Apparatus for fabricating non-linear side wall conveyor belting

A mold for use in fabricating conveyor belting having undulated side walls comprising:

• means for supporting uncured conveyor belt material during curing;
• a pair of inner side wall mold cmponents conforming in shape to a suitable inner undulated side wall configuration;
• a pair of corresponding outer side wall mold components conforming in shape to a suitable outer undulated side wall configuration;
• and
• means for moving said inner and outer side wall mold components to a closed position wherein adjacent faces of said inner and outer side wall mold components are spaced apart a distance corresponding to a suitable thickness of the undulated side wall to be formed therein, and in suitable alignment with respect to said uncured conveyor belt material so that undulated side walls formed between said closed inner and outer side wall mold components will be cured together with said conveyor belt materials when the mold is placed between the platens of a suitable press, thereby producing side wall conveyor belting having undulated side walls unitarily bonded thereto.

A mold for use in fabricating conveyor belting having undulated side walls comprising:

• means for supporting uncured conveyor belt material during curing;
• a pair of inner side wall mold components conforming in shape to a suitable inner undulated side wall configuration, said inner side wall mold components being affixed with respect to the means for supporting uncured conveyor belt material during curing such that undulated side walls formed therein are in suitable position and orientation for curing together with said belt material to form undulated side wall conveyor belting;
• a pair of corresponding outer side wall mold components conforming in shape to a suitable outer undulated side wall configuration, said outer side wall mold components being movable in a horizontal plane between an open position spaced sufficiently from the corresponding inner side wall mold components to permit insertion of substantially straight uncured side wall material adjacent to the inner side wall mold components, and a closed position where adjacent faces of said inner and outer side wall mold components are spaced apart a distance corresponding to a suitable thickness of undulated side wall to be formed therein;
• a pair of backing support members fixed at a position adjacent to the open position of the outer side wall mold components;
• and
• wedge means adapted for insertion between said fixed backing support means and the corresponding outer side wall mold components, so that insertion of said wedge means results in movement of the outer side wall mold components from the open position to said closed position, so as to form the side wall material into undulated shape and hold said undulated side wall material in suitable orientation with the conveyor belt material that the undulated side wall material and conveyor belt material will form a unitary bond as they are cured together.