up to half their length, and
inserting within and between the ends of each pair, cushions 5 consisting of strips or
blocks of elastic material, such for example as india rubber, preferably covered with
material 6 such as canvas, rods or strips 7, 7, of some hard substance such as metal,
wood, vulcanized fibre or the like being preferably placed 'before and behind the
elastic cushions 5 to prevent the wires cutting them. The size of the spiral wire
links 4 and the relative size of the elastic strips or blocks 5 can be varied so as to
give the band a greater or less degree of elasticity as may be desired. The wires of
each spiral may advantageously cross one another as seen in edge view and as shown
in plan and side elevation in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the belting when formed into
driving bands may bend freely at the crossing points.
Figs. 9 and 10 show in plan and edge view, a modified construction in which the
strips or blocks 5 of elastic material are dispensed with, and the flattened wire spirals
are simply connected together by transverse pins 8 of hard material which limit the
extent to which the links can be drawn apart, but permit them to slide, to a limited
extent, towards each other when necessary.
Figs. 11 and 12 show in plan and side elevation belting composed of links 4 formed
of wire spirals connected together by transverse pins 8 of rigid material as in the
construction of belting shown in Figs. 9 and 10, but the links are made of
approximately oval form, as seen in side view, of spring wire, and a transverse strip 2b
of elastic material such as rubber, is or may be passed through the central portion

page_text: of each link as shown, the arrangement in either case being such that the belting has
a slight degree of longitudinal elasticity due to the form of the links and the spring
of the wire, and of the elastic strips when such are used.
Belting constructed as hereinbefore described can be used for various purposes
other than for machine bands or belts. It may, as when used with wooden wheels or
pulleys be left bare, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In other cases it may, as indicated
in dotted lines in Fig. 4, be embedded in suitable material 9, for example india
rubber, so as outwardly to resemble ordinary india rubber belting, or the spaces on
the sides between the transverse plates may on one or both sides be filled with leather
or other suitable packing 10 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the packing
pieces being sewn or rivetted in place, or they may be secured in their places by the
band being covered all over with suitable material such as leather or canvas having a
coating of vulcanized rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. Belting comprising longitudinal wires, strips, or tapes, and a series of transverse
strips over and under which adjacent longitudinal wires, strips or tapes pass
alternately so as to assume a wavy or corrugated form, substantially as described.
2. Belting of the kind specified in the preceding claim in which the transverse
strips are composed of elastic material whereby the belting is rendered elastic in the
direction of its length and flexible in a transverse direction, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
. 3. Belting comprising a series of links formed of flattened wire spirals or coils
arranged to overlap one another longitudinally and connected together by transverse
strips of elastic or yielding material, or of rigid material, or of both elastic and rigid
material, passed through and between the overlapping end portions of the links,
substantially as herein described for the purpose specified.
4. My improved belting constructed substantially as herein before described with
reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2; in Figs. 3 and 4; in Figs. 5
and 6 or modified according to Figs. 7 and 8; and in Figs. 9 and 10 or modified
according to Figs. 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings, whether the belting be
provided on one or both sides with filling pieces or covering material as set forth."
Dated this 1st day of June 1897.
s 1st day of June 1897.
For the Applicant
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.