Thermoplastic belt connector
AssigneeThermodrive LLC
InventorsEdward T. Mol, James Honeycutt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoplastic toothed belt connector (10, 50) for making an endless belt (12) has two leaves (20, 22, 58, 60), adapted to be hingedly connected to each other by knuckles (28, 30, 60, 62) along one or more teeth (38, 52, 54). Each knuckle (28, 30, 60, 62) has a hole (42, 72) extending through tooth portions (39) so that when the holes (42, 72) are in the registry, a pin (32, 74) can be extended through the holes (42, 72) to form the hinge at the teeth (38, 52, 54). The leaves (20, 22, 58, 60) can be adjoined to the ends of a thermoplastic belt (12) to make the belt endless.
Claims23
A thermoplastic belt without interlocking links comprising a belt connector to make the belt endless, wherein the belt connector comprises two leaves, one of the leaves having at least two knuckles and the other leaf having at least one knuckle, all knuckles having a hole therethrough, each leaf having a flat side substantially free of discontinuities wherein the knuckles are coplanar with the flat side, and further having an opposed butt end secured to the belt, and a pin adapted to extend through the holes of the knuckles when the holes are in registry to hingedly secure the leaves to each other.
A method of making a belt connector comprising the steps of:
- molding a piece of thermoplastic material with a flat on one side and three teeth on the other side, a center tooth having a hole extending therethrough;
- and
- cutting the piece into two leaves along the center tooth wherein at least two knuckles are formed in one leaf and one knuckle is formed in the other leaf, each knuckle having a tooth portion with a hole through it.
A thermoplastic belt connector for connecting the ends of a thermoplastic belt to make an endless belt, the belt connector comprising two leaves, one of the leaves having at least two knuckles and the other leaf having at least one knuckle, all knuckles having a hole therethrough, each leaf having a flat side substantially free of discontinuities wherein the knuckles are coplanar with the flat side, and further having an opposed butt end adapted to be secured to a belt, and a pin adapted to extend through the holes of the knuckles when the holes are in registry to hingedly secure the leaves to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.