TOOLS · GLOSSARY
Pulleys & Drums — Belt Conveyor Glossary
33 terms on Pulleys & Drums, each with its working definition, the governing symbol or formula where one exists, and a link to the standard behind it.
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33 terms
Drive pulley (head pulley)
Motor-driven pulley that propels the belt by friction.
Bend pulley
Pulley that changes belt direction without driving it.
Snub pulley
Small pulley that increases the belt wrap angle on the drive pulley to improve grip.
Take-up pulley
Movable pulley that sets belt tension inside the take-up device.
Tail pulley
Return-end pulley guiding the belt at the tail of the conveyor.
Wing pulley
Pulley built from spaced discs that sheds sticky material; used at the tail.
Pulley lagging
Rubber or ceramic cover on a pulley that increases friction and cuts slip and wear.
Chevron / grooved lagging
Lagging with a chevron or groove pattern that lets water and fines escape for grip in wet duty.
Pulley diameter
Key sizing dimension set by belt strength and speed; it fixes the belt's bending stress.
Pulley shell
The cylindrical body of a pulley, machined or rolled to run true.
Pulley shaft
The axle on which a pulley turns; sized for combined bending and torque.
Head pulley
Pulley at the discharge end; carries the highest belt tension on a single-drive conveyor.
Motorised pulley (drum motor)
Pulley with the motor and gearbox built inside the shell; compact drive for short conveyors.
Crowned pulley
Pulley with a slightly convex face that helps centre the belt.
Flat pulley
Pulley with a parallel (uncrowned) face, used where belt training is handled by idlers.
Wing (self-cleaning) pulley
Pulley of spaced discs or bars that sheds sticky material; used at the tail.
Magnetic pulley
Pulley with a permanent magnet that separates tramp iron from the material stream.
Shaft-mounted gearbox pulley
Drive pulley with a shaft-mounted reducer hung directly on the pulley shaft.
Pulley hub
Connection between the shell and the shaft or disc; usually shrink-fitted or keyed.
Pulley end disc
Disc that transfers load from the shell to the hub and shaft.
Pulley crown height
Radial rise of a crowned pulley from edge to centre; typically 1–2 mm per 1000 mm width.
Ceramic lagging
Lagging with embedded ceramic tiles for very high friction in wet, slippery duty.
Diamond (grooved) lagging
Lagging with a diamond groove pattern that channels water away for grip.
Plain (smooth) lagging
Smooth rubber cover for dry, clean duty where maximum friction is not required.
Pulley runout
Out-of-round or off-axis error of the pulley; causes vibration and tracking faults.
Pulley bearing
Bearing set supporting the pulley shaft; usually self-aligning spherical roller bearings.
Pulley bearing housing
Split or solid housing that carries the pulley bearing on the frame.
Pulley face width
Axial length of the pulley shell; slightly wider than the belt.
Pulley shell thickness
Wall thickness of the pulley cylinder; governs its bending deflection under belt tension.
Pulley lagging thickness
Rubber or ceramic layer bonded to the drive pulley; raises friction so the belt is driven without slip.
Plain lagging
Smooth rubber lagging. Cheapest and easiest to clean, best in dry, non-sticky service.
Diamond lagging
Grooved lagging that channels water and fines out from under the belt; standard for wet or dirty conditions.
Herringbone lagging
V-grooved lagging that self-ejects water and material — the usual choice on both directions if the belt can reverse.
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