DHANALAKASHMI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

UNIT - I

DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS

Selection of V Belts and Pulleys – Selection of Flat belts and Pulleys –Wire ropes and pulleys –
Selection of Transmission chains and Sprockets. Design of pulleys and sprockets.

Introduction

To transmit power, flexible elements such as belts chains and ropes are frequently used. Pullerys
are mounted on a shaft and a continuous belt or rope is passed over them. In belt and ropes,
power is transmitted due to friction between them and pulleys. In case of chain drives, sprocket
wheels are used.

Classification of Drives

Drives

Felxible Drives Direct Drives

Belt Rope Gear Drive Cam Drive

Chain

Types of Belts

1. Flat Belts
2. V – Belts
3. Ribbed Belts
4. Toothed or timing belts

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FLAT BELTS

V-BELTS

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RIBBED BELTS

TOOTHED OR TIMING BELTS

Selection of Flat Belt Drive

It depends on

 Power to be Transmitted
 Speed of Driver and Driven Shafts
 Shaft relationship
 Service conditions
 Speed reduction ratio
 Centre distance
 Positive drive requirement
 Space available

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Types of Flat Belt Drives

1. Open Belt Drive

Used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in same directions

2. Open Belt Drive with One Idler Pulley

Used with shafts arranged parallel and when an open belt drive cannot be used due to small angle
of contact on the smaller pulley.

Idler pulleys also known as jockey pulleys are provided to obtain high velocity ratio and when
the required belt tension can not be obtained by other means.

3. Open belt drive with many idler pulley

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Used when it is desired to transmit motion from one shaft to several parallel shafts

4. Crossed or twisted belt drive

Used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the opposite directions.

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5. Quarted twist or Quarter turn drive

Used with shafts arranged at right angles and rotating in one definite directions

6. Stepped or Cone pulley drive

Used for changing the speed of the driven shaft while the main or driving shaft runs at constant
speed.

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7. Fast and loose pulley

Used when the driven shaft is to be started or stopped whenever desired without interfering with
the driving shaft.

8. Compound drive

Used when several units are to be driven from one central shaft.

Belt Materials

The desirable properties of belt materials are

 High C.O.F
 Flexibility
 Durability
 Strength

1. Leather Belts
 made of animal hides
 Leathers for belting may be tanned with oak, or chrome salts.
 Oak tanned belt is fairly stiff
 Chrome tanned leather is soft and pliable

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Belts specified according to number of layers as single ply, double ply or triple ply belts.
Double belts or triple belts are made by cementing two or three strips together with hair sides
outside.

2. Fabric & Cotton Belts

Obtained by stitching two or more plies of canvas or cotton duck. Treated with linseed oil to
make it water proof. These belts are cheap and most suitable for farmwork, quarry and saw
mills.

3. Rubber Belts
 These belts are made up of plies of fabric impregnated with vulcanized rubber or
synthetic rubber.
 Easily made endless.
 Saw mills, creameries, chemical plants and paper mills largely use rubber belts

4. Balata Belts
Balata is gum similar to rubber. Balata belts are made in the same manner as the rubber belts
made. They are acid proof and water proof. These belts cannot be used at temperatures above
40°C, because at this temperature it softens and became sticky.

5. Nylon Core Belts

6. Camel’s Hair belts

Velocity ratio of belt drive

The ratio between the speeds of the driver and driven respectively.

Velocity ratio = N2/N1 = ω2/ω1 = D/d

Where D & d = diameter of driver and driven respectively

N2 & N1 = Speed of driven & driver respectively

ω2 & ω1 = Angular velocities of driven & driver respectively

Effect of belt thickness on velocity ratio

Considering the thickness of belt (t)

N2/N1 = (D + t)/(d + t)

Effect of slip on velocity ratio

Slip is defined as the relative motion between the belt and pulley.

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The difference between the linear speed of the pulley rim and belt is the measure
of slip.

The reason is, there is a tendency for the belt to carry with it on the underside
between the pulley and the belt. The frictional grip between the pulley and the grip is
insufficient.

The slip reduces the velocity ratio of the drive.

Slip can be reduced BY

 Roughening the belt by dressing

 By crowning the pulley

Let S1 = Percentage slip between the driver and the belt.

