Aluminum taper-lock HTD pulleys

[Oblarg]

So, a couple weeks ago I found a very peculiar HTD belt pulley lying around in a box in our back room.

It was a standard aluminum HTD 5M-15 pulley, except it had a peculiar bore - the bore was a tapered insert with two screw holes, one threaded on the insert and one on the pulley. Inserting a bolt into one of these holes and tightening would either pull the insert into the pulley, tightening it onto the shaft, or push it out, releasing it.

After some searching, I have found that these are called "taper-lock bushings."

This is extremely convenient (the lone one I found was used on a prototype that very day), and I would love to buy more of these. Unfortunately, suppliers seem to be few and far-between and I can't find a single supplier that sells them in aluminum. This is odd, because the one I found is aluminum so someone must make/sell them.

Does anyone know a supplier for these? It'd be a great help.

As an aside, I'm frustrated that in 9 years of working with this team I had never before seen this thing, since it wasn't purchased during my tenure on the team and thus must have been lying around for all this time. What I'd give to have known these exist 9 years ago...

[Scott Kozutsky]

Not exactly the same but I know fairlock hubs can be used in a similar fashion (generally .125-.375in shafts) I believe 254 used them in 2014 on their intake "gearbox" (which used belts, not gears). Those are availible at sdp-si.

Aside from that McMaster-carr has taper lock pulleys but the selection of HTD is pretty bad and they're pricey. http://www.mcmaster.com/#timing-belt-pulleys/=10xilqg

[asid61]

https://www.sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog
You may want to look into "Shaftloc"; they appear similar to what you're describing.

[BoilerMentor]

Originally Posted by asid61

https://www.sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog
You may want to look into "Shaftloc"; they appear similar to what you're describing.

If you use the SDP/SI Fairloc hub, be sure to check the specs and do the math for their torque carrying capability. The FTC team that I mentor used them and ended up having to drill and pin the pullies so that they wouldn't slip. The specific application for us was 6mm steel round and D shafts with an aluminum fairloc hub. Both types of interfaces slipped, all of them had to be pinned. The chart that shows the specs isn't particularly easy to find, but it's definitely important to check it out.

[FrankJ]

B&B Manufacturing makes taper lock pulleys in all sorts of descriptions. They are not the fastest shipper in FRC terms. This really isn't a criticism. I would talk to them directly before making an online order to make sure they have stock and can process the order quickly.

[Oblarg]

Originally Posted by FrankJ

B&B Manufacturing makes taper lock pulleys in all sorts of descriptions. They are not the fastest shipper in FRC terms. This really isn't a criticism. I would talk to them directly before making an online order to make sure they have stock and can process the order quickly.

Their online catalog doesn't list any taper-lock pulleys available for 5mm HTD. Do they have/make things that aren't listed?

[FrankJ]

They are in the online catalog. Select QD bushing and 5 MM HTD belts in the filters. The smallest one is 38 teeth.

[Oblarg]

Originally Posted by FrankJ

They are in the online catalog. Select QD bushing and 5 MM HTD belts in the filters. The smallest one is 38 teeth.

QD bushings aren't quite the same as the taper-lock bushings (taper-lock are smaller and much easier to connect/disconnect, since you only have to use one bolt), and they only seem to offer them for steel pulleys, regardless.

[Oblarg]

Sorry to necro this thread, but a miraculous thing just happened and I found a supplier for these.

Or, rather, I should say the supplier found me, since I found an advertisement in my mail today for this very product. I have no idea how they got my contact info.

They can be purchased here:

http://www.cmtco.com