Plastic conveyor belt with integral sideplate

In a plastic conveyor belt capable of following a path including straight and curving sections and including a series of connected and serially interdigitated elongated molded plastic belt module rows each including one or more belt modules in the rows, the belt module rows being connected by rods extending transversely to the length of the conveyor belt, each belt module row having a plurality of first spaced regular projections extending in one direction from the module and a plurality of second spaced regular projections extending an opposite direction and arranged generally in staggered relationship with the first projections, the first and second projections of serially adjacent module rows being longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in the conveyor belt by the connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the transverse openings of one of said sets of spaced projections being longitudinally elongated slotted holes to accommodate lateral curves wherein the module rows become angularly shifted and collapse together at the inside of the curve, with substantially the entire tension of the belt from module to module carried in outer ones of said first and second projections at the outside of a curve as connected by the rods, the improvement comprising,

• a heavier first projection and a heavier second projection integral with belt modules also having first and second regular projections, at one side of each of a series of belt module rows, in a position to be generally at a side edge of the conveyor belt, the heavier first and second projections being offset in staggered relationship in the manner of the regular first and second projections, the heavier first and second projections being heavier throughout their combined length and stronger in longitudinal tension such that the heavier first and second projections add tensile strength to the belt module at said one side for resisting high tension forces around a curve in the conveyor belt, the heavier first and second projections together receiving essentially all of the belt's tension at the outside of a curve and acting as an integral sideplate for the belt module, not serving to resist to any appreciable degree any connecting rod elongation forces which, if present, would act in a lateral direction in the modules.

A plastic conveyor belt module for use in forming a plastic conveyor belt made up of a series of serially interconnected belt module rows each including one or more generally similar such modules, the belt module and the plastic conveyor belt being adapted to follow a path including curving sections, comprising,

• a plurality of first spaced regular projections extending in one direction from the module and a plurality of second spaced regular projections extending in an opposite direction and arranged generally in staggered relationship with the first projections, such that the modules can be assembled with the first and second projections of serially adjacent modules longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in a conveyor belt by connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the transverse openings being slotted to accommodate a curving path, and
• a heavier first projection and a heavier second projection integral with the belt module at least at one side of the module, in a position to be generally at a side edge of an assembled conveyor belt, the heavier first and second projections being offset in staggered relationship in the manner of the regular first and second projections, such that the heavier first and second projections add tensile strength to the belt module at the one side, for resisting high tension forces around a curve in an assembled conveyor belt, the heavier first and second projections together acting as an integral sideplate for the belt module, receiving essentially all of the belt's tension at the outside of a curve and not serving to resist to any appreciable degree any connecting rod elongation forces which, if present, would act in a lateral direction in the modules.