Producers demand a lot from their conveyors. This equipment bears the real weight of cement, aggregates, and often even plastic concrete. And these workhorses often endure thousands of hours of near-constant operation in all types of tough conditions.
Failure is not an option, as even a short-term breakdown can be extremely costly.
Here is what producers look for when they specify their conveyors:
Following are some conveyors and accessories that can help keep your production moving along smoothly. For more information, circle the reader service number.
Tube conveyors
Convey-All/VTC vibratory tube conveyors help producers move large quantities of difficult-to-handle materials, including powders, flakes, and other dry bulk solids, effectively. Available in lengths from 4 to 10 ft., the units can move 400 cu. ft. of material in an hour. Conveyors have only two moving parts—a vibrator and an isolator—making them easy to use, clean, and maintain. Metalfab Inc. 800-764-2999. www.metalfabinc.com.
Safety switch
The Model RS safety stop switch immediately halts conveyor operation in case of emergency or malfunction. To trigger, the operator pulls the cable; the actuation arm must be pushed in and turned to restart the equipment, eliminating accidental restarts. The unit's corrosion-resistant aluminum housing has stainless steel hardware and an easy-to-see red actuation handle. Conveyor Components Co. 800-233-3233. www.conveyorcomponents.com.
Semi-dense phase conveyor
Handling up to 80 tons of material per hour, the HC Series high-capacity, side-inlet, vacuum-loaded conveyor works well with abrasive or fluidizable powdered materials. It uses medium-pressure blower air to load and move material while reducing abrasion wear and particle degradation. Integral dust separation reduces venturi wear. Cyclonaire Corp. 800-445-0730. www.cyclonaire.com.
Belt scraper
These polyurethane belt scrapers, suitable for cleaning concrete and aggregate conveyors, last longer and cause less friction than their rubber counterparts. Reduced drag on conveyors lowers horsepower requirement, and the non-porous surface will not collect material that could cause belt damage. The line includes a dual-material version with a hard portion that scrapes and a soft portion that squeegees. Also, a heavy-duty scraper includes embedded ceramic wear beads. Argonics Inc. 800-991-2746. www.argonics.com.
Conveyor belt scale
Designed for outdoor conveyor weighing of dusty fines and stone-like aggregate materials, the Quarry King conveyor belt scale features a pipe-stem, single-idler suspension system that incorporates built-in storage for calibration weight. Applications include troughed belt conveyors up to 48 in. wide, moving at up to 600 fpm and inclines up to 18 degrees. Thayer Scale. 781-826-8101. www.thayerscale.com.
Clinker drag chain
Suitable for cement conveyors, this chain consists of high-strength alloy steel. The links are cast with no welded joints for added durability. Also, the cast-in drive sprocket helps keep the chain centered, and the link pins—also alloy steel—are induction-hardened. Columbia Steel Casting Co. Inc. 800-547-9471. www.columbiasteel.com.
