Cement silos and terminals
Gum Rubber Sleeves and Silo Bands for Cement Silos and Terminals
Cement and fly ash are fine, dry and relentless. They do not gouge rubber the way aggregate does, but they get into everything, they run under pressure, and a sleeve that leaks puts product on the ground and dust in the air where a regulator can see it.
We build silo sleeves, loading spout connections, bin activator bands and fill line flex sections to whatever dimensions your terminal actually has. Hot vulcanized, any diameter, any length up to 48 inches through the builder and larger by request.
Where the sleeves live
Four spots wear out first. All of them are custom parts we make every week.
Silo cone to bin activator
The band between the cone and the activator. Frequently tapered and rarely a catalog size.
Loading spout connections
The flex section at the loadout. Takes the movement when a truck settles under it.
Pneumatic fill and vent lines
Fill lines run under pressure. The sleeve works hardest at the clamp line.
Scale and weigh hopper seals
Isolates the hopper so the load cells read weight, not pipe strain.
The silo band between a cone and a bin activator is a job most suppliers will not take, because it is rarely a catalog size and it is often tapered. Large end matches the cone flange, small end matches the activator, and the two numbers are whatever the equipment happens to be. We build those from field measurements. Give us both diameters and the vertical gap and we will cut the pattern.
Loading spout connections and fill line flex sections are more standard, and 12 3/4 inch is the common one because it slips over 12 inch nominal pipe. Pneumatic fill lines run at pressure, so the sleeve is working hardest right at the clamp where it flexes. A 5/16 or 3/8 inch wall is the right target there. Vent and aspiration lines are lighter duty and run fine at 1/4 inch.
Fly ash service is worth flagging in the notes. It is finer than cement and it will find a marginal seal, so we will usually recommend an extra inch of overlap on each end so the band clamps have more rubber to bite. It costs nothing on the quote and it saves a callback.
Common sizes for cement silos and terminals
Every size is made to order. These just quote fastest.
8 5/8" × 1/4" × 12"
Vent and aspiration
See the 8 5/8 inch gum rubber boot →10 3/4" × 1/4" × 14"
Loading spout flex
See the 10 3/4 inch gum rubber boot →12 3/4" × 3/8" × 18"
Pneumatic fill line
See the 12 3/4 inch gum rubber boot →Tapered × 3/8" × 18"
Silo cone to activator
See the tapered rubber boots →Example application
Tapered silo band between a cone and a bin activator
The only connection between a silo cone and the bin activator hanging under it on isolation mounts.
The activator vibrates constantly to keep material flowing, so the band flexes thousands of times an hour. It is the worst place on a bulk plant to put an adhesive seam.
What we need to quote it
Large end inside diameter, small end inside diameter, and the vertical gap between the flanges. If the activator hangs offset rather than centered, send a sketch with the offset.
Send your measurementsQuestions from cement silos and terminals
Can you build a silo band with the clamps included?
Yes. Note it in the RFQ and we will quote the band clamps with the sleeve so you are not hunting for the right band size separately. For tapered bands the two ends usually take two different clamps.
What do you need for a tapered silo band?
Large end inside diameter, small end inside diameter, and the vertical gap between the two flanges. Measure across the inside of each opening. If the cone is offset rather than centered, send a sketch with the offset noted.
Have your measurements?
ID, wall, length. That is all we need to quote it.
Will-call pickup
Pick up your order in Englewood
AG Rubber Co2780 Raritan St
Englewood, CO 80110
303-339-1240
Will-call hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Local plants: call ahead and most standard boots are ready for same-week pickup.