The operation of a bucket elevator follows a simple but efficient cycle :

1. Loading (Scooping): Material enters the boot section and is scooped up by buckets or fed directly into them.

2. Vertical Conveying: The belt or chain carries the buckets upward inside a sealed casing.

3. Discharging: At the top (head section), material is discharged from the buckets—either by centrifugal force or gravity, depending on the elevator type.

4. Return: Empty buckets travel back down the other side to repeat the cycle.

The drive assembly at the head pulley powers the rotation, while a take-up mechanism at the boot maintains proper tension