One-piece drive pulley and belt guide

1. In one-piece combination, a drive pulley and belt guide for a belt-driven machine, the combination comprising:

a one-piece body having a belt-driving section and a belt-guiding section;

said belt-driving section including a hub configured for engagement by a belt, first and second end walls on the hub, and an internal passage extending through the hub, the second end wall having a conical inner face;

and said belt-guiding section extending from the conical inner face of the second end wall and including an external surface that flares conically outward to an end of the body, the belt-guiding section also having an internal surface which extends from said internal passage to said end of the body, the internal surface being substantially free of reinforcing members and defining a hollow, cup-shaped interior free of structure within the interior.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal passage has screw threads.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal passage has splines.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first end wall has a polygonal external shape.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a groove in the first end wall for reducing weight of the body.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said external surface of the belt-guiding section extends smoothly and continuously from the second end wall.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a smooth and convex transition between said external surface of the belt-guiding section and said second end wall.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body is made primarily of zinc.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 1 further wherein said internal passage has a chamfered end adjacent the internal surface of the belt-guiding section.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the conical inner face of the second end wall has a first slope, said external surface has a second slope, and the second slope is less than the first slope.

11. A system for transmitting power to a belt-driven device, comprising:

an electric motor;

a drive shaft connected to the motor for rotation on an axis;

a pulley mounted on the drive shaft; and

an endless belt engaging the pulley and supported for transmitting power to said device;

wherein the pulley has a belt-driving section configured for engagement by the belt and a belt-guiding section integral with the belt-driving section, said belt-driving section including a hub and at least a first end wall having a conical inner face, said belt-guiding section extending from the conical inner face of the first end wall, and having a conical external surface and an internal surface which is substantially free of reinforcing members and defines a hollow, cup-shaped interior free from structure within the interior, the pulley further having an internal passage for receiving the drive shaft to mount the pulley on the shaft with the shaft extending though the passage, the shaft further extending through the interior of the belt-guiding section without contacting any structure therein.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the internal passage has screw threads.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the internal passage has at least one spline.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the shaft is generally cylindric, solid, and free from deformation.

15. A system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a second end wall on the belt-driving section.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the second end wall has a polygonal external shape.

17. A system as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a groove in the second end wall for reducing weight of the pulley.

18. A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said external surface of the belt-guiding section extends smoothly and continuously from the first end wall.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18 further comprising a smooth and convex transition between said external surface of the belt-guiding section and said second wall.

20. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pulley is made primarily of zinc.