Belt construction and method of making the same

Claim 2

In a method of making a belt construction having opposed sides and comprising a tensile means intermediate said opposed sides, a plurality of teeth defining one of said opposed sides of said belt construction and being mainly formed of a first polymeric material that has reinforcing fibers therein, each tooth having opposed sides that are disposed in spaced relation to adjacent sides of adjacent teeth, said belt construction having a land area between adjacent teeth, and a backing member defining the other of said opposed sides of said belt construction, said backing member being mainly formed from a second polymeric material that is initially separate from said material of said teeth, said method comprising the steps of providing a grooved drum, disposing said tensile means about said drum, then disposing said first polymeric material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means, and then subjecting said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first material to be forced toward said drum and exude through said tensile means adjacent said grooves and into said grooves to at least partially form said teeth, the improvement comprising the steps of then substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum to a certain temperature to stop the curing of said first material so that said first material is generally in a less cured condition thereof than a cured condition thereof if said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon had been permitted to cool to said certain temperature at a normal rate by being disposed in substantially static air of substantially normal room temperature, then disposing said second material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means on said drum, and then subjecting said drum with said first and second materials and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first and second materials to be forced toward said drum to complete any remaining unfinished portion of said teeth and be cured together to form said belt construction.

Claim 3

A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum comprises the step of disposing said drum with said first material thereon into a bath of a cooling fluid.

Claim 4

A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cooling fluid comprises water.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum cools the same to at least approximately 140° F. to substantially stop any further curing of said first material that was started by said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure whereby said certain temperature is approximately 140° F.

Claim 6

A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second material is substantially free of fibers therein.

Claim 7

A method as set forth in claim 1 and including the step of disposing a stretchable fabric layer about said drum before said step of disposing said first material about said drum so that said fabric layer will be subsequently forced into said grooves and be bonded to said teeth.

Claim 8

A belt construction made by the method of claim 1.

Claim 9

In a method of making a belt construction having disposed sides and comprising a tensile means intermediate said opposed sides, a plurality of teeth defining one of said opposed sides of said belt construction and being mainly formed of a first polymeric material that has reinforcing fibers therein, each tooth having opposed sides that are disposed in spaced relation to adjacent sides of adjacent teeth, said belt construction having a land area between adjacent teeth, and a backing member defining the other of said opposed sides of said belt construction, said backing member being mainly formed from a second polymeric material that is initially separate from said material of said teeth, said method comprising the steps of providing a grooved drum, disposing said tensile means about said drum, then disposing said first polymeric material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means, and then subjecting said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first material to be forced toward said drum and exude through said tensile means adjacent said grooves and into said grooves to at least partially form said teeth, the improvement comprising the steps of disposing a sheet means about said first material on said drum before said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure, then after said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum to a certain temperature to stop the curing of said first material so that said first material is generally in a less cured condition thereof than a cured condition thereof if said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon had been permitted to cool said certain temperature at a normal rate by being disposed in substantially static air of substantially normal room temperature, removing said sheet means, then disposing said second material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means on said drum, and then subjecting said drum with said first and second materials and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first and second materials to be forced toward said drum to complete any remaining unfinished portion of said teeth and be cured together to form said belt construction.

Claim 10

In a method of making a belt construction having disposed sides and comprising a tensile means intermediate said opposed sides, a plurality of teeth defining one of said opposed sides of said belt construction and being mainly formed of a first polymeric material that has reinforcing fibers therein, each tooth having opposed sides that are disposed in spaced relation to adjacent sides of adjacent teeth, said belt construction having a land area between adjacent teeth, and a backing member defining the other of said opposed sides of said belt construction, said backing member being mainly formed from a second polymeric material that is initially separate from said material of said teeth, said method comprising the steps of providing a grooved drum, disposing said tensile means about said drum, then disposing said first polymeric material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means, and then subjecting said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first material to be forced toward said drum and exude through said tensile means adjacent said grooves and into said grooves to at least partially form said teeth, the improvement comprising the steps of disposing a sheet means about said first material on said drum before said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure, then after said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum to a certain temperature to stop the curing of said first material so that said first material is generally in a less cured condition thereof than a cured condition thereof if said drum with said first material and said tensile means thereon had been permitted to cool said certain temperature at a normal rate by being disposed in substantially static air of substantially normal room temperature, removing said sheet means, then disposing said second material in a non-cured form thereof about said tensile means on said drum, and then subjecting said drum with said first and second materials and said tensile means thereon to heat and pressure to cause said first and second materials to be forced toward said drum to complete any remaining unfinished portion of said teeth and be cured together to form said belt construction.

Claim 11

A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sheet means comprises a heat shrinkable sheet means.

Claim 12

A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said heat shrinkable sheet means comprises a nylon fabric.

Claim 13

A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said heat shrinkable sheet means comprises a polyolefin.

Claim 14

A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sheet means comprises a non-heat shrinkable sheet means.

Claim 15

A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said non-heat shrinkable sheet means comprises a plastic sheet means.

Claim 16

A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said non-heat shrinkable sheet means comprises a metallic foil.

Claim 17

A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum comprises the step of disposing said drum with said first material thereon into a bath of a cooling fluid.

Claim 18

A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein said cooling fluid comprises water.

Claim 19

A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said step of substantially immediately force cooling said first material and said drum cools the same to at least approximately 140° F. to substantially stop any further curing of said first material that was started by said step of subjecting said drum to heat and pressure whereby said certain temperature is approximately 140° F.

Claim 20

A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second material is substantially free of fibers therein.

Claim 21

A method as set forth in claim 8 and including the step of disposing a stretchable fabric layer about said drum before said step of disposing said first material about said drum so that said fabric layer will be subsequently forced into said grooves and be bonded to said teeth.

Claim 22

A belt construction made by the method of claim 8.