Bucket Elevators – Functions and Advantages

What are Bucket Elevators?

A bucket elevator or grain leg, is a machine that convey flow-able bulk materials vertically. It is useful in oil mill machinery and consist of buckets, a belt, to carry the buckets and transmit the pull, machine to drive the belt and accessories for loading the buckets or picking up the material. It is important accessory for oil mill machinery as it can convey light to heavy materials at ease.

Bucket Elevators are one of the most popular systems in use today for elevating bulk materials. Their inherent simplicity makes them a popular choice for handling bulk materials and in processing applications. Continuous developments in bucket shape, head and boot profiles, manufacturing and operating specifications.

With a bucket elevator, most free flowing materials and other materials with poor flow characteristics can be successfully handled. The rate at which material can be elevated depends on many factors in addition to the obvious effects of bucket design, capacity and speed.

Types of Bucket Elevators

The most common elevator is a centrifugal discharge elevator, which may be vertical or inclined. The action of centrifugal force drives the vertical elevators to put the oil into the discharge chute and be run at a relatively high speed. Inclined elevators have the buckets placed little apart or set close together may have the discharge chute set partly under the head pulley. The speed of the inclined elevator is low because it doesn’t depend on the centrifugal force.

All vertical elevators have spaced buckets with rounded bottoms. The materials from a boot, a pit or a pile can be easily loaded to a centrifugal elevator. The shape of buckets are triangular and close to on the belt with little or no space in between them. This type of elevator are being used to carry heavy material, and lift at a slow pace. Unlike earlier elevators, which used to use small, flat steel buckets, nowadays modern elevators uses a rubber belt with plastic bucket. These are more convenient and easy to use. Further, the pulleys are being used at the top and bottom and driven by an electric.

Functions of Bucket Elevators

The main function of elevator is to continue pulsating flow of material through a vertical handling. Apart from centrifugal discharge type, there are others such as positive discharge type, continuous type and super capacity elevators. In case of large materials, lumpy and abrasive materials slow elevators may be used without scooping the material is lifted. The chains or belts as traction element are used and different bucket shapes, provide universal possibility of combinations. Apart from conventional bucket elevators there are overlapping buckets type elevator, shelf elevator, cradle elevator etc.

Advantages of Bucket Elevators

Used in Number of Industries
Large Conveying Capacity
High Hoisting Height
Smooth Transportation of Goods
Less Maintenance
Stable and Reliable Running
Long Service Life
Low Driving Power
Wide Range of Lifting

For more information on Bucket elevators, elevator chains and other oil mill machinery visit: Steel Elevator Bucket