Products & Equipment Pits & Quarries
Martin Engineering releases Self Adjusting Skirting

August 18, 2014, Neponset, Ill.  – Martin Engineering has introduced a novel
conveyor belt skirting system with a streamlined design engineered to fit
virtually any conveyor with less maintenance and more efficiency.

August 18, 2014, Neposet, Ill.  – Martin Engineering has introduced a novel
conveyor belt skirting system with a streamlined design engineered to fit
virtually any conveyor with less maintenance and more efficiency.

The new Martin Self Adjusting Skirting prevents spillage and
equipment breakdown caused by fugitive material by creating a constant tight
seal to the belt. The unit self adjusts to rubber skirt wear, regardless of
material volume and size diversity, allowing it to be an adaptable solution for
an entire bulk material processing system across many different industries.

“As bulk material is processed, the conveyor belt speed,
load and volume can change, which can affect the integrity of the skirting
seal,” said Senior Product Specialist Dave Mueller. “One skirting system across
the whole line that adjusts automatically to these diverse variations
dramatically cuts man hours needed to maintain it.”

As the friction from the belt wears down the seal strip of
standard skirting systems, workers have to shut down the conveyor and use tools
to manually adjust it.  Without this type
of regular maintenance, fugitive material escapes from the belt, getting into
bearings and other components, which can cause expensive and unnecessary
production delays.  Martin Engineering
solves this problem by using a pressure arm attached to a clamp plate, which
assures a constant belt seal, thus eliminating the need for manual
adjustment. 

The skirt requires just 1.25 inches (33 mm) of free belt
area, making it the ideal fit for conveyors with chutes close to the belt edge.
The EDPM rubber-sealing strip is 0.75 inches (19 mm) wide and provides 2 inches
(51 mm) of wear life, at speeds of up to 700 fpm (3.55 mps). The sealing strip
is supplied in continuous lengths up to 100 feet (30.48 meters), reducing the
chances of leaky joints.

“Other skirts require manual adjustment, which means near
constant monitoring,” Mueller said. 
“Without monitoring — aside from the mechanical issues and product loss
that accompany fugitive material — there are safety and regulatory problems
that can arise, as well. By designing a self-adjusting skirting system, customers
not only save time and money on maintenance, but also mitigate the potential
for injury and liability.”

Installation and Skirt Replacement

Changing the rubber sealing strip on most standard conveyor
skirting systems typically requires multiple tools, and some need two workers,
depending upon the size and position of the conveyor. These maintenance
requirements could demand conveyor systems to be placed farther apart,
diminishing production space. Martin Engineering designed a simple rubber clamp
assembly requiring no tools to change the sealing strip. The low profile
skirting assembly needs only six inches (1.52 mm) of clearance, allowing
installation of skirts in restricted space areas. The whole unit is compact,
with the clamp assembly (wear strip and pressure plate) only 48 inches (1219
mm) in length and each clamp section having built-in plug-weld guides to
simplify installation.