Belt & Rope Drives

> Engineering Mechanics

Presentation by: Prof. A J Gondaliya

Belts
• A belt is a loop of flexible material used to link two or
more rotating shafts mechanically, most often parallel.

• Belts may be used as a source of motion, to transmit

power efficiently, or to track relative movement.
Types of Belts
Flat Belt
Round Belt
V Belt
Toothed belts
Belt Drives
• A belt drive consists of two pulleys attached to each shaft and
an endless belt wrapped around them with some initial
tension.

• Power is transmitted from the driver pulley to the belt and

from the belt to the driven pulley with the help of friction.

• Friction between belt and pulley surface limits the maximum

power that can be transmitted. If this limiting value is
exceeded, belt starts slipping.
Power Transmission
• Belts are the cheapest utility for power transmission between
shafts that may not be parallel.

• Power is achieved by specially designed belts and pulleys. The

demands on a belt drive transmission system are large this has
led to many variations on the theme.

• Belts run smoothly and with little noise, and cushion motor
and bearings against load changes, although with less strength
than gears or chains.
Types of Belt Drives
• Open belt drives
• Crossed belt drives
• Belt drive with idler pulleys
• Compound belt drive
Open belt drives
• An open belt drive is used to rotate the driven pulley in the
same of driving pulley. In the motion of belt drive, power
transmission results make one side of pulley more tightened
compared to the other side.
Crossed belt drives
• A crossed belt drive is used to rotate driven pulley in the
opposite direction of driving pulley.
Belt drive with idler pulleys
Compound belt drive
Velocity Ratio for Simple Drive
• The ratio between the velocities of driver and driven is known
as velocity ratio.
• Let N1 be the rotational speed of the driving pulley, N2 be the
rotational speed of the driven pulley, d1be the diameter of the
driving pulley, d2 be the diameter of the driven pulley, and t be
the thickness of the belt,
Velocity Ratio
• Neglecting any slip between the belt and the pulleys and also
considering the belt to be inelastic, we can state that speed of
belt on the driving pulley is equal to speed of belt on the
driven pulley:
Velocity Ratio for Compound Drive
• Figure shows compound belt drive, in which pulley 1 drives
pulley 2. However, pulleys 2 and 3 are keyed to the same
shaft; therefore, pulley 1 also drives pulley 3. Pulley 3 drives
pulley 4.
Velocity Ratio for Compound Drive
• Let d1 and N1 be the diameter and speed of pulley 1 in rpm,
respectively, d2 and N2 be the diameter and speed of pulley 2,
respectively, d3 and N3 be the diameter and speed of pulley 3,
and d4 and N4 be the diameter and speed of pulley 4,
respectively.

• We know that the velocity ratio of pulleys 1 and 2,

Velocity Ratio for Compound Drive
• Similarly, velocity ratio of pulleys 3 and 4.

• Multiply above two equation:

• But N 2 = N 3, as pulleys 2 and 3 are keyed to the same shaft,

Velocity Ratio for Compound Drive
• In general:
Effect Of Slip On Velocity Ratio
• The term slip is defined as the relative motion between the
belt and the pulley. The presence of slip between the belt and
the pulley reduces the velocity ratio of the drive.
• Let s1 be the percentage slip between the driving pulley and
the belt, D1 the diameter of the driving pulley, ω1 be the
angular velocity of the driving pulley, s2 be the percentage slip
between the driven pulley and the belt, d2 be the diameter of
the driven pulley, ω2 be the angular velocity of the driven
pulley, s be total percentage of slip and t be the thickness of
the belt.
Effect Of Slip On Velocity Ratio

• This is also the speed of the belt on the driven pulley,

Effect Of Slip On Velocity Ratio

If s is the total percentage slip of the driven and driver pulleys,

Power Transmitted
• Power transmitted by a belt or a rope is given by a
mathematical expression,

• where P is the power, in kW, T1 and T2 are the tensions on

tight and slack sides of belt, respectively, in Newton, v is the
linear velocity of belt, in m/s,
Belt Tension Ratio
• Consider a flat belt passing over a driven pulley.
• Let T1 and T2 be the belt tensions on the tight and slack sides,
respectively, when the belt is just about to slide.