A GUIDE TO USING

CONVEYOR BELT
 A GUIDE TO USING
CONVEYOR BELT PROPERLY

CONTENTS

PROPER USE OF CONVEYOR BELTS

INTRODUCTION 2

HOW TO UTILIZE THE BELTS CORRECTLY 3

1. Design 3

2. Storage 5

3. Belt Installation 5

4. Belt Operation 10

CONCLUSION 15

COUNTERMEASURES FOR CONVEYOR BELT TROUBLES

INTRODUCTION 16

NOTES 22

SUMMARY 24

1
PROPER USE OF CONVEYOR BELTS

INTRODUCTION

The importance of preventive maintenance of conveyor belt systems is increasingly

emphasized and encouraged among their users. In particular, good maintenance of the
conveyor belts themselves will ensure that the systems maximized its economic value and
potential. To illustrate this, consider the fact that the cost of the belt itself accounts for more
than 1/3 of the entire cost of the conveyor belt system. Furthermore, the conveying capacity for
belts of the same specifications may differ up to 50% depending on the maintenance practice
adopted.

In general, a belt can be subjected to top working conditions until the rubber covers reaches its
maximum allowable amount of wear and the carcass reaches its fatigue limit. With sound
maintenance, it is possible for the conveyor belt to be utilized until its full capacity. On the
contrary, improper use and lack of maintenance will greatly accelerate the rate of wear and
fatigue of the same belt. In many cases, conveyor belt operational problems arise from design
failure to meet operating conditions of the system. This may be attributed to insufficient critical
information, faulty equipment or incorrect maintenance practices.

From the standpoint of the Manufacturer, this Maintenance Manual discusses the
fundamentals of maintaining conveyor belts and conveyor equipment in good condition at all
times. This will no doubt be of help to the user in working towards obtaining the most out of
their conveyor belt systems.

2
HOW TO UTILIZE THE BELTS CORRECTLY
To ensure that a belt is kept on the job, the following guidelines should be taken into
consideration and put into practice throughout the design and operational stages:

1. Design
(1) Full Understanding of the Operating Conditions
Before the start of a belt design project, a full study must be made of the operating
conditions with which the proposed belt it to be used. Otherwise, the belt life will be
definitely fail to meet the stipulated period no matter how much care is taken. Table 1
provides the basic design requirements under varied operating conditions, which are
absolutely necessary for the designing belts. Other factors to consider are belt width, belt
speed etc.

The belt manufacturer determines the materials and construction of the belt, including the
carcass, quality and thickness of rubber covers etc. If operating conditions are not
specified clearly, the end product will not be a belt suited to the needs of the user. Therefore,
orders for conveyor belts should always be preceded by clear and detailed operating
conditions and important technical information.

Table 1
1. Kind Limestone, sand, iron ore, etc.
Materials to 2. Size (Grain) Give size of longest lumps
be Carried 3. Shape Sharp-edged, round
4. Chemical Properties Oily, non-inflammable, acid, etc.
5. Temperature Heated materials or not. If so, state
temperature
Quantity of 1. Average quantity to
Materials be conveyed
2. Maximum quantity to
be conveyed
1. Length Horizontal
2. Inclined Angle Inclined Angle
3. Drive System Single / Tandem Position
Conveyor 4. Take-up System Screw / Gravity Position
Construction 5. Trough Angle 30°, 35°, 45° or 60°
6. Trough Angle Flat / 3 / 5 – Carriers
7. Roller Pitch Carrier roller spacing, Return roller spacing
8. Pulley Diameter Head / Tail / Take-up pulley diameter
9. Tripper (Provided or not) Lift / Fixed / Portable type
10. Loading Point Chute, skirt, cushion roller

3
(2) The Safety Factor
To determine the safety factor, SF, of a belt, a variety of complex data must be taken into
account. Also, understandably, there cannot be a fixed standard value that is applicable to
all types of conveyor belt systems. For this reason, Bridgestone determines a ‘basic’ SF
value by adding an ‘experimentally calculated value’ to a ‘theoretically calculated value’.
This value describes the minimum safety factor to be applied to the belt design in order for
optimum running conditions.

It is important to select an appropriate SF for any conveyor belt system. Too low a value
results in premature failure of the belt. This in turn potentially damages the system,
resulting in unnecessary downtime and eventual financial loss. Too high a value constitutes
over-design, which also incurs additional purchasing cost. Therefore, it is important not to
compromise the SF value in order to minimize downtime, and also purchasing cost.

(3) Replacement Belts

When a belt is to be replaced with a new one, the condition of the existing belt should be
thoroughly investigated so that the specifications for the new belt are correctly determined.
In many cases, the replacement belt is often of the same specification as the original belt.
However, if the original belt had defects such as uneven rubber cover wear, fast canvas
fatigue, etc., then the same belt failures will be repeated. The interruptions to our
operations will be costly and time-consuming. If the replaced belt shows any irregularities,
the possible causes should be detected. Alternatively, if the belt itself is responsible for
such defects, it is advisable that the steps in Table 2 be adhered to.

Table 2
Condition of Belt to be Replaced
Belt Breakage during operation
Quick core fatigue
Quick wear on upper cover rubber
Many cuts / gouges on upper
cover
Reverse troughing of belt
Chemical reactions of rubber
cover
Fast wear on bottom rubber cover
Design Considerations for Replacement Belt
Change in carcass construction, strength or cover
quality
Change in carcass construction, strength or wear-
resistance.
Change in rubber thickness of wear-resistance
Change rubber quality to cut-resistance type.
If conveyed materials are oily – Change to oil-resistant
cover rubber
Analyze materials handled, make appropriate change
of belt type
Increase cover thickness / Replace with wear-resistant
type

4
2. Storage
Prior to the installation of conveyor belts, the following precautionary measures should be
taken:

(1) Ideal storage place – cool, dark cellar, free from moisture and light.
(2) Belts should be left in rolls kept upright as shown below:

FIGURE 1

(3) A protracted period of storage may impair the performance of belts, even if they are stored
with particular care. The recommended allowable storage periods are shown in Table 3
below:

Table 3
Place Other Than Storage Room
Storage Room
Direct Sunlight No Direct Sunlight
Maximum 3.0 years 1 month 1.5 years
Storage Period
Standard 1.5 years 2 weeks 6 months
Note: The problem is cracking of rubber cover surfaces. Therefore, the type of canvas is
irrelevant.

3. Belt Installation
(1) Carrying the Belt
When a belt is being transported, it should preferably be rolled or suspended.
When rolling the belt over the floor or earth, the following care should be taken:

• Roll the belt over forward. Never drag it over the surface.
• Check that no obstacles are in the way when belt is being moved. As far as possible,
avoid rolling the belt over bumpy surfaces.
• If belt needs to be rolled up/down a slope, use ropes. Avoid carrying it with your own
arms.

5
 Figure 2 illustrates a safe and
effective way of rolling the belt
up/down a slope.
Place the 2 ropes around the rolled
belt and carry it by pulling or
loosening the ropes.

Warning! Do not stand below the belt,

it is dangerous!
FIGURE 2

When carrying a belt by suspending it, take the following care:

• To suspend a rolled belt, thread a rope, steel pipe or

iron bar through the rolled core hole. When using a
steel pipe or an iron bar, the ropes on both sides of the
rolled belt should be coiled around the pipe (or bar) for
one turn. Also be sure to keep the ropes as near to the
belt sides as possible.

• As shown in Figure 3, it is advisable to use a hangar

that has a length greater than the belt width. If no
hangar is available, longer ropes should be used so
that they do not scrape the edges of the rolled belt.

FIGURE 3

6
 • If the ropes are not long enough, use a spreader
so that they will be kept off the belt, as shown in
Figure 4.
• When lifting and lowering the belt, take special
care so that the belt will not hit any other object.

The ropes and pipe/bar used to lift the belt must have
enough strength to withstand the weight of the belt. The
belt weight is indicated on the packing. Alternatively, the
belt weight should be calculated from the packing
volume. Take specific gravity to be 1.2

FIGURE 4

When belts are transported via truck, they should be locked with wooden blocks and roped so
that they will not roll off the truck.
Do not jolt the belts when they are being unloaded.

(2) Installation
For Conventional Unpacking
First of all, check the belt for rolling direction before unloading it, and then start unpacking it.
Insert the stand-shaft through the belt roll core and place the belt roll on a stand. Unroll the
belt, making sure that the top/bottom rubber cover is clearly identified.
Note that all flat belts have markings on their top covers.

FIGURE 5

7
Unpacking with Limited Space/Equipment
In places where unpacking space or necessary equipment is a problem (e.g. Coal mine),
the belt should be unrolled outside the pit and placed on a carrier loosely folded, see Figure
6 below:

FIGURE 6

Take special care so as not to break or crease the belt at the fold-line. Do not place
anything heavy on the belt.
By using a roll care, the belt may be rewound onto a turntable.

Preparations
Before installing a belt, be sure to take the following precautions to avoid any unnecessary
damage on the belt:

• Remove any sharp-edged material from

the runway of the belt.
• Handle the belt with care so that it does
not get cut by any protruding parts of the
conveyor frame.

The idler, which the belt is initially rolling on to

the conveyor, should be flat. If necessary,
change the existing idler. This avoids damage to
the belt. See Figure 7: FIGURE 7

8
 • When the belt is wound around a turntable, it is twisted 90° and accordingly, it is
advisable that a proper distance between the belt and the turntable is maintained for as
long as it is possible.
• When pulling the belt into the conveyor from the side, take care not to damage the belt
with the carrier-roller stand or with the frame.

Large-sized Belt
• In cases where the belt size is relatively large or long, it may run crooked from the flat
roller. Hence a bend pulley should be utilized instead.

Installing the Belt

• To install a belt on a new conveyor, first place a rope around the carrier idlers and
pulleys, then connect the new belt-end to the rope.
• Install the belt by pulling the rope.
• Do not tie the rope directly to the belt by making a hole in it, this will definitely damage
the belt quality.
• Use clamps to connect belt and rope. This ensures that the belt is protected and pulled
evenly throughout its width.
• Figure 8 illustrates the best way to use the rope for installing purposes:

(i) First make a boat-shaped tool as shown above.

(ii) Next connect the rope to the tool.
(iii) Drill 2 holes both in the boat-shaped tool and the
adapter plate, and then make the corresponding
holes in the belt end with a punch.
(iv) Connect the tool to the belt using nuts and bolts.
The nuts should be positioned on the top rubber FIGURE 8

cover side.

Replacing an Old Belt

• In replacing an old belt with a new one, it is recommended to connect the end of the
new belt to the old one. This eases the belt installation job.

9
 Using ordinary idlers right under the chute will subject the belt carcass to greater impact
and shock. This will wear the rubber covers quickly.
When the belt is conveying materials of substantial grain size and specific activity, it is
better to employ cushion idlers in the area adjacent to the chute.

The chuting speed and belt speed should also be kept as similar as possible. This reduces
unnecessary wear on the rubber covers. If chuting speed is relatively high, then cushion
idlers should also be utilized to minimize impact on the rubber covers.
Chute design should be given special consideration when large sized abrasive lumps are
being conveyed. It is advisable to first feed the chute with finer materials first to cushion the
impact from the larger lumps.

The chute has always been a source of frequent problems, therefore, good maintenance
and regular service is important.

4. Belt Operation
While the conveyor belt is running, the following defects may often be found:
(i) A number of idlers are not running.
(ii) Pulleys and idlers are stuck with cake.
(iii) Take-ups are inoperative.
(iv) Skirt boards are excessively worn.
(v) Chute is not feeding smoothly.
(vi) Belt is not running straight.
(vii) Belt cleaning device is inoperative.

In most cases, conveyor belts failure result from one of the above-mentioned troubles. In
order to prolong the belt’s service life, periodic maintenance should be carried out so that
the above problems are quickly detected and remedied.

The following deals with examples of preventive maintenance and solutions for problems
mentioned in the photographs:

10
(1) Carrier Idlers and Return Idlers
Photo 1 shows a return idler, which is
inoperative due to cake stuck on it. When
the return idler stops turning, the belt will
rub against the idler and run crooked. In
this case, remove the cake and clean the
idler. Check that the idler is rotating
properly. Otherwise, replace the idler.
Another sensible preventive step is to
install belt cleaners so that buildup of
cake and other sticky materials can be
reduced, this will reduce frequency of PHOTO 1
maintenance activities.
However, routine inspections should still
be carried out to ensure that all idlers are
functioning properly.

Photo 2 indicates that the belt running

crooked from the carrying idler
(Self-aligning idler), tilting and forming a
large angle with the running direction of
the belt.
If any carrying idler of the regular type if
not aligned with the belt, it will tend to run
crooked and thereby causing belt edges to
wear or damage. For such problems,
PHOTO 2 adjust the position of the carrying idler.

11
 Photo 3 shows a broken return idler
resulting from excessive wear.
Such idler breakage may cause the belt
rubber cover to wear unevenly and
eventually cause damage to the canvas.
This problem requires immediate
replacement of the broken idler.

PHOTO 3

(2) Pulleys
Pulley diameter should be proportionate to the rubber grade of the belt. Reports show that
as the length of the conveyor system increased by means of joining new sections, the belt
itself was also naturally lengthened and strengthened by increasing the strength and plies
of the canvas. However, the belt still often broke at the joint. Investigation and study reveled
that belt breakage in this instance was due to the fatigue experienced under repeated
bending of the belt.
If strength/plies of the canvas is increased but pulley diameter is still kept the same, then
the possibility of stripping at the joint due to fatigue is very high. A pulley diameter, which is
smaller than its required size will subject the belt to quick fatigue. Thus the weakest point in
the belt, which is the joint, is likely to separate and break. The rubber cover will wear out
quickly and eventually fatigue the carcass.

Photo 4 shows a pulley stuck or clogged with cake.

When this happens, the pulley will cause the belt to run crooked
and the rubber cover will wear out quickly and eventually fatigue
the carcass.

PHOTO 4

12
(3) Chutes

Photo 5 shows the condition resulting from a

belt running over pulley stuck with a large
amount of cake. The parts of the pulley with
protruding bits of cake will cause more fatigue
to the belt compared to the flat surfaces. To
avoid buildup, install belt-cleaning devices
near the pulley. Also, regular maintenance is
imperative

PHOTO 5

Photos 6 and 7 show the difference between the types of carrier idlers located near the
chute.
Photo 6 illustrates an ordinary carrier idler, while Photo 7 is that of cushion idlers covered
with rubber, also known as impact idlers.

PHOTO 6 PHOTO 7

13
(4) Skirt boards

Skirtboards are installed on the conveyor belt to prevent

materials from falling off the belt.
If skirtboards are not installed properly, the performance
of the belt may be adversely affected and furthermore
damage the belt itself.
For example if the clearance between the belt and the
skirtboard is too small, the board will abrade against the
rubber cover and cause it unnecessary wear. On the
other hand, if the clearance too big, the conveyed
material will risk falling off. If these fallen material were to
PHOTO 8
be wedged in the pulleys, then rubber covers will also
wear off due to constant abrasion.

Photo shows worn skirtboards that result in a large clearance area. Such boards should
be corrected or replaced.

(5) Take-up

If the take-up pulley guide frame is roughened, or if the

take-up pulley remains lowered by elongation of the belt,
then the belt will not run smoothly.
As a preventive ,measure, the guide frame should be
lubricated periodically, and the take-up stroke should be
checked.
Photo 9 shows a take-up pulley, which remains lowered.
In this case, the belt remains loose and will slip around
the pulley, causing fast wear on the belt. PHOTO 9
In addition, the belt may slacken between the carrying idlers. And the when the belt passes
these idle, it will receive strong impacts from the materials on the belt and quickly fatigue.
Loose take-up may also result in materials falling off the belt.
The weight of the take-up should also be appropriate or adverse effects may arise. Take-up
weight should conform to recommended design weight. If the pulley is too heavy, the belt
tension will be excessive and result in fatigue. As a result, the belt will becomes slack and
take-up stroke becomes insufficient. Adjustment is then needed. On the other hand, if pulley
weight is too small, the belt sill slip around the drive pulley, creating excessive slack.

14
(6) Belt Cleaners

There are a variety of belt cleaners available in the market. Among a few are such as scraper
type, rotary type and the flushing type. In recent years, nylon brushes of a rotary type and spiral
rubber rolls have also found their use as belt cleaning devices.
The presence of a belt cleaner will greatly affect the performance of a conveyor belt, hence it is
considered as one of the most important accessories for conveyor belt systems.
Caution is required when installing a belt cleaner, otherwise more harm than good will be done
if conveyor damages due to poor installation.

CONCLUSION
The above maintenance strategies have been proposed in order to maintain conveyor belts at
working conditions at all times. This will ensure that the maximum life and capacity of the
conveyor belts can be assured. And accordingly, the operating costs of belts will also be
greatly reduced.

15
COUNTERMEASURES FOR CONVEYOR BELT TROUBLES

INTRODUCTION

Sufficient daily inspection and maintenance are indispensable for obtaining longer service and

better economy in the use of the belts.

A close inspection sometimes reveals a serious cause for future troubles hidden in an

apparently normal operation of the belt.

An early discovery and the proper countermeasures are the most important; as the proverb

goes: "Prevention is better than cure.”

For that purpose, it is most desirable to have a systematic knowledge of the characteristics,

service conditions and past records of belts. This will enable engineers to quickly spot any

trouble and be able to take the proper measures. Periodical inspections are necessary for

keeping records on such items as the date, inspector, crooked running, cake sticking, spliced

parts, covering rubber, edges, countermeasures taken, conveyor number.

Given overleaf is a reference on problems, their probably causes and suggested remedies,

chiefly for steel cord belts.

16
 Complaint Causes Countermeasures
1. The belt runs A Conveyor frame or Stretch a string over the belt, to determine
crooked to one structure crooked. the extent of crookedness, for adjusting
side at a the alignment and leveling.
particular part of
the conveyor B One or more idlers Move the end of the idler slightly forward
frame. immediately preceding in the running direction of the belt, at the
the troubled part, not side the belt runs crooked on.
square to the longitudinal
axis of the belt
C Idlers stuck with cake Improve maintenance and install scraper
accumulation or other cleaner.
D Awkward rotation of Improve maintenance and lubrication.
idlers. Tighten an idler stand bolt. Replace
broken idler.
E Faulty tail or head pulley Check pulley alignment. Install scraper for
removing stuck cake.
F Faulty tripper Check the positioning of the tripper.
2. A particular part A Belt not spliced squarely Re-splice the belt squarely.
of the conveyor
B Faulty belt as a whole 1. Local or partial bending of the belt
belt runs crooked
causes the trouble. This may be
to one side at all
straightened out, in a few days running
parts of the
under full loads.
conveyor frame.
2. In rare instances, the belt must be
re-adjusted or repaired.
3. Provide self-aligning idlers, particularly
on return side near tail pulley to get
central loading.

3. Conveyor belt A Conveyor frame or Check the alignment and leveling along
runs crooked to structure crooked. the full length of the belt, for making
one side along corrections.
the full length of
B Load on belt off center Improve the chute to avoid unevenly
belt.
distributed loading.

C Wind and rain When abnormal running takes place,

depending on the day, the cause is often
from wind or rain. Windshields or
self-aligning rollers should be provided in
this case.
D Wind and rain When the sun beats on one side of the
belt, the frame is subjected to elongation
and distortion.

E Idlers on one side not on Make level.

the same level with those
on the other

4. Scratch, cut, A Skirt length unsuitable Length of the skirt board shall be such
stripping or that it will permit the load to be stabilized
abnormal wears on the belt.
on the top cover
of the belt. B Improper opening angle Width between skirt boards shall be 2/3 to
formed by skirt boards 3/4 times the belt width, increasing in the
direction of belt travel.
Adjust the length to meet this
requirement.
17
Complaint Causes Countermeasures
C Improper space between Damage caused by the transported
belt and skirt material caught between belt and skirt
can be reduced by setting the skirt as
near to the belt as possible, gradually
widening the space between belt and skirt
in the direction of belt travel.

D Improper material for If the material of the belt is too rigid or a

skirt board used belt is utilized, with the canvas layer
(exposed from between the cover
rubbers) coming in touch wit the belt, the
skirt shall be replaced with proper
rubber-plate for skirt board.
E Improper chuting When the edge of the belt is damaged by
direction crooked running of the belt caused by the
lateral force imposed on the belt through
the chuting of the load in the direction
slightly differing from the belt travel, the
chuting direction shall be properly
adjusted.

F Improper chuting speed When wearing of the cover rubber is

caused by the slipping of the chuted
material on the belt, because of
ill-adjusted speeds of chuting and belt
running, then adjust the chute to
synchronize the feed to the speed of the
belt travel.

G Improper chuting angle Chuting angle shall be kept as small as

and height possible to prevent the chuted material
from bouncing off the belt. When the
installation does not permit a low height,
the falling speed shall be adjusted by
using a pocket, steel bar screen or chain.
See Figures (a), (b) & (c).

(a)

(b)

(c)

18
 Complaint Causes Countermeasures
H Return idlers are dirty, In case of abnormal abrasion over the
stuck or improperly whole length of the top cover rubber, the
adjusted following countermeasures may be taken:
(1) Install belt cleaners
(2) Clean the belt
(3) Attach rubber rings to return idler
(4) Repair or replace return idlers
Figures (a), (b) & (c): Usage of belt
cleaner

(a) Rubber scraper

(b) Comb scraper

(c) Rotating brush

I Clogging of loaded Excessively large lumps must be

material removed or broken into smaller pieces
beforehand, to allow their smooth
passage through the chute. The loading
volume must always be adjusted properly
to prevent overloading.

5. Abnormal A Slipping of the belt on Confirm the adequacy of the operation

abrasion of the driving pulleys and tension of the take-up pulley. If
bottom cover necessary, make the appropriate
rubber adjustments.
To prevent slipping, the drive pulley shall
be lagged with rubber or be given a larger
winding angle, by using a snap pulley.
When the belt surface if soiled with dirty
water, it shall be removed with a scraper.
B Troughed idler slanted Make an adjustment so that the idlers
too excessively may be installed squarely with the belt
o
running, within 2 of an incline.

19
 Complaint Causes
C Faulty rotation of carrier
idlers
D Faulty surface conditions
of idlers and pulleys
6. The edges of the A Crooked running of belts
belt are
damaged.
B Troughed carriers
immediately near the
head and tail pulley are
located too high over or
too near to the pulley
C Radius of curvature if the
belt at the point of
inflexion into convex is
too small
7. Damages in the A Impact of the chuted
canvas core material against the belt
layer of the belt
B Load on belt off center
C The belt runs crooked
into contact with the
structure
D Pulley stuck with cake
accumulation
Countermeasures
Improve maintenance and lubrication.
Broken idlers shall be replaced.
Proper repair shall be conducted when an
idler or pulley is damaged, foreign objects
are stuck to them, or the bolt head is
protruding over the lagged surface of the
pulley.
A scraper shall be installed for removing
the sticking materials.
Make corrections in accordance with the
guidelines given in the preceding sections
1, 2 and 3.
Lower the carrier idler, or widen the
spaces between the idlers and the pulley,
or reduce the troughing angle.
Adjust to appropriate radius.
Improve the chute and follow instructions
4-G above, to soften the impact.
Check the functioning of the impact idler.
A better impact idler such as a tyre type
may be applied.
(1) Provide scrapers on the return side at
the tail pulley end and at the part
immediately preceding the take-up.
(2) Insert steel plates between carrier
idlers and return idlers, at least at the
loading portion and the take-up
portion.
Countermeasures shall be taken in
accordance with the instructions
described in sections 1, 2 and 3.
Provide various cleaning devices for
pulleys.
20
 Complaint Causes Countermeasures
8. Longitudinal tear A Lowering of he skirt Constant and routine inspection and
boards or hopper maintenance should be conducted.
side-board because the
of loosened or lost bolts
B The clogging of Remove, or break into smaller pieces, the
transported materials in large lumps, to allow smooth passage of
the hopper or chute. materials through hopper or chute.
Loading rate must always be adjusted
properly to prevent overloading.
C Foreign objects mixed Magnet separators etc., shall be installed
into the transported at the part preceding the main belt to
material remove iron scraps, buts, bolts and other
blocks.

