Endless egg conveyor

Abstract

An endless egg conveyor is provided. The conveyor includes an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction. The conveyor has an upper run and a lower run and head sections where the direction of movement of the endless element is reversed. The conveyor also includes an egg retaining pocket coupled to the endless element, moving in the conveying direction. The retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg aligned with the central axis. The retaining pocket is coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis extending parallel to the rotational axes of the rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. Adjacent retaining pockets of different lanes define a pocket row, wherein, the conveyor includes carrying elements that carry the pockets of one row. The bearing structure of each pocket row includes a support arm on either lateral side of the conveyor. The support arm is positioned upright with respect to the circulating endless element and connected thereto. The bearing structure of the pocket row includes a spindle connected to the carrying element, which pivotally connects the carrying element to the support arms.