Belt and Chain Drives

ME 308
 Purpose

In this chapter, you will learn how to select suitable components for belt drives and chain
drives from commercially available designs.
You will also learn about available types of wire rope and principles of their application.
 What did you learn?

1. Describe the basic features of a belt drive system.

2. Describe several types of belt drives.
3. Specify suitable types and sizes of belts and sheaves
to transmit a given level of power at specified speeds for
the input and output sheaves.
4. Specify the primary installation variables for belt
drives, including center distance and belt length.
5. Describe the basic features of a chain drive system.
6. Describe several types of chain drives.
 What did you learn?

7. Specify suitable types and sizes of chains and sprockets to

transmit a given level of power at specified speeds for the input and
output sprockets.
8. Specify the primary installation variables for chain drives,
including center distance between the sheaves, chain length, and
lubrication requirements.
9. Describe the basic types of commercially available wire ropes, the
preferred methods of applying them, and the typical working loads.
Gear Driver Chain Driver Significance

• A chain drive may be used • Belt drives are typically used

when high rotational power for higher speeds and on
is transmitted at relatively applications requiring accurate
slow speeds and when registration between the shafts
lifting heavy loads, as on a of driving and driven machines.
fork-lift truck.
KINEMATICS OF BELT AND
CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS
KINEMATICS OF BELT AND
CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS
 Example

A synchronous belt drive system shown in Figure 7-5 is used as a speed reducer. The input shaft
rotates at 1000 rpm and has a 36-tooth sprocket with a pitch diameter of 3.609 in. The output shaft
has a 72-tooth sprocket with a pitch diameter of 7.218 in. The center distance between the two
shafts is 15.01 in.

Determine the following for the belt drive:

a. The velocity ratio
b. The angular velocity of the output shaft
c. The linear belt speed
d. The belt wrap on the input and output sprockets
e. The belt perimeter length
Example
Example
 TYPES OF BELT DRIVES

The flat belt is the simplest type, often made from

leather or rubber-coated fabric. The sheave surface is
also flat and smooth, and the driving force is
therefore limited by the pure friction between the
belt and the sheave. Some designers prefer flat belts
for delicate machinery because the belt will slip if the
torque tends to rise to a level high enough to
damage
the machine.
Synchronous belts, sometimes called timing belts,
ride on sprockets with mating grooves into which the
teeth are on the belt seat. This is a positive drive,
limited only by the belt's tensile strength and the
teeth' shear strength.
 TYPES OF BELT DRIVES

• The cogs give the belt greater flexibility and higher

efficiency compared with standard belts. They can
operate on smaller sheave diameters.
• The V-shape causes the belt to wedge tightly into the
groove, increasing friction and allowing high torques
to be transmitted before slipping occurs.
• The cords, made from natural fibers, synthetic
strands, or steel, are embedded in a firm rubber
compound to provide the flexibility needed to allow
the belt to pass around the sheave.
• The groove angle ranges from 34° to 42° depending
on the belt cross-section style and the pitch diameter.
V-BELT DRIVES
V-BELT DRIVES
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

■ The rated power of the driving motor or other prime mover

■The service factor based on the type of driver and driven load
■ The center distance
■The power rating for one belt as a function of the size
and speed of the smaller sheave
■The belt length
■The size of the driving and driven sheaves
■The correction factor for belt length
■The correction factor for the angle of wrap on the smaller
sheave
■The number of belts
■The initial tension on the belt
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

A few guidelines are given as follows:

■ The recommended maximum reduction ratio for a

plain V-belt drive is 6:1. For cogged belts it is 7:1.

For higher desired ratios use two or more stages of
reduction.
■Adjustment for the center distance must be provided

in both directions from the nominal value.

If fixed centers are required, idler pulleys should be
used. It is best to use a grooved idler on the inside
Idler pulley units are tensioning systems for belt drives of the belt, close to the large sheave. Adjustable
and idler units. They tensioners are commercially available to carry the
•increase the wrap angle in belt drives and can therefore idler.
support higher power levels or allow smaller units to be The nominal range of center distances should be
used, D2 < CD < 3(D2 + D1)
•Compensate for belt stretch resulting from operation
•Allow shorter center distances
•Reduce the wear on the belt drive
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

