BELTS , ROPES

&chain DRIVE
(Flexible Machine
Elements)

Sarfaraz shaikh
Faculty of Mechanical Engg.
Symbiosis Institute of
Technology
BELTS & ROPES DRIVE
Belts or ropes are used to transmit power from
one shaft to another by means of pulleys.
 Flexible M/c Elements
1. Conveying systems :
Transportation of coal, mineral ores etc. over a long
distance
2. Transmission of power:
Mainly used for running of various industrial
appliances using prime movers like electric
motors, I.C. Engine etc.
3. Replacement of rigid type power
transmission system:
Gear drive Belt transmission system
 Inherent advantages of belt

 Can take care of some degree of misalignment between

the driven and the driver machines

 Noise and vibration are damped out. Machinery life is

prolonged because load fluctuations are cushioned
 They are lubrication-free. They require only low
maintenance.
 Advantages
 Simple and economical (Very economical when
shafts are separated by large distances)
 Parallel shafts are not required (Some
misalignment is tolerable)
 They are highly efficient (90–98%, usually
95%).
 Disadvantages
• Speed ratio is not constant (slip & stretch)
• Heat accumulation ?????
• Speed limited – 35 m/sec.
• Power limited - 700 kW
• Some adjustment of center distance or use of
an idler pulley is necessary for wear and stretch
compensation.
Amount of power transmitted depends upon the
following factors :
1. The velocity of the belt.

2. The tension under which the belt is placed on the pulleys.

3. The arc of contact between the belt and the smaller pulley.

4. In order to obtain good results with flat belts, the maximum

distance between the shafts should not exceed 10 meters and the
minimum should not be less than 3.5 times the diameter of the
larger pulley
Selection Of Belt
1. Speed of the driving and driven shafts,
2. Speed reduction ratio,
3. Power to be transmitted,
4. Centre distance between the shafts,
5. Positive drive requirements,
6. Shafts layout,
7. Space available, and
8. Service conditions.
 Types of Belts
Flat belt :
is mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a low
amount of power is to be transmitted, from one pulley to another,
when the two pulleys are not more than 8 metres apart.
 V belt :
 It is mostly used in the factories and workshops , where a moderate /
high amount of power is to be transmitted when the Two pulleys are
very near to each other.
 V c/s gives wedging action increasing friction.
 Circular belt:

is mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a

great amount of power is to be transmitted, from one
pulley to another, when the two pulleys are more than 8
meters apart.
 Material used for Belts
1. Leather belts

2. Cotton or fabric belts

3. Rubber belt

4. Balata belts(acid proof and water

proof)
YPES OF FLAT BELT DRIVES
1. Open belt drive
is used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the same
direction. In this case, the driver pulls the belt from one side and
delivers it to the other side .Thus the tension in the lower side belt will
be more than that in the upper side belt. The lower side belt (because
of more tension) is known as tight side whereas the upper side belt
(because of less tension) is known as slack side.
2. Crossed or twist belt drive :
The crossed or twist belt drive, is used with shafts arranged
parallel and rotating in the opposite directions.
 Cross Drive Open Drive

Limited to Low-Torque Applications Driving

Force restricted to Pure Friction
3. Quarter turn belt drive
-The quarter turn belt drive
also known as right angle belt
drive , is used with shafts
arranged at right angles and
rotating in one definite
direction . -In order to prevent
the belt from leaving the
pulley, the width of the face of
the pulley should be greater or
equal to 1.4 b, where b is the
width of belt.
Belt drive with idler pulleys
A belt drive with an idler
pulley, , is used with shaft
arranged parallel and when an
open belt drive cannot be used
due to small angle of contact on
the smaller pulley. This type of
drive is provided to obtain high
velocity ratio and when the
required belt tension cannot be
obtained by other means.
ompound belt drive :

A compound belt drive, is used

when power is transmitted from
one shaft to another through a
number of pulleys.
epped or cone pulley dri
A stepped or cone pulley
drive , is used for
changing the speed of
the driven shaft while
the main or driving shaft
runs at constant speed .
This is accomplished by
shifting the belt from
one part of the steps to
the other.
 Fast and loose pulley
is used when the driven ordrive
machine
shaft is to be started or stopped when
ever desired without interfering with the
driving shaft. A pulley which is keyed to
the machine shaft is called fast pulley
and runs at the same speed as that of
machine shaft. A loose pulley runs
freely over the machine shaft and is
incapable of transmitting any power.
 Velocity Ratio of Belt Drive
The ratio between the velocities of driver pulley and driven pulley is known as velocity ratio. It may
be expressed, mathematically, as discussed below :
Let d1 = Diameter of the driver,
d2 = Diameter of the follower
N1 = Speed of the driver in r.p.m., and
N2 = Speed of the follower in r.p.m.

 
Length of the belt that passes over the driver and the follower in one minute will be l1 = πd1 N1 and
l2 = π d2 n2, respectively.
 
