Endless power transmission belt

Claim 2

An endless power transmission belt having outside and inside surfaces made primarily of elastomeric materials and being adapted to be operated in an endless path, said belt comprising, a tension section, load-carrying means, and a compression section, at least one of said sections having a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof, each of said members having a substantially flat non-circular cross-sectional configuration which provides transverse rigidity for said belt yet enables said belt to be made of minimum height perpendicular its outside and inside surfaces when viewing said belt in cross section, said minimum height enabling said belt to operate at a lower temperature which extends the service life thereof, said members being arranged in at least one layer along said endless path and in parallel relationship, said members being held in interconnected by comparatively weak tie bands extending substantially parallel to said endless path.

Claim 3

A belt as set forth in claim 1 in which the other of said sections also has a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof.

Claim 4

A belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said members are flat and have rounded edges.

Claim 5

A belt as set forth in claim 3 in which each of said members is made of a non-metallic material.

Claim 6

A belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said members of said one layer are closely spaced together and define in excess of generally 50% of the material in the one layer with the remainder of the layer being defined by elastomeric material arranged between said members.

Claim 7

A belt as set forth in claim 1 in which said load-carrying means comprises a helically wound load-carrying cord made of a substantially inextensible material.

Claim 8

A belt as set forth in claim 3 in which said members have roughly two-thirds the height of a circular member providing approximately the same cross-sectional area.

Claim 9

A belt as set forth in claim 1 and having a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration of substantially uniform area at each location along its endless path.

Claim 10

A belt as set forth in claim 1 in which the other of said sections also has a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof, all of said stiffening members being flat with rounded edges and made of a non-metallic high strength material.

Claim 11

An endless power transmission belt having outside and inside surfaces made primarily of elastomeric materials and being adapted to be operated in an endless path, said belt comprising, a tension section, load-carrying means, and a compression section having a plurality of teeth arranged transverse said endless path, each of said teeth having a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof with each of said members having a substantially flat non-circular cross-sectional configuration which provides transverse rigidity for said belt yet enables said belt to be made of minimum height perpendicular to its outside and inside surfaces when viewing said belt in cross section, said minimum height enabling said belt to operate at a lower temperature which extends the service life thereof, the members in each of said sections being arranged in at least one layer along said endless path and in parallel relationship, said members being held interconnected by comparatively weak tie bands extending substantially parallel to said endless path.

Claim 12

An endless power transmission belt having outside and inside surfaces made primarily of elastomeric materials and being adapted to be operated in an endless path, said belt comprising, a tension section, load-carrying means, and a compression section having a plurality of teeth arranged transverse said endless path, each of said teeth having a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof with each of said members having a substantially flat non-circular cross-sectional configuration which provides transverse rigidity for said belt yet enables said belt to be made of minimum height perpendicular to its outside and inside surfaces when viewing said belt in cross section, said minimum height enabling said belt to operate at a lower temperature which extends the service life thereof, the members in each of said sections being arranged in at least one layer along said endless path and in parallel relationship, said members being held interconnected by comparatively weak tie bands extending substantially parallel to said endless path.

Claim 13

A belt as set forth in claim 10 in which said tension section also has a plurality of stiffening members extending the full width thereof.

Claim 14

A belt as set forth in claim 10 in which said members are flat with rounded edges.

Claim 15

A belt as set forth in claim 12 in which each of said members is made of a non-metallic material.

Claim 16

A belt as set forth in claim 10 in which said members in each layer are closely spaced together and define in excess of generally 50% of the material in the associated layer with the remainder of the layer being defined by rubber material arranged between its associated members.

Claim 17

A belt as set forth in claim 14 in which said load-carrying means comprises a helically wound load-carrying cord made of a substantially inextensible material.

Claim 18

A belt as set forth in claim 10 in which said members have roughly two-thirds the height of a circular member providing approximately the same cross-sectional area.