Apparatus and method for making endless reinforced belts
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorsLambert PASCH, John Graeme KNOX
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for making endless belts having a profile layer, a fully embedded, helically wound, cord layer, and a top layer. The apparatus has a rotatable mandrel with a profile complementary to the belt profile, two or one engagement rolls adjacent the mandrel to maintain forced, wrapped engagement of the profile layer on a portion thereof; a cord applicator which may include a heated blade that plows a groove in the profile layer into which the cord is laid and fused thereto. A laminator applies the top layer onto the reinforced carcass. A system of buffer rolls handles the loose portion of the profile layer or carcass guiding it.
Claims36
A system for making an endless, reinforced, layered belt comprising;
- an endless profile layer having a circumference and having a belt profile on the inside side and having a top side;
- a supply of top layer material suitable for laminating to said top side of said profile layer;
- a supply of continuous, tensile cord suitable for helical winding around said profile layer and embedding between said profile layer and said top layer;
- and
- an apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable cylindrical mandrel having a mandrel profile complementary to said belt profile and a circumference less than that of said profile layer so that only a portion of said profile layer can be engaged with said mandrel at any time;
- and
- an engaging roller positioned adjacent said mandrel for pressing said profile layer onto said mandrel inducing wrapped engagement of said profile layer on a wrap portion of the mandrel during rotation of the mandrel.
A method of making an endless, reinforced, layered belt comprising;
- providing an endless profile layer having a circumference and having a belt profile on the inside side and having a top side;
- providing a supply of top layer material suitable for laminating to said top side of said profile layer;
- providing a supply of continuous, tensile cord suitable for helical winding around said profile layer and embedding between said profile layer and said top layer;
- and
- engaging a wrap portion of said profile layer on a portion of a rotatable cylindrical mandrel having a mandrel profile complementary to said belt profile and a circumference less than that of said profile layer by forcibly engaging said profile layer on said mandrel;
- and
- with a remaining free portion of the profile layer not engaged on said mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.