Modular conveyor belt with unique link capture means

Abstract

A flexible conveyor belt (10) has a plurality of transverse rods (11) on which a plurality of links are mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement on the rods. The links include edge links (12a, 12b) at opposite edges of the belt and link modules (13a, 13b and 15) positioned between the edge links. The rods have radially enlarged heads or buttons (16) on their ends, and the edge links have a cavity (29) for receiving the head, and an undercut shoulder (36) against which the head abuts to retain the edge link at the end of the rod. The link modules have a leading end (41) and a trailing end (42), and the trailing end of at least one module (15) has slotted openings (47, 44) to enable the trailing end to be detachably connected to an associated rod. Disengagement of the detachable end of the link module from a rod provides more space on the rod so that the edge link can be slid on the rod to extend the end of the rod outwardly of the edge link to enable a head to be formed on the end of the rod without damaging the adjacent link.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.