Model a pulley to run flat belt

[pt5win30]

Picked up this pulley designed to bolt up to the rear axle to power equipment by flat belt. Can't find much about it(who made it, year, value). For sure ford lug pattern. No markings that I can see. Any info is greatly appreciated, thanks

[Tom Wesenberg]

I've seen pictures of them used to run a large buzz saw to cut firewood to length.
The bad thing is they are tough on spider gears.
Sure is a nice show and tell item though.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi pt,

FWIW:

One has to consider that rural electrification came as late as the WWII era in many remote areas in America.

Prior to having electricity, many rural Americans powered metal & wood working shops, canning factories, and industrial shops with vintage water/hopper cooled single cylinder gasoline engines connected to a long, overhead jack-shaft with a flat pulley at each individual piece of motorized equipment. Each one had its own clutch.

With no electricity, in case of this one industrial engine failure, backup in many cases was a flat pulley attached to the rear wheel of a Pre-WWII automobile.

I remember an excellent carpenter in the late 1940's who had a table saw with a flat pulley. He backed up his 1937 Dodge to his saw to cut lumber all day long for several days ...... and believe it or not, a 1937 Dodge was not an "old" car in the 1940's.

This guy, born 1878, who volunteered to serve in WWI & WWII, lived to be 106.

[pt5win30]

Thanks for the responses. I don't know if I'll run it off my car but I thought it was pretty neat piece. Can't be to many around

[H. L. Chauvin]

Just in case anyone has an old flat belt powered device and the belt is slipping, (even after applying increase belt tension with a weighted idler pulley), one can apply rosin to the inside surface of the belt to stop the slipping.

I experienced that most 3rd World foreign countries who still use many flat belt systems in rural areas have rosin available in their hardware stores.

Here in the states? Maybe a music store that sells violin, cello, or bass fiddle rosin ..... same product.

[CarlG]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

At the car show we had this past weekend, there was a 1916 REO that was driving a saw that could cut thru a 24" diameter log. In previous years they had it powered by a 1924 Model T Touring car.

[Bruce of MN]

A guy near us had a wood lathe that could turn a 24"+ log section and he powered it from an older pickup. I only saw him use it on one project and unfortunately didn't stop to chat.

[captndan]

In South America this is quite common. Used in cabinet and furniture making shops.
BTW belt dressing is available at most farm stores.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Most vee belts today have Manufacturer's Product Numbers that are made in exact custom lengths to fit a particular piece of equipment with a special Model Number; hence, some belts are difficult to find at times in the exact length needed.

Best part about these flat belts was that they came from the manufacturer in a large roll and could be cut to any unique length needed for all types of home made equipment that never had specific Model Numbers.

The laced method of connecting these flat belts was later replaced with two (2) separate metal connectors where each one grabbed one end of the belt and rotated at the center of the belt connection on a hinge pin similar to the pin in a door hinge.

[aermotor]

This hasn't got much to do with anything and can be filed in the worthless trash can, but a rolled flat belt can be turned inside out with out unrolling it.

John

[pt5win30]

happen to find another one

[pt5win30]

this one is by far the nicest one

[pt5win30]

all i need is a not so cherry car to run it on

[pt5win30]

guess i could run it on my roadster if i find a good engine for it

[pt5win30]

then i could grind up some corn for the chickens

[pt5win30]

usually i just my economy engine with a flat belt

[pt5win30]

would us my other model a but it has been switched to wide 5

[pt5win30]

this will be my last post to get to 10

[40-A Twins]

There was a simple flat pulley attached to the flywheel that is in my 29 roadster now. It sat down in the pressure plate counterbore and was tack welded in place. It was not very difficult to break it off with a sledge hammer.