Conveyor belt and system with a non-collapsing inside edge

Claim 2

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predeter­mined radius of curvature, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said link means keeping the inside and outside ends of said rods at substantially the same first pitch dur­ing straight line motion of said belt and said link means further, dur­ing motion of the belt about said lateral curves, keeping said inside ends of said rods at substantially said first pitch and allowing said outside ends of said rods to move to a second greater pitch as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion and to return to said first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion, said link means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, a plurality of separate inside links joining each pair of adja­cent rods and, along the outside convex edge of the belt, at least one outside link joining each pair of adjacent rods, each of said outside links having holes through which said rods extend including at least one slot to allow the outside ends of said rods to move between the first and second pitches, each of said inside links including holes hav­ing end surfaces spaced a predetermined distance such that a plurality of said inside links joining adjacent rods aligns the adjacent rods in a generally parallel relationship at said first pitch when said belt is placed under tractive load in straight line conveying motion.

Claim 3

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predeter­mined radius of curvature, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, at least two generally U-shaped inside links joining the inside ends of each pair of adjacent rods and, along the outside convex edge of the belt, at least one outside link joining the outside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, said generally U-shaped inside links each having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a con­necting portion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving said rods, said holes in the legs of said inside links having end surfaces with a first predetermined longitudinal spacing, said holes in said out­side links having end surfaces with a second predetermined longitudi­nal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being corre­lated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature so that in straight line conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the U-shaped inside links are tractive while the outside links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved convey­ing motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of said U-shaped inside links remains trac­tive while the outside ends of said rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 4

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predeter­mined radius of curvature, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, at least two generally U-shaped inside links joining the inside ends of each pair of adjacent rods and, along the outside convex edge of the belt, at least one outside link joining the outside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, said generally U-shaped inside links each having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a con­necting portion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving said rods, said holes in the legs of said inside links having end surfaces with a first predetermined longitudinal spacing, said holes in said out­side links having end surfaces with a second predetermined longitudi­nal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being corre­lated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature so that in straight line conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the U-shaped inside links are tractive while the outside links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved convey­ing motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of said U-shaped inside links remains trac­tive while the outside ends of said rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 5

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 1 including at least one support link disposed adjacent said inside links and coupled between pairs of said adjacent rods, said support links including a lon­gitudinal portion extending both longitudinally between a pair of said adjacent rods and vertically away from said rods and at least one tab portion extending transversely from said longitudinal portion, holes being formed in said longitudinal portion through which an adjacent pair of rods extend, said tab portions being spaced a predetermined vertical distance from said rods to contact and support an inside edge of an adjacent vertically spaced tier of said belt when said belt is arranged to travel along a helical conveying path.

Claim 6

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 including at least one support link disposed adjacent said inside links and coupled between pairs of said adjacent rods, said support links including a lon­gitudinal portion extending both longitudinally between a pair of said adjacent rods and vertically away from said rods and at least one tab portion extending transversely from said longitudinal portion, holes being formed in said longitudinal portion through which an adjacent pair of rods extend, said tab portions being spaced a predetermined vertical distance from said rods to contact and support an inside edge of an adjacent vertically spaced tier of said belt when said belt is arranged to travel along a helical conveying path.

Claim 7

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 3 wherein said inside links include a pair of generally U-shaped links joining adjacent pairs of said rods with one of said U-shaped links being disposed on either side of a respective one of said support links, each of said U-shaped links having a pair of spaced leg portions extending gener­ally in the lengthwise direction of the belt and a connecting portion joining said spaced leg portions, each of said leg portions having said holes of said inside links formed through it.

Claim 8

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 4 or 5 wherein said spaced leg portions of said U-shaped inside links have end sec­tions adjacent to the longitudinal portions of said support links, and said end sections extending substantially perpendicular to the trans­verse extent of said rods to align said support links with respect to said rods.

Claim 9

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 wherein said outside links include generally U-shaped links having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting portion.

Claim 10

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 wherein said outside links include dual pitch links having a pivot hole and a pitch changing hole in the form of an elongated slot.

Claim 11

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 or 7 wherein said outside links include at least one bar link and have holes for receiving and coupling adjacent pairs of said rods.

Claim 12

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said inside links has a work-hardened bearing surface.

Claim 13

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 or 7 wherein said connecting portion of each of said U-shaped inside links has a work-hardened bearing surface.

Claim 14

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 2 or 9 wherein the correlation between the longitudinally spaced end surfaces of the holes in said inside and outside links causes the outside ends of said rods to contact the opposing end surfaces in the holes of said outside links when the belt travels about a lateral curve of the predetermined maximum curvature with the outside links assuming a minimal amount of tractive load to assure that at least one of said inside links remains tractive and the inside ends of said rods remain at substantially the first pitch.

