Belt conveyor and method

A belt conveyor comprising:

• a frame assembly supporting at least one zone assembly, said at least one zone assembly comprising a removable belt module;
• said removable belt module having a removable belt module frame, a drive pulley and at least one other pulley rotatably supported by said removable belt module frame, said removable belt module further having a continuous belt reeved around said drive pulley and said at least one other pulley;
• and
• said removable belt module being vertically separable from said zone assembly in order to replace one or both of said removable belt module and said continuous belt.

A belt conveyor comprising:

• a frame assembly having opposite sidewalls;
• a drive pulley and at least one other pulley rotatably mounted at said frame assembly between said opposite sidewalls;
• a continuous belt, said continuous belt being reeved around said drive pulley and said other pulley;
• and
• at least one pivot arm, said pivot arm rotatably mounting at least one of said drive pulley and said other pulley at said frame assembly, wherein said pivot arm pivots from an operating position to a maintenance position to move said drive pulley and said other pulley closer together to facilitate replacement of said belt, and wherein said pivot arm pivots from said maintenance position to said operating position to place tension on said belt when said pivot arm is in said operating position.

A method of replacing a continuous belt on a belt conveyor, said belt conveyor including a frame assembly, wherein said method comprises:

• (a) providing at least one removable belt module having a removable belt module frame, said removable belt module frame having at one end a rotatably mounted drive pulley and having at an opposite end a rotatably mounted other pulley, said continuous belt reeved around said drive pulley and said other pulley, and said frame assembly defining at least one attachment surface;
• (b) removing said removable belt module from said attachment surface in a substantially vertical direction;
• and
• (c) placing a replacement removable belt module to said attachment surface in a substantially vertical direction.

A method of replacing a continuous belt on a belt conveyor, said belt conveyor including a continuous belt, a drive pulley for driving said belt, and at least one other pulley to maintain tension on said continuous belt, wherein said method comprises:

• (a) providing at least one pivot arm to rotatably mount one or both of a drive pulley and at least one other pulley to a frame assembly;
• (b) moving said pivot arm away from an operating position such that said pulleys release said belt tension;
• (c) removing said continuous belt from said drive pulley and said other pulley;
• (d) reeving a replacement continuous belt around said drive pulley and said other pulley;
• (e) moving said pivot arm back to said operating position such that said pulleys impart tension to said replacement continuous belt.