Curved path chain link conveyor modules and belts

A flexible conveyor belt system for transporting goods over a transport path including curved path portions, said system having interconnected modular chain link modules carrying load conveying platform sections laterally extending from a chain link to thereby define a belt of predetermined belt width, which belt may be moved over a conveyor belt transport path by transport drive means engaging the chain link structure when the chain link modules are coupled in a chain, said system comprising in combination:

• substantially Y shaped chain links having a base leg and two opposed bifurcated arms for pivotally nesting the base legs into the bifurcated arms of an adjacent module along a length of the conveyor belt, said arms being structured for retaining pivot pins for coupling the Y shaped links together by extending the divot pins through apertures in the two bifurcated arms and an elongated slot in the leg of an adjacent chain link to afford a predetermined degree of slack in the chain,
• object carrying substantially planar conveyance platform structure affixed to the chain links by slats extending laterally from the chain links to opposite belt edges for supporting an uppermost conveying surface extending across the belt width,
• a substantially planar load conveying surface carried by each link being formed from a set of object carrying rib fingers protruding from the slats and extending in leading and trailing directions along the conveyor belt transport path to interdigitate and overlap corresponding rib fingers of leading and trailing modules thereby to establish a substantially continuous ribbed planar conveying surface along the conveyor belt transport path comprising interdigitated said object carrying rib fingers, and
• said platform structure comprising support means carrying said rib fingers comprising an elongated base-plate slat panel affixed to a said chain link, said slat panel being integrally sandwiched between the conveying surface rib fingers and the Y-shaped chain link, and being shaped generally longitudinally with intermediate rocker apexes from trailing and leading edges protruding at midbelt positions and converging inwardly from said apexes toward the belt edges with substantially straight leading and trailing edges configured for mating leading and trailing slats upon adjacent belt links over curved belt transport paths at adjacent straight edges thereby to sass the conveyor belt around curves with the converging slat edges in mating contact with each other at one belt edge and spaced from each other at the opposite belt edge wherein said slats near the two opposite edges of the belt form a notch disposed on one slat edge a predetermined distance from the belt edges to define a tooth at the opposing slat edge, thus comprising mating tooth-notch structure on adjacent modules, and wherein said tooth further comprises support members near opposite belt edges from which a set of rib fingers extend with shorter finger tips than at intermediate portions of the slats, thereby to produce a conveying platform surface with shortened rib fingertips supported on the slat base near the belt edges to reduce a tendency to fracture rib finger ends when heavily stressed about curved paths during belt operation.

A link module for a chain conveyor belt of predetermined width comprising in combination:

• a substantially Y shaped chain link member having a base leg with an elongated slot for journalling a pivot rod to provide slack in the belt in directions parallel to a belt travel path and further having two bifurcated arms each having a pivot rod aperture, said chain link member being dimensioned for nesting the base legs into the bifurcated arms along the conveyor belt and retaining them in a chain configuration with respective pivot rods extending through the apertures in the bifurcated arms and the elongated slot in the leg, thereby facilitating a predetermined range of movement of the chain links back and forth with enough lateral flexibility for traversing curved belt paths, an object carrying platform slat affixed to the chain link member and laterally extended from two sides of the chain link member and carrying a plurality of spaced rib fingers forming an upper conveying belt surface across the belt width, said rib fingers extending from leading and trailing edges of the slat and being of such length and position to interdigitate and overlap corresponding rib fingers of adjacent leading and trailing links when the chain links are connected in a chain, thereby to form a ribbed substantially planar uppermost platform surface across the width of the conveyor belt which is integrally disposed upon at least one Y-shaped said chain link, said slat being shaped to present apexes at trailing and leading edges protruding at a midbelt position from angularly disposed straight leading and trailing edges diverging inwardly from the apexes wherein said slat further comprises:
• opposing notch and tooth slat structure at opposed slat leading and trailing edges, with the tooth structure supporting the interdigitated rib finger ends near opposite belt edges closer to tips of the rib fingers to foreshorten said fingers at the belt edges.

A link module for a chain conveyor belt of predetermined width comprising in combination:

• a substantially Y shaped chain link member having a base leg with an elongated slot for journalling a pivot rod to provide slack in the belt in directions parallel to a belt travel path and further having two bifurcated arms each having a pivot rod aperture, said chain link member being dimensioned for nesting the base legs into the bifurcated arms along the conveyor belt and retaining them in a chain configuration with respective pivot rods extending through the apertures in the bifurcated arms and the elongated slot in the leg, thereby facilitating a predetermined range of movement of the chain links back and forth with enough lateral flexibility for traversing curved belt paths, an object carrying platform slat affixed to the chain link member and laterally extended from two sides of the chain link member and carrying a plurality of spaced rib fingers forming an upper conveying belt surface across the belt width, said rib finders extending from leading and trailing edges of the slat and being of such length and position to interdigitate and overlap corresponding rib fingers of adjacent leading and trailing links when the chain links are connected in a chain, thereby to form a ribbed substantially planar uppermost platform surface across the width of the conveyor belt which is integrally disposed upon at least one Y-shaped said chain link, said slat being shaped to present apexes at trailing and leading edges protruding at a midbelt position from angularly disposed straight leading and trailing edges diverging inwardly from the apexes, wherein said rib fingers further comprise:
• a V-shaped rib finger array centered between belt edges with an apex extending toward one slot edge and two diverging rib fingers extending toward an opposite slot edge, and sets of individual spaced rib fingers on either side of the V-shaped element disposed parallel to the respective diverging fingers thereby to extend away from the apex at the center to substantially each belt edge, said spaced fingers thereby forming a substantially planar object conveying platform element wherein leading finger ends are angled inwardly away from the belt edges to thereby minimize chances of interference or fracture.