Adjustable V-belt

Abstract

A V-belt for coupling at least two pulleys together, the pulleys having a substantially V-shaped groove, the belt being manually installable without moving or adjusting the distance between the pulleys. The particular usage of the present invention is for temporary (emergency) or permanent installation of a "fan" belt found on (but not limited to) conventional vehicles of the V-belt type. The device allows anyone, upon the destruction of a fan belt, to readily and quickly install a temporary pulley belt manually, without tools. For a permanent installation, a small implement may be used with the present device for increased tensioning of the belt in its proper position. The improved belt includes first and second free ends (male and female respectively that are firmly connected together by longitudinally interlocking a plurality of laterally disposed, inclined teeth located near the male end with lateral rows of inclined grooves located in an interlock passage in the female end. During installation, once the belt is positioned around the pulleys, the male end is inserted into the interlock passage. The male end is tapered for a short length in thickness for easy insertion (expanding away from the end point) to let a length of excess belt through the female end where the tightening device may be used. Beyond the tapered segment, the belt (male end) remains the same thickness to the female end. The interlocking force increases as a function of the length of the male end received through the interlock passage because of the increasing thickness of the male end.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.