A Lomax low tension spiral conveying system consists of a continuous friction driven belt, which is capable of collapsing on one edge, wrapped in a helical path ascending or descending around a rotating drum. The system may be single or twin drum.

The drum imparts the major friction drive to the inner edge of the belt by rotating at a greater speed than the belt.

A minor auxiliary direct drive is applied to the belt via drive sprockets across the belt width. This drive is situated at normally high belt level. (Exit level on ascending path or infeed level on descending path) on single drum systems. On twin drum systems the drive is on the return path of the belt between the two drums and is mounted at low level.

In addition to our range of Standard Stainless steel machines in a full range of belt widths we also offer:

• Small Footprint Solutions resulting in factory space savings.
• Custom Solutions tailored to your individual needs.
• Full CIP Systems.
• Cost effective galvanized systems.
• Maintenance and service packages.
• Acetal (Plastic) belted systems

Lotension System Terminology:

Spiral: Description of belt path, more correctly described as helical, but taken from common usage as in "spiral staircase".

Drum: The central drum or tower, which is usually, caged construction with vertical driving bars.

Updrum/Downdrum: Describing systems with either ascending or descending belt paths.

Supports: Generally describing the structure supporting the belt with particular attention paid to the friction surface over which the belt drags.

Drum: (main) DRIVE: A motor and gearbox assembly directly driving the drum centre shaft.

Take Up: (Auxiliary): Either comprised of a separate small motor and reducer coupled to the belt sprocket drive shaft, or a mechanical linkage between some element of the cage drive and the belt sprocket drive shaft.

Tier: A 360 degree element of the spiral either ascending or descending one level.

Tier Pitch: Vertical distance between tiers.

Return: Layout of path of belt from the exit roller to the infeed roller. This includes take up drive plus take up.

Overdrive: The excess distance, expressed as tier space equivalents, travelled by the cage surface while the belt negotiates one tier or 360 degrees measured at the inside edge of the belt. (For example, if tier space is 7 inches, and the cage travels 14 inches further than the belt in 360 degrees of belt movement, the overdrive is expressed as two tier spaces).

Typical Uses:

1. Freezing - all the way from mechanical or blast freezing down to cryogenic freezing with liquid nitrogen.
   
2. Room temperature cooling or drying in still or forced air.
   
3. A growing use of the Lotension configuration is in storage conveying, with the spiral acting as a product buffer conveyor.
   
4. Oven operation for baking, curing, steaming, and drying.