What’s a tension pulley?

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Tensioner pulleys reduce tension on belts or chains in pulley systems. They engage when the belt is in place and work based on the amount of tension applied. Examples include the serpentine belt system in cars and the gear mechanism in bicycles.

A tensioner pulley can be considered one of the more complex forms of all the different types of pulleys that are used to make work easier for both users and machines. Tension pulleys are belt pulley systems that have at least one pulley, or “block,” that is not in a fixed position. This movable block is positioned in a way within the pulley system that allows it to reduce the amount of tension on the belt that the pulley system is driving.

When the belt is in place or the system is engaged, the movable lock is engaged. It moves to a position that puts some tension on the belt or chain being driven. The tension also engages the belt or chain. The tensioner pulley works based on the amount of tension applied to the chain or belt.

One of the simplest and most common forms of a tensioner pulley is found within the intricate workings of an automobile engine, in the serpentine belt system. The tension wheel in the pulley system causes the serpentine belt to engage. This is the same belt that turns the sprocket on the alternator, supplying all the electrical elements in the car with a charge.

While motor circuits and components can be intricate and complex, the function of the tension pulley is simple. It’s just a matter of putting enough tension on the belt to pull it without slipping. This then engages a number of other components within the automotive system.

Another example of a tensioner pulley is in the gear mechanism of a bicycle. There, it’s one of two smaller spindles that make up the three-spindle gear system located on the rear tire of the bike. This tensioner pulley is responsible for allowing the necessary slack in the bicycle chain to allow the chain to move on the bicycle’s other pulley system, the cone system.

This system moves the bicycle chain up and down the pins of alternating size chainrings. This makes the task of pedaling the bicycle easier or more difficult, depending on the user’s preference. The cone-shaped pulley system in which the gear pins are arranged, however, could not perform its function were it not for the function of the tensioner roller which allows the necessary amount of tension to be applied to the bicycle chain.




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