Design and Development of a High Horsepower Torque Sensing Variable Speed Drive

The application of torque-sensitive drives for combine belt drives affords the advantage of allowing the drive to be normally tensioned at lower tensions but still maintain the aggressiveness to transmit high peak horsepower loads. Dayco's equations will predict drive design (driven and driver axial forces, tight and slack side tensions) for various output loads. Varying the cam actuators surface and ramp angle will increase or decrease the effect of torque sensing. Belt-sheave and actuator surface coefficients of friction were experimentally determined.