Elevating chain conveyor

Claim 1

A conveyor for moving articles from one level to another as well as in a horizontal path, comprising, in combination: first and second pairs of endless chains arranged on a plurality of sprockets around a path including horizontal and vertical runs, with one of each pair of chains being on one side of said path and the other of each pair being on the opposite side of said path, plural spaced-apart pluralities of contiguous support members extending from one side of the path to the other, each plurality of contiguous support members combining to form a substantially continuous-surface articulated carrier which is rigid to support a load when the carrier is supported from its ends, first support means extending from one side of the path to the other for supporting a respective first end of each of said continuous-surface carriers, the opposite ends of each said first support means being each connected to a respective one of said first pair of endless chains, at least one separator element having a substantially continuous surface extending across said path with opposite ends thereof being supported by said first pair of chains to form an articulated separator having a substantially continuous surface and being substantially contiguous with the said first end of each respective carrier, and second support means extending from one side of the path to the other for supporting a respective second end of each of said continuous-surface articulated carriers, the opposite ends of each said second support means being each connected to a respective one of said second pair of endless chains, said second support means extending across said path and being substantially contiguous with the said second end of the respective carrier, adjacent ones of said plural spaced-apart continuous-surface carriers being substantially coplanar with each other and with the respective separator and second support means therefor when the chains on each side of said path lie adjacent one another, and the space between each adjacent pair of said spaced-apart coplanar carriers being substantially filled with a respective pair of said separator elements and second support means, the contiguous substantially continuous surfaces of all said carriers, separators and support means thus providing a substantially continuous surface when said chains lie adjacent one another, whereby articles transported by said spaced-apart carriers cannot fall therebetween, said separators and said second support means serving to provide with said carrier means a substantially continuous surface when the respective chains lie adjacent one another, said separators also serving as an abutment when the chains are separate from each other and the carriers are one above another.