Endless helical conveyer and belt

Claim 2

For use on a helical conveyer to be movable upwardly about a first helical path and then downwardly about a second helical path concentric to the first helical path, a conveyer belt comprising a plurality of elongated cross members extending transversely of the belt and spaced in the longitudinal direction of the belt, the belt having a longitudinally extending side edge to form the inner edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer and a second longitudinally extending side edge spaced transversely from said first side edge by said cross members to form the outer edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer, a first set of links interconnecting the ends of the cross members at said first side edge and permitting the ends of the cross members to move towards and away from each other to permit the belt to collapse or expand along said first side edge, a second set of links interconnecting the ends of the belt at said second side edge thereof, said first set of links each having a longitudinal dimension less than that of each of said second links, said first set of links being dimensioned and shaped to permit adjacent links to move towards and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt a substantial distance relative to each other to permit the inner edge of the belt to assume different curvatures during use on the helical conveyer, and means defining a plurality of relatively sharp angled recesses adjacent each of the links in the first set for receiving in positive engagement rotating angled drive members on the helical conveyer whereby the belt may be positively driven by mechanical pushing engagement along its inner edge.

Claim 3

The conveyer belt defined in claim 1 wherein said second set of links are each formed such thAt they are essentially non-collapsible relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt.

Claim 4

An endless conveyer comprising in combination; support means defining concentric helical paths including an inner path and an outer path surrounding the inner path, an endless belt extending helically along said paths and including transitional belt portions extending between said inner and outer paths at top and bottom end portions of the conveyer, and means for driving said belt along said paths such that the belt helically ascends along one path and descends along the other, and wherein said paths have a common vertical axis, and wherein said belt has inner and outer side edges made from links and wherein the links along the inner edges of the belt are collapsible to enable the inner edges of the belt to assume different curvatures when traveling along said helical paths, and wherein said belt has a plurality of means defining recesses extending along the inner side edge of the belt and wherein said drive means includes positive drive elements engaged in said recesses for pushing the belt along said paths.

Claim 5

An endless conveyer comprising in combination; support means defining concentric helical paths including an inner path and an outer path surrounding the inner path, an endless belt extending helically along said paths and including transitional belt portions extending between said inner and outer paths at top and bottom end portions of the conveyer, and means for driving said belt along said paths such that the belt helically ascends along one path and descends along the other, and wherein said paths have a common vertical axis, and wherein said belt has inner and outer side edges made from links and wherein the links along the inner edges of the belt are collapsible to enable the inner edges of the belt to assume different curvatures when traveling along said helical paths, and wherein said belt has a plurality of means defining recesses extending along the inner side edge of the belt and wherein said drive means includes positive drive elements engaged in said recesses for pushing the belt along said paths.

Claim 6

The conveyer defined in claim 3 wherein the links at said inner edges of said belt are dimensioned less than the links at the outer side edges of the belt.

Claim 7

The conveyer defined in claim 3 wherein said means for driving the belt drives the belt helically upwardly along said inner path and helically downwardly along said outer path.

Claim 8

The conveyer defined in claim 3 wherein said drive means further includes a first generally cylindrical drive means mounted for rotation about said axis inwardly of said inner helical path, and a second generally cylindrical drive means mounted for rotation between said inner and outer helical paths, and wherein said positive drive elements are fixed to said cylindrical drive means and extend vertically therealong to be rotatable therewith while being in engagement with said recesses at the inner edge of said belt to drive the belt upon rotation of said cylindrical drive means.

Claim 9

The conveyer defined in claim 6 wherein said positive drive elements are elongated angle members secured to said cylindrical drive means with their corners exposed to be received in the recesses of said belt.

Claim 10

The conveyer as defined in claim 7 wherein said angle members each have legs extending at different angles to a line tangent to the periphery of the cylindrical drive means and passing through the corner of the angle member.

Claim 11

The conveyer as defined in claim 7 wherein said angle members extend throughout the length of said cylindrical drive means, and wherein the drive angles in said first cylindrical drive means include top portions which extend outwardly and upwardly to engage the inner edge of the transitional belt portion at the top of the conveyer.

Claim 12

The conveyer defined in claim 6 wherein said support means includes a first set of vertical stationary support members angularly spaced about said vertical axis and being located between said inner and outer helical paths, and a second set of vertical stationary support members circumferentially spaced about said vertical axis and positioned outwardly of said outer helical path, and a plurality of support arms secured to said vertical support members in said first and second set and extending radially inwardly towards said vertical axis to define said inner and outer helical paths with the belt being engageable thereon.

Claim 13

The conveyer defined in claim 10 wherein said support means further includes helical runners secured to said arms in said first and second sets and extending helically throughout said inner and outer paths in supporting engagement under the belt.

Claim 14

The conveyer defined in claim 6 wherein said drive means further includes first and second sprocket chains secured to said cylindrical drive means respectively and extending circumferentially thereof, and first and second sprockets engaged in said chaIns respectively to drive said cylindrical drive means said first and second sprockets having different sizes to drive said first and second cylindrical drive means at different speeds.

Claim 15

The conveyer defined in claim 6 further including inner and outer concentric stationary circular tracks concentrically underlying said first and second cylindrical drive means, and rollers mounted at the bottoms of said first and second cylindrical drive means and engaged on said tracks.

