Belts and Belting

Flexible belts for the transmi ion of motion in machinery are made of leather, india-rubber, woven hair, cotton, gutta-perch a, canvas, and other materials. Sometimes two or more of these are combined with wire. The valuable qualities in a belt are— Proper grip of the surface of the pulley, (2) Power to resist strain, (3) Impo ibility of stretching, Durability. Leather belts are most lasting when (4) tanned with oak, but American hemlock spruce is used. One of the largest leather belts yet made was for a paper mill in Delaware. It was 186 ft. long, 5 ft. wide, and weighed 2212 lbs. When carefully made, these belts will last 30 years in daily use. Leather chain belting is used for driving dynamos for electric lighting, and for other purposes. India rubber belting is mostly employed in the States, but cotton belting is employed in both England and America. Some of it is waterproof.