: Since, the lengths are equal
 
πd1 N1 = π d2 N2
 
Where, N2/N1 is the velocity ratio. If we take the thickness of belt into account then above
expression can be written as
 
N2 / N1 = d1 + t / d2 + t
 Ve l o c i t y R a t i o o f a C o m p o u n d B e l t D r i v e

Sometimes the power is transmitted from one shaft to another, through a number
of pulleys.
Consider a pulley 1 driving the pulley 2. Since the pulleys 2 and 3 are keyed to
the same shaft, therefore the pulley 1 also drives the pulley 3 which, in turn,
drives the pulley 4.
Let d1 = Diameter of the pulley 1,
N1 = Speed of the pulley 1 in r.p.m.,
d2, d3, d4, and N2, N3, N4= Corresponding values for pulleys 2, 3 and 4.
We know that velocity ratio of pulleys 1 and 2,
 Slip of Belt:

Sometimes, the frictional grip

becomes insufficient. This may
cause some forward motion of
the driver without carrying the
belt with it. This may also cause
some forward motion of the belt
without carrying the driven
pulley with it. This is called slip
of the belt
An engine, running at 150 r.p.m., drives a line shaft by means of a
belt. The engine pulley is 750 mm diameter and the pulley on the
line shaft being 450 mm. A 900 mm diameter pulley on the line
shaft drives a 150 mm diameter pulley keyed to a dynamo shaft.
Find the speed of the dynamo shaft, when 1. there is no slip, and
2. there is a slip of 2% at each drive.
 Creep of Belt
When the belt passes from the slack side to the tight
side, a certain portion of the belt extends and it
contracts again when the belt passes from the tight
side to slack side. Due to these changes of length,
there is a relative motion between the belt and the
pulley surfaces. This relative motion is termed as
creep.

the velocity ratio is given by :

• σ1 and σ2 = Stress in the belt on the tight and slack side respectively, and
• E = Young’s modulus for the material of the belt.
The power is transmitted from a pulley 1 m diameter running at
200 r.p.m. To a pulley 2.25 m diameter by means of a belt. Find
the speed lost by the driven pulley as a result of
creep, if the stress on the tight and slack side of the belt is 1.4
MPa and 0.5 MPa respectively. The Young’s modulus for the
material of the belt is 100 MPa.
Power Transmitted by a Belt
• T1 and T2 = Tensions in the
tight and slack side of the belt
respectively in newtons ,
• r1 and r2 = Radii of the driver
and follower respectively,
• v = Velocity of the belt in m/s.
Ratio of Driving Tensions For Flat Belt Drive

Angle of Contact
Find the power transmitted by a belt running over a pulley of
600 mm diameter at 200 r.p.m. The coefficient of friction
between the belt and the pulley is 0.25, angle of lap 160° and
maximum tension in the belt is 2500 N
A casting weighing 9 kN hangs freely from a rope which makes
2.5 turns round a drum of 300 mm diameter revolving at 20
r.p.m. The other end of the rope is pulled by a man. The
coefficient of friction is 0.25. Determine
1. The force required by the man, and
2. The power to raise the casting.
Two pulleys, one 450 mm diameter and the other 200 mm diameter are on
parallel shafts 1.95 m apart and are connected by a crossed belt. Find the
length of the belt required and the angle of contact between the belt and
each pulley. What power can be transmitted by the belt when the larger
pulley rotates at 200 rpm, if the maximum permissible tension in the belt is 1
kN, and the coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley is 0.25 ?
 Centrifugal Tension
• Belt continuously runs over the pulleys, therefore, some
centrifugal force is caused, whose effect is to increase
the tension on both, tight as well as the slack sides.
• The tension caused by centrifugal force is called
centrifugal tension.
• At lower belt speeds (less than 10 m/s), the centrifugal
tension is very small, but at higher belt speeds its effect
is considerable and thus should be taken into account.

m = Mass of the belt per unit length in kg,

v = Linear velocity of the belt in m/s
 Maximum Tension in the Belt
T = σ . b. t

σ = Maximum safe stress in N/mm2,

b = Width of the belt in mm, and
t = Thickness of the belt in mm.
A shaft rotating at 200 r.p.m. drives another shaft at 300 rpm.
and transmits 6 kW through a belt. The belt is 100 mm wide
and 10 mm thick. The distance between the shafts is 4m. The
smaller pulley is 0.5 m in diameter. Calculate the stress in the
belt, if it is 1. an open belt drive, and 2. a cross belt drive. Take
μ = 0.3.
T = σ . b. t

T = σ . b. t
σ =1.267 MPa
A leather belt is required to transmit 7.5 kW from a pulley 1.2 m in
diameter, running at 250 r.p.m. The angle embraced is 165° and
the coefficient of friction between the belt and the pulley is 0.3. If
the safe working stress for the leather belt is 1.5 MPa, density of
leather 1000 kg/m3 and thickness of belt 10 mm, determine the
width of the belt taking centrifugal tension into account.

