What Is a Shaft Pulley?

A shaft pulley is a kind of pulley that uses a belt as its means of connecting two or more axles and some kind of power source to drive a driver axle. These types of pulleys can be found in automobiles as crankshaft pulleys or in a mechanized device used for grinding consumable items like corn or meat. The purpose of a shaft pulley is to provide a pulley system with a power source that is strong and able to power the mechanized component for tough, strong, workloads. A pulley of this kind normally has very strong axles made with a durable metal alloy and a belt that is strong and elastic enough to provide friction for the motion of the pulley system. These pulleys may also be used for certain fields such as mining and in elevators.

Crankshaft engines employ the shaft pulley in its pulley system. A pulley is connected to a rod, and when the rod is rotated, the pistons which are connected move up and down in the engine. This kind of pulley uses a strong V-belt to turn the axle and is highly resistant to friction.

One type of machine that uses the shaft pulley to its fullest capacity is a hand grinder that is used to grind meat. It is compact, very heavy, and runs on a motor with three-quarter horsepower. The device grinds meat at a rate of 5 lbs (2.3 kg) per minute, and the rotations per minute (RPMs) of the device range between 1,725 RPMs with no grain and 75 RPM with grain. Parts of this grinder consist of a shaft pulley axle made of a high-grade metal alloy that is powered by a motor and is the intermediate pulley between the motor and the grinder axle. While a V-belt between the motor and the shaft axle turns, the shaft axle also turns another V-belt that is connected to the grinder axle.

Conveyor belts also employ the shaft pulley in their pulley systems. The axles on the ends of the belt are cylindrical in shape and elongated according to the width of the belt. On one end, the axle is powered to drive the entire conveyor belt while the other end spins, though it can also be powered depending on the length of the entire system. Intermediate axles also exist along the length of the belt, providing support for the weight of the belt and the items being transported.