Conveyors were invented around 1795, there is a debate on the actual date it was invented but that was when it was first documented. The main push for their invention was the start of the industrial revolution that caused a need for assembly lines to go faster. A conveyor belt was the perfect solution. It could allow workers to stay in their own station as the products and materials came to them. It first was invented for the coal mining industry and the invention saved the miners so much time and energy. To say the least, the conveyor belt revolutionized factory work and the assembly line.
From when the conveyor was first invented, it has since developed to have so many more uses. It is used to be able to transport large materials short or long distances without having to load and unload them into a truck, and many others things in the building and construction industry. A conveyor allows for constant movement to take place for materials being transported. Before the conveyor, anything that needed to be moved or transported had to be done by hand, because the car was not invented. Transitioning from moving material with wheelbarrows to a conveyor belt was a monumental improvement. Even in today’s time, it would take twice the amount of time to transport things using a truck instead of a conveyor. A truck cannot be constantly moving something like a conveyor can, it has to pick up the material, drive it there, drive back, and then pick up more. The conveyor has saved thousands of hours of time, and the conveyor has since developed to being used in everyday things as well. Some of the most common everyday uses of the conveyor are: escalators, airport luggage conveyors, roller coasters, sushi conveyor belts, treadmills and more!
Know that we have a background on the conveyor, let’s hear some interesting facts about them:
- The world’s longest conveyor is 21.75 miles (35 km) long, and it used to transport limestone. The conveyor is located on the border of Bangladesh and India.
- The “weirdest use” for any conveyor given by Manufacturing Business is a pancake making conveyor belt. It was created by Dermot Doyle and was based on the conveyor machine in Wallace and Gromit that made breakfast. It took over 200 hours to create, but in the end, it successfully made a pancake in under a minute.
- The fastest conveyor belt is located in Germany and it can transport items up to 900 miles a minute! An average airplane only travels 500 miles a minute, so that is also twice as fast as a plane.
At Crusher Rental & Sales they provide a couple of different kinds of conveyor belts with their equipment. They offer Stackable Conveyors, Radial Stackers, Portable Radial Stackers, and more. There are many sizes available, so just call if you need a conveyor for your aggregate and recycling needs.
