Other

William G Faulkner

Marie-Francoise B Faulkner

James M Lapeyre, Iii

Dorian F Steeber

Robert E Reaser

The present invention relates to a conveyor belt having a plurality of link assemblies. Each of the link assemblies has a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side. A forward shaft opening extends through the forward end of each link assembly and a rearward shaft opening extends through the rearward end of each link assembly. A plurality of link shafts are provided for interconnecting adjacently disposed link assemblies such that the link assemblies are laterally movable relative to adjacently disposed link assemblies. One of the link shafts extends through the forward shaft opening of each of the link assemblies and through the rearward shaft openings of an adjacently disposed link assembly. Each link shaft has a first end disposed inwardly a distance from the first side of each of the link assemblies, and a second end disposed inwardly a distance from the second side of each of the link assemblies such that in an assembled position the second end of the conveyor belt is fixed laterally with respect to the first end of the conveyor belt. The link assemblies are constructed to permit the conveyor belt to turn bi-directionally with a turning ratio of less than 1.0 in each direction.

Tight turning radius conveyor belt

A conveyor apparatus of the type in which an object is transported on a conveyor belt and in which the conveyor belt slidingly engages a guide member, the guide member having a plurality of nodules extending therefrom so as to form a plurality of channels and define a low friction contact surface for reducing drag between the conveyor belt and the contact surface when the conveyor belt is set in motion. The low friction contact surface of the guide member also is slidingly engagable with the object when the guide member is used as a side rail.

Conveyor apparatus having a belt and object guide with a nodular contact

A conveyor with cleats having a curved product-carrying surface on one side and a curved product-releasing surface on the opposite side. The cleats are pivotally linked to form an endless loop. A sprocket assembly and motor are provided to rotate the endless loop. The cleats extend outwardly from the loop and are spaced such that product items may be disposed between adjacent cleats. The loop has a transfer bend where product items shift by gravity from one cleat to an adjacent cleat. At the point where product items exit from the conveyor, the curved product-releasing surface gently deposits the product items onto an output surface.

Conveyor with cleats having a product-carrying surface and an opposite

A spiral conveyor belt comprising a plurality of link assemblies adapted to be interconnected so as to permit coplanar rotational movement relative to one another. Each of the link assemblies having a plurality of forward link ends and a plurality of rearward link ends. A link shaft is disposed through the forward link ends and the rearward link ends of adjacent link assemblies for interconnecting the link assemblies to form the spiral conveyor belt. Each of the link shafts is tapered at least near the first end thereof to permit movement of the tapered portion of the link shaft in shaft openings in the forward and rearward link ends as the spiral conveyor belt is turned on a radius. In a second embodiment, the link shafts have a longitudinal axis, a straight surface for carrying the tensile load between adjacent link assemblies as the conveyor belt is traveling along a straight path, and a tapered surface for carrying the tensile load between adjacent link assemblies as the conveyor belt is traveling on the radius, the tapered surface disposed angularly about the longitudinal axis relative to the straight surface and the tapered surface intersecting the straight surface so as to form a transition zone along which the tensile load on the straight surface is rotatably transferred to the tapered surface when the conveyor belt changes from traveling along the straight path to traveling on the radius.

Conveyor belt with rotatable tapered link shift

The present invention relates generally to conveyor belts and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a conveyor belt having ribs formed on a lower surface thereof for moving particles generally outwardly toward the first and the second sides of link assemblies which form the conveyor belt, and to a conveyor belt constructed of modules shaped so that the interconnections between modules are offset between each link assembly and adjacent link assemblies, and a flight link having curved portions formed the faces thereof so product slides on the surfaces rather than being toppled and a conveyor belt with a tracking product groove to substantially limit lateral movement of the conveyor belt.

