
Origin
In 1979 Joseph A. Dos Santos undertook a major study to develop a means of moving and elevating large quantities of bulk materials, including coarse products such as rocks, aggregate, coal, etc. at the steepest possible inclines. It was also his intent to use only existing and generally available hardware in order to achieve the most economically feasible and easily maintained high angle conveyor design.
Mr. Dos Santos conceived, researched and developed his sandwich belt design, with the help of a grant from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, while he was employed by a major American manufacturer of materials handling equipment. While such concepts had been tried over the years with mixed results, Dos Santos investigated & analyzed the many forces generated in this seemingly simple concept, and created the formulas which guaranteed the successful design of such equipment. The DSI Snake Sandwich Conveyor represents the ultimate achievement of this aim.
Mr. Dos Santos’ research articles have been published in world-wide journals.
What is a Sandwich Belt Conveyor?
A sandwich belt conveyor uses two conveyor belts, face-to-face, to gently but firmly contain the product being carried, hence making steep incline and even vertical-lift runs easily achievable.
DSI Snake Sandwich Conveyor Profiles
Snakes are available in widely ranging profiles of C and S-Shape. In any case, a long bottom belt approach is possible to the sandwich entrance, and discharge may be on the high incline or may be after the extension of the carrying belt beyond the mouth of the sandwich.
Sample DSI Snake Installations Worldwide
View DSI Snake Conveyors.kmz in a larger
map
![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Click thumbnails along side of main image to view larger versions of each
Sandwich Belt Conveyor Design |
![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Advantages
DSI Snake Sandwich conveyors offer the following advantages:
- Unlimited conveying capacity
- A system suitable for the most rugged mine applications, yet gentle on sensitive and friable materials.
- High availability and low operating and maintenance costs.
- Smooth surfaced belts allow continuous belt cleaning by scrapers and plows. This also facilitates intermediate material discharge by belt plows, as appropriate, before and/or beyond the sandwiched part of the Snake profile.
- All conventional conveyor hardware insures economy and fast delivery of replacement parts.
Dos Santos-design sandwich belt conveyors have been proven in more than eighty successful conveyor systems installed by his previous employers throughout the world over the past eighteen years. Dos Santos’expertise will continue to advance the state of the art and assure our clients of the finest conveyor systems available today.
The DSI Snake Sandwich conveyor is the most reliable and economical solution to your steep angle and vertical high angle conveyor requirements.
Sandwich Belt Conveyor Examples
![]() Elevating from Silo to Silo |
![]() Elevating Wood Chips from Screen to Mill |
![]() Mobile Soft Loader For Ships and Barges |
![]() Elevating Trailer to Ship Loader |
![]() Elevating to Barn Type Covered Storage |
![]() Elevating to Dome Type Covered Storage |
![]() Elevating Ore From a Deep Open Pit |














