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To assist you with the spiral terms that may come up in conversations, we have compiled a list of descriptions which should help in discussing spiral issues.
Belting:
The main carrying belt that is used on a spiral, can be metal, plastic or a combination. This is the belt which comes into direct contact with the product in the spiral.
Belt Sprockets:
Typically made in a plastic material, these sprockets directly engage the belt and are located near the take up drive.
Belt Stretch:
Elongation of the belt due to physical wearing, not to be confused with thermal elongation.
Belt Tension:
The force that can be measured on the outer edge of the belt, which is a function of the overdrive on the cage. When this tension gets to high, the outer edge of the belt wants to lift upward, causing potential problems.
Cage:
The central part of the spiral which is used to supply the force that drives the belt, sometimes referred to as the drum or center cage.
Collapse Factor:
A varying factor applied to the belts being used in a spiral. This collapse factor affects belt lengths in a system, as well as being affected by varying cage diameters.
Collapse Point:
The point where the belt enters the cage and changes state from straight to radius.
Connecting Rod:
The rod which connects the belts together. Typically in metal or plastic materials.
Deck:
Sometimes known as tiers, this is the belt surface area where the product rides. Can also be referred to as a surrounding platform which is used for sanitation or air flow purposes.
Discharge:
The point where the product leaves the spiral.
DownGo:
A spiral where the product is fed at the top and exits at the bottom.
Drive Assembly:
Includes the drive motor, reducer, chain and drive sprockets which are usually found either under, on top of, or outside the central cage.
Drive Chain Oiler:
Brush assembly which is used to manually or automatically lubricate the main drive chain.
Elongation:
Belt length increase / decrease due to temperature differences, not to be confused with belt stretch.
Expansion Point:
The point where the belt changes state from a radius to a straight.
Fatigue:
Usually associated with metal belt performance or structural damage due to vibrations, it is a failure of varying consequences.
Flange Pulleys:
Located on the edges of the belt and having one side raised, these pulleys help keep the belt guided and assist in tracking.
Flex Belting:
Metal belting with specific characteristics of strength, weight and application.
Flipping:
Typically referred to the belting either lifting on the outer edges, or the need to turn over the belt in the system in order to evenly wear on each side on a usage basis.
Frame Assembly:
The structural frame work which everything else in the spiral is attached to.
Grid Belting:
Metal belting with specific characteristic of strength, weight and application performance.
Infeed:
The point where the product enters the spiral
Lubrication:
Required for drive assembly, selected drive chains, and selected track or belt in given applications that use metal belts.
Main Drive:
The central moving force which turns the cage, also called the cage drive, or drum drive.
Main Drive Chain:
The chain that is used to turn and drive the central cage or drum.
Maximum Product Height:
Dimensional number that should not be exceeded for proper clearances.
Mobius Flip:
Term applied to a method of continuous turning the belt over as it travels through the spiral system. Usually associated with equalizing wear on both edges of the belt.
Overdrive:
Term applied to the cage speed differential as compared to the belt speed, as measured on the inside edge of the belt. In all cases the cage must travel faster than the belt.
Over Tension:
When there is to much take up drive force being applied, a belt over tension occurs, decreasing belt life and possibly causing belts to flip upward on the outer edges.
Pinch Points:
Any point of contact area where proper clearance is not met.
Plastic Belting:
Modular plastic belting with various types and styles having specific application performance.
Product Clearance:
The maximum distance between the top surface of the belt and the closest support structure on the next deck or tier.
Safeties:
Various precautions used throughout spiral systems which include sensors and switches to assist in plant safety.
Shear Points:
Any point of contact area which can cause product shearing.
Side Guides:
Pulleys or strips, usually made from plastic, which help guide the belt near the infeed and discharge pulleys.
Reducer:
Attached to the main drive motor, this unit allows for selected belt speeds to be had.
Rollers:
Used throughout spirals for reverse bends of the belt, or to help guide the belt in selected areas.
Take Up Assembly:
The area where excess belt is gathered and controlled automatically.
Take Up Drive:
A secondary drive to the main cage drive, this drive acts in conjunction with the main drive to govern the tension on the belt.
Tension:
A force which is measurable either on the outer edges of the spiral belt, or on the main drive chain.
Tier Pitch:
The distance from one belt level to the next, also know as tier spacing.
Torque Limiter:
A device which is typically used on the take up drive to act as a safety slip in case of jam's in the system.
Track:
Horizontal carrying supports where the belt rides on.
Track Wear Strips:
Usually plastic materials placed on top of the track, for decreased friction on the sytem.
Under Tensioning:
A state where there is too little drive force being applied to the cage/belt interface causing uneven belt surging.
Upgo:
A spiral where the product is fed at the bottom and exits at the top
Vertical Cage Bars:
Structural supports which run vertically near the inside edge of the belt (the outside diameter of the cage), normally a material which has enough effective force to drive the edge of the belt properly.
Vertical Wear Strips:
Typically plastic wear strips which are attached to the vertical supports to interface with the inside belt edges.
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