What is a roller chain belt conveyor? This is one of the most common types of chain belt conveyors used for recycling and heavy-duty material handling. The chain has steel rollers built into each link which roll on rail tracks. This reduces the drag of the belt as it travels along the conveyor and allows the conveyor to convey a heavy load with less power.
The chain belt is guided around both ends of the conveyor on sprockets. The sprockets at the discharge end of the conveyor grab the chain as the shaft and sprockets are turned by a motor with a reducer.
Multiple Belt Options
- Combo belt — rubber or PVC belting is bolted to steel cross members which connect each strand of chain, for a lightweight but durable carrying surface.
- Steel belt — steel pans are bolted to tabs or cross members attached to each strand of chain, for a heavy-duty and heat-resistant carrying surface.
Common Roller Chain Conveyor Uses
Roller chain belts carry the hardest-working conveyors in a recycling plant. Each use has its own entry:
Conveyor Orientation Options
Remcon can build roller chain conveyors in many different orientations, depending on the layout requirements. We also can build two separate conveyors that run in series, to simplify installation, separate clumps better, or to be able to use two different types of conveyors (e.g. a roller chain feeding a slider bed). Other options may be available, depending on the application.
All of these orientation options can be installed both in-ground (in a pit) or above ground.
Contact us to discuss what layout works best for your situation →
Special Features & Specifications
The sections below cover the standard construction of a Remcon roller chain conveyor, from the frame up. Ask us for the Roller Chain Conveyor General Features Drawing (PDF) when you get in touch.
Conveyor Features
Structural Steel Conveyor Frame
Heavy-duty open frame construction from structural shapes and formed plate at elbows, braced and reinforced for rigidity in all places and completely shop fitted and welded. The frame is specially designed to allow more access between upper and lower belts and includes special expanded maintenance openings.
Conveyor Alignment
Remcon conveyors are shop fabricated in the longest sections practical (up to 40 ft.). Adjoining sections are aligned accurately with each other in the shop as they are fabricated. The entire conveyor is aligned (and leveled) a second time during the installation, to prevent the belt from wandering and wearing into the side of the conveyor.
Leg Height and Leveling Adjusters
Conveyor legs are equipped with threaded height adjusters for fine-tuning the height and for leveling the conveyor accurately.
Oversized, High-Strength Impact Beams
Remcon impact beams are parallel to the belt, custom fabricated channels, formed from 1/4" plate, with 3" flanges and a 6" web. This design provides a shape that is stronger and is made from a material that has a higher yield strength and is straighter than structural channel. These high-strength beams have additional support in the loading area, where there is more potential for abuse.
UHMW Plastic Wear Surfaces on Impact Beams
1/2" thick x 6" wide black reprocessed UHMW polyethylene plastic is attached to the conveyor impact beams. (Reprocessed UHMW is used due to the improved wear properties achieved by the cross-linking that happens during the production process.) When sufficient load is applied to the belt to cause the impact channels to flex, the impact shoes will ride on the UHMW wear strips rather than directly on the steel impact beams. The plastic is attached with bolts, is easily replaced, and has slotted holes that allow for thermal expansion to prevent buckling in warm weather.
Roller Chain Rails
30 lb. ASCE rail designed to provide tracking for the rollers. This is a replaceable item and is not used as part of the conveyor frame.
Running Backstops
Constantly-engaged running backstops allow the return belt to pass through while the belt runs forward, but prevent roller chain belts from back-running while the conveyor is stopped during normal operation.
Wear-Reducing Rail Transitions
The head end of Remcon's roller chain tracks are specially shaped and positioned to minimize damage to chain and tracks from the up-and-down chordal action of the chain going around the head sprockets.
Remcon Belt Take-Ups
Remcon's cantilevered telescoping tube style take-ups, with manual screw adjustment, offer the following advantages:
- Cleaning access — the support tubes are positioned to provide access to the area between the upper and lower belts, for cleaning and inspection of the tail pulley on slider bed conveyors, or the tail sprockets and shaft of chain/belt conveyors.
- Replaceable parts — the bearings are commonly available pillow block style. The threaded working parts of the take-up are commonly available from local fastener or hardware stores, and are replaced easily.
- Take-up travel — generous length of take-up travel: 12" on the shorter conveyors and up to 18" on the longest. On slider bed conveyors, the belt will be cut so that the majority of the take-up is used for ease of belt installation, repair and replacement, since good quality belts with polyester carcasses have virtually no stretch after initial tensioning, and in some cases will shrink slightly.
- Ease of adjustment — tracking and tension adjustments are made with one wrench, with no need to loosen and re-tighten the bearing attachment bolts. The moving parts of the take-up have generous amounts of clearance, to prevent binding in the frame or against the bearings (side load) as the take-up moves through its full range.
- Versatility — Remcon take-ups will accommodate almost any brand of bearing, in the most common, pillow block style.
Tracking Adjustments on Both Ends of Conveyor
Additional belt tracking adjustments are provided for the non-take-up end of each conveyor, for ease of tracking adjustments.
