Belt tension control system
First Claim
1. A belt tension control system for maintaining tension in an endless drive belt entrained about a drive wheel and an idler wheel, said idler wheel being movable relative to the drive wheel for adjusting the tension in the belt, comprising:
- a hydraulic actuator including a cylinder, a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder and defining an actuating chamber, and a piston rod connected to the piston, one of the cylinder and the piston rod being operatively connected to one of the wheels and movable in a first direction to increase tension in the belt when the actuating chamber is pressurized;
a pump;
conduit means connecting the pump to the actuating chamber;
means for establishing a fluid pressure in the conduit means and the actuating chamber at a level sufficient to generate a predetermined belt tension in the belt when the pump is operating;
recoil means for permitting the displacement of pressurized fluid from the actuating chamber so that said one of the cylinder and the piston rod can move in a second opposite direction when foreign matter becomes trapped between the drive belt and one of the wheels; and
means for frictionally locking the piston rod relative to the cylinder and maintaining the predetermined belt tension in the belt when the pump stops operating and the fluid pressure established by the fluid pressure establishing means drops below a predetermined level.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Hydraulic recoil mechanisms are useful, for example, in maintaining desired tension in the drive belts of vehicles. The hydraulic components of such mechanisms are prone to leakage over an extended period of frictionally driven belted non-usage and thereby allow the tension in the belts to gradually decrease. The subject belt tension control system includes a friction locking device to automatically lock the piston rod relative to the cylinder to maintain a predetermined level of tension in the belt when the pump which furnishes pressurized hydraulic fluid to the system stops operating. Thus, the frictional couple between the belt and the drive wheel is maintained during periods of non-use and the parking brake is effective to hold the vehicle at a stationary position.
48 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A belt tension control system for maintaining tension in an endless drive belt entrained about a drive wheel and an idler wheel, said idler wheel being movable relative to the drive wheel for adjusting the tension in the belt, comprising:
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a hydraulic actuator including a cylinder, a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder and defining an actuating chamber, and a piston rod connected to the piston, one of the cylinder and the piston rod being operatively connected to one of the wheels and movable in a first direction to increase tension in the belt when the actuating chamber is pressurized; a pump; conduit means connecting the pump to the actuating chamber; means for establishing a fluid pressure in the conduit means and the actuating chamber at a level sufficient to generate a predetermined belt tension in the belt when the pump is operating; recoil means for permitting the displacement of pressurized fluid from the actuating chamber so that said one of the cylinder and the piston rod can move in a second opposite direction when foreign matter becomes trapped between the drive belt and one of the wheels; and means for frictionally locking the piston rod relative to the cylinder and maintaining the predetermined belt tension in the belt when the pump stops operating and the fluid pressure established by the fluid pressure establishing means drops below a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification