Crown Conveyor Pulley - How it operates
Pulleys, which might be drum-type or roller-type, are the most typical simple machines used to drive the belt of most conveyors systems. Due to the wide use, manufacturers have made improvements for better system performance and longer life. One of these is the crown conveyor pulley.
Pulleys are tubular-shaped drums that are used to drive the belt of a conveyor system. The drive pulley is linked to a motor, which, consequently, transfers the torque required to steer the conveyor belt. Consequently, the conveyor belt moves along the path. However, because of its mechanism, the common problem for some conveyor pulleys may be the tendency of the conveyor belt to go sideways or from its supposed track. When this happens, the belt is subjected to excessive wear as it rubs against the conveyor frame and in place, it deteriorates faster. Also, the rubbing causes friction, which, in turn, results in increased drive motor load and power consumption as well.
That's where crowned pulleys can be found in useful. They are installed to make certain the belt is on track rather than drifting sideways. Whether tapered or trapezoidal, crowned pulleys consist of a drive pulley with a center diameter that is slightly longer than those of the ends. The diameter difference causes the belt to correct itself by constantly moving back on its track when it will drift away.
Its drawback, however, may be the cost. The material itself along with the machining process causes it to be a bit expensive. At the moment, heavy metal can be used for the wall tubing of the crown. And through the machining process, substantial unusable portions of the material are wasted.
Because the belt conveyor moves, the drive pulley will slip. This led the manufacturers to develop drive pulleys with smaller diameters. But as the diameter is smaller, there is less surface area connection with the conveyor belt. This, in turn, results in limited torque transmission. To solve this problem, engineers thought that molding rubber or some synthetic material to the drive pulley surface would raise the grip and, in effect, torque transmission. Tingeer covering is what they call lagging. Lagging provides the necessary traction in order for the pulley to work better.
Rubber material is compounded and put on the pulley. Manufacturers do vulcanized lagging in different degrees of hardness according to customer specifications, in any diameter or length. There are various patterns available - plain, ceramic, crown, herringbone and groove patterns. However, this can be expensive. The procedure of placing the rubber to the roller and the material itself is relatively high in cost. There exists a cheaper alternative to lagging, which consists of wrapping the lagging. The result is a crown-like influence on the pulley. The disadvantage of the type of lagging may be the effect of stretching the conveyor belt.
Crown conveyor pulleys can be very useful, if you know how exactly to use and look after it. Proper machine handling and maintenance can do wonders in increasing its life. If you are thinking of using one of these brilliant for your plant or business, know the essential mechanism and find the useful innovations made on it. While it may be costly at first, but in the long run it is possible to save your money because of the many years that the device can serve you.