Derived terms

• conveyor belt

This article is about industrial conveyor belts. For information on the global flow of sea currents, see Thermohaline circulation.

Snake Sandwich Belt Conveyor

A sandwich belt conveyor uses two conveyor belts, face-to-face, to gently but firmly contain the product being carried, hence making steep incline and even vertical-lift runs easily achievable. The Snake Sandwich Belt Conveyor was created in 1979. The study was conceived by Joseph A. Dos Santos, P.E., President of Dos Santos International, with the help of a grant from the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The study was to develop a means of moving and elevating large quantities of bulk materials, including coarse products such as rocks, aggregate, coal, etc. at the steepest possible inclines. The intent was to use only existing and generally available hardware in order to achieve the most economically feasible and easily maintained steep-angle conveyor design. Snake Conveyors are available in widely ranging profiles of C and S Shape. In any case, a long bottom belt approach is possible to the sandwich entrance, and discharge may be on the high incline or may be after the extension of the carrying belt beyond the mouth of the sandwich. Snake Sandwich conveyors offer several advantages. First unlimited conveying capacity, a system suitable for the most rugged mine applications and gentle on sensitive and friable materials, high availability and low operating and maintenance costs, smooth surfaced belts allowing continuous belt cleaning by scrapers and plows. This also facilitates intermediate material discharge by belt plows, as appropriate, before and/or beyond the sandwiched part of the Snake profile. All conventional conveyor hardware insures economy and fast delivery of replacement parts.

Vibrating Conveyor Systems

A Vibrating Conveyor is a machine with a solid conveying surface which is turned up on the side to form a trough. They are used extensively in food grade applications where sanitation, washdown, and low maintenance are essential. Vibrating conveyors are also suitable for harsh, very hot, dirty, or corrosive environments. They can be used to convey newly cast metal parts which may reach upwards of 1500°F. Due to the fixed nature of the conveying pans vibrating conveyors can also perform tasks such as sorting, screening, classifying and orienting parts. Vibrating conveyors have been built to convey material at angles exceeding 45° from horizontal using special pan shapes. Flat pans will convey most materials at a 5° Incline from horizontal line.

Flexible Conveyor Systems

The flexible conveyor is based on a conveyor beam in aluminium or stainless steel, with low friction slide rails guiding a plastic multi-flexing chain. Products to be conveyed travel directly on the conveyor, or on pallets/carriers.

Pneumatic Conveyor Systems

Every pneumatic system, makes use of pipes or ducts called transportation lines that carry mixture of materials and a stream of air. These materials are such as dry pulverised or free flowing or light powdery materials like cement, fly ash etc. These materials can be transported convieniently to various destinations by means of a stream of high velocity air through pipe lines. Products are moved through various tubes via air pressure, allowing for extra vertical versatility. Pneumatic conveyors are either carrier systems or dillute-phase systems; carrier systems simply push items from one entry point to one exit point, such as the money exchanging tubes used at a bank drive-thru window. Dillute-phase systems use push/pull pressure to guide materials through various entry and/or exit points. Three basic systems that are used to generate high velocity air stream: 1. Suction or Vacuum systems: utilizing a vacuum created in the pipeline to draw the material with the surrounding air.The system operated at a low pressure, which is practically 0.4-0.5 atm below atmosphere, and is utilized mainly in conveying light free flowing materials. 2. Pressure Type systems: in which a positive pressure is used to push material from one point to the next. The system is ideal for conveying material from one loading point to a number of unloading points. It operates at a pressure of 6 atm and upwards. 3. Combination systems: in which a suction system is ised to convey material from a number of loading points and a pressure system is employed to deliver it to a number of unloading points.

History

Primitive conveyor belts were used since 19th century. In 1901, Sandvik invented and started the production of the Steel Conveyor belts. In 1905 Richard Sutcliffe invented the first conveyor belts for use in coal mines which revolutionized the mining industry. In 1913, Henry Ford introduced Conveyor belt-based assembly-line in Ford Motor Company's Rouge factory in Dearborne Michigan.

See also

• Thermohaline circulation
• Treadmill
• Conveyor systems
• Lineshaft roller conveyor
• Chain conveyor
• Conveyor belt from French Wikipedia
• Conveyor belt from German Wikipedia
• Conveyor belt from Italian Wikipedia
• Technical, Records, Nomenclature

External links

• Black rubber belt table (IT UK FR)
• 10 ways to improve conveyor performance
• Power Conveyors (Graphics of & Common Uses for) - Includes Belt Type Conveyors