HGRS MASTER - Maintenance

Type of Skill: Specific Technical Skills

Category : Transport Equipment
Module: Belt conveyors
Unit: Belt Installation 16 of 18
Version: 1.0 06-02-03
Reference: Belt conveyors MTC Training.ppt -

Belt Installation
Purpose: To ensure proper installation of belts

Description: Handling during Installation

 Once the roll of belting has been transported to the point of installation it should be
mounted on a suitable shaft for unrolling and threading onto the conveyor.
 Conveyor belting is normally rolled at the factory with the carrying side out.
Therefore when mounting the roll, the belt must lead from the top of the roll if it is being
pulled onto the troughing or carrying idlers but from the bottom of the roll if it is being
pulled onto the return idlers. The illustrations below represent suitable methods of
mounting and pulling the belt for each case (figure1)
Note: Temporary flat roll at belt conveyor inflection point, as roll is pulled onto troughing
idlers
 In some cases, such as in mines where head room does not permit maneuvering a roll,
the belt may have to be pulled from the roll and folded. Extreme care should be
exercised to see that the loops have large bends to avoid kinking or placing undue strain
on the belt. No weight should ever be placed on the belt when it is in this position (figure
2). Another method of handling belting under such conditions is to lay the roll on a
turntable with a vertical spindle.

Threading the Belt

If the new belt is a replacement, the old belt can be used to pull it on.
 The old belt is clamped off, cut and the new belt then spliced to the to the leading end of
the old belt using approximately one-half the usual number of plate type fasteners.
 The trailing end of the old belt is hooked to a truck, tractor, mine locomotive or other
means of providing traction.
 The conveyor drive motor can be used to pull on the new belt as the towing device
connected to the old belt drags it away, at the same time providing the slack side tension
for the conveyor drive pulley.
If it is a new conveyor Installation
 Do not cut a hole through the belt or cut ears into its corners for tying on a rope.
Use a clamp to distribute the pull applied to the end across most of its width. Since the
clamp must pass through places of low clearance its size is generally equal to the length
of the center roll of the idlers (see figures 3 and top of figure 6)
 For a conveyor having little or no slope, a rope or cable should be attached to the clamp
at the belt end. (top of figure 6)
 The rope is attached to this clamp with a shackle or by welding an eye to one of the
plates. The rope or cable is then threaded over the conveyor and attached to a suitable
towing device to pull the belt onto the conveyor.
 It is sometimes necessary to use other belt clamps (figure 4, 5 and bottom of figure
6) on the final pull. A common procedure is to make a sled of heavy timber 3-4 m
(12-14 ft.) long, which rides the center roll on the idlers. The clamp nips the belt
and avoid bolts holes.
 Installations having a relatively high degree of slope (12° or more) must be handled with
more precautions against run-away. The belt roll is set up as previously mentioned. It is
often found convenient to place it at or near the head pulley as this is generally more
accessible.
 As the belt is fed on, the tension at the roll tends to build up due to the weight of the belt
on the slope. For this reason some method of braking is required. Normal practice is to
use a belt clamp (figure 4, 5), mounted on the conveyor structure, through which the belt
is threaded. When the slope is very long, additional clamps should be used, spaced
approximately 300 m (1000 feet) apart. When more than one clamp is used, men are
Training in Maintenance Page 1 of 5
 stationed at each clamp to loosen or tighten them as the belt is fed onto the conveyor.
Care must be exercised that the belt does not run away. As one roll runs out the next roll
is spliced on before it is fed onto the conveyor.
 If the conveying side and the return side have been fed on separately the final splice is
best made at the bottom of the slope where the ends of the belt meet, since a much lower
splicing tension will be adequate at this point. Making the final splice at the top of the
slope is also possible but a higher tension will be required.
Standards:  Check correct position of the belt cover layer (ensure the abrasion resistant layer is on
top)
 Define procedures
 Braking facilities for slope over 12°
Impact if not  excessive downtime, and quality of work unsatisfactory
correct:
Actions:  Training

Fullfilment:  Participant document the procedure to change an existing belt in the plant
See site specific unit for additional information, respective actions and applicable safety instructions.

Figure 1

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 Figure 2

Figure 3

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 Figure 4

Bolts are not going through the belt but are on both sides

Figure 5

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 Figure 6

Threading the belt

Final tensioning for connection

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