A winged pulley for a conveyor belt has a drum with an outside diameter, a first end portion and a second end portion. A hub is located in each end of the drum, with the hub receiving a shaft. A first set of plural radial wings extends from the first end portion of the drum toward the second end portion, and a second set of plural radial wings extends from the second end portion of the drum toward the first end portion. Each of the wings in the first and second sets of wings has an outer end located adjacent the respective first or second end portions. The first and second sets of wings are arranged helically about the drum in opposite orientations. The inner ends of the first set of wings is circumferentially offset from the inner ends of the second set of wings so as to create gaps between the inner ends of the first set of wings and the inner ends of the second set of wings.