Conveyor incorporating curved surface flight links

A spiral conveyor belt adapted to turn on a radius. The spiral conveyor belt comprises a plurality of link assemblies with each of the link assemblies having a plurality of forward link ends and a plurality of rearward link ends. Each link assembly is positioned near one of the other link assemblies with the forward link ends on one of the link assemblies being disposed near the rearward link ends on the other link assembly. A link shaft is disposed through the forward link ends and the rearward link ends of the adjacent link assemblies for interconnecting the link assemblies to form the spiral conveyor belt. The forward link ends and the rearward link ends on each of the link assemblies near at least a first end of the link assembly are spaced a distance apart and connected by connecting members whereby the forward link ends and the rearward link ends and the connecting members connected thereto are collapsible generally toward each other or expandable generally away from each other as the spiral conveyor belt is turned on the radius. Each of the link shafts is tapered at least near the first end thereof to permit movement of the tapered portion of the link shaft in shaft openings in the forward and rearward link ends as the spiral conveyor belt is turned on a radius.

Conveyor belt

A conveyor having a plurality of link assemblies with a leading end of each link assemblies being connectable to the trailing end of one of the other link assemblies for forming the conveyor belt. A plurality of spaced apart leading shaft projections are formed on the leading end of each link assembly and a plurality of trailing shaft projections are formed on the trailing end of each link assembly. Each of the leading shaft projections has a thickness which is greater than a thickness of each of the trailing shaft projections. Each of the leading shaft projections has a first wall and a second wall. The first and the second walls are each formed on a radius and curved inwardly from an upward end toward a lower end of each leading shaft projection. The trailing shaft projections are disposed in the spaces between the leading shaft projections and the curved walls on the leading shaft projection cooperate to expose a substantial portion of the shafts connecting adjacent link assemblies.

Conveyor belt having link assemblies with leading and trailing shaft

Spiral conveyor belt

A flight assembly for use in a conveyor wherein the flight assembly includes at least two flight links. The two flight links are removably connected in an end to end relationship for maintaining an alignment between the forward faces and the rearward faces of the two flight links. In one embodiment, a plurality of flight assemblies are incorporated in a take-away conveyor. In one other embodiment, each flight link has an angled portion and a curved portion formed on each of the first and second ends thereof for permitting articles to slide over the forward faces and the rearward faces of the flight links without engaging one of the ends of the flight projections in a manner disturbing such sliding movement.

Conveyor flight assembly

An improvement in a woven conveyor belt comprising a plurality of links wherein the improvement comprises a plurality of connectors with each connector having one portion connected to one of the links and another portion connected to another link for cooperating to substantially prevent the woven conveyor belt from becoming unwoven or unconnected.

Connectors for woven conveyor belts

Flat top conveyor

A conveyor belt comprising a plurality of link assemblies connected together by a plurality of link shafts. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of first guards with each first guard connected to one end of one link assemblies and encompassing one end of one of the link shafts for protecting the end of the link shaft and substantially preventing the end of the link shaft from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt. A plurality of second guards are connected to the opposite end of the link assemblies for encompassing the opposite ends of the link shaft for protecting such opposite ends and substantially preventing such opposite ends from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt. The link shafts extend through openings provided in the link assemblies and each opening is formed on a radius larger than the radius of the links shaft for providing shaft rocking surfaces so that the link shafts roll on the shaft rocking surfaces for substantially reducing rotating friction between the link shafts and adjacent portions of the link assemblies. Each link assembly comprises at least two modules which are positioned in an end-to-end relationship in the assembled position of the link assemblies. The modules in one set of link assemblies are formed of a plurality of whole links, and the modules in one other set of link assemblies are formed of a plurality of whole links with last link in each module to be placed near the last link in each module to be placed near the last link in an adjacent module in the assembled position of the link assembly comprising a half link. The sets of link assemblies are alternatively disposed in the conveyor belt so that every alternate row of connected links comprises only whole links with no spacing or joints between modules.

A conveyor belt is composed of plurality of substantially identical interlinked modules each of which is of integral plastic molded construction. Each module includes a body of plate-like planar configuration and first and second link ends outwardly extending from respective opposite edges of the body, the link ends being mateable with corresponding link ends of adjacent modules. The upper surface of the body and contiguous surfaces of the link ends define a flat conveying surface such that a conveyor belt composed of assembled modules provides an effectively continuous flat top conveyor for carriage of products. Each module includes an array of sprocket teeth across the width of the module and midway between the link ends, which are arranged in operative pairs coacting with corresponding portions of a sprocket wheel for positive belt drive.

Growing community of inventors

Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America

William G Faulkner