Belt drives and chain drives are the major types

of flexible power transmission elements

Objectives of the chapter:
1. Describe the basic features of a belt drive
system
2. Describe of several types of belt drives
3. Specify suitable types and sizes of belts and
sheaves
4. Specify the primary installation variables for
belt drives
5. Describe the basic features of a chain drive
system
6. Describe several types of chain drives
 Area application of the belt drives
Belt drives are applied where the rotational
speeds are relatively high .
The linear speed of a belt is 762-1981 m/min,
which results in relatively low tensile forces in the
belt.
The high speed of the electromotor makes
belt drives somewhat ideal for that first
stage of reduction.

Belts operate on sheaves or pulleys, whereas

chains operate on toothed wheels called
sprockets.
 Disadvantages of the belt drives
At lower speeds, the tension in the belt becomes too large
for typical belt cross sections, and slipping up tp 3%may
occur between the sides of the belt and the pulley that
carries it.

At higher speeds, dynamic effects such as centrifugal

forces, belt whip, catch of air, and vibration reduce the
effectiveness of the drive and its life.
Improvement of the belt drives
Some belt designs employ high-strength, reinforcing
strands and a cogged design that engages matching
grooves in the pulleys to enhance their ability to transmit
the high forces at low speeds.
 Basic belt
drive geometry

The belt is placing around the two sheaves while the center
distance between them is reduced, then sheaves are moved apart
Friction causes the belt to grip the driving sheave, increasing the
tension in one side, called the "tight side," of the drive
The opposite side of the belt is still under tension (at a smaller
value) that is called the "slack side."
 TYPES OF BELT DRIVES
Types of belts: flat belts, grooved or cogged belts,
standard V-belt, double-angle V-belts, and others.

Wrapped Die cut, cog type Synchronous belt

construction

Poly-rib belt Vee band Double angle V-belt

 The belt drives are classified on
the basis of peripheral speed

1. Light drives: the transmission of small powers at belt

speeds up to 12m/s (agriculture machines, small
machine tools, etc)
2. Medium drives: for medium powers at 12 24 m/s
(machine tools, cars, etc).
3. Heavy drives: for large powers and speed > 24m/s
(generators, compressors, main drives)
The flat belt is the simplest type, and made
from leather, fabric or rubber-coated fabric.
 Crossed belt or
twist belt drive

Belt drive with idle

pulley or Jockey pulley

The coefficient of friction between the belt material and

the pulley surface: = 0.15 0.5

Tension for the belt material f = 0.27 1.7 N/mm2

 Stress in the belt

Tension ft = F/bt
b width of a belt

1. Initial tension fi = f1 + f2
2. Stress due to bending of the belt over the pulley
fb = E(t/D)
E module of elasticity of the belt material
3. Stress due to the effect of centrifugal force
fc = Fc/bt = V2,
fc= 0, if V < 10 m/s
density of the belt material (1000 1400)kg/m3
V = 15-20m/s recommended

4. The maximum stress fmax = fi + fb + fc

5. Ratio of driving and driven forces F1/F2 = e

There are standard belt width (25 600)mm, and

thickness (5 12)mm
 Design of the belt drives
The belt drive is designed for the power to be transmitted
that depends upon:
difference in belt tension,
coefficient of friction,
area of contact and
center distance
Design power P = (F1 F2)Vs = TtV (w)
F1 tension on the tight side (N)
F2 tension on the slack side (N)
V belt speed (m/s)
Ft net belt pull (N)
s = (1.2 1.4) service factor (oily, jerky loads
shock, reversed load)
 Belt section
bt = F1/ftC1 for V < 10 m/s
bt =F1/(ft V2)C1 for V > 10 m/s
ft allowable stress in a belt (N/mm2)
C1 = 0.6 1.0 - a corrector factor depending upon
the angle of center line of drive with horizontal,
type of drives

General belt equation

F1 F2 = bt(ft - V2)[(e 1)/ e]

 Pulley size

D > 50t D = 1.2(P/nmax)1/3 B = 1.2b d = 0.005D + 3

Number of spokes n = 4 (D = 200-450), n = 6 D > 450,
H = 0.8do, h = H/2
V-belt drive is a widely used type of belt
in industrial drives and vehicular application.

The V-shape causes the belt to wedge tightly

into the groove, increasing friction and allowing
high torques to be transmitted

The belts have high-strength cords positioned

at the pitch diameter of the belt cross section
to increase the tensile strength of the belt.

