Conveyors for metal clips

Claim 1

A conveyor including a continuous belt having an inNer drive surface and an outer conveying surface, said belt including a plurality of substantially rectangular metal plates having upwardly curved opposite edges providing hinge sockets receiving hinge pins to define hinges for hingedly connecting said plates transversely of said belt, said hinges lying completely on said outer surface so that said inner surface is substantially smooth, a pair of spaced-apart rotatable guide wheels extending transversely of said belt and engaging said drive surface, said wheels having polygonal cross-sectional configurations including flat surfaces for engaging said plates, at least one of said wheels being rotatably driven, means for mounting the other of said wheels for movement toward said one wheel, said mounting means including spring means biasing said other wheel away from said one wheel, whereby said other wheel provides an automatic overload drive release by yielding toward said one wheel, said belt extending around said wheels in an upper run and a lower run, and skid means extending between said wheels for engaging said inner surface of said belt to support said upper run, said wheels including opposite ends having guide collars thereon for guiding said belt.