The angle of wrap on the smaller sheave should be greater than 120°.
■ Because of balancing, centrifugal stresses, belt whip, and other dynamic considerations, belt speeds should
be under 1500 m/min (5000 ft/min) or the supplier of the sheaves should be consulted. A recommended
maximum belt speed is 2000 m/min (6500 ft/min).
■ Consider an alternative type of drive, such as a gear type, synchronous belt drive, or chain, if the belt speed
is less than 305 m/min (1000 ft/min).
■ Avoid elevated temperatures around belts.
■ Ensure that the shafts carrying mating sheaves are parallel and that the sheaves are in alignment so that the
belts track smoothly into the grooves.
■ In multi-belt installations, matched belts are required. Match numbers are printed on industrial belts, with
50 indicating a belt length very close to nominal. Longer belts carry match numbers above 50; shorter
belts below 50.
■ Belts must be installed with the initial tension recommended by the manufacturer. Tension should be
checked after the first few hours of operation because seating and initial stretch occur.
■ Reported power transmission ratings typically are based on belt life of approximately 5000–7000 hours of
operation and about 25 000 hours for the sheaves.
V-BELT DRIVE Design

FIGURE 7–13 Sample

selection chart for
narrow-section
industrial V-belts
V-BELT DRIVE Design
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

The basic power rating for a speed ratio of 1.00

is given as the solid curve. A given belt can
carry a greater power as the speed ratio
increases, up to a ratio of approximately 3.38.
Further increases have little effect and may also
lead to trouble with the angle of wrap on the
smaller sheave.
FIGURE 7–14 Power rating: 3V belts
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

FIGURE 7–15 Power rating: 5V belts FIGURE 7–16 Power rating: 8V belts
 V-BELT DRIVE Design

The basic power rating for a speed ratio

of 1.00 is given as the solid curve. A given
belt can carry a greater power as the
speed ratio increases, up to a ratio of
approximately 3.38. Further increases
have little effect and may also lead to
trouble with the angle of wrap on the
smaller sheave.
V-BELT DRIVE Design

Figure 7–18 gives the value of a correction

factor, Cu, as a function of the angle of wrap of
the belt on the small sheave.
V-BELT DRIVE Design

Figure 7–19 gives the value of the correction

factor, CL, for belt length. A longer belt is
desirable because it reduces the frequency with
which a given part of the belt encounters the
stress peak as it enters the small sheave.
Only certain standard belt lengths are available.
For problems in this book, we use those listed
in Table 7–2.
V-BELT DRIVE Design
Example
Example
 Example

Step 5. Select trial sizes for the input sheave and

compute the desired size of the output sheave.
Select a standard size for the output sheave and
compute the actual ratio and output speed.
The two trials in boldface in Table 7–3 give only about
1% variation from the desired output speed
of 675 rpm, and the speed of a bucket elevator is not
critical. Because no space limitations were given,
let’s choose the larger size; D1 = 12.4 in; D2 = 21.1 in.
We can now compute the actual belt speed:

vb = D1n1/2 = (12.4 in/2)(1160 rev/min)(2p rad/rev)(1 ft/12 in) = 3766 ft/min

 Example

For the 5V belt that we have selected, Figure 7–15 is appropriate. For a
12.4-in sheave at 1160 rpm, the basic rated power is 26.4 hp. Multiple belts
will be required. The ratio is relatively high, indicating that some added
power rating can be used. This value can be estimated from Figure 7–15 or
taken directly from Figure 7–17 for the 5V belt. Power added is 1.15 hp.
Then the actual rated power is 26.4 + 1.15 = 27.55 hp.
Example
Example
 Select the proper belt
Determine D1
type (Fig.7-13)
considering the design
power and service
01 then
considering the
speed ratio
factor
determine D2,
and modify
diamiters using
Table 7-3
04 02

Calculate rating
03 Using Table 7-2
power by applying select L,
C-l and C-theta calculate CD
and theta1

What was your process?