Claim 15

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 12 wherein the ratio of the predetermined spacing between the holes of said out­side links to the distance from the center of the said predetermined radius of curvature to the outermost outside links is only slightly greater than the ratio of the predetermined spacing between the holes in said inside links to the distance from the center of the prede­termined radius of curvature to the outermost leg of said inside links.

Claim 16

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 1 wherein said holes in said inside and outside links have end surfaces with predeter­mined longitudinal spacing correlated to one another and to the pre­determined radius of curvature so that in straight line conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at the first pitch and the inside links are tractive while the outside links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of the inside links remains tractive while the outside ends of said rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 17

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 14 wherein the correlation between the longitudinally spaced end surfaces of the holes in said inside and outside links causes the outside ends of said rods to contact the opposing end surfaces in the holes of said outside links when the belt travels about a lateral curve of the predetermined maximum curvature with the outside links assuming a minimal amount of tractive load to assure that at least one of said inside links remains tractive and the inside ends of said rods remain at substantially the first pitch.

Claim 18

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 15 wherein the ratio of the predetermined spacing between the holes of said out­side links to the distance from the center of the said predetermined radius of curvature to the outermost outside links is only slightly greater than the ratio of the predetermined spacing between the holes in said inside links to the distance from the center of the prede­termined radius of curvature to the outermost of said inside links.

Claim 19

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical path and having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of curvature in the helical path, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adjacent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links means including at least two generally U-shaped inside links and a support link disposed along the inside edge of said belt, and at least one outside link disposed along the outside edge of the belt, said inside U-shaped links each having a pair of spaced leg portions connected by a connecting portion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, said support links having a longitudinal portion extending both longitudi­nally between a pair of said adjacent rods and vertically away from said rods and at least one tab portion extending transversely from said longitudinal portion, said tab portion being spaced a predetermined vertical distance from said rods to contact and support an inside edge of an adjacent vertically spaced tier of said belt when said belt trav­els along the helical path, said longitudinal portion of said support links having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, said holes formed in said inside links having end surfaces with a first predeter­mined longitudinal spacing, said holes formed in said outside links having a second predetermined longitudinal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being correlated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature such that in straight line con­veying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the inside U-shaped links are tractive while the outside links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of the inside U-shaped links remains tractive while the outside ends of the rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 20

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical path and having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of curvature in the helical path, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adjacent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links means including at least two generally U-shaped inside links and a support link disposed along the inside edge of said belt, and at least one outside link disposed along the outside edge of the belt, said inside U-shaped links each having a pair of spaced leg portions connected by a connecting portion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, said support links having a longitudinal portion extending both longitudi­nally between a pair of said adjacent rods and vertically away from said rods and at least one tab portion extending transversely from said longitudinal portion, said tab portion being spaced a predetermined vertical distance from said rods to contact and support an inside edge of an adjacent vertically spaced tier of said belt when said belt trav­els along the helical path, said longitudinal portion of said support links having holes for receiving adjacent ones of said rods, said holes formed in said inside links having end surfaces with a first predeter­mined longitudinal spacing, said holes formed in said outside links having a second predetermined longitudinal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being correlated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature such that in straight line con­veying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the inside U-shaped links are tractive while the outside links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of the inside U-shaped links remains tractive while the outside ends of the rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 21

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 17 wherein said outside links include generally U-shaped links having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting portion.

Claim 22

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 17 wherein said outside links include dual pitch links having a pivot hole and a pitch changing hole in the form of an elongated slot.

Claim 23

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 17 or 18 wherein said outside links include at least one bar link having holes with said correlated predetermined second end surface spacing for receiving and coupling adjacent pairs of said rods.

Claim 24

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 17 wherein each of said support links is disposed between a pair of said U-shaped inside links, said spaced leg portions of said U-shaped inside links have end sections adjacent to the longitudinal portions of said support links, and said end sections extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse extent of said rods to align the support links with respect to said rods.

Claim 25

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 17 or 21 wherein said longitudinal portion of each of said support links has a lower section with said holes for coupling to said rods and an upper section extending vertically and longitudinally from the lower section, said upper section being angularly offset from the lower section and having a longitudinal dimension such that the upper sections of adja­cent support links overlap one another.

