The motorized mechanical assembly that imparts motion to a material transport system, such as a shaker or belt conveyor. For shaker conveyors, it generates a sharp reciprocating motion that jerks the steel troughs back and forth, forcing coal or ore to slide forward. It requires heavy anchoring to the mine floor to withstand the violent mechanical forces.
Heard on the job
The drive unit on the main belt is overheating, so tell the face crew to stop loading.