Strip conveyor and stacker

A conveyor for conveying a flexible material comprising, in combination, a support frame, a continuous moving foraminous belt having opposite faces mounted on said support frame, a vacuum source, a housing on said frame defining a suction chamber in communication with said vacuum source, said housing defining a channel in communication with said chamber for receiving and guiding said belt such that one of said faces confronts said suction chamber, and brackets overlying said channel and the other of said faces so as to capture said belt between the brackets and the suction chamber and retain said belt in said channel, said belt retaining and conveying the flexible material by the application of suction thereto.

A conveyor for conveying and discharging cut elongated strips of flexible material comprising, in combination, a support frame, a moving foraminous conveyor belt mounted on said support frame, a housing on said frame defining a suction chamber, a source of vacuum connected to said chamber for producing said suction, said housing further defining a track for receiving said conveyor belt and exposing said belt to said suction, said belt retaining the strips thereon by applying a suction thereto and conveying retained strips to a discharge position, and a source of pressurized air connected to said chamber for applying a burst of air under pressure thereto to override said suction and eject conveyed strips from said conveyor belt.

A conveyor for conveying strips of soft, flexible material comprising, in combination, an elongated support frame, a vacuum source mounted on said frame, a housing mounted on said frame and defining a suction chamber in communication with said vacuum source and a track in communication with said chamber, an idler pulley mounted on one end of said frame, a drive pulley mounted on the other end of said frame, a sprocket on said drive pulley, a drive motor mounted on said frame and having an output shaft, a sprocket on said output shaft, a drive belt operatively engaging and connecting said sprockets, and a continuous endless foraminous conveyor belt supported on said drive and idler pulleys and guided in said track, said drive motor driving said drive belt to drive said conveyor belt, and said housing applying suction to said driven conveyor belt for retaining and conveying the strips to a discharge position.

A conveyor for conveying strips of soft flexible material comprising, in combination, an elongated support frame, a vacuum source mounted on said frame, a housing mounted on said frame and defining a suction chamber in communication with said vacuum source and a track in communication with said chamber, an idler pulley mounted on one end of said frame, a drive pulley mounted on the other end of said frame, a sprocket on said drive pulley, a drive motor mounted on said frame and having an output shaft, a sprocket on said output shaft, a drive belt operatively engaging and connecting said sprockets, and a continuous endless foraminous conveyor belt supported on said drive and idler pulleys and guided in said track, said drive motor driving said drive belt to drive said conveyor belt, said housing applying suction to said driven conveyor belt for retaining and conveying the strips to a discharge position, and a source of pressurized air connected to said chamber for applying a burst of air under pressure thereto to override said suction and eject the strips from said conveyor belt.

A conveyor for conveying a cut elongated strip of material, while supporting said strip over its entire length and width, said conveyor comprising a support frame, a moving, continuous, foraminous conveyor belt mounted on said frame, said conveyor belt having an upper run and a lower run, a vacuum source, a suction chamber communicating with said vacuum source, and a track guiding said conveyor belt with its lower run in communication with said suction chamber and means for retaining said conveyor belt within said track with its lower run in communication with said suction chamber, whereby said strip is retained by suction beneath said lower run of said belt.