Conveyor belt

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies, each link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly;
• a plurality of link shafts, each link shaft extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and
• wherein each shaft opening being an elongated opening having a forward end formed on a radius larger than a radius of the link shafts and providing a shaft rocking surface within each first shaft opening, each link shaft being disposed generally adjacent the shaft rocking surface formed on one of the first shaft openings, and the link shafts rolling on the shaft rocking surface during the operation of the conveyor belt for substantially reducing rotating friction between the link shaft and adjacent portions of the link assemblies, the radius of each shaft rocking surface being sufficiently large so each shaft rocking surface approximates a flat surface while still being formed on a curve;
• and
• a plurality of first guards, each first guard being connected to the first side of one of the link assemblies and each first guard extending generally over the first end of one of the link shafts, the first guards cooperating for protecting the first ends of the link shafts and substantially preventing the first ends of the link shafts from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies, each link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly, each link assembly comprising:
• a plurality of first link assemblies with each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and a plurality of second link assemblies with each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and wherein each first link assembly is disposed generally between two adjacent second link assemblies, the first and the second link assemblies being alternately positioned over the length of the conveyor belt, the forward end of each second link assembly being disposed near the rearward end of the adjacent first link assembly in an assembled portion of the first and second link assemblies to form the conveyor belt, each first link assembly comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the second end of the second end module being disposed generally near the second end of the first end module in an assembled position of the first link assembly;
• and
• wherein each second link assembly comprises:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the first end module forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the second end module forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link, the second end of the first end module being disposed generally near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the second link assembly whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart second ends between the first and second end modules in either the first or second link assemblies;
• a plurality of link shafts, each link shaft extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and
• a plurality of first guards, each first guard being connected to the first side of one of the link assemblies and each first guard extending generally over the first end of one of the link shafts, the first guards cooperating for protecting the first ends of the link shafts and substantially preventing the first ends of the link shafts from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies, each link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly, wherein each link assembly comprises:
• a plurality of first link assemblies with each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a fist side and a second side, and a plurality of second link assemblies with each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and wherein each first link assembly is disposed generally between two adjacent second link assemblies, the first and the second link assemblies being alternately positioned over the length of the conveyor belt, the forward end of each second link assembly being disposed near the rearward end of the adjacent first link assembly in an assembled position of the first and second link assemblies to form the conveyor belt, each first link assembly comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• at least one intermediate module, each intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, each intermediate link module being positioned in an end-to-end relationship with respect to the other intermediate modules so that the first end of one of the intermediate modules forms the first end of an assembled intermediate modules and the second end of one of the intermediate modules forms the second end of the assembled intermediate modules, the second end of the assembled intermediate modules being disposed near the first end of the first end module and the first end of the assembled intermediate modules being positioned near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the first and second end modules and the intermediate modules to form the first link assembly;
• wherein each second link assembly comprises:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the first end module forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the second end module forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• at least one intermediate module, each intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link in each intermediate module forming the first end comprising about one-half link and the link in each intermediate module forming the second end comprising about a one-half link, the intermediate link modules being positioned in an end-to-end relationship to form assembled intermediate modules so that the first end of one of the intermediate modules forms the first end of the assembled intermediate modules and the second end of one of the intermediate modules forms the second end of the assembled intermediate modules, the first end of the assembled intermediate modules being positioned near the second end of the first end module and the second end of the assembled intermediate modules being positioned near the second end of the second end module whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart ends between the first and the second end module or intermediate modules;
• a plurality of link shaft, each link shaft extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and
• a plurality of first guards, each first guard being connected to the first side of one of the link assemblies and each first guard extending generally over the first end of one of the link shafts, the first guards cooperating for protecting the first ends of the link shafts and substantially preventing the first ends of the link shafts from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies, each link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly, each link assembly comprising:
• a plurality of first link assemblies with each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and a plurality of second link assemblies with each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and wherein each first link assembly is disposed generally between two adjacent second link assemblies, the first and the second link assemblies being alternately positioned over the length of the conveyor belt, the forward end of each second link assembly being disposed near the rearward end of the adjacent first link assembly in an assembled position of the first and the second link assemblies to form the conveyor belt, each first link assembly comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• an intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the second end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the first end module and the first end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules and the intermediate module to form the first link assembly;
• and
• wherein each second link assembly is defined further as comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• an intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the first end of the intermediate module comprising about one-half link and the end forming the second end of the intermediate module comprising about a one-half link, the first end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the second end module and the second end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the first end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules and the intermediate module to form the second link assembly whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart ends between the first and the second end modules or intermediate modules;
• a plurality of link shafts, each link shaft extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and
• a plurality of first guards, each first guard being connected to the first side of one of the link assemblies and each first guard extending generally over the first end of one of the link shafts, the first guards cooperating for protecting the first ends of the link shafts and substantially preventing the first ends of the link shafts from engaging objects during the operation of the conveyor belt.

A conveyor belt comprising:

• a plurality of first link assemblies each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each first link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each first link assembly each first link assembly, comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the second end of the second end module being disposed near the second end of the first end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules to form the first link assembly;
• and
• a plurality of second link assemblies, each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each second link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each second link assembly, each second link assembly comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the first end module forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the last link in the second end module forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link, the second end of the first end module being disposed generally near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the second link assembly whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart second ends between the first and the second end modules in either the first or the second link assembly.

