Chevron and Cleated Conveyor Belts When the Incline Exceeds the Angle of Repose
Chevron and cleated conveyor belts for inclines above the material's angle of repose. EP base, moulded cleats, 200-1000 N/mm, built to your incline angle.
A chevron or cleated belt carries moulded profiles on the cover surface. They hold material on an incline that is steeper than the material's natural angle of repose - the angle at which it would otherwise slide back down a smooth belt.
The profile shape follows the duty. A chevron V holds material on a steady incline and still allows a degree of self-cleaning; a straight cleat with sidewalls contains material that would otherwise spill off the edges; a lug pattern suits steep, short transfers. Choosing between them is a question about the incline angle and the material, not about preference.
What You Are Actually Getting
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Tensile range | 200 - 1000 N/mm |
| Carcass | EP base with moulded cleats or chevron profile |
| Profile types | Chevron V, straight cleat, cleat with sidewall, lug pattern - set against the incline and the material |
| Application | Incline above the material's natural angle of repose |
| Splice | Hot vulcanised, with the profile matched across the joint - a splice through a cleat is a weak point |
| Pulley | The profile passes over the pulley, so the minimum diameter is larger than a flat belt of the same carcass. Confirm before ordering |
| Notation | Carcass type and tensile as for a flat belt, plus the profile height and pitch |
Which Profile for Which Incline
The profile has to match the incline angle and the material. A hidden constraint is the pulley: the belt has to bend around it with the cleat on the outside.
| Profile | Typical use | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Chevron V | Steady inclines with free-flowing or granular material | Profile height limits the minimum pulley diameter |
| Straight cleat | Steeper inclines, and material that needs to be carried rather than held | Needs care at the splice - cleats must line up |
| Cleat with sidewall | Steep inclines where material would spill off the belt edge | Widest profile; largest pulley diameter penalty |
| Lug / block pattern | Short, steep transfers and mobile plant | Best grip, worst self-cleaning |
| No profile | Inclines within the material's angle of repose | Cheaper - a flat belt is the right answer here |
Profile choice follows the incline and the material. Every profile increases the minimum pulley diameter, so the pulleys have to be checked at specification, not after delivery.
What Is Usually Got Wrong
Using a chevron belt where a flat belt would do
If the incline is within the material's angle of repose, a flat belt carries it. A chevron belt costs more, wears faster at the profile and needs larger pulleys. It is a fix for a specific problem.
Forgetting the pulley
The profile rides on the outside of the bend. A pulley sized for a flat belt of the same carcass will be too small, and the cleat will be crushed or the belt will not track.
Splicing through a cleat
The splice has to be hot vulcanised with the profile matched across the joint. A misaligned cleat at the splice thumps once per revolution and eventually fails.
Cleaning
Material packs between cleats, particularly on sticky duty. If the material is sticky, the incline may need a different solution rather than a bigger chevron.
Capacity is not the flat-belt figure
The profile reduces the effective carrying cross-section at the edges, and the usable capacity is not simply the flat-belt capacity of the same width. Size from the required tonnage with the profile in mind.
Where Cleated Belts Are Used
- Steep inclines on mobile plant — Short, steep transfers where a flat belt would not hold the material at all.
- Loading and stockpiling — Steep lifts from a hopper to a stockpile where the angle is set by the equipment layout, not chosen.
- Contained material — Cleat with sidewall where the material would spill off the edge of a plain chevron belt.
Chevron and Cleated Conveyor Belts FAQ
When do I need a chevron belt?
When the incline is steeper than the material's natural angle of repose, or when the material would slide back on a smooth belt under starting load. If the incline is within the repose angle, a flat belt is cheaper and lasts longer.
Does a cleated belt need bigger pulleys?
Yes. The profile rides on the outside of the bend, so the minimum pulley diameter is larger than for a flat belt with the same carcass. Check every pulley on the route before ordering.
Can it be spliced on site?
Hot vulcanised, yes, with the profile aligned across the joint. Cleat alignment at the splice is what determines whether the joint survives.
Chevron or cleat with sidewall?
Chevron holds material on the incline but lets it spill off the edges. Sidewall contains it. Steep inclines with loose material need the sidewall; moderate inclines with granular material do not.
How Orders Run
T/T — 40% deposit with order, 60% balance before shipment. L/C at sight accepted for container orders.
Quoted per order. The schedule depends on the drawing, the quantity and the material — we state a firm date with the quotation instead of a catalogue figure.
15 months from B/L date against manufacturing defects. Claims supported by photos and batch number.
Packing, minimum order and Incoterms are set out in full on the quotation page.
Chevron and Cleated Conveyor Belts Built to Your Drawing
Send the belt width, the duty and, if you have one, the drawing. We will specify it, quote within 24 hours, and ship samples in 2–3 days.
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