Bucket elevators are designed to move flowing powders or bulk solids vertically. Bucket elevators use an endless belt or chain and have a series of buckets attached to it. Bulk material is spread into an inlet hopper. Buckets (or cups) dig into the material and convey it up and over the head sprocket/pulley, and then throw the material out a discharge throat. 

Bucket elevators are not self-feeding, and are fed at a controlled rate. The buckets are usually where the chain or belt path is vertical or steeply inclined in a single plane. The buckets are returned back down to a tail pulley or sprocket at the bottom.

There are four broad classifications of bucket elevators: centrifugal, continuous, positive, and internal discharge. The most commonly used are the centrifugal and continuous discharge elevators. 

Orthman Conveying Systems' industrial bucket elevators are made in a variety of shapes, weights and sizes, all utilizing centrifugal buckets or continuous buckets.

Centrifugal Bucket Elevators
Centrifugal bucket elevators are most commonly used to convey all free-flowing, powdered bulk solids such as grains, animal feed, sand, minerals, sugar, aggregates, chemicals and more. They operate at high speeds, which throw the materials out the buckets into discharge throats by centrifugal force.

Continuous Bucket Elevator
Continuous bucket elevators are used to handle friable, fragile materials because they minimize product damage or are used to handle light fluffy materials where aeration of the product must be avoided. Continuous bucket elevators have buckets spaced continuously and operate at slower speeds. The continuous bucket placement allows the force of gravity to discharge their load onto the inverted front of the proceeding bucket. The bucket then guides that material into the discharge throat on the descending side of the elevator.

Because every bucket application is unique, Orthman Conveying Systems offers a broad series of industrial elevator designs. Selection of the proper type of bucket elevator depends largely on the capacity requirements and the characteristics of the material to be handled.

Model 3001 Bucket Elevator

Bucket elevator was fabricated using 316L grade stainless steel and 4" x 3" AA buckets made of 316L grade stainless steel.

Bucket elevator has a discharge height of 11' - 10", and handles coal residue with a material density of  55 lbs/cu. ft at a rate of 3600 lbs per hour.

For customer convenience, the bucket elevator unit was completely assembled prior to shipment.

Installation of Bucket Elevator

Installing the head section to an 80' tall bucket elevator

Chain-type elevator is designed for 150 TPH of minerals

Structural tower is used for elevator support with partial stair tower on the outside