Claim 16

For use on a helical conveyer to be movable along a helical path, a conveyer belt comprising a plurality of elongated cross members extending transversely of the belt and spaced in the longitudinal direction of the belt, the belt having a longitudinally extending side edge to form the inner edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer and a second longitudinally extending side edge spaced transversely from said first side edge by said cross members to form the outer edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer, a first set of links interconnecting the ends of the cross members at said first side edge and permitting the ends of the cross members to move towards and away from each other to permit the belt to collapse or expand along said first side edge, a second set of links interconnecting the ends of the belt at said second side edge thereof, said first set of links being dimensioned and shaped to permit adjacent links to move towards and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt a substantial distance relative to each other to permit the inner edge of the belt to assume different curvatures during use on the helical conveyer, and means defining a plurality of relatively sharp angled recesses adjacent each of the links in the first set for receiving in positive engagement rotating drive members on the helical conveyer whereby the belt may be positively driven by mechanical pushing engagement along its inner edge, said first set of links each including a hooked shaped portion fixed to an associated cross member and receiving a next adjacent cross member to interconnect said cross members, said hooked shaped portions extending inwardly toward the center of the belt at an acute angle relative to the associated cross member such that the adjacent hooked shaped portions are slidable relative to and along each other into collapsed positions.

Claim 17

For use on a helical conveyer to be movable along a helical path, a conveyer belt comprising a plurality of elongated cross members extending transversely of the belt and spaced in the longitudinal direction of the belt, the belt having a longitudinally extending side edge to form the inner edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer and a second longitudinally extending side edge spaced transversely from said first side edge by said cross members to form the outer edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer, a first set of links interconnecting the ends of the cross members at said first side edge and permitting the ends of the cross members to move towards and away from each other to permit the belt to collapse or expand along said first side edge, a second set of links interconnecting the ends of the belt at said second side edge thereof, said first set of links being dimensioned and shaped to permit adjacent links to move towards and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt a substantial distance relative to each other to permit the inner edge of the belt to assume different curvatures during use on the helical conveyer, and means defining a plurality of relatively sharp angled recesses adjacent each of the links in the first set for receiving in positive engagement rotating drive members on the helical conveyer whereby the belt may be positively driven by mechanical pushing engagement along its inner edge, said first set of links each including a hooked shaped portion fixed to an associated cross member and receiving a next adjacent cross member to interconnect said cross members, said hooked shaped portions extending inwardly toward the center of the belt at an acute angle relative to the associated cross member such that the adjacent hooked shaped portions are slidable relative to and along each other into collapsed positions.

Claim 18

An endless conveyer comprising in combination; support means defining a helical path, an endless belt extending helically along said path, and drive means for driving said belt along said path such that the belt helically moves along said path, and said belt comprising a plurality of elongated cross members extending transversely of the belt and spaced in the longitudinal direction of the belt, the belt having a longitudinally extending side edge to form the inner edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer and a second longitudinally extending side edge spaced transversely from said first side edge by said cross members to form the outer edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer, a first set of links interconnecting the ends of the cross members at said first side edge and permitting the ends of the cross members to move towards and away from each other to permit the belt to collapse or expand along said first side edge, a second set of links interconnecting the ends of the belt at said second side edge thereof, said first set of links being dimensioned and shaped to permit adjacent links to move towards and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt a substantial distance relative to each other to permit the inner edge of the belt to assume different curvatures during use on the helical conveyer, and means defining a plurality of relatively sharp angled recesses adjacent each of the links in the first set for receiving in positive engagement the rotating drive means on the helical conveyer whereby the belt may be positively driven by mechanical pushing engagement along its inner edge, said first set of links each including a hooked shaped portion fixed to an associated cross member and receiving a next adjacent cross member to interconnect said cross members, said hooked shaped portions extending inwardly toward the center of the belt at an acute angle relative to the associated cross member such that the adjacent hooked shaped portions are slidable relative to and along each other into collapsed positions.

Claim 19

An endless conveyer comprising in combination; support means defining a helical path, an endless belt extending helically along said path, and drive means for driving said belt along said path such that the belt helically moves along said path, and said belt comprising a plurality of elongated cross members extending transversely of the belt and spaced in the longitudinal direction of the belt, the belt having a longitudinally extending side edge to form the inner edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer and a second longitudinally extending side edge spaced transversely from said first side edge by said cross members to form the outer edge of the belt when in use on the helical conveyer, a first set of links interconnecting the ends of the cross members at said first side edge and permitting the ends of the cross members to move towards and away from each other to permit the belt to collapse or expand along said first side edge, a second set of links interconnecting the ends of the belt at said second side edge thereof, said first set of links being dimensioned and shaped to permit adjacent links to move towards and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt a substantial distance relative to each other to permit the inner edge of the belt to assume different curvatures during use on the helical conveyer, and means defining a plurality of relatively sharp angled recesses adjacent each of the links in the first set for receiving in positive engagement the rotating drive means on the helical conveyer whereby the belt may be positively driven by mechanical pushing engagement along its inner edge, said first set of links each including a hooked shaped portion fixed to an associated cross member and receiving a next adjacent cross member to interconnect said cross members, said hooked shaped portions extending inwardly toward the center of the belt at an acute angle relative to the associated cross member such that the adjacent hooked shaped portions are slidable relative to and along each other into collapsed positions.

Claim 20

The conveyer defined in Claim 15 wherein each hooked shaped portion and its associated cross member define a recess.

Claim 21

The conveyer defined in claim 15 wherein said drive means includes a generally cylindrical drive means rotatable about a vertical axis and said drive elements are angles fixed in angularly spaced relationship about the periphery of said cylindrical means.

Claim 22

The conveyer defined in claim 15 wherein said positive drive elements are elongated angle members secured to said cylindrical drive means with their corners exposed to be received in the recesses of said belt.