Claim 26

A tractive link member for connecting adjacent rods of an endless conveyor belt and for assuming tractive load, the links comprising a substantially flat piece of metal formed into a general U-shape with a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting por­tion, each of said leg portions having at least one hole for receiving adjacent rods of a conveyor belt, said substantially flat piece of metal along the length of said connecting portion having both a first thick­ness area and a second, reduced thickness area, said reduced thickness area being a compressed work-hardened area of said metal, said reduced thickness area in said connecting portion forming a curved bearing surface against which a rod can bear.

Claim 27

A tractive link member for connecting adjacent rods of an endless conveyor belt and for assuming tractive load, the links comprising a substantially flat piece of metal formed into a general U-shape with a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting por­tion, each of said leg portions having at least one hole for receiving adjacent rods of a conveyor belt, said substantially flat piece of metal along the length of said connecting portion having both a first thick­ness area and a second, reduced thickness area, said reduced thickness area being a compressed work-hardened area of said metal, said reduced thickness area in said connecting portion forming a curved bearing surface against which a rod can bear.

Claim 28

A tractive link member in accordance with claim 23 wherein the second, reduced thickness of said work-hardened area of said connecting portion is reduced to at least 90% of the first thick­ness at the point of maximum reduction.

Claim 29

A tractive link member in accordance with claim 23 wherein said curved bearing surface has a curvature approximately the same as a rod to bear against said bearing surface.

Claim 30

A tractive link member in accordance with claim 23 wherein said link member is formed as a single integral U-shaped link.

Claim 31

A tractive link in accordance with claim 23 or 24 wherein said work-hardened area of said connecting portion has a substantially flat outer surface opposite said curved bearing surface.

Claim 32

In a conveying system including a conveyor belt and a drive means for moving the belt along a conveying path, said system orienting the belt in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical por­tion forming a plurality of stacked tiers of the belt and having a pre­determined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of cur­vature in the helical portion, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said link means keeping the inside and outside ends of said rods at substantially the same first pitch dur­ing straight line motion of said belt and said link means further, dur­ing motion of the belt about lateral curves keeping said inside ends of said rods at said first pitch and allowing said outside ends of said rods to move to a second greater pitch as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion and to return to said first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion, said link means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, a plurality of separate inside links joining each pair of adjacent rods and, along the outside convex edge of the belt, at least one outside link joining each pair of adjacent rods, each of said outside links having holes through which said rods extend including at least one slot to allow the outside ends of said rods to move between the first and second pitches, each of said inside links including holes having end surfaces spaced a prede­termined distance such that a plurality of said inside links joining adjacent rods aligns the adjacent rods in a generally parallel relation­ship at said first pitch when said belt is placed under tractive load in straight line conveying motion.

Claim 33

In a conveying system including a conveyor belt and a drive means for moving the belt along a conveying path, said system orienting the belt in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical por­tion forming a plurality of stacked tiers of the belt and having a pre­determined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of cur­vature in the helical portion, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said link means keeping the inside and outside ends of said rods at substantially the same first pitch dur­ing straight line motion of said belt and said link means further, dur­ing motion of the belt about lateral curves keeping said inside ends of said rods at said first pitch and allowing said outside ends of said rods to move to a second greater pitch as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion and to return to said first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion, said link means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, a plurality of separate inside links joining each pair of adjacent rods and, along the outside convex edge of the belt, at least one outside link joining each pair of adjacent rods, each of said outside links having holes through which said rods extend including at least one slot to allow the outside ends of said rods to move between the first and second pitches, each of said inside links including holes having end surfaces spaced a prede­termined distance such that a plurality of said inside links joining adjacent rods aligns the adjacent rods in a generally parallel relation­ship at said first pitch when said belt is placed under tractive load in straight line conveying motion.

Claim 34

In a conveying system including a conveyor belt and a drive means for moving the belt along a conveying path, said system orientating the belt in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical por­tion forming a plurality of stacked tiers of the belt, and having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of curvature in the helical portion, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said link means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, at least two generally U-shaped inside links joining the inside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, and, along the outside edge of the belt at least one link joining the outside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, said generally U-shaped inside links each having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting por­tion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving said rods, said holes in the legs of said inside links having end surfaces with a first predetermined longitudinal spacing, said holes in said outside links having end surfaces with a second predetermined longitudinal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being correlated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature so that in straight line conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the U-shaped inside links are tractive while the out­side links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of the U-shaped inside links remains tractive while the outside ends of said rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 35

