Adjustable Belt Pulling Tool for Safe Sheave Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintenance of belt-driven industrial machinery poses a risk of severe hand injury due to the large rotational mass and pinch points when replacing or adjusting belts, as existing tools do not adequately address the need for safe alignment and tensioning.
Innovation Solution
A belt pulling tool with a handle, body, and orthogonal prongs that can be moved along the body, allowing for safe engagement and rotation of the belt, followed by alignment and tensioning using laser gauges and adjustment tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual belt installation and alignment methods are used, then the process is simple and requires minimal tools, but the risk of severe hand injury increases due to pinch points and large rotational mass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a belt installation tool as an intermediary device between the operator and the belt/sheave system. This tool includes a handle, body, and prongs that engage with the belt to provide controlled rotation and alignment, eliminating the need for direct hand contact with pinch points while managing the large rotational mass safely
Solution Approach 2:
The belt installation tool is designed to perform multiple functions automatically: the prongs engage the belt to initiate rotation, the laser alignment gauge automatically detects misalignment, and the tool itself provides the mechanical advantage needed to rotate heavy belts without manual intervention at dangerous pinch points
2Manufacturing precision
If existing belt tools are used, then the tool structure is simple, but the alignment precision and belt seating accuracy are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated tool: the handle and body structure provides mechanical leverage for belt rotation, the orthogonal prongs engage the belt for controlled movement, and the laser alignment gauge integrated into the tool provides precise alignment detection. This multi-functional design achieves high alignment precision without requiring multiple separate tools
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical alignment methods (visual inspection, manual measurement) with a laser alignment gauge that uses optical principles to detect sheave alignment and belt seating accuracy, significantly improving measurement precision while integrating it into the mechanical tool structure
3Ease of operation
If hands are used to rotate and align belts, then no additional tools are needed, but the risk of hand injury from pinch points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The belt installation tool serves as an intermediary that completely eliminates direct hand contact with the belt and sheave pinch points. The operator grips the handle while the prongs engage the belt, providing mechanical leverage for rotation without exposing hands to dangerous compression zones between the belt and sheave
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the dangerous function of direct hand manipulation from the installation process. By using the tool's prongs to engage and rotate the belt, the harmful interaction between hands and pinch points is completely removed, while the tool handles all mechanical operations that previously required direct hand contact
Data Source
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AI summary
A belt pulling tool is comprised of a handle, a body and two prongs, the handle and body each having two ends with one end of each being attached to the other forming a longitudinal length and the two prongs being attached to the body orthogonal to the length, wherein at least one prong is configured to be moved and fixed along a portion of the length of the body. The belt pulling tool is useful for aligning, seating and setting the tension of belts for industrially belt driven machinery. In performing the method, the belt is inserted between the gap between the prongs of the tool and the tool is rotated about an axis centered in the gap and running parallel to the prongs projecting from the body of the tool to engage the belt and cause the rotation of the sheaves, thus allowing the sheaves to be aligned using alignment tools and allowing the belt to properly seat. Once seated and aligned, the tension may be set using a belt tension gauge.