Air cooled belt clutch

Claim 1

In a drive system including an engine providing a drive shaft, a shell supported by said shaft for rotation relative to said shaft, a split groove pulley on said shaft, said pulley including one flange secured to the shaft for rotation therewith and a complementary flange connected to said shell for rotation therewith, said flanges defining a space axially therebetween, an adjustably movable take-up pulley having a belt-tightening position and a belt-loosening position, and a belt trained about said pulleys whereby, when said belt is tightened by said take-up pulley, said shell and complementary flange rotate with said shaft and said one flange, the improvement in which said one flange provides means for drawing air into said space between said flanges for cooling said belt when said shaft is driven, each said flange including a radially inner annular portion, a radially outer annular portion and an intermediate annular portion therebetween, said belt, in its loosened condition, being engaged with the radially outer annular portion of said complementary flange and out of engagement with said one flange and said belt, in its tightened condition, being engaged with both radially outer annular portions, said air drawing means being positioned to draw air into the space between said intermediate portions, a part of which air escapes from said space radially outwardly to flow between the radially outer portion of said one flange and said belt when said belt is in its loosened condition, thereby to hold said belt out of engagement with said one flange.