Damping mechanism for a tensioner

A tensioner for tensioning a power transmission belt and of the type with a base;

• a pivot-arm that rotates about a pivot secured with the base;
• a pulley attached to the pivot-arm for engaging the belt and receiving a belt load;
• a torsional spring with one end connected to the pivot-arm and another end interconnecting through the base and generating a spring force operative with a damping means that generates a normal force component to part of a cylindrical member to a cylindrical surface and wherein the improvement to the damping means comprises:
• a brake shoe with 1) an outer, arcuate friction surface that engages a complimentary inside surface of the cylindrical member, and 2) first and second oppositely facing, inside ramp surfaces with a space intercept at an apex of an angle defined between the two ramp surfaces;
• the base having a complementary ramp surface that slideably engages the first ramp surface of the brake shoe;
• the spring end interconnecting through the base having an extension that slideably engages and applies the generated spring force to the second ramp surface of the brake shoe;
• and
• whereby the spring force applied to the second ramp surface in combination with a reactive force at the first ramp surface of the brake shoe generates the normal force.