Steel band conveyor

Box Feeder. A device for feeding clay to preparation machines. It consists of a large metal box, open topped, with the bottom usually formed by a steel-band conveyor or by a conveyor of overlapping steel slats for plastic clay the feeding mechanism may be a number of revolving screw shafts. 

This type of "belt" conveyor is equipped with a cold-rolled hardened steel band in lieu of a "rubber" belt and is used for special purposes. The thickness of the band is usually in the range of 1.0 to 1.5 mm. Because of the flat and smooth surface of the band, the material can very suitably be discharged by means of ploughs (or scrapers). Such conveyors are not very suitable for the handling of hot materials unless the band acquires a uniform temperature across its whole width otherwise buckling is liable to occur in consequence of differential thermal expansion, causing serious trouble in the operation of the conveyor. 

Band-feder, /. flat spring, -fdrderer, m. belt conveyor, -kante, /. edge of a band, band head, -mass, n. tape measure, -stabl, m. band steel, strip steel, bandstreifig, a. banded, streaked, striped. Band-trockuer, m. belt drier, -wunn, m. tapeworm. 

Steam-heated air is the usual heat-transfer medium employed in these dryers, although combustion gases may be used also. Temperatures above 600 K are not usually feasible because of the problems of lubricating the conveyor, chain, and roller drives. Recirculation of air is in the range of 60 to 90 percent of the flow through the bed. Conveyors may be made of wire-mesh screen or perforated-steel plate. The minimum practical screen opening size is about 30-mesh (0.5 mm). Multiple bands in series may be used. 

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