The cords, made from natural fibers, synthetic

strands, or steel. are embedded in a firm rubber
compound
 Advantages of the V belts drive
1. Higher velocity ratio up to 7 10
2. Provide long life, 3 5 years
3. Possibility of using small center distance
4. Transmit higher torsional moment at less width and
tensions
Disadvantages
1. Cannot be used with large center distances
2. Subjected to a certain amount of creep
3. More complex design
4. Belt life above 82oC and below 15o is shortened
5. Centrifugal force prevents the use at speed above
50m/s and at speed below 5m/s are not economical
 Typical V-belt section and groove geometry

1.The pulley has a circumferential groove

2. The size of a sheave is indicated by its pitch
diameter, slightly smaller than the outside
diameter of the sheave.
 V-BELT DRIVES
The speed ratio between the driving and the driven
sheaves is inversely proportional to the ratio of the
sheave pitch diameters (if no slipping).
2. The linear speed of the pitch line of both sheaves is
the same as and equal to the belt speed, vb. Then
vb = R1w1 = R2w2 = DIw1/2 = D2w2/2
1 D2
The angular velocity ratio is
2 D1
3. The maximum total stress occurs where the belt enters the
smaller sheave. The design value of the ratio of the tight side
tension to the slack side tension is 5.0 for V-belt drives.
 The relationships between pitch length, L,
center distance, C, and the sheave diameters

L = 2C + 1.57(D2 + D1) + (D2 - D1)2/4C

B B 2 32( D2 D1 )
C B = 4L 6.28(D2 + D1)
16
The angles of contact of the belt on each sheaves is
D 2 - D1 D 2 - D1
1 180 2 sin
o 1
2 180 2 sin
o 1

2C 2C
The length of the span between the two sheaves, over which
the belt is unsupported, is 2
D 2 - D1
S C
2

2C
 Synchronous belts
Synchronous belts, (timing
belts) ride on sprockets having
mating grooves into which the
teeth on the belt seat.

Cog belts are applied to standard

sheaves. The cogs give the belt
greater flexibility and higher
efficiency compared with standard
belts.
Synchronous belts are constructed with ribs or teeth
across the underside of the belt. The teeth providing a
positive drive without slippage.
 CHAINS
Chain drives are used to transmit rotational motion and
torque from one shaft to another, smoothly, quietly, and
inexpensively.

Chain drives provide the flexibility of a belt drive with the

positive engagement feature of a gear drive.

Chain drives are suited for applications with large

distances (8m) between the respective shafts, slow
speed, and high torque.

More complex design than a belt drive

 Types of Chains
Chains are made from a series of interconnected
links.
Roller chain

. Aroller chain is the most common type of chain used

for power transmission.
Large roller chains are rated to 450 kW. The roller
chain design provides quiet and efficient operation but
must be lubricated.
 Multiple-strand roller chain

Multiple-strandchains used to increase the amount of

power transmitted by the chain drive.
Equation is used to calculate the power transmitted throu
each chain.
A multi-strand factor has been experimentally determined
Power per chain =
total power transmitted/multi-strand factor
 Construction of bush-roller chain

Standard sizes: p = (6.35 76.0) mm,

d = (7.772 47.625)mm, l = (6.35 47.625)mm,
t = 0.762 9.525)mm,
Tensile strength F = 4.114 578.24 kN
Offset sidebar roller chain

An offset sidebar roller chain is less expensive than a

roller chain but has slightly less power capability.
It has an open construction that allows it to withstand
dirt and contaminants, which can wear out other chains.

Silent chain An inverted tooth, silent chain is the

expensive chain to manufacture. It
efficiently used in applications that
require high-speed, smooth, and quiet
power transmission (machine tools).
Lubrication is required to keep these in
reliable operation. .
Construction of a silent chain
Power transmission chains
Dimensions of the various parts of the chain

Roller diameter d = (5/8)*pitch

Pin diameter dp = 5/16)*pitch
Chain width bi = (5/8)*pitch
Thickness of link plates t = (1/8)*pitch
Width between outer plates b0 = bi + 2t
Maximal height of roller link h = 0.82*pitch
Length of roller l = 0.9bi 0.15
 Chain Pitch

Chains are classified by a pitch, p,

which is the distance between the pins
that connect the adjacent links.
Roller chains have a size designation
according to the power transmission
Sprockets requirements.

Sprockets are the toothed wheels

that connect to the shaft and mate
with the chain. The teeth on the
sprocket are designed with
geometry to conform to the chain
pin and link.
CHAIN DRIVE GEOMETRY
 The number of teeth, N, in the sprocket is a
commonly referenced property.

Sprockets should have at least 17 teeth, unless

they operate at very low speeds, under 100
rpm.

The larger sprocket should normally have no

more than 120 teeth.