 SYNCHRONOUS BELT
DRIVES
Synchronous belts provide a positive and trouble-free
transmission of power and offer these advantages:
■■ High capacity
■■ Highly accurate registration
■■ Low vibration
■■ Low noise
■■ No lubrication required
■■ No stretching due to wear
■■ Corrosion resistance
■■ Abrasion resistance
■■ Clean operation
 SYNCHRONOUS BELT
DRIVES
Belt Designation: 1760-8MGT-30
The first set of numbers (in mm) represents the belt
perimeter,
the second set represents the belt pitch with
the style of the tooth profile, and
the last number represents the belt width.
Therefore, this belt has a length of 1760 mm, a belt
pitch of 8 mm with a GT tooth profile, and a belt width
of 30 mm.
 SYNCHRONOUS BELT
DRIVES
Sprocket Designation: P72-8MGT-50
The first set of numbers (in mm) represents the number
of teeth,
the second set represents the belt pitch with the style
of tooth profile,
and the last number is the belt width.
Therefore this sprocket has 72 teeth, a 8-mm belt pitch
with GT tooth profile, and a belt width of 50 mm. The
pitch diameter of the 72-tooth sprocket is 7.218 in and
the flange diameter is 7.598 in.
SYNCHRONOUS BELT
DRIVES
SYNCHRONOUS BELT
DRIVES
SYNCHRONOUS BELT DRIVES
SYNCHRONOUS BELT DRIVES
General Selection Procedure
for Synchronous Belt Drives
General Selection Procedure
for Synchronous Belt Drives
General Selection Procedure
for Synchronous Belt Drives
General Selection Procedure
for Synchronous Belt Drives
Not acceptable
Found in step 8
 Alternate Configurations for Synchronous
Belt Drives

Idlers and belt tensioners are used to set the correct belt length and take up belt slack if fixed centers are required
between the driver and driven sprockets.
Alternate Configurations for Synchronous
Belt Drives
 CHAIN DRIVES

• A chain is a power transmission element made as a series

of pin-connected links. The design provides for flexibility
while enabling the chain to transmit large tensile forces.
• The most common type of chain is the roller chain, in which
the roller on each pin provides exceptionally low friction
between the chain and the sprockets.
• Roller chain is classified by its pitch, the distance between
corresponding parts of adjacent links. The pitch is usually
illustrated as the distance between the centers of adjacent
pins.
CHAIN DRIVES
CHAIN DRIVES
CHAIN DRIVES
 Design of Chain Drives

1. The ratings are based on the speed of the smaller sprocket and an expected life of approximately 15 000 h.
2. For a given speed, the power capacity increases with the number of teeth on the sprocket. Of course, the larger the
number of teeth, the larger the diameter of the sprocket. Note that the use of a chain with a small pitch on a large
sprocket produces the quieter drive.
3. For a given sprocket size (a given number of teeth), the power capacity increases with increasing speed up to a point;
then it decreases. Fatigue due to the tension in the chain governs at the low to moderate speeds; impact on the sprockets
governs at the higher speeds. Each sprocket size has an absolute upper-limit speed due to the onset of galling between the
pins and the bushings of the chain. This explains the abrupt drop in power capacity to zero at the limiting speed.
4. The ratings are for a single strand of chain. Although multiple strands do increase the power capacity, they do not
provide a direct multiple of the single-strand capacity. Multiply the capacity in the tables by the following factors.
Two strands: Factor = 1.7
Three strands: Factor = 2.5
Four strands: Factor = 3.3
 Design of Chain Drives

5. The chain manufacturer’s ratings are for a service factor of 1.0. Specify a service factor for a given application as
shown in Table 7–16. The combination of the nature of the driving member and the driven machine permit the
selection of the service factor. Then compute the design power, Pdes, from,
Pdes = SF(P)
where P is the power delivered to the chain drive.
Design of Chain Drives
Design of Chain Drives
Design of Chain Drives
Design of Chain Drives
Design of Chain Drives
Design of Chain Drives
 Method of Lubrication.

The American Chain Association recommends three different types of

lubrication depending on the speed of operation and the power being
transmitted.
Type A. Manual or drip lubrication: For manual lubrication, oil is applied
copiously with a brush or a spout can, at least once every 8 hours of
operation. For drip feed lubrication, oil is fed directly onto the link plates
of each chain strand.
Type B. Bath or disc lubrication: The chain cover provides a sump of oil
into which the chain dips continuously. Alternatively, a disc or a slinger
can be attached to one of the shafts to lift oil to a trough above the lower
strand of chain. The trough then delivers a stream of oil to the chain.
The chain itself, then, does not need to dip into the oil.
Type C. Oil stream lubrication: An oil pump delivers a continuous stream
of oil on the lower part of the chain.
Method of
Lubrication
 Example Problem

A drive for a heavily loaded conveyor for use in the fields of a

large commercial produce farm to take heavy containers of
potatoes from the field onto trucks that will transport them to
the processing plant. The conveyor is to be driven by a gasoline
engine delivering 15.0 hp at a speed of 900 rpm. The conveyor
pulley speed is to be 230 to 240 rpm. Design the chain drive.
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem The chain length must be an integral
multiple of the pitch and an even
number of pitches is recommended.
Example Problem
Example Problem
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