A conveyor belt is a continuous loop of material that rotates about axles. The axles are powered, moving the belt in a clockwise (or counter-clockwise direction), and moving the material on the belt forward. Conveyor belts are extensively used to transport industrial and agricultural materials, such as grain, coal, ores, etc. Conveyor belts with regularly spaced partitions are often called elevators. Conveyor belts are used in self-unloading bulk freighters and in live bottom trucks. This technology is also used in conveyor transport such as moving sidewalks or escalators, as well as on many manufacturing assembly lines. In shops it is applied at the check-out counter to move shopping items.
There is also the system known as moving floor, wich is a technology that uses reciprocating slats to move cargo trought the floor
See also: global conveyor belt