Overview
The 254TC models are curved gravity conveyor sections that use tapered rollers to maintain product orientation while guiding loads through bends. Tapered roller geometry allows controlled flow around curves at declines, making this series appropriate for gravity lines where directional changes are frequent and maintaining alignment is important.
Standard conveyor curves use straight (cylindrical) rollers. On gravity-pitched lines, products naturally drift toward the outside edge of a curve because the outside path is longer than the inside path. Tapered rollers solve this by tapering from a larger diameter at the outside edge to a smaller diameter at the inside edge. The difference in roller diameter causes the outside edge to spin faster, pulling the product toward the inside of the curve and keeping it centered through the turn.
Specifications
- Rollers: 2-1/2 in. to 1-11/16 in. diameter (tapered) x 14 ga. steel with smooth swaged ends
- Frame (set high): 3-1/2 in. x 1-1/2 in. x 10 ga. formed steel painted channel
- Frame (set low): 4-1/2 in. x 1-1/2 in. x 10 ga. formed steel painted channel
- Roller capacity: 250 lbs per roller
- Axle: 7/16-inch hex shaft, spring loaded
- Bearings: Integral plain ball bearings, zinc plated, grease packed, removable type
- Couplings: Butt type
Load Capacity
Each tapered roller is rated at 250 pounds. Frame capacity requires supports at each end of the curve section and at the outside of a 90-degree curve section.
- Frame capacity: 650 lbs maximum distributed live load with supports at each end of the curve section and at the outside of a 90° curve section
How Tapered Rollers Work
On a standard straight-roller curve, products tend to drift toward the outside rail because gravity pulls them along the path of least resistance. Guardrails can contain this drift, but they create friction and can cause jams, product damage, or misalignment.
Tapered rollers eliminate drift mechanically. Each roller is wider at the outside of the curve and narrower at the inside. As the product rides on the roller, the larger-diameter outside edge travels a greater distance per rotation than the smaller inside edge. This differential speed steers the product naturally toward the inside of the curve, keeping it centered without guardrail contact. The result is smoother flow, less product damage, and better alignment as items exit the curve and continue down the line.
Applications
Tapered roller curve conveyor can add to the versatility of straight conveyors. Conveyor curves provide smooth product flow with a minimum amount of pitch based on the weight and size of the product being conveyed. The 254TC is commonly used on gravity decline conveyor lines where products must change direction while maintaining alignment, packaging facilities where cartons and cases need to arrive at labeling or sealing stations in a consistent orientation, e-commerce fulfillment sortation lanes that use gravity pitch to move orders between zones, distribution center conveyor systems with multiple directional changes on a single gravity run, and any gravity conveyor layout where standard straight-roller curves cause product drift, jams, or misalignment.
Selection Assistance
Choose the 254TC when your gravity conveyor line is pitched for decline flow and products are drifting to the outside of curves on standard straight-roller sections. If your conveyor is level and products are pushed manually rather than flowing by gravity, standard straight-roller curves (such as the 254SC or LEWCO 2514C) are typically sufficient and more cost-effective.
Barron Equipment provides conveyor system planning, installation, and service support across Iowa, Illinois, and parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. Request a quote to determine whether tapered or straight-roller curves are the right choice for your layout.