US2760626A - Traction device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1956 J. w. BOUGHTON TRACTION DEVICE Filed Dec. '7, 1953 a v 7 5 2722/ 672 for";

United States Pat I2,760,626 'mrcnonusvren .elai'ns W.=-Bo'u"ghton, 'Chicago, IlL, 'assignor to Electric -Parts Gorporation, @hicago, Ill., a corporation -'of Illi- -nis invention "relates to traction devices adapted "for of tubing, hose. -or--strip stock. ltrmay also serve as a drive for various types of machines, or forrnoving a "wire-o1- tape through "ainagnetie'recording machine.

Briefly, the present invention comprises two endless belts extending around a plurality of sheaves, the belts converging into the annular groove of one sheave to frictionally engage therein the wire, or other material to be moved, and the belts diverging from the groove of said one sheave at a point circumferentially spaced from their point of convergence to free the wire for movement away from the sheave.

Traction devices heretofore employed for moving wire and the like usually comprised a pair of coacting nip rolls which merely engage points at opposite sides of the wire. The present invention contemplates the provision of a traction device in which line contact frictional engagement is provided along three sides of the material being moved to insure adequate traction without damage to the material.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a traction device in which the several parts thereof are formed and arranged to facilitate threading of a length of flexible material thereinto for movement therethrough.

Another object of the invention resides in the provi sion of a traction device which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and reliable in operation.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating a traction device embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, corresponding to Fig. 3, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, corresponding to Fig. 3, illustrating another modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of the invention and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 therein, the traction device is shown as comprising shafts 6, 7 and 8 journaled for rotational and non-axial movement in suitable bearings provided in side frames 9-9, the shaft 6 being connected to an electric motor or other source of power (not shown).

A driving sheave 11 is keyed to the shaft 6, a pair of axially spaced driven sheaves 12 and 13 are keyed on 2,760,626 l l atented' wu'g. 28,1956

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the diiVenshaft Zand 'a-pair 'oflaxially =spacedtensidn adjusitmer'it' sheaves 14 and 16 are keyedonthe shaft ll.

Apair-of-endless belts I7 and 18 are "mounted on the sheaves 1' 2 -'14 and I3'1'6, respectively, and "converge therefrom into the annular "groove '19 of the driving sheave 1'1. 'As'illustr'ated in the drawingftlie upperiii lits of the belts 17 'and' T8 converge fromtheir-respective .20 For example, the traction device is .adapted-for:-use in' sheave toward their res ective "tension'aiijustmentslreaves 1'4- and I6.

*As viewed in transverse's'e'ction "inFigJZftIie annllIar groove -19 ofthe"drivingsheaveffl'is de ned bybpposed, axially spaced annu1ar-rider-miracles 21 21 convergin inwardly *tow art! "and mergin with a circular "inner-aurface Z22, and the endless 'blts "17 and aref'of "circular crosssection for enga ement 'between *tiie siue'surfaces n -oi "and biased -towar'dthe inner-surface 22, fbyz tl ie tensionfatljustment sheavesfl l and to causewiref w, or the like, "to be engaged between the "belts "and against {the innei- -surf ce' z'r-throughoutaportion dfthecircurhings 2323 adjustably mounted*in"slots"24 24"forlned in the side frames 9-9, the bearings being adjustably positioned within their respective slots by means of adjustment screws 26-26 threaded through bosses 27-27 on the side frames to increase or decrease the tension applied to the endless belts.

In the operation of the traction device thus shown and described, the wire W is frictionally engaged between the surface 22 of the driving sheave and the endless belts throughout a portion of the circumference of said surface and is progressively fed through the device for discharge to any desired place, such as a hopper. It will also be noted that the clamping force exerted by the endless belts against the wire may readily be varied by means of the adjustment screws 26-46.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which the traction device is provided with a pair of conventional endless belts 31-31 of the type commonly referred to as V-belts, the belts being formed and arranged to engage a wire W against the inner surface 22 of a groove 19 formed in a driving sheave 11. This form of the invention is otherwise similar to the form heretofore shown and described.

Fig. 5 illustrates another modified form of the invention in which the traction device is provided with a pair of endless belts 3232 of triangular section mounted within the grooved driving sheave 11 to engage a wire W. This form of the invention is otherwise similar to the form heretofore described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 in the drawing.

While this invention has been shown in several forms, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim:

1. In a traction device for moving a flexible element, a rotatable traction sheave having an annular groove defined by inwardly converging side surfaces and a circular inner surface, two endless driving belts engaged side by side between the side surfaces of said groove to clamp the flexible element against a segment of the circumference of said inner surface, said belts diverging from opposite sides of said sheave in planes substantially tangent to said sheave.

2. In a traction device for moving a flexible element, a rotatable traction sheave having an annular groove defined by inwardly converging side surfaces and a circular inner surface, two endless driving belts engaged side by side between the side surfaces of said groove to clamp the flexible element against a segment of the circumference of said inner surface, a pair of driven sheaves I engaged by related belts, said driven sheaves being axially spaced from said traction sheave and laterally spaced from each other, a pair of axially spaced belt tensioning sheaves engaged by relatedbelts, said belts converging v from their respective driven sheaves for side by side' abutting engaging within said traction sheave.

3. In a traction device for moving a flexible element, a rotatable traction sheave having an annular groove defined by inwardly converging side surfaces and a circular inner surface, two endless driving belts engaged side by side between the side surfaces of said groove to clamp the flexible element against a segment of the circumference of said inner surface, a pair of driven sheaves engaged by related belts, said driven sheaves being axially spaced from said traction sheaves and laterally spaced from each other one on each side of the traction sheave,

: respective tensioning sheaves.

4. In a traction device for moving a flex'ibleelernent, a rotatable traction sheave having an annuiar groove defined by inwardly converging side surfaces and a circular inner surface, two endless driving belts engaged side by side between the side surfaces of said groove to clamp the flexible element against a segment of the circumference of said inner surface, a pair of driven sheaves engaged by related belts, saiddriven sheaves being axially spaced from said traction sheave and laterally spaced from each other one on each side of the traction sheave, a pair of belt tensioning sheaves engaged by related belts, said belt tensioning sheaves being axially spaced from said traction sheave and laterally spaced from each other one on each side of said traction sheave, said belts converging from their respective driven sheaves for side by side abutting engaging within said traction sheave, said belts diverging from said traction sheave toward their respective tensioning sheaves, and means to adjust the position of said tensioning sheaves relative to said traction and driven sheaves to vary the clamping force exerted by said belts against said element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bacon Oct. 18, 1949

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