9. Swelling of A Oil or grease leakage Thorough maintenance work shall be

cover-rubber from the structure. conducted.

B Excessive lubrication on Decrease the amount of grease applied,

carrier idlers and provide complete grease sealing.

10. Cover-rubber A Welding sparks falling on When repair is done on the structure by
gets scorched the belt welding, some covering of the belt should
be done to prevent the sparks from falling
on the belt.

21
NOTES

Even when the problems mentioned above are observed carefully, there are still a few
additional precautions to be taken:

(1) Weak Point in the Belt

The spliced portion is the weakest point in the belt. Frequent inspection of this part is
essential.

(2) Overloading
Overloading of the belt increases the tension on, and lowers the safety factor of the belt,
resulting in a decrease in the service life of the belt. It also accelerates the deterioration of
the belt, even to the extent of cutting the belt in two.
Overloading must be avoided at all costs even if it the belt appears to be functioning at
overloaded conditions with no apparent difficulty.

(3) Inspection of Take-up Part

In general, the belts are likely to be more tensioned than required. This increases the
permanent set of the elongation of the belt. Consequently, this subjects the spliced portion
to more likely damages and eventual fatigue of the belt, In particular, screw take-up tends
to give excessive tension although gravity take-up may also often be the cause. In gravity
take-up, using improper deadweight results in malfunction or at times, complete stoppage,
In like of the above possibilities, careful and constant inspection is required.

(4) Unloading Devices

The proper installation of trippers and scrapers, conveniently used for unloading the
transported materials on the way between both ends of the conveyor, is important as they
tend to abrade and damage the belt.
Trippers should be provided with cleaners to prevent materials from getting caught
between pulleys and belts on return, and to prevent granular material from sticking to them.
Improper centering of the tripper may cause crooked running of the belt. Therefore,
frequent inspections with a centering scale are recommended.
There are two types of scrapers: diagonal and triangular. The latter one is recommended.

22
(5) Transition Section
If the carrier idlers at the transition section (horseback) of the belt line are not properly
aligned, or if the curved parts of the belt are unsuitable, then the belts will experience
abnormal bending fatigue. This will cause partial wear on the bottom cover of the belt,
separation of the cover rubber from the core rubber with longitudinal tearing etc. Hence,
the positioning of the carrier idlers is absolutely important.

(6) Idlers for Preventing Crooked Running

Self-aligning carriers, training idlers etc., may serve to prevent crooked running of the belt,
but they may also cause abrasion and damage to the belt if not properly utilized. It is
recommended that these correctional devices be employed after careful study. Also, they
should be minimized where possible.

(7) Loading Method

Study of the chute construction method for the loading of large lumps is especially
essential. One way to load large lumps is by arranging that small lumps may be first loaded
to serve as cushions for the large lumps, which follow. Sieves and bar screens are also
often used for the same purpose.

(8) Impact Idlers

Impact idlers are generally used to reduce the amount of direct impact to the belt.
Automobile tires may be used, especially for very heavy impact. Better results can be
obtained by providing buffing rubbers and springs between the impact idlers, supporters
and frames.

(9) Surrounding Conditions

In the event that gas cutting or welding work is performed near the belt, the belt must be
protected with suitable covering to prevent flame, spark or molten material from falling
directly on the belt.

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SUMMARY
In the notes above, descriptions of possible problems that may be encountered have been
presented with their corresponding remedial actions. General precautions for good
maintenance were also provided. The special items to bear in mind are:

(1) Biting (materials caught in the conveyor structure)

(2) Longitudinal tear
(3) Damage due to impact
(4) Cake sticking on pulley

The above four items form the major problems. In particular, where steel cord belts are
concerned, any one of the above will result in serious damages to the whole system. Constant
inspection and maintenance is essential.
In the event where the corresponding correctional action cannot be determined, the makes of the
conveyor systems or of the belt should be able to provide assistance to you.

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