Drives & Tail Pulleys

Conveyor fundamentals

Some types of belts stretch more than others

What to do when your belt is too loose?

First, move the tail pulley. It can be moved to "take-up" the belt stretch.

  • There are "take-up" screws on both sides of the conveyor.
  • Move these screws out slowly.
  • Move them the same amount on both sides
  • This keeps the belt tight.

When the take-up screws are still all the way out and the belt still stretches, what can you do next?

The "dutchman"

Longer conveyors are provided with one or more short pieces of belt added, called a "dutchman". Remove the short pieces of belt. Now you can start the "take-up" procedure all over again.

If a "Dutchman" was not provided, you may need to add an underside take-up to your conveyor.

How to get more belt take-up

There is more belt stretch on a long, long conveyor than the regular take-up and dutchman will give. So an "Underside Take-Up" should also be used.

When should I use underside take-up?

  • On conveyors 60' long, or longer. 
  • Underside take ups are often used when the overall length of conveyor cannot be changed and the tail pulley "take-up" cannot be used.