Conveyor belts are generally categorized by whether they have a traction element: conveyor belts with traction elements and conveyor belts without traction elements.
Conveyor belts with traction elements come in many types, including belt conveyors, plate conveyors, trolley conveyors, escalators, moving walkways, scraper conveyors, buried scraper conveyors, bucket conveyors, bucket elevators, suspension conveyors, and aerial ropeways.
Conveyor belts without traction elements commonly include rotating rollers and screw conveyors. The structure and characteristics of conveyor belts with traction elements are as follows:
Conveyor belts with traction elements generally include traction elements, load-bearing components, drive mechanisms, tensioning devices, redirecting devices, and supporting components. The traction member transmits traction force and can be a conveyor belt, traction chain, or wire rope. The load-bearing member, such as a hopper, bracket, or sling, holds and releases the material. The drive unit provides power to the conveyor and generally consists of an electric motor, a reducer, and a brake (stop). The tensioning device, typically of either screw or weight type, maintains a certain tension and sag in the traction member to ensure proper operation of the conveyor belt. The supporting member, such as rollers or wheels, supports the traction member or load-bearing member.
The structural characteristics of conveyor belts with traction members are as follows: the material being transported is contained within a load-bearing member connected to the traction member, or directly attached to the traction member (such as a conveyor belt). The traction member passes over rollers or sprockets and is connected end-to-end, forming a closed loop consisting of a loaded branch for transporting material and an unloaded branch for unloaded material. The continuous motion of the traction member transports the material.