Pretty cool invention

[Oregonhunter5]

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[Both Eyes Open]

That's pretty cool, I wonder how tension is kept on the belt.

 

[U201491]

Those were in use 50 yrs ago. Tapered pullys whose spacing was adjusted by spring tension and or speed. Some were by belt torque.
Not new by any means.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Kind of like a Rekluse clutch for motorcycles?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Kind of like a Rekluse clutch for motorcycles?

I've been called Reklusive before!

 

[pakrat57]

Those were in use 50 yrs ago. Tapered pullys whose spacing was adjusted by spring tension and or speed. Some were by belt torque.
Not new by any means.

We have the pulley system you are talking about on our Hardinge lathe at work. The system in the video doesn't look or work anything like that, it works by the pulley actually changing size.

 

[U201491]

We have the pulley system you are talking about on our Hardinge lathe at work. The system in the video doesn't look or work anything like that, it works by the pulley actually changing size.

Yes I spent a lot of time on a Hardinge and a Bridgeport.
Toolmaker for 30 years.
What changes its size ? Centrifugal force? There were scooters, tote goats and cycles that did that also back in the 60's.
A guy I worked with developed a gearless automatic transmission for bicycles in the 80's . Less tension on the drive belt made the pully diameter grow, and harder the push the smaller it became, same as changing sprocket gear ratio.
The only thing different here is the hydraulic adjuster, which is a pretty good idea.

 

[pakrat57]

According to the article the pulley size is changed by digitally controlled hydraulics, not by centrifugal force or tension/torque. There may be similarities to the other systems you mentioned, I was only referring to the variable-speed belt drive you mentioned in your other post.

Side note, I've been working with a Hardinge/Omni-Turn and Bridgeport/Anilam making a small variety of tools for Swiss style screw machines for about 11yrs. I doubt that I will ever reach your level of experience due to age/time restrictions but it made me smile to see that not only were you in the same business but also used similar if not the same machines.

 

[U201491]

According to the article the pulley size is changed by digitally controlled hydraulics, not by centrifugal force or tension/torque. There may be similarities to the other systems you mentioned, I was only referring to the variable-speed belt drive you mentioned in your other post.

Side note, I've been working with a Hardinge/Omni-Turn and Bridgeport/Anilam making a small variety of tools for Swiss style screw machines for about 11yrs. I doubt that I will ever reach your level of experience due to age/time restrictions but it made me smile to see that not only were you in the same business but also used similar if not the same machines.

Yeah I loved the trade. Especially prototype and development work. Started the trade at Precision Castparts and then branched into die making and then to Model maker. Mostly high tech military armament and fun things like that.
It was a good trade, and I lived by there is nothing I could not make. Some thing just took a little longer.
Now days everything is computer controlled. I liked it better when it was actually human made. Much more fun.
The DRO was the only new machine addition I really liked. When CNC first came into being, I knew the trade was dying.
Guess I dated myself

 

[Provincial]

To me this is just a computer-controlled Reeves drive. Not a new idea, just a new control system.

I agree with Taku, CNC left us old guys out in the cold as far as price competition and time. I still enjoy making parts for myself and hobby stuff for friends. DRO is cheating! You should have to know your backlash and lead screw wear and compensate for it on the fly!

 

[U201491]

To me this is just a computer-controlled Reeves drive. Not a new idea, just a new control system.

I agree with Taku, CNC left us old guys out in the cold as far as price competition and time. I still enjoy making parts for myself and hobby stuff for friends. DRO is cheating! You should have to know your backlash and lead screw wear and compensate for it on the fly!

LOL,
Yeah, but a good cheat. I was in heaven when the first DRO came out. Hard part was teaching the engineers to coordinate dimension everything.
You should have seen some of the Mills in some shops I worked at.
A little lock and roll
Did that backlash back it up and bring it in stuff too many years.
Miss the trade though.