A conveyor belt comprising:

• a plurality of first link assemblies with each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and a plurality of second link assemblies with each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and wherein each first link assembly is disposed generally between two adjacent second link assemblies, the first and the second link assemblies being alternately positioned over the length of the conveyor belt, the forward end of each second link assembly being disposed near the rearward end of the adjacent first link assembly in an assembled position of the first and second link assemblies to form the conveyor belt, and wherein the first link assembly comprises:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• at least one intermediate module, each intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, each intermediate module being positioned in an end-to-end relationship with respect to the other intermediate modules so that the first end of one of the intermediate modules forms the first end of an assembled intermediate modules and the second end of one of the intermediate modules forms the second end of the assembled intermediate modules, the second end of the assembled intermediate modules being disposed near the second end of the first end module and the first end of the assembled intermediate modules being disposed near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules and the intermediate modules to form the first link assembly;
• and wherein each second link assembly is defined further as comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• at least one intermediate module, each intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link in each intermediate module forming the first end comprising about one-half link and the link in each intermediate module forming the second end comprising about a one-half link, the intermediate link modules being positioned in an end-to-end relationship to form assembled intermediate modules so that the first end of one of the intermediate modules forms the first end of the assembled intermediate modules and the second end of one of the intermediate modules forms the second end of the assembled intermediate modules, the first end of the assembled intermediate modules being positioned near the second end of the first end module and the second end of the assembled intermediate modules being positioned near the second end of the second end module whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart ends between the first and the second end module or intermediate modules.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of first link assemblies with each first link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and a plurality of second link assemblies with each second link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, and wherein each first link assembly is disposed generally between two adjacent second link assemblies, the first and the second link assembly being alternately positioned over the length of the conveyor belt, the forward end of each second link assembly being disposed near the rearward end of the adjacent first link assembly in an assembled position of the first and the second link assemblies to form the conveyor belt, each first link assembly comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links;
• and
• an intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the second end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the first end module and the first end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the second end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules and the intermediate modules to form the first link
• assembly;
• and wherein each second link assembly is defined further as comprising:
• a first end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the first end module comprising about a one-half link;
• a second end module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the second end of the second end module comprising about a one-half link;
• and
• an intermediate module having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of links, the link forming the first end of the intermediate module comprising about one-half link and the end forming the second end of the intermediate module comprising about a one-half link, the first end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the second end module and the second end of the intermediate module being disposed near the second end of the first end module in an assembled position of the first and the second end modules and the intermediate module to form the second link assembly whereby alternate rows of interconnected links in the conveyor belt do not include any spaced apart ends between the first and the second end modules or intermediate modules.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies each link assembly having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly;
• a plurality of link shafts, each link shaft constructed of a resilient material and extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and wherein each link assembly is defined further to comprise:
• a plurality of links each link having a first side, a second side, a forward end and a rearward end, a link opening being formed through the rearward end of each link and extending generally between the first and the second sides, each link opening in one of the link assemblies being shaped and adapted to receive a portion of the forward end of one of the links in an adjacent link assembly, a first forward link shaft opening being formed through the first side of each link generally near the forward end of the link, and a second forward link shaft opening being formed through the second side of each link generally near the forward end of the link, the first and the second forward link shaft openings being aligned and sized to receive one of the link shafts and cooperating to form the first shaft opening, a first rearward link shaft opening being formed through the first side of each link generally near the rearward end of each link and a second rearward link shaft opening being formed through the second side of each link generally near the rearward end of each link, the first and the second rearward link shafts openings being aligned and sized to receive one of the link shafts and cooperating to form the second shaft opening, the first and the second sides of each link being expandable in directions generally away from each other when the conveyor belt is in tension and deforming each link shaft in a sine wave link shape to lengthen the conveyor belt;
• and
• wherein each first shaft opening is defined further being elongated opening having a forward end formed on a radius larger than a radius of the link shafts and providing a shaft rocking surface within each first shaft opening, each link shaft being disposed generally adjacent the shaft rocking surface formed on one of the first shaft openings, and the link shafts rolling on the shaft rocking surfaces during the operation o the conveyor belt for substantially reducing rotating friction between the link shaft and adjacent portions of the link assemblies, the radius of each shaft rocking surface being sufficiently large so each shaft rocking surface approximates a flat surface while still being formed on a curve.

A conveyor belt, comprising:

• a plurality of link assemblies, each link assembly constructed of a plastic or ceramic and having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side, a first shaft opening extending through the forward end of each link assembly and a second shaft opening extending through the rearward end of each link assembly;
• a plurality of link shafts, each link shaft constructed of a plastic or ceramic material and extending through the first shaft openings in one of the link assemblies and through the second shaft openings in another link assembly for connecting the two link assemblies, each link shaft having a first end which extends a distance beyond the first side of one of the link assemblies and a second end which extends a distance beyond the second side of one of the link assemblies;
• and wherein each first shaft opening is defined further as being an elongated opening having a forward end formed on a radius larger than a radius of the link shafts and providing a shaft rocking surface within each first shaft opening, each link shaft being disposed generally adjacent the shaft rocking surface formed on one of the first shaft openings, and the link shafts rolling on the shaft rocking surfaces during the operation of the conveyor belt for substantially reducing rotating friction between the link shafts and adjacent portions of the link assemblies, the radius of each shaft rocking surface being sufficiently large so each shaft rocking surface approximates a flat surface while still being formed on a curve.