The characteristics and history of belt conveyors

Belt conveyors are widely used in sectors such as building materials, electricity, light industry, grain, ports, ships, etc. So what are the characteristics of belt conveyors? What are the prototypes of belt conveyors in history?

Belt conveyor is an ideal high-efficiency continuous transportation equipment for coal mines. Compared with other transportation equipment (such as machinery and vehicles), it has the advantages of long transportation distance, large transportation capacity, continuous transportation, and reliable operation. It is easy to achieve automation and centralized control, especially for high-yield and high-efficiency mines. Belt conveyor has become a key equipment for the integration of coal mining electromechanical technology and equipment. The main feature of a belt conveyor is that the body can be easily retracted and equipped with a storage belt compartment. The tail of the conveyor can be extended or shortened with the advancement of the coal mining face. The structure is compact and can be laid directly on the bottom plate of the roadway without a foundation. The frame is lightweight and easy to disassemble. When the conveying capacity and distance are large, an intermediate driving device can be equipped to meet the requirements. According to the requirements of the conveying process, materials can be transported individually or by combining multiple units into a horizontal or inclined conveying system.

The high rotation drum car and water lifting overturning car in ancient China were the embryonic form of modern bucket elevators and scraper conveyors; In the mid-17th century, aerial cableways began to be used to transport bulk materials; In the mid-19th century, various modern conveyor structures emerged one after another. In 1868, belt conveyors emerged in England; In 1887, screw conveyors emerged in the United States; In 1905, steel belt conveyors emerged in Switzerland; In 1906, inertial conveyors emerged in England and Germany.

Subsequently, the conveyor was influenced by technological advancements in mechanical manufacturing, electric motors, chemical and metallurgical industries, and continuously improved. It gradually evolved from completing internal conveying in workshops to completing material handling within enterprises, between enterprises, and even between cities, becoming an indispensable component of the mechanization and automation of material handling systems.