In a conveying system including a conveyor belt and a drive means for moving the belt along a conveying path, said system orientating the belt in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves in a single direction, the lateral curves including a helical por­tion forming a plurality of stacked tiers of the belt, and having a predetermined maximum curvature with a predetermined radius of curvature in the helical portion, the belt comprising a plurality of rods and connecting means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt, said rods extending transversely of the length of the belt between an inside end along the inside edge of the lateral curves and an outside end along the outside edge of the lateral curves, said rods being arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt, said connecting means including link means disposed adja­cent said inside and outside ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said link means including, along the inside concave edge of the belt, at least two generally U-shaped inside links joining the inside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, and, along the outside edge of the belt at least one link joining the outside ends of each pair of adjacent rods, said generally U-shaped inside links each having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting por­tion, each of said leg portions having holes for receiving said rods, each of said outside links having holes for receiving said rods, said holes in the legs of said inside links having end surfaces with a first predetermined longitudinal spacing, said holes in said outside links having end surfaces with a second predetermined longitudinal spacing, said first and second longitudinal spacings being correlated to one another and to the predetermined radius of curvature so that in straight line conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at a first pitch and the U-shaped inside links are tractive while the out­side links are non-tractive, and during lateral curved conveying motion the inside ends of said rods are kept at substantially the first pitch and at least one of the U-shaped inside links remains tractive while the outside ends of said rods move to a second greater pitch.

Claim 36

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 29 wherein said outside links include generally U-shaped links having a pair of spaced leg portions joined by a connecting portion.

Claim 37

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 29 wherein said outside links include dual pitch links having pivot holes and a pitch changing hole in the form of an elongated slot.

Claim 38

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 29 or 30 wherein said outside links include at least one bar link having holes with said second predetermined correlated end surface spacing for receiving and coupling adjacent pairs of said rods.

Claim 39

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 28 or 29 including at least one support link disposed adjacent said inside links and coupled between adjacent pairs of said rods, said support links having tab portions spaced a predetermined distance from said rods to contact and support the inside edge of a superimposed vertical tier of said belt.

Claim 40

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 28 or 29 wherein said drive means includes a rotating driving member friction­ally engaging the inside edge of said belt in the helical portion.

Claim 41

In a conveying system in accordance with claim 28 or 29 wherein said drive means includes a rotating driving member posi­tively engaging the inside edge of said belt in the helical portion.

Claim 42

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves comprising: a plurality of rods extending transversely of the length of the belt, having first and second transverse ends, said rods arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt; and means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt including link means, disposed approximately adjacent said first and second transverse ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of each of said rods to one another, for holding the first and second transverse ends of each of said rods at a substantially same first pitch during straight line motion of said belt, for holding the transverse ends of each of said rods located at the inside concave edge of a lat­eral curve to the first pitch during motion of the belt about the lat­eral curve, for moving the opposite transverse ends of each of said rods to a second greater pitch along the outside convex edge of the lateral curve as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion, and for returning the opposite transverse ends of each of said rods to the first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion.

Claim 43

A conveyor belt for conveying in both a straight line direction and around lateral curves comprising: a plurality of rods extending transversely of the length of the belt, having first and second transverse ends, said rods arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt; and means for connecting said rods to form a length of the belt including link means, disposed approximately adjacent said first and second transverse ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of each of said rods to one another, for holding the first and second transverse ends of each of said rods at a substantially same first pitch during straight line motion of said belt, for holding the transverse ends of each of said rods located at the inside concave edge of a lat­eral curve to the first pitch during motion of the belt about the lat­eral curve, for moving the opposite transverse ends of each of said rods to a second greater pitch along the outside convex edge of the lateral curve as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion, and for returning the opposite transverse ends of each of said rods to the first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion.

Claim 44

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 36 for travel around lateral curves in a single direction, wherein said conveyor belt connecting means link means further comprises: a plurality of single pitch links disposed approximately along the inside edge of the belt having holes for receiving the first transverse ends of said rods during substantially all motion of the belt; and a plurality of dual pitch links disposed approximately along the outside edge of the belt, said dual pitch links being capable of pivoting motion between a first position and a second position with the second transverse ends of said rods being disposed at the first pitch in the first position of said dual pitch links and the second transverse ends of said rods being disposed at the second pitch in the second position of said dual pitch links.

Claim 45

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 37, wherein each of said dual pitch links include a body having a pivot aperture about which the dual pitch links can pivot and a pitch changing slot, the second transverse end of one of said rods being received in said pivot aperture and the second transverse end of an adjacent one of said rods being slidably received in said pitch changing slot, said pitch changing slot having a first pitch area where the second transverse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by the first pitch and a second pitch area where the second transverse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by the second pitch.

Claim 46

A conveying system using a conveyor belt in accordance with claim 37, the system including means for pivoting said dual pitch links between said first and second positions.

