General Safety Procedures

Above all else, safety is the most important consideration on the bucket elevator maintenance
checklist. General safety considerations include the following:

 Report any equipment irregularities to the appropriate personnel and log all relevant
information to the equipment’s records. Irregularities include unusual noises and
odours, as well as excessive wear, damage, or malfunction.
 Ensure all guards are installed and in good shape.
 Never operate equipment if worn, damaged, or malfunctioning components are
present.
 Always follow manufacturer recommended adjustment procedures to avoid premature
damage or wear.
 Record all inspections, maintenance, lubrications, and adjustments. Records should
include the date, supplies used, condition of each component, and a signature from the
person who performed the bucket elevator maintenance.
 Shutdown, lockout, and tag all machine controls before performing any inspection,
maintenance, lubrication, or adjustment.

Maintenance and Lubrication Procedures

Regular cleaning should be performed to ensure material build-up is continually removed. It
is especially important to clean out the boot after each use if the elevator is used seasonally.
The equipment should also be operated for a short period of time every two weeks to ensure
belt flexibility is maintained.

Bearings

There are four lubrication points on bucket elevators, in general: two head bearings and two
boot take-up bearings. Each lubrication point must be serviced at least once a week under
normal operating conditions. Recommended bearing lubricants are based on standard
operating temperatures and can be found in the bucket elevator equipment manual. Refer to
the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance and lubrication procedures for more
information.

Chain and Sprocket Drive

If the oil level is low, fill the supply to the required level. Refer to the bucket elevator manual
for lubricant recommendations.

Periodically inspect the oil for signs of contaminants. Drain, flush, and refill the oil supply if
contaminants are present.

Additionally, the chain should be soaked in a non-flammable solution to remove particles,

dirt, or water from inside the bushings, rollers, and sidebars. The sprockets should also be
cleaned. Both the chain and sprockets should be dried using compressed air. Replace either
component if the chain or sprockets show signs of excessive wear or damage.

Belt Drive
  Check belts for wear, replace if worn.
 Check belts for proper tension. Tighten if they are too loose and loosen if they are too
tight.

Additional Component Maintenance

Refer to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance and lubrication procedures for the
following components:

 Speed Reducer and Couplings

 Drive Motor

Inspection Procedures
Regular bucket elevator maintenance should include periodic inspections of the following:

Belt:

Ensure that the bucket elevator belt is centered on the head and boot pulleys.

Chain:

Make sure chain is not worn or damaged.

Buckets:

Straighten misaligned buckets and replace damaged buckets as necessary.

Chain and Sprocket Drive:

Periodically inspect the sprockets and drive chain for signs of wear or damage. The best way
to effectively examine the component is to remove the upper drive guard and slowly rotate
the sprockets and chain to inspect the component for issues.

The sprocket alignment, shaft alignment, and chain slack should also be checked to ensure
the proper drive alignment is being maintained. Refer to the bucket elevator manual for more
information on this procedure.

Drive System:

Inspect this component for worn, misaligned, or loose chains (belts).

Electrical Wiring, Contacts, Switches, etc.:

Ensure that all electrical components are in good condition.

Nuts and Bolts:

Ensure that all nuts and bolts are properly tightened.

Vertical Position:

Periodically check the bucket elevator for vertical position. (Make sure elevator structure is
not leaning.

Maintain Proper Operation Procedures

In addition to regular maintenance, proper bucket elevator operation procedures must also be
followed. Therefore, bucket elevators should only be operated by trained personnel.