Conveyor system

In a conveyor system of the type suitable to transport a plurality of containers through a first environmental area and a second environmental area wherein the conveyor follows a first path about a first plurality of upper sprockets and a first plurality of lower sprockets to define a first conveyor length within the first area and wherein the conveyor follows a second path about a second plurality of upper sprockets and a second plurality of lower sprockets to define a second conveyor length within the second area, the improvement comprising a first conveyor length adjustment means for changing the length of the conveyor in the first area, said first conveyor length adjustment means including first means to move some but not all of said first plurality of lower sprockets, and second length adjustment means including second means to move some but not all of said second plurality of lower sprockets for providing a corresponding, but opposed conveyor length change in the second area, said first conveyor length adjustment means is being associated with the movable ones of said first plurality of lower sprockets for moving them to either increase or decrease the vertical spacing between sprockets in the first area, within preselected limits, and the second conveyor length adjusting means being associated with the movable ones of said second plurality of lower sprockets for moving them to either increase or decrease the vertical spacing between the sprockets in the second area for providing a corresponding, but opposite, increase or decrease in the vertical spacing between sprockets in the second area,

• whereby, for a given conveyor speed, the ratio of time of a container within the first area to the time of the container within the seccond area can be varied.