Belt tensioning system, belt tensioner therefor and methods of making the same

In a belt tensioning system comprising a support means having an abutment means, an endless transmission belt construction carried by said support means and arranged to move in a certain path relative to said support means, an arm pivotally mounted to said support means, a pulley rotatably carried by said arm and being in engagement with said belt construction, and a wound coiled spring having opposed ends one of which is operatively interconnected to said abutment means of said support means and the other of which is operatively interconnected to said arm whereby the force of said wound coiled spring tends to pivot said arm in a direction that urges said pulley against said belt construction with a force that tensions said belt construction, the improvement wherein said arm has a shoulder means for being engaged by said one of said opposed ends of said wound coiled spring by the force of said wound coiled spring so as to permit removal of said arm and said wound coiled spring as a self-contained unit from said support means when said arm is pivoted to a certain position where said shoulder means of said arm engages said one end of wound coiled spring and effectively moves said one end of said wound coiled spring out of contact with said abutment means of said support means, said abutment means of said support means comprises an arcuate part of said support means and having a free end that is engageable with said one end of said wound coiled spring.