North Dakota Patent of the Month – June 2021
Conveyors are great equipment for moving high volumes of material including rocks or agricultural products. Certain configurations include the use of cleats which increase the amount of product that can be moved along the conveyor. WCCO Belting, Inc. has developed a new variation on the conveyor with angularly oriented cleats.
The cleat along their conveyor is positioned at an angle to the edge of the conveyor. This angular orientation reduces noise by about 10% during operation. It also offers a smoother transition as the conveyor moves over the rollers. These improvements allow the conveyor to be operated at higher speeds while remaining within safety standards, thereby increasing productivity. The height of the cleats can be altered based on the product being transferred – for instance crops vs gravel may require different specifications. The belt is made of two layers – one fabric and a second rubber layer. The rubber coat can be applied either through skim coating or friction coating. The latter produces a thinner rubber layer and allows the belt to move faster. The combination of angled cleats and the friction-coated rubber conveyor belt can improve your production line speed and efficiency.
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