b = 65.8 mm
 Initial Tension in the Belt
• The motion of the belt from the driver and the follower is
governed by a firm grip, due to friction between the belt and
the pulleys.
• In order to increase this grip, the belt is tightened up. At this
stage, even when the pulleys are stationary, the belt is
subjected to some tension, called initial tension
• In a flat belt drive the initial tension is 2000 N. The coefficient
of friction between the belt and the pulley is 0.3 and the angle
of lap on the smaller pulley is 150°. The smaller pulley has a
radius of 200 mm and rotates at 500 r.p.m. Find the power in
kW transmitted by the belt.
 V-belt drive
V-belt is mostly used in factories and workshops where a great amount of power is to be transmitted
from one pulley to another when the two pulleys are very near to each other.
Cross Section of V-Belt & Grooved pulley
 Advantages of V-belt Drive Over Flat Belt
Drive
1. The V-belt drive gives compactness due to the small distance between
the centres of pulleys.

2. The drive is positive, because the slip between the belt and the pulley
groove is negligible.

3. Since the V-belts are made endless and there is no joint trouble,
therefore the drive is smooth.

4. It provides longer life, 3 to 5 years.

5. It can be easily installed and removed.

6. The operation of the belt and pulley is quiet.

7. The belts have the ability to cushion the shock when machines are
started.

8. The high velocity ratio (maximum 10) may be obtained.

 Disadvantages of V-Belt
1. The V-belt drive cannot be used with large centre distances.

2. The construction of pulleys for V-belts is more complicated than pulleys for flat belts.

3. Since the V-belts are subjected to certain amount of creep, therefore these are not
suitable for constant speed application such as synchronous machines, and timing
devices.

4. The belt life is greatly influenced with temperature changes, improper belt tension and
mismatching of belt lengths.

5. The centrifugal tension prevents the use of V-belts at speed above 50m/s.
 Rope Drive :
The rope drives are widely used where a large amount of power is to be
transmitted, from one pulley to another, over a considerable distance.
types of ropes :
1. Fibre ropes
2. Wire ropes
 Advantages of Fibre Rope Drives
1. They give smooth, steady and quiet service.
2. They are little affected by out door conditions.
3. The shafts may be out of strict alignment.
4. The power may be taken off in any direction and in
fractional parts of the whole amount.
5. They give high mechanical efficiency
 Sheave for Fibre Ropes

The fibre ropes are usually circular in cross-section. The sheave for the fibre ropes is
shown in Fig. The groove angle of the pulley for rope drives is usually 45°. The
grooves in the pulleys are made narrow at the bottom and the rope is pinched
between the edges of the V-groove to increase the holding power of the rope on the
pulley.
 Wire Ropes
When a large amount of power is to be transmitted
over long distances from one pulley to another
(i.e. when the pulleys are upto 150 metres apart),
then wire ropes are used.

Advantages of Wire Rope :

1. These are lighter in weight,
2. These offer silent operation,
3. These can withstand shockloads,
4. These are more reliable,
5. They do not fail suddenly,
6. These are more durable,
7. The efficiency is high, and
8. The cost is low.
 Chain Drives

We have seen in belt and rope

drives that slipping may occur. In order
to avoid slipping, steel chains are used.
The chains are made up of rigid links
which are hinged together in order to
provide the necessary flexibility for
warping around the driving and driven
wheels. The wheels have projecting teeth
and fit into the corresponding recesses,
in the links of the chain as shown in Fig.
11.23. The wheels and the chain are thus
constrained to move together without
slipping and ensures perfect velocity
ratio. The toothed wheels are known as
sprocket wheels or simply sprockets.
These wheels resemble to spur gears
 Chain drives
Advantages
1. As no slip takes place during chain drive, hence perfect velocity ratio is
obtained.
2. Since the chains are made of metal, therefore they occupy less space in
width than a belt or rope drive.
3. The chain drives may be used when the distance between the shafts is
less.
4. The chain drive gives a high transmission efficiency (upto 98 per cent).
5. The chain drive has the ability of transmitting motion to several shafts by
one chain only.
Disadvantages
1. The production cost of chains is relatively high.
2. The chain drive needs accurate mounting and careful maintenance.
3. The chain drive has velocity fluctuations especially when unduly stretched.
 Comparison of Transmission Types
Type Chain Toothed belt V-belt Gears
 Synchronisation Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent

 Efficiency Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent

 Shock Fair Good Excellent Poor
 Noise Fair Good Excellent Poor
 Lubrication Required None None Required
 Layout flexibility Excellent Good Fair Poor

 Excess Load on Excellent Fair Poor Excellent

bearing

 Low speed+high Good Good Poor Excellent

load

 High speed Fair Good Excellent Fair

THE END