S2 = Percentage slip between the driven and the belt.

S = Total percentage slip = S1 + S2

Velocity ratio = N2/N1 = D/d [1 – ((S1 + S2)/100)] = D/d [1 – (S/100)]

If thickness of the belt (t) is considered, then

Velocity ratio = N2/N1 = (D+t)/(d+t) [1 – ((S1 + S2)/100)]

= (D+t)/(d+t) [1 – (S/100)]

Effect of creep on belt

Let σ1 = stresses in the belt on tight side

σ2 = stresses in the slack side

E = Young’s modulus of belt material

Velocity ratio = N2/N1 = (D)/(d) [[E + √ σ1 ]/[E + √ σ2 ]]

Law of Belting

Law of belting states that, the centre line of the belt, as it approaches the pulley, must lie in a
plane perpendicular to the axis of that pulley or must lie in the plane of the pulley. Otherwise the
belt will run off the pulley

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Power Transmitted by the belt

P = (T1 – T2 ) v watts

Where T1 = tension in the tight side.

T2 = tension in the slack side.

V = linear velocity of the belt in m/s

Centrifugal Tension (Tc)

As the belt moves round the pulley it would experience a centrifugal force which has the
tendency to separate the belt from the pulley surface.

To maintain the contact between pulley and belt, the centrifugal force produce additional tension
in the belt, this is known as the centrifugal tension.

Tc = waste load, increases the tension without increasing power capacity.

Tc = mV2

m = mass / unit length (Kg/m)

V = linear velocity (m/s)

Initial tension

To = [T1 + T2]/2 [neglecting centrifugal tension]

To = [T1 + T2 + 2Tc]/2 [considering centrifugal tension]

Maximum tension when the belt subjected to centrifugal tension

T = T1 + Tc

T = maximum stress X cross sectional area of the belt

=σbt

σ = maximum stress in N/m2

b = width in m

t = thickness in m

When Centrifugal tension taken for consideration

Tension in tight side is Tt1 = T1 + Tc

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Tension in tight side is Tt2 = T2 + Tc

Then Power Transmitted by the belt

P = (Tt1 – Tt2 ) V watt

After simplification P = (T1 – T2 ) V watt

It shows centrifugal tension doesn’t have any effect on power transmission.

Ratio of driving tensions of flat belt drive.

T1/T2 = eµα
Considering centrifugal tension

Tension ratio =
Tt1/Tt2 = (T1-mV2)/(T2 - mV2) = eµα

Where

µ = coefficient of friction between belt and pulley

α = angle of contact or angle of wrap

Condition for Maximum power transmission

The power transmitted is maximum when the centrifugal tension Tc is one third of the
maximum tension (T).

(i.e) T = 3 Tc

Maximum velocity V = √(T/3m)

Stresses in belt

1) Due to maximum working tension

σt = Tight side tension/cross section area. = T1 / (bxt)

2) Due to bending
σb = (E x t)/d.

3) Due to centrifugal force

σc = Tc / (bxt) = mv2/(bxt) = ρv2

since ρ = m/(bxt)

4) Maximum stress in tight side of smaller pulley

σmax = σt + σb + σc

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Design Procedure for flat belt drive using Manufactures Catalogue

Step 1 From the given data determine the design power using the following
procedure

a. From the center distance and dia of pulley find speed ration (I) XI + i = dia of
larger pulley / dia of smaller pulley.
i = Speed of smaller pulley

Speed of larger pulley

b. Calculate the velocity using the formula

V = dn / 60 or DN / 60

c. Determine the arc of contact from page 7.5A of data book and select the rating of
the belt at 10 m/s and 180 o

d. Determine the power rating for the belt for the actual velocity and the actual arc of
contact.

e. Fix the number of plies and calculate the rating of the belt.

f. Calculate the design power using the formula

Design power = Rated Power x Ks / Kc

Step 2 Determine the width of the belt using the formula width

Width = Design power and standardize it

Load Rating

Step 3 Calculate the pulley width and length of the belt

Step 4 Write the specification

Step 5 Do the pulley design, Calculate the dia of pulley, width of the pulley and
thickness of the pulley in from page No. 7.57
Step 6 Draw the neat diagram of pulley with dimensions.

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