H & B Mining’s latest idler design offers a solution to a long-standing issue; how to complete roller changeout when a conveyor only has access on one side. Conveyors designed in concrete vaults or on conveyor gantries with a walkway along one side often offer access to ONE side of the idler only. With single-sided access, roller change-out is at best a dangerous challenge and at worst impossible. Consequently, conveyor transfer maintenance is sub-optimal, safety is compromised, and productivity is ultimately reduced.

H & B’s innovative Rotatable Retractable Carry (RRC) EMRI solves this problem. The EMRI (Easy Maintenance Retractable Idler) is an established impact idler with safety, maintainability, and productivity at the core of its design. The EMRI has been adapted as a return idler and now single-side access idler.

The RRC-EMRI idler support frame offers interface connections for the roller sliding frame to fix to one side of the idler only; and a vertical fixing cleat to keep the idler in its vertical operational position. Once the bolts are removed from these interfaces, the roller support frame can be rotated away from the belt and then pulled out (retracted) to allow for access to all rollers for safe and simple roller change out. To prevent the rollers from falling out during maintenance, the roller support plates have inclined slots which hold the rollers in place while the roller frame is horizontal.

H & B Mining continues to expand and develop conveyor product design to maximise safety and optimise productivity for Australian mining. Go to our website for more insights into our conveyor product range.