Claim 47

A conveying system in accordance with claim 39, wherein said means for pivoting includes a cam surface for engaging said dual pitch links.

Claim 48

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 36 for travel around curves in both right and left directions, wherein said conveyor belt link means further comprises dual pitch links disposed approxi­mately along both edges of the belt, each of said dual pitch links being capable of pivoting motion between a first position and a second posi­tion, wherein during straight line motion said dual pitch links along both edges of the belt are in the first position for holding the trans­verse ends of said rods connected by the respective dual pitch links at the first pitch, and during motion around a lateral curve said dual pitch links along the inside edge of the belt being capable of remain­ing in the first position to hold the transverse ends of said rods con­nected by the respective links at the first pitch and said dual pitch links along the outside edge of the belt being capable of pivoting motion between a first position and a second position with the oppo­site transverse ends of said rods being disposed at the second pitch in the second position of said dual pitch links.

Claim 49

A conveyor belt in accordance with claim 41, wherein each of said dual pitch links includes a body having a pivot aperture about which the dual pitch links can pivot and a pitch changing slot, the transverse end of one of said rods being received in said pivot aperture and the transverse end of an adjacent one of said rods being slidably received in said pitch changing slot, said pitch changing slot having a first pitch area where the transverse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by the first pitch and a second pitch area where the transverse end of said adja­cent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by the sec­ond pitch.

Claim 50

A conveying system using a conveyor belt in accordance with claim 41, the system including means for pivoting said dual pitch links between said first and second positions.

Claim 51

A conveying system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said means for pivoting includes a cam surface for engaging said dual pitch links.

Claim 52

A conveying system comprising: means for moving a conveyor belt in a straight line direction and around lateral curves in at least one direction; a conveyor belt including: a plurality of rods extending transversely of the length of the belt, each rod having first and second transverse ends, said rods arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt; and a plurality of links connecting said rods to form the length of belt, said links disposed approximately adjacent said first and second transverse ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links holding the first and sec­ond transverse ends of said rods at a substantially same first pitch during straight line motion of said belt, and during motion of the belt about a lateral curve holding the transverse ends of said rods located at the inside edge of the lateral curve to the first pitch, moving the opposite transverse ends of said rods to a second greater pitch along the outside edge of the lateral curve as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion and returning the opposite transverse ends of said rods to the first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion, said links including dual pitch links disposed approximately along at least one transverse edge of said belt, each of said dual pitch links including a body having a pivot aperture and a pitch changing slot, the transverse end of one of said rods received in said pivot aperture and the transverse end of an adjacent one of said rods being slidably received in said pitch changing slot, said pitch changing slot having a first pitch area where the transverse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by said first pitch and a second pitch area where the trans­verse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by said second pitch; and means for pivoting said dual pitch links between their first and second positions when said belt is driven past said pivoting means.

Claim 53

A conveying system comprising: means for moving a conveyor belt in a straight line direction and around lateral curves in at least one direction; a conveyor belt including: a plurality of rods extending transversely of the length of the belt, each rod having first and second transverse ends, said rods arranged adjacent one another longitudinally along the length of the belt; and a plurality of links connecting said rods to form the length of belt, said links disposed approximately adjacent said first and second transverse ends of said rods for coupling adjacent pairs of said rods to one another, said links holding the first and sec­ond transverse ends of said rods at a substantially same first pitch during straight line motion of said belt, and during motion of the belt about a lateral curve holding the transverse ends of said rods located at the inside edge of the lateral curve to the first pitch, moving the opposite transverse ends of said rods to a second greater pitch along the outside edge of the lateral curve as the belt moves from straight line to lateral curved motion and returning the opposite transverse ends of said rods to the first pitch as the belt moves from lateral curved to straight line motion, said links including dual pitch links disposed approximately along at least one transverse edge of said belt, each of said dual pitch links including a body having a pivot aperture and a pitch changing slot, the transverse end of one of said rods received in said pivot aperture and the transverse end of an adjacent one of said rods being slidably received in said pitch changing slot, said pitch changing slot having a first pitch area where the transverse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by said first pitch and a second pitch area where the trans­verse end of said adjacent one of said rods is received when the rods are spaced by said second pitch; and means for pivoting said dual pitch links between their first and second positions when said belt is driven past said pivoting means.

Claim 54

A conveying system in accordance with claim 45 wherein said belt is arranged to travel around lateral curves that include a helical portion forming a plurality of stacked tiers of the belt.

Claim 55

A conveying system in accordance with claim 45 wherein said belt is arranged to travel around lateral curves in both directions and said dual pitch links are located adjacent both trans­verse ends of said rods.