Drive Method — Parallel Gear, Shaft-Mounted Torque Arm Reducers (Dodge Torque Arm II)
These reducers have been used almost exclusively in sand, rock, gravel, mining, and similar industries for many years, and are well proven. Remcon has used them since 1990, with good success. The new generation has been re-engineered throughout with features designed to improve performance, extend service life, and reduce maintenance. Remcon normally configures these reducers to be driven by a separate motor by v-belts, using different combinations of sheaves for additional speed reduction.
The advantages of using the Dodge Torque Arm II shaft mount reducer with v-belt drive are as follows:
- Low maintenance — there are no chains to oil, tension, or shorten and reconnect.
- Ease of adjustment — rather than moving the entire gearbox and motor to adjust the chain tension, adjusting the Dodge Torque Arm II reducer only requires opening the hinged door on the belt guard, loosening the two lock nuts, and turning the turnbuckle by hand.
- Fewer wear parts — there are no sprockets or chain to wear out. Although v-belts will wear out, they commonly do not wear out until they are protecting the conveyor from jamming, if it jams (see following item). They are inexpensive and easy to replace. V-belt sheaves last much longer than drive chain sprockets and drive chain.
- Jamming protection — the need for mechanical shear pins is eliminated. The motor drives the reducer by v-belt(s). If the conveyor jams, the v-belt slips, preventing the jam from causing damage to the conveyor. As the v-belt is slipping, it typically makes a loud squealing noise that draws attention to the problem. If the conveyor is not turned off, the v-belt will eventually be ruined, and there will be nothing driving the jammed conveyor. The cost of replacing the v-belt is typically $20 or less. Replacing the belt involves opening the hinged belt guard door, loosening the turnbuckle and slipping the new belt on. If the conveyor is prone to jamming (for example wrong product, or too much product), the v-belt can be kept looser than normal to minimize the potential for damage. In the past 12 years that we have used these reducers, we are unaware of any Remcon conveyor equipped with these reducers that suffered damage resulting from jamming. As additional jamming protection an electronic shear pin may be added to the electrical system.
- Parallel gears — the gears are parallel, rather than right angle. Parallel gears are more efficient and produce less friction.
- Operating and maintenance convenience — when working on a conveyor, such as doing maintenance, un-jamming product or diagnosing problems, there is often a need to move the belt a short distance either forward or backward. This is impossible electrically, since the power should be locked out at this time. But this can be accomplished easily and safely without power when using a shaft-mounted reducer, by turning the spokes on the input sheave by hand.
- Excellent availability — unlike other reducers, the Dodge Torque Arm II reducers are so commonly used in other industries that they are quite often in stock at many local dealers, and are almost always available somewhere in the country. Other brands (Link, Browning, etc.) may also be substituted without modification.
- Separate motor — the motor is mounted separately from the reducer, and is connected only by v-belts. Therefore, any brand of motor can be used, and a motor breakdown does not affect the reducer, or vice-versa.
- Ease of changing reduction ratios — reduction ratios of up to 5 to 1 are easily obtained from the motor-to-reducer v-belts and sheaves. These ratios are easily changed by swapping out sheaves, which is more difficult and expensive with a drive chain and sprockets.
Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)
A VFD can be a very worthwhile component to have on a conveyor, and is especially recommended on chain belt conveyors. VFDs offer:
- Soft start — decreases wear and tear on the motor and other drive parts
- Jam protection — replaces old technology (shear pins, clutches, etc.) and works better
- Many other programmable settings for speed, acceleration and deceleration, etc.
Belt Specifications
Rubber/PVC Combination Belts
- Belt material — 3 ply, 330 lbs. per inch width (P.I.W.) MOR rubber, 3/16" top cover; 1/16" bottom cover
- Belt cross members — 4" x 5.4 lb. channel (6" pitch) or 6" x 8.2 lb. channel (9" pitch), bolted to chain and belt every other pitch
- Belt width — 24" to 72"
- Chain bushings — solid .760" I.D. x 1.120" O.D. x 2.31" long, 1018 solid machined; carburized, hardened to RC55-60; press fit into inner sidebars
- Chain sidebars — double row, 2" wide x 3/8" thick precision die punched 1045 bar
- Chain pins — 4142 steel 3/4" diameter headed stub pin; pin ends milled flat to lock into outer sidebars and ends drilled for 1/4" x 1" solid locking pin
- Chain pitch — available in either 6" or 9" pitch
- Cleats — 3 x 3 x 3/8 coped angle on 48" centers (other options also available)
- Impact shoes — 3" x 6" x 3/8" thick plate, welded to underside of cross channels in line with impact beams
- Rollers — single flange, 3" diameter x 1 1/2" width, through-hardened sintered steel wheel
- Side wings — 1/4" thick steel x 4" tall, precision die formed interlocking offset wing
- Sprockets — 6 tooth, 12" pitch diameter (for 6" pitch chain) or 18" pitch diameter (for 9" pitch chain), flame-cut with hardened teeth at tail and head ends of conveyor
Steel Pan Belts
Hinge pan specifications are given below — contact us for other steel belt options.
