Resources

Glossary of Conveyor Terms

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MACHINE CROWNED PULLEY:  A pulley in which the crown or vertex has been produced by an automatic, usually computer driven, machine.

MAGNETIC STARTER:  An electrical device that controls the motor and also provide overload protection to the motor.

MANUAL START SWITCH:  A simple one-direction switch used to turn the conveyor on or off.

MINIMUM PRESSURE ACCUMULATING CONVEYOR:  A type of conveyor designed to minimize build-up of pressure between adjacent packages or cartons.

MOTOR:  A machine that transforms electric energy into mechanical energy. Standard motors are dual voltage and operate at 1725 RPM.

NEGATIVE CROWNED PULLEY:  A pulley with raised areas set equally in from each end. This crown is used on tail pulleys 24 in. OAW and wider, and aids in belt tracking.

NET LIFT:  The net vertical distance through which material is moved against gravity by a conveyor.

NIP POINT GUARD:  A guard placed to eliminate points or areas on the conveyor where injuries might occur.

NOSE ROLLER:  A small roller, used on power belt curve conveyors, to reduce the gap at the transfer points.

NOSEOVER:  A section of conveyor with transition rollers placed in conveyor to provide transition from incline to horizontal or horizontal to incline.

0-RING:  Polyurethane bands polyurethane used to transmit drive power from roller to roller or spool to roller.

OVERALL LENGTH:  (OAL) The dimension outside of pulley to outside of pulley including belting or lagging, of any conveyor lengthwise.

OVERALL WIDTH:  (OAW) The dimension outside to outside of frame rails.

OVERHEAD DRIVE:  A drive assembly mounted over a conveyor, which allows clearance for the product.

PACKAGE STOP:  Any of various devices, either manual or mechanical, used to stop flow on a conveyor.

PARTS CONVEYOR:  A conveyor used to catch and transport small parts, stampings, or scrap away from production machinery to hoppers, drums, or other operations.

PHOTO CELL:  Electrical device used to sense product location.

PIVOT PLATE:  The gusset that attaches the conveyor to the support leg.

PLASTISOL COATING:  Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) covering for roller tubes to prevent product damage or marking. Usually (#70 durometer) green or (#90 durometer) red in color.

PLOW:  A device positioned across the path of a conveyor at the correct angle to discharge or deflect objects.

POLY-TIER SUPPORT:  Supporting members capable of supporting more than one level of conveyor at a time. Each tier has vertical adjustment for leveling the conveyor.

POP-OUT ROLLER:  A roller, normally placed on the ends of a belt conveyor used to aid in transfer, and set in a wide groove to allow it to eject if an object comes between it and the belt.

PORTABLE CONVEYOR:  Any type of transportable conveyor, usually having supports which provide mobility.

PORTABLE SUPPORT:  Supporting members that provide conveyor mobility by use of casters or wheels.

POSITIVE CROWNED PULLEY:  A pulley that tapers equally from both ends toward the center, the diameter being the greatest at the center. The crown aids in belt tracking.

POWER BELT CURVE:  A curve conveyor that utilizes a belt, driven by tapered pulleys.

POWER CONVEYOR:  Any type of conveyor that requires power to move its load.

POWERED FEEDER:  A driven length of belt conveyor, normally used to move product horizontally onto an incline conveyor

PRESSURE ROLLER:  A roller used for holding the driving belt in contact with the load carrying rollers in a belt driven live roller conveyor.

PRODUCT FOOTPRINT:  The surface of the product that comes in contact with the belt rollers, or wheels of the conveyor.

PROXIMITY SWITCH:  An electrical device to control some function of a powered conveyor.

PULLEY:  A wheel, usually cylindrical, but polygonal in cross section with its center bored for mounting on a shaft.

PUSH BUTTON STATION:  An electrical device that operates a magnetic starter

PUSHER:  A device, normally air powered, for diverting product 90C from one conveyor line to another line, chute, etc.