The History of the Conveyor

THE HISTORY OF THE CONVEYOR Did you know the conveyor has been around since the late eighteenth century? Or that today, there are conveyors so large that they can be seen from space? It turns out the conveyor actually has a pretty interesting history. Hop on to learn more about how the conveyor has evolved over the last 200 years.* 1795 The dawn of the first conveyors. Their belts are made with canvas, leather, or rubber and placed over flat wooden plates. Farmers use them to transport grain short distances. CANVAS LEATHER RUBBER 1908 Hymle Goddard receives first patent for conveyor systems. He patents the roller conveyor, but the powered and free conveyor supercedes it in popularity. 1919 Automotive industry begins using powered and free conveyor. Conveyors gain popularity for use in transporting bulk and heavy materials. FORD ASSEMBLY LINE 1920s Conveyors continue to proliferate and adapt. One installation runs mine coal over a length of approximately 5 miles. Conveyors become preferred over railcars for transportation in mines. FUN FACT Today's largest conveyor in the world is located in the Western Sahara and transports mined phosphate over 60 MILES and can be seen from space.? BOU CRAA CONVEYOR 1939-1945 To preserve natural components for use in World War II, conveyor belts begin to be made with synthetic materials. 1947 The American Standards Association begins to develop safety standards for conveyor systems. As the material handling industry expands, standards for safety become a priority. 1970s Systems continue to develop. Adaptations like precision bearings, quiet rollers, and longer lasting equipment reduce the noise of PRECISION BEARINGS QUIET ROLLERS LONG-LASTING EQUIPMENT conveyors. TODAY Conveyors continue to improve and adapt as technology advances. As the industry applies new technology, conveyors become ever more capable of handling complex and customized applications with the help of computers and other technologies. Now, conveyors are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, all made to fit the product they're moving and the space they're moving it in. TUFF CDLR CONVEYOR TUFFSLAT CONVEYOR TUFF BELT CONVEYOR *All dates and information derived from "Transport of bulk materials by conveyor dates back to 1795." The MHEDA Journal 33(3). 2004. Web. TUFF SOURCES 1 Ask Green. "What Henry Ford Can Teach Us About Sustainable Innovation." Photo. Ask Green. 6 May 2013. Web. 2 Zhang, Sarah. "The World's Largest Conveyor Belt Can Be Seen From Space." Gizmodo. 24 Apr. 2014. Web. %3D AUTOMATION, INC. 3 Dodane, Jean-Baptiste. "Bou Craa Conveyor Belt from the Phosphate Mine." Photo. Flickr. 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 indemedical.com. "Quickie Stem Precision Bearing, 1/2" x 1 1/8" - Pack of 4" Photo. indemedical.com. N.d. Web. www.TUFFAUTOMATION.COM