Take-up bearings are a type of mounted bearing used for manual control or automatic adjustment of conveyor belt tensions, perhaps in response to stretch, wear, shrinkage or strain in the system. Typically a shaft will connect two take-up bearings mounted either side of the assembly.

The Y-shaped take up bearing assemblies in this range are typically fitted inside a centre-pull frame, that is, the adjustment pull axis passes through the centre of the bearing so that it slides laterally inside the frame. The frame will provide a positioning screw or other hardware for adjusting its position, by which means the belt or shaft tension can be controlled in conveyors and elevators, or in some power transmission applications.

Thermoplastic and stainless steel take up units are frequently used in conveyor belt applications that involve fans and blowers, food processing equipment, and fishery or agricultural equipment. For this reason the range is manufactured from materials chosen with food safety in mind, such as easy wash-down plastics and stainless steel.

Thermoplastic take up units are supplied with a sealed stainless steel insert bearing and anti-crush steel inserts fitted in the bolt-holes. These bearings are removable for replacement if necessary. They are designed with grease nipples for regular re-lubrication for which food safe grease can be used. It is often a good idea to completely cover the unit in grease if they are exposed to an environment that could cause any corrosion (for example sea water). Two grub screws are provided to secure the shaft in the unit.

Also in the range are units manufactured from composite materials that offer improved corrosion resistance in marine or frequent wash-down scenarios such as agriculture and abattoirs. These composite materials also have a non-porous surface that allows wash-downs to be more bacteriologically thorough. Again, food-safe grease should be regularly re-applied. These heavier-duty units are also optimised for handling shock loads and high vibration levels.

If in doubt whether our range of thermoplastic and stainless steel take up units will be suitable for your application, Simply Bearings always have expert staff on hand to provide full technical specifications or general advice. Many technical details of static and dynamic loads and maximum speeds are available in the technical details for each product. Maximum dynamic load capacity varies from around 1,000kgf to 6,600kgf (9.8kN to 64.7kN), and maximum rotational speeds from about 7,400rpm down to 2,800rpm. Note that although the smaller units have lower load bearing capacity they usually have higher rotational speed tolerance.

Same day dispatch is available on these components and a free shipping option is available to UK destinations.