Laitram, LLC

Tyson Foods, Inc.

Matthew Vulpetti

Kevin W Guernsey

Benson Hall

David Aaron Van Schalkwijk

Gilbert J MacLachlan

Angela Longo Marshall

Timothy J DeRoche

Jonathan J Bishop

James Allen Ruff

Doug Foreman

Brian R Lee

Stephen Brannan

David Lee Mantooth

Abraham L Miller

Krissie K Zambrano

John E Wenzel

Kevin L Gremillion

Matthew A Lignieres

Jacob Govert Vermeiden

John Wenzel

Andrzej Jacek Gonera

Jonathan Bishop

Timothy J Deroche

A method for pulling a modular conveyor belt and a belt puller for performing the method. The belt puller has eyelets on one end that interleave with hinge elements on an end of a modular conveyor belt. A rod through the eyelets and the hinge elements connects the belt to the puller, which can then be used to pull the belt. Two ends of an unconnected belt can be pulled together by connecting a belt puller to each end, joining the belt pullers with a ratchet strap or other pulling tool, and tightening the strap to pull the ends together.

Belt puller and method for pulling belt ends together

A dedicated access assembly for a conveyor belt forms a dedicated opening and closing point for the conveyor belt. The dedicated access assembly includes a female portion having one or more open hooks and a male portion including a hinge rod extending between linking elements. The open hook disengages from and engages the hinge rod to selectively open and close the conveyor belt. A latching mechanism can selectively lock the dedicated access assembly.

Modular conveyor belt with dedicated access assembly

A conveyor belt module () includes a movable hinge rod retainer () that can be opened and closed without tools. The movable hinge rod retainer facilitates opening and rejoining of the conveyor belt () at one or more dedicated locations. In a first position, the hinge rod retainer locks a hinge rod () withing a hinge rod passageway. A user can easily move the hinge rod retainer to a second position in which the hinge rod passageway is open to allow removal of the hinge rod.

Modular conveyor belt with moveable hinge rod retainer

A dedicated access module inserted between standard conveyor belt modules in a conveyor belt forms a dedicated opening and closing point for the conveyor belt. The dedicated access module comprises two mating portions, each portion including standard, articulating hinge elements on an outside end and non-articulating connection means on an inside end for connecting to the other, corresponding mating portion.

Modular conveyor belt with dedicated access module

Belt edge modules for constructing modular conveyor belts with sturdy outer edges. The edge modules have thickened outer edge regions in module edge portions that are difficult to snip or break off to access hinge rods.

Belt module and conveyor belt with sturdy edge

A colony basket and method of using the same for handling poultry from DOC through the growing process and on to a production facility comprising a harvesting system, a loading system, a transport system, an unloading and storing system, hanging system and cleaning system. The system and method performs the steps of harvesting and colonizing live poultry into a singly stackable and transportable colony basket, stacking and loading the trays on a transport, unloading and temporarily storing the poultry for subsequent processing. The system and method further includes the use of a modular colony basket for interchangeable use with the described system.

Portable basket colony for growing and transport and method of use

A belt conveyor having a platform that is movable from a retracted position recessed into a conveyor belt's top surface and an extended position above the top surface. The platform translates across the width of the belt in a slot to carry articles across the width of the belt. Guides in the conveyor below the belt have cam surfaces that raise and lower the carrier and translate it across the belt. The carrier may include a cam-actuated lever to flip articles on the belt or off a side of the belt.

Conveyor-belt platform diverter

A cleanable shoe-type diverter belt having narrow translatable pushers forming article-diverting shoes. Cam followers on the shoes below the pushers follow guides under the belt along an upper carryway run to translate the shoes along one or more transverse tracks across the width of the belt. Monolithic diverters support the belt on the carryway run and direct the shoes along different paths. Pusher returns in a lower returnway run guide diverted pushers back to a home position.

Cleanable diverter

Growing community of inventors

Metairie, LA, United States of America

Matthew Vulpetti