Patent ID: 6863761

Claim:
A method of producing a rubber power transmission belt, having a back surface reinforced with an open mesh textile material formed of interlacing yarn bundles defining interstices between adjacent yarn bundles, comprising: (a) forming a vulcanizable belt sleeve in an inverted manner by: treating the open mesh textile material by at least partially coating the yarn bundles with a stabilizer material wherein the open mesh textile material has an openness factor defined by the formula 0.20 ≤ 1 / x - y ≤ 0.98 1 / x where x=yarn count in ends per mm and y=yarn diameter in mm; applying the treated textile material about the exterior surface of a belt building drum; wrapping a rubber layer serving as an adhesion gum layer over the treated textile material; helically winding strain-resisting tensile cord members about the rubber layer; applying a further rubber layer over the exterior of the helically wound tensile cord; and (b) subjecting the belt sleeve to heat and pressure to vulcanize the same so that a portion of the adhesion gum layer penetrates the interstices and becomes positioned against the building drum to form a portion of the back surface of the belt, whereby during the course of vulcanization the stabilizer material substantially maintains the geometric shape of the yarn bundles to maintain the maximum interstitial opening between the yarn bundles.