Combination conveyor belt and method of manufacture

A combination conveyor belt comprising:

• a skeleton including a plurality of stiffening members, each stiffening member of the plurality of stiffening members having
• an upper surface, and a plurality of apertures formed in the upper surface, a first end and a second end, and
• each stiffening member of the plurality of stiffening members is disposed between a first chain and a second chain, the first end of each stiffening member is coupled to the first chain, and the second end of each stiffening member is coupled to the second chain;
• a belt disposed on the upper surface of the stiffening member of the skeleton, the belt having a hole formed therein, the belt including a first end and a second end, the first end overlapping the second end to form a belt splice;
• and
• a fastener system cooperating with one the plurality of apertures and the hole to couple the belt to the stiffening member,
• wherein the fastener system includes a plurality of fastener systems, each of the plurality of fastener systems including a rivet nut and a fastener.

A method of manufacturing a combination conveyor belt, comprising:

• coupling a belt to a skeleton using a fastener system, wherein
• the skeleton includes a stiffening member having an upper surface and an aperture formed in the upper surface;
• the belt is disposed on the upper surface of the stiffening member of the skeleton, the belt having a hole formed therein;
• and
• the fastener system cooperates with the aperture and the hole to couple the belt to the stiffening member,
• wherein the fastener system includes a rivet nut, a washer, and a fastener, and coupling the belt to the skeleton using the fastener system includes where the rivet nut is received in the aperture of the stiffening member and deformed.