- Belt width — 24" to 72"
- Chain bushings — solid .760" I.D. x 1.120" O.D. x 2.060" long, 1018 alloy, machined, carburized, hardened to RC55-60, press fit into inner sidebars
- Chain sidebars — double row, 2" wide x 1/4" thick precision die punched 1045 alloy steel
- Chain pins — 1045 cold rolled steel, .750" diameter, pin ends milled flat to lock into outer sidebars and ends drilled for 1/4" x 1" extended prong cotter pin
- Chain pitch — available in either 6" or 9" pitch
- Chain rollers — single flange, 3" diameter x 1 1/2" width, face sintered steel
- Cleats — 3 x 3 x 3/8 coped angle iron on 48" centers (other options also available)
- Hinge pans — 1/4" steel plate, precision die-formed pan, with fully closed loops, 2 loops welded closed on each side of the belt
- Hinge sleeve — 0.975" O.D. x .760" I.D. tube, 1008/1010 hot rolled pickled and oiled steel. This is a thicker wall than other conveyor belt manufacturers use. While still being interchangeable, it offers superior wear characteristics, and spans the entire width of the belt.
- Impact shoes — 1" plate, 3" x 6" spaced every 12", welded on underside of steel belt pans in line with impact beams
- Side wings — 1/4" thick steel x 4" tall, precision die formed, interlocking, offset wing, fully welded to hinge pan to prevent leakage of product
- Sprockets — 6 tooth, 12" pitch diameter (for 6" pitch chain) or 18" pitch diameter (for 9" pitch chain), flame cut with hardened teeth at tail and head ends of conveyor
Maintenance & Safety Features
Remcon's roller chain conveyors are designed to allow the safest and easiest access to maintenance areas to ensure a smooth running operation.
Enlarged Maintenance Access
Special open frame design maximizes access between upper and lower belts and includes special expanded maintenance openings.
Hinged Guards for Drive Components
Remcon's standard guards include a hinged door that provides convenient access for inspection and maintenance without removing a guard. For conveyors that have insufficient clearance for a hinging door at the drive, the door — rather than the entire guard — is unbolted to gain access.
Maintenance Backstops
In addition to backstops that prevent roller chain belts from back-running during normal operation, additional maintenance backstops are provided for safety and convenience during maintenance work such as belt installation.
Self-Cleaning Belt Return Chutes and Guarding
The entire underside of the conveyor, from the discharge to the floor, is guarded for safety and cleanliness. Debris that clings to the belt falls into the chutes (rather than the floor), then slides down the chutes, which are free of catch-points. It then collects in a guarded collection point at floor level (and outside of the pit, if there is one). The chutes are easily removed for maintenance.
Debris Clean-Out Door
Debris that slides down the return belt chutes is collected in this guarded area. The door provides convenient cleaning access.
Chain Oiler
Automatically oils the belt chains for increased longevity. The heavy duty steel tank has a 2.5 gallon capacity and features electric valves to start and stop the flow of oil as the conveyor starts and stops.
Emergency Stop System
Cable-pull switch with required cable and rigging.
Pit Deckplate Features
Remcon also manufactures deck plates and supporting framework custom designed to fit each pit conveyor. We offer a system that allows the easiest access to the inside of the pit for maintenance, while keeping the loading floor safe and secure during operation.
Deck Plates
1/2" thick plate, with 3 x 3 x 3/8" angle stiffeners, 5 feet typical length. Pit deck stops welded to the underside of the deck plates prevent the plates from being slid apart by a skid steer machine. They also act as guides to allow removal and re-installation of the plates by one person on a forklift, using the lift-out deck plate handles.
Lift-Out Deck Plate Handles
These heavy duty handles are inserted into special holes in the center of the plates. A forklift is then used to remove and re-install the plate, all by one person.
Deck Plate Supports
Steel tube, 3 x 3 x 1/4" or larger, with one end welded to the steel embedded in the top of the concrete pit wall (curbing angle) and the other end welded to the conveyor. These tubes are installed underneath the 1/8" gaps between all the deck plates, and are spaced 4 to 5 feet apart. The deck support tubes serve the following functions:
- Provide additional support for the deck plates, to bear the load of bucket loaders, etc.
- Block small debris from falling through the small gaps between plates and into the pit
- Act as strong stops to keep the removable pit plates locked into place
- Protect the conveyor from damage by bucket loaders by tying the conveyor into the concrete pit wall every 5 feet
- Provide a positive means of locking the conveyor into a very accurate alignment despite all the abuse it normally receives. A misaligned conveyor results in excessive wear to both the belt and the rails that the belt rides on.
We specialize in custom designed and fabricated equipment and can work with you to design a solution that will work well for your needs. Contact us to discuss options or to get a quote.
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