Endless band conveyors

Claim 2

An endless conveyor band constructed of spaced transverse rod members and load-bearing components extending between and hingedly connected to said rod members, wherein the improvement comprises said load-bearing components being moulded plastics modules disposed in transverse rows across said band, and each having a body of generaly tabular form presenting a flat loadsupporting surface, and at opposite sides of and integral with said body hinge portions of eye form having oval apertures through which said rod members pass, the major diameter of each said oval aperture extending longitudinally of said band and the minor diameter thereof being complementary to the diameters of said rod members. said hinge portions of said modules projecting from said bodies longitudinally of said band and those of said hinge portions which are at one side of said bodies being parallel-sided, that is to say side faces of said hinge portions through which said apertures open are parallel to one another, and those of said hinge portions which are at the opposite side of said bodies have flared sides through which said apertures open, the flare being in the direction away from said bodies, and said modules in said transverse rows of modules being disposed with said parallel-sided hinge portions fitting between and engaging the same transverse rod members as, said flared-sided hinge portions of said modules in adjacent transverse rows.

Claim 3

An endless conveyor band according to claim 1 wherein each said module has a plurality of said parallel-sided and flared-sided hinge portions, said hinge portions being spaced apart and the spacing between said parallel-sided hinge portions being complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions measured transversely of said band, of said flared-sided hinge portions at their widest parts.

Claim 4

An endless conveyor band according to claim 1 wherein said hinge portions of each said module are disposed below the level of said load-supporting surface, and have integral depending parts extending below said body, and said body of each said module has at its underside at least one integral depending stiffening flange extending from side to side of said body longitudinally of said band and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinge portions.

Claim 5

An endless conveyor band according to claim 1 wherein said body of each said module has a series of elongated slots therein extending longitudinally of said band, and which extend partially over said hinge portions.

Claim 6

A load-bearing component for an endless conveyor band, comprising a moulded plastics module having a body of generally tabular form presenting a flat load-supporting surface, and at opposite sides of and integral with said body spaced hinge portions of eye form having oval apertures adapted to receive transverse rod members of the conveyor band, the major diameters of said apertures extending at right angles to said body sides and parallel to said load-supporting surface, and the minor diameters of said apertures being complementary to the diameters of the rod members which said apertures are adapted to receive, said hinge portions which are at one side of said body being parallel-sided, that is to say side faces of said hinge portion through which said apertures open are parallel to one another, and those of said hinge portions which are at the opposite side of said body have flared sides through which said apertures open, the flare being in the direction away from said body, and said parallel-sided hinge portions being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions parallel to said sides, of said flared-sided hinge portions.

Claim 7

A load-bearing component for an endless conveyor band, comprising a moulded plastics module having a body of generally tabular form presenting a flat load-supporting surface, and at opposite sides of and integral with said body spaced hinge portions of eye form having oval apertures adapted to receive transverse rod members of the conveyor band, the major diameters of said apertures extending at right angles to said body sides and parallel to said load-supporting surface, and the minor diameters of said apertures being complementary to the diameters of the rod members which said apertures are adapted to receive, said hinge portions which are at one side of said body being parallel-sided, that is to say side faces of said hinge portion through which said apertures open are parallel to one another, and those of said hinge portions which are at the opposite side of said body have flared sides through which said apertures open, the flare being in the direction away from said body, and said parallel-sided hinge portions being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions parallel to said sides, of said flared-sided hinge portions.

Claim 8

An endless conveyor band constructed of spaced transverse rod members and load-bearing components extending between and hingedly connected to said rod members, wherein said load-bearing components are moulded plastics modules disposed in transverse rows across said band, there being a plurality of said modules in each said transverse row, and each module has a perforate body of generally tabular form comprising a series of spaced bar portions extending lengthwise of the band between which open slots are defined and which bar portions together present a flat supporting surface of said body, and integral with and projecting from opposite sides of said body lengthwise of said band spaced hinge portions of eye form through which said transverse rod members pass and partially over which said bar portions and slots extend, said hinge portions each having an imperforate circumferential wall, an external surface tangentially of which said supporting surface extends and a part of its eye form which depends below said body, and said body having at its underside at least one integral flange extending from side to side of said body longitudinally of said band and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinge portions, and said hinge portions presented by said modules in each said transverse row at one side of said row being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions Measured transversely of said band, of said hinge portions presented by said modules at the opposite side of said transverse row, said hinge portions of said modules in each said transverse row intercalating with, and engaging the same transverse rod members as, said hinge portions of said modules in adjacent transverse rows, and said hinge portions which engage with each said transverse rod member defining in effect in combination a continuous sleeve which covers said transverse rod member across the width of said band.

