Using timing belts horizontally

[ehfeinberg]

My team has been doing some prototyping this off-season and we have taken a great interest in trying to tackle belts. Although our team used belts in the drive system in 2008, the knowledge gained from that experience has been lost due to no need to use belts again.

With the general use of timing belts becoming more common, and the KOP drive transitioning to using belts, our team would love to have the ability to use belts instead of chain.

Which leads me to my question, how well do belts hold up when they are used horizontally. (IE running belt between two vertical shafts) Would they slowly sink over time due to gravity? I know some pulleys have a lip on either end to prevent the belt from slipping, but will it prevent the timing belts from sinking? Are there any special techniques to use when running belts horizontally? Has it ever even been done in a FRC setting?

Would attaching a guard to bottom side of a sprocket prevent slipping?
_........_
_ |||||_
(Sprocket)

...._........_
___ |||||___
(Sprocket with guard on bottom)

Thanks,
Evan