belt conveyor

mechanical device

Also known as: conveyor belt

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Cheese curds Cheese curds rolling along a conveyor belt in preparation for being cut, stirred, and cooked.

A belt conveyor is a mechanical device used for moving materials. It features a continuous loop belt made of materials like fabric, rubber, plastic, or metal. This belt is powered by a roll, typically driven by an electric motor, and moves over rollers or a slider pan. Belt conveyors are a type of conveyor system, which are used in various industrial applications for efficient material transport.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

conveyor
Belt conveyors of fabric, rubber, plastic, leather, or metal are driven by a power-operated roll mounted underneath or at one end of the conveyor. The belt forms a continuous loop and is supported either on rollers, for heavy loads, or on a metal slider pan…
Read More
Belt conveyors of fabric, rubber, plastic, leather, or metal are driven by a power-operated roll mounted underneath or at one end of the conveyor. The belt forms a continuous loop and is supported either on rollers, for heavy loads, or on a metal slider pan…
Read More

mining
Unit operations
One of these is the belt conveyor, but in general this method requires in-pit crushing of the run-of-mine material prior to transport. For most materials a maximum angle of 18° is possible. To transport directly up the sides of pit walls, special conveying techniques are under development.
Read More
One of these is the belt conveyor, but in general this method requires in-pit crushing of the run-of-mine material prior to transport. For most materials a maximum angle of 18° is possible. To transport directly up the sides of pit walls, special conveying techniques are under development.
Read More