Claim 9

An endless conveyor band constructed of spaced transverse rod members and load-bearing components extending between and hingedly connected to said rod members, wherein said load-bearing components are moulded plastics modules disposed in transverse rows across said band, there being a plurality of said modules in each said transverse row, and each module has a perforate body of generally tabular form comprising a series of spaced bar portions extending lengthwise of the band between which open slots are defined and which bar portions together present a flat supporting surface of said body, and integral with and projecting from opposite sides of said body lengthwise of said band spaced hinge portions of eye form through which said transverse rod members pass and partially over which said bar portions and slots extend, said hinge portions each having an imperforate circumferential wall, an external surface tangentially of which said supporting surface extends and a part of its eye form which depends below said body, and said body having at its underside at least one integral flange extending from side to side of said body longitudinally of said band and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinge portions, and said hinge portions presented by said modules in each said transverse row at one side of said row being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions Measured transversely of said band, of said hinge portions presented by said modules at the opposite side of said transverse row, said hinge portions of said modules in each said transverse row intercalating with, and engaging the same transverse rod members as, said hinge portions of said modules in adjacent transverse rows, and said hinge portions which engage with each said transverse rod member defining in effect in combination a continuous sleeve which covers said transverse rod member across the width of said band.

Claim 10

A load-bearing component for an endless conveyor band, comprising a moulded plastics module having a perforate body of generally tabular form comprising a series of spaced bar portions defining slots therebetween and extending between two opposite sides of said body and which bar portions together present a flat supporting surface of said body, and integral with and projecting from said opposite sides of said body spaced hinge portions of eye form partially over which said bar portions and slots extend, said hinge portions each having an imperforate circumferential wall, an external surface tangentially of which said supporting surface extends and a part of its eye form which depends below said body, and said hinge portions at each of said opposite sides of said body being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions parallel to said body sides, of said hinge portions at the other side of said body, and said body having at its underside at least one integral flange extending transversely of said opposite sides and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinge portions.

Claim 11

A load-bearing component for an endless conveyor band, comprising a moulded plastics module having a perforate body of generally tabular form comprising a series of spaced bar portions defining slots therebetween and extending between two opposite sides of said body and which bar portions together present a flat supporting surface of said body, and integral with and projecting from said opposite sides of said body spaced hinge portions of eye form partially over which said bar portions and slots extend, said hinge portions each having an imperforate circumferential wall, an external surface tangentially of which said supporting surface extends and a part of its eye form which depends below said body, and said hinge portions at each of said opposite sides of said body being spaced apart by distances complementary to the widths, that is the dimensions parallel to said body sides, of said hinge portions at the other side of said body, and said body having at its underside at least one integral flange extending transversely of said opposite sides and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinge portions.

Claim 12

An endless conveyor band constructed of spaced transverse rod members and load-bearing components extending between and hingedly connected to said rod members, wherein said load-bearing components are moulded plastic modules disposed in transverse rows across said band there being a plurality of said modules in each said transverse row, each module has a rectangular shaped body part with a series of spaced parallel bars with open slots therebetween defining a grate-like appearance, spaced eye portions constituting hinged portions integral with and projecting from opposite sides of said body lengthwise of said band through which said rod members extend, one end of said slots extending over the eye portion of the hinge to the top of the curvature of the cylindrical surface defining the eye portion, the opposite end of said slots terminating in a wall portion of said body part interposed between adjacent bars with the upper surface of said wall portion being beveled whereby said slots are longer at the top surface of said body part than at the bottom surface, said hinged portions of each said module having integral depending parts extending below said body part, and said body part of each said module has at its underside at least one integral depending stiffening flange extending from side to side of said body longitudinally of said band and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinged portions, said hinged portions of said modules in each said transverse row intercalating with and engaging the same transverse rod members as said hinged portions of said modules in adjacent transverse rows, and said hinged portions which engage with each said transverse rod member defining in effect in combination a continuous sleeve which covers said transverse rod member across the width of said band.

Claim 13

An endless conveyor band constructed of spaced transverse rod members and load-bearing components extending between and hingedly connected to said rod members, wherein said load-bearing components are moulded plastic modules disposed in transverse rows across said band there being a plurality of said modules in each said transverse row, each module has a rectangular shaped body part with a series of spaced parallel bars with open slots therebetween defining a grate-like appearance, spaced eye portions constituting hinged portions integral with and projecting from opposite sides of said body lengthwise of said band through which said rod members extend, one end of said slots extending over the eye portion of the hinge to the top of the curvature of the cylindrical surface defining the eye portion, the opposite end of said slots terminating in a wall portion of said body part interposed between adjacent bars with the upper surface of said wall portion being beveled whereby said slots are longer at the top surface of said body part than at the bottom surface, said hinged portions of each said module having integral depending parts extending below said body part, and said body part of each said module has at its underside at least one integral depending stiffening flange extending from side to side of said body longitudinally of said band and joined to said depending part of at least one of said hinged portions, said hinged portions of said modules in each said transverse row intercalating with and engaging the same transverse rod members as said hinged portions of said modules in adjacent transverse rows, and said hinged portions which engage with each said transverse rod member defining in effect in combination a continuous sleeve which covers said transverse rod member across the width of said band.