Patent ID: 8079650

Claim:
A tensioning assembly for providing a tensioning force onto a flexible endless member, comprising a compression spring, a spring shaft, the spring surrounding the spring shaft, a pair of spring retainers on the spring shaft, a first of the spring retainers being fixed to an end of the spring shaft, and a second spring retainer slidably held on the spring shaft, and retaining the spring in an initial length position between the first and second retainers, the spring shaft having an end portion extending from the second spring retainer, a support actuator having an adjustable length between a base portion and an actuator portion, the shaft portion having a bore in an outer end for slidably receiving the end portion of the spring shaft with the outer end of the shaft portion coupled to the second spring retainer for reacting loads on the first spring retainer tending to compress the spring from its initial length position, and the bore in the actuator portion being of a length to permit the end portion of the spring shaft to slide farther into the bore as the spring is compressed from its initial length position.