Continuous product-processing apparatus and method for cleaning with product repositioning

A product-processing apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber having an entrance at one end and an exit at an opposite end;
• a conveyor conveying products through the processing chamber, the conveyor including:
• a conveyor belt having an outward-facing conveying side and an opposite non-conveying side;
• a main drive rotating at a first rate and driving the conveyor belt through the entrance and out the exit along a carryway path through the processing chamber and back from the exit to the entrance along a lower belt-return path;
• an upper diverting roller disposed in the processing chamber and having a periphery engaging the non-conveying side of the conveyor belt;
• a lower diverting roller disposed in the processing chamber below the upper diverting roller and having a periphery engaging the conveying side of the conveyor belt;
• wherein the carryway path is diverted around the upper and lower diverting rollers along an S-shaped path segment;
• a roller drive rotating the upper and lower diverting rollers at a second rate greater than the first rate;
• a one-way ratchet sprocket in the main drive having teeth with steep drive faces that engage and drive the non-conveying side of the conveyor belt and gradual trailing faces over which the conveyor belt can ride into engagement with leading teeth when advancing faster than the sprocket is rotated at the first rate by the main drive;
• wherein the one-way ratchet sprocket lowers belt-return tension by engaging the non-conveying side of the conveyor belt and prevents the conveyor belt from building up along the carryway path.