3 dimensional bucket conveyor

Introduction:
Material handling plays a very important role in the industrial economy. Mass production
depends mainly on conveying system and expansions is mass production invariably follow
developments in method of handling the materials involved. The material handling is a system or
combination of methods, facilities, labor and equipment for moving, packaging and storing of
materials to meet specific objectives. Materials handling is increasingly being recognized as a
primary tool for improving productivity. Nearly every activity in manufacturing involves some
form of material handling. The productivity of any company will be increased if proper material
handling equipment is installed to control the element of operation.
The entire material handling system involves movement, storage, control and protection of
materials, goods and products throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution,
consumption and disposal. Material handling equipment is the equipment involved in the total
system. The conventional material handling system employed in industries involve different
types ranging from conveyors to forklifts. The present day material handling systems can be
classified into following as given below.
1. Conveyor systems: These follow horizontal, vertical or compound motions through the air,
over fixed routes by gravity or by power. Conveying equipment is a group of machines which
move loads in a continuous flow and which may have no lifting gear.
2. Transportation and Transferring Equipment:
(a)Transportation Equipment: These follow horizontal motion over fixed or variable, level or
nearly level routes by pulling or pushing on surface riding vehicles.
(b) Transferring Equipment: These follow horizontal, inclined or declined motions through the
air over fixed routes or limited areas, with intermittent motions.
Transportation equipment may be (a) Surface transportation equipment and (b) overhead
transportation equipment. Surface transportation equipment is a group which is equipped with
running gear that remains in contact with surface over which it moves. These normally operate
over horizontal path of travel. Overhead transportation equipment is a group of machines which
usually handle loads in batches and which may not be provided lifting gear.

3. Hoisting equipment (Lifting, lowering or elevating equipment):

(a) Lifting and lowering equipment: These are used in the operation of lifting a load, handling
them in suspension, lowering and placing them at required locations.
(b) Elevating Equipment: Vertical motion over fixed vertical or steep inclined routes with
continuous or intermittent motion is followed by these equipments. Hoisting equipment is a
group of machines with lifting gear intended for moving loads mainly in batches.
Since materials handling equipment are used for moving loads in premises, departments,
factories and plants, at construction sites, storage and reloading points etc. they move loads over
comparatively short distances. These generally depend on the available external and intra-plant
transporting facilities, external transporting facilities, supply the enterprise with raw materials,
semi-finished items, fuels, auxiliary materials etc. and dispatch production and waste material
from the enterprise. Intra-plant transporting facilities distribute the loads, which come in,
throughout the enterprise.
For important loading and unloading operations some handling mechanisms are provided
with special grabbing devices operated by auxiliary machine and appliances or manually.
Of all these material handling equipments, the conveyors are widely used in industries
for faster and safer material handling from one point to another. This project focuses on type of
conveyor called bucket conveyor. Conventionally bucket conveyors are used where elevation of
material is required i.e. the goods need to be carried from one height on industry floor to another.
Though these conveyors provide better efficiency over other material handling systems these
suffer from many major drawbacks. The major drawback associated with bucket conveyors is the
constraint of direction in which materials can be transported. Hence it is essential to develop the
new

system

which

is

more

convenient

and

overcomes

this

drawback.

This project involves designing and fabrication of bucket conveyor system which can be easily
used to transfer goods in 3 dimensions without the constraint of direction.

Objective:
The main objective of the project is to develop an efficient bucket conveyor system which can be
used for material handling along multi directions in industries.
This involves designing and fabrication of bucket elevator which can move in all three direction
efficiently.

Research methodology:
The entire approach to the project goes with making a deep study on present day bucket
conveyors or elevators which are used in industry. The elevating conveyors are used for
transporting dry granular materials (the material that will not stick to the buckets) in the vertical
direction with the help of buckets and trays. These are also known as Bucket elevating conveyors
or Bucket elevators and carry the material in bucket to vertical or near vertical positions. These
are either (i) chain bucket elevator, in which buckets are attached to one or two chains which
move on two end wheels, or (ii)Belt bucket elevator, in which buckets are attached to the belt
moving on pulleys provided at two ends.

Bucket elevators are operated between head and foot terminal machinery in a supporting
frame. The buckets are loaded by scoop action at foot end or by a chute above. Belt types have
higher speed and capacity, smoother and quieter, while chain types are heavier duty and suitable
for abrasive materials.
Such elevators arc sometimes used as portable elevators which are known as stackers
consists of a base on wheels, a vertical frame or mast, a lifting or lowering mechanism, and a
load carrying platform. Lifting of such elevators is accomplished by hydraulic or mechanical
action. The mast may be telescopic or non-telescopic.
Bucket elevators consist of an endless chain of buckets which elevates the materials. The
elevators are usually enclosed in a sheet of metal casing with necessary inlet and outlet openings
and chutes. These are widely used in handling coals, chemicals, cement etc.
This being an efficient way to transfer the materials over an elevation, it is useless when
directions change, as the material in the bucket falls off due to the action of gravity.

This project involves designing and fabrication of unique three dimensional bucket
conveyor which can traverse in all there directions carrying the material without falling.

The proposed concept to the project:

The diagram below shows the proposed concept to the project.

As shown in the figure the buckets move in the guide rails. The motion of the buckets is made
possible with the help of chains which is flexible. As the power is supplied to the chain the
buckets start moving in the guide rails.

Now whenever there is change in direction as shown in the figure, the buckets automatically
adjust to the change in direction. This is not possible in case of conventional buckets which
unload the material when the direction changes. Thus the buckets can carry material effectively
irrespective of change in direction.

Project approach:
The entire project approach is divided into different steps which will be completed as we go
ahead with the project.
1) Design and fabrication of special guide rails:
This involves designing and fabrication the guide rails in which the buckets move ahead
2) The drive system: This is responsible for providing power for bucket conveyor
3) The three dimensional tilting assembly: This is the heart of the project. This assembly is
responsible for keeping the bucket parallel to the ground irrespective of the directions of
the conveyor.
4) The flexible linkage between buckets:
This flexible linkage is the linkage which passed in between the guide rails and is
responsible for transmitting motion from drive system to the bucket for movement.
All the above are fabricated and assembled to bring about unique three dimensional
bucket conveyors.

Advantages:
1) Can carry material in all three axes as the bucket always remains parallel to the
ground.
2) Cost effective as it can be done in the cost of normal bucket conveyors.
3) Easy to setup.
4) Very compact as compared to other conveyor systems.

References:
1) Theory of machines by R.S Khurumi.
2) Materials Handling Handbook by Raymond Kulwiec
3) Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt edited by M. A. Alspaugh

4) Production Technology By K. L. Narayana