It is preferable to have an odd number of teeth on

the driving sprocket (17, 19.... ) and an even
number of pitches (links) in the chain to avoid a
special link.
 The pitch diameter, D, of the sprocket is
measured to the point on the teeth where the
center of the chain rides.
The pitch diameter of a sprocket with N teeth
for a chain with a pitch of p is determined by

D p / sin( 180 / N )0

The chain length, L, is the total length of the chain

expressed in number of links, or pitches, computed as
2C N 2 N1 p( N 2 N1 ) 2
L
p 2 4 C
2
 The center distance for a given chain length
computed as

p N 2 N1 N 2 N1 2 8( N 2 N1 ) 2
C [L (L ) ]
4 2 2 4 2

The angle of contact, , is a measure of the angular

engagement of the chain on each sprocket.

p ( N 2 N1 ) p ( N 2 N1 )
1 180 2 sin
0 1
, 2 180 2 sin
0 1

2C 2C

1200 recommendation of manufacturers.

In operation, chain drives should be designed so that
the slack side is on the bottom or lower side.
 CHAIN DRIVE KINEMATICS
The velocity ratio VR is defined as the angular speed of
the driver sprocket divided by the angular speed of the
driven sprocket.
VR = dr/ dn = 1/ 2 = D2/D1 = N2/N1.
VR > 1 is typically ratio

Chains speed computed by Vc = D1/21 = D2/22

Lubrication for the chain is important for the drive and

there are recommendations:
1. Low speed Vc < 100 m/min manual lubrication;
2. Moderate speed Vc < 500 m/min bath lubrication;
3. High speed Vc > 500 m/min oil stream lubrication.
 Selection of a chain
For a given application: life expectance, space,
speed, and cost
Choice of a drive will depend upon:pitch, number
of chains, and sprocket size
The following factors should be analyzed:
1. Type of chain (speed recommendations)
2. Number of teeth in the wheel (min. and max.)
3. Chordal action Vmin=2nRcos(/z), Vmax=2nR

4. n angular velocity,
5. z number of teeth,
6. R pitch radius of the
7. sprocket
4. Chain velocity and drive ratio 6:1 and no more
then <9:1 (pitch, number of teeth in pinion)
5. Wheel centers and length of chain
6. Chain pitch (6.25; 8; 9.525; 12.7; 76.2)
For bushed and roller chain, p = n(P*k/zpbx)1/3,
coefficient n = 28, pb = 35N/mm2 at n < 50 rev/min
pb = 13.7 N/mm2 at n = 2800 rev/min
For silent chain, p = n(P*k/zpbb)1/3, n = 60,
pb = 20 N/mm2 at n < 50 rev/min
pb = 7.8 N/mm2 at n = 2800 rev/min
P - power(kW), k = 1-1.7 load factor, z number of
teeth, an angular velocity of the driving
sprocket, x number of chain strands, b = (1.5-8)
the width of the chain, pb the allowable bearing
pressure
7. Sprockets
8. Chain designation and specification

Sprocket Dp = p/sin(/z) pitch diameter,

= [1400-(900/z)] to [1200-(900/z)] roller setting angle
Do = Dp + d outer diameter
Dr = Dp d root diameter
R = p tooth flank radius
t = 0.93b for p < 12.7 simple chain wheels
t = 0.91b for duplex and triplex chain wheels
t = 0.88b for quardplex chain wheels and above
t1 = (number of chain strands 1)*pt + t
pt transverse pitch of strands (strands spacing)
standard 5.64 91.27
 Design of the chain drive
Design calculation are carried out to find the best
proportions of chain and sprockets in the next steps:
1. Select the type of chain (given speed)
2. Find the number of teeth of smaller sprocket (table)
3. Select the chain pitch (formula or table)
4. Calculate the total load Fo= F + Fc + Ff,
F(N) = P(kW)/V(m/s) driving force on tight side. (force
on slack side is considered 0)
. Fc = wV2/g (w weight) centrifugal force of inertia
. Ff = kfwC sagging force, coefficient of arrangement of
chain kf = 1 for vertical position; kf = 2 centerline
inclined at angle up to 45o; kf = 4 horizontal drives
. Safety factor Fs = Fu/Fo (compare with table)
Fu = 106p2(N) breaking strength of roller chain ,
p pitch
Fu = 106p(N) for silent chain
5. The chain is checked for wear by unit pressure in
joints pb = Fk/A (N/mm2),
k load factor,
A projection of the joint pivot,
A = (dp +lb)*z for roller chain, dp diameter of joint
pivot, lb =(bi+2tp) - bush length, z number of chain
strands
A = 0.76dpb for silent chain, b chain width,