Conveyor link

Claim 2

A rigid link for a conveyor chain including a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part thereof extending from the plane of said platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform said first means including upper and lower parallel faces, said first means including holes extending therethrough substantially perpendicular to said parallel planes, the holes being adapted to receive therein pivot pins whereby said link may be pivotally connected to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis perpendicular to the parallel planes of said faces, a part of said first means disposed on the opposite side thereof from said platform includes protrusions projecting from said opposite side.

Claim 3

The link of claim 1 wherein said platform has leading and trailing edges, said leading edge being convex and said trailing edge being complimentarily concave.

Claim 4

A rigid link for a conveyor chain including a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part thereof extending from the plane of said platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower parallel faces, said first means including holes extending therethrough substantially perpendicular to said parallel planes, the holes being adapted to receive therein pivot pins whereby said link may be pivotally connected to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis perpendicular to the parAllel planes of said faces, a part of said first means located on the opposite side thereof from said platform is curved to coact with a curved surface of a driving member.

Claim 5

A rigid link for a conveyor chain including a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part thereof extending from the plane of said platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower parallel faces, said first means including holes extending therethrough substantially perpendicular to said parallel planes, the holes being adapted to receive therein pivot pins whereby said link may be pivotally connected to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis perpendicular to the parAllel planes of said faces, a part of said first means located on the opposite side thereof from said platform is curved to coact with a curved surface of a driving member.

Claim 6

The link of claim 1 wherein said first means is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform.

Claim 7

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links consisting of a rigid platform adapted to support a load and a part integral with said platform located to and coextensive with one side of said platform, said part extending from the plane of said platform, said part having a shallow depth, the upper and lower extremities of said part being defined by upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix the upper face of said part of one link abuts the lower face of said part of the upper vertically adjacent link and the lower face of said part of said one link abuts the upper face of said part of the lower vertically adjacent link to space the platforms of vertically adjacent links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower faces.

Claim 8

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links consisting of a rigid platform adapted to support a load and a part integral with said platform located to and coextensive with one side of said platform, said part extending from the plane of said platform, said part having a shallow depth, the upper and lower extremities of said part being defined by upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix the upper face of said part of one link abuts the lower face of said part of the upper vertically adjacent link and the lower face of said part of said one link abuts the upper face of said part of the lower vertically adjacent link to space the platforms of vertically adjacent links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower faces.

Claim 9

The chain of claim 5 wherein said part includes a portion thereof disposed on the opposite side from said platform adapted to coact with means for driving the chain.

Claim 10

The chain of claim 5 wherein said part includes holes extending therethrough substantially perpendicular to said parallel planes of said faces and said means to pivotally connect are pins received in the holes.

Claim 11

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links comprising a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part thereof extending from the plane of the platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix said first means of said link coacts with other like parts of vertically adjacent links of said chain to space the platforms of such links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower surfaces, said platform extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said helix, said first means being substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform, said platform having leading and trailing edges, said leading edge being convex and said trailing edge being complimentarily concave, said first means including protrusions projecting from the opposite side thereof from said platform and adapted to cooperate with protrusions on horizontally adjacent links to form a recess adapted to receive a movable member.

Claim 12

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links comprising a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part thereof extending from the plane of the platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix said first means of said link coacts with other like parts of vertically adjacent links of said chain to space the platforms of such links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower surfaces, said platform extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said helix, said first means being substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform, said platform having leading and trailing edges, said leading edge being convex and said trailing edge being complimentarily concave, said first means including protrusions projecting from the opposite side thereof from said platform and adapted to cooperate with protrusions on horizontally adjacent links to form a recess adapted to receive a movable member.

Claim 13

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links comprising a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part extending from the plane of the platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix said first means of said link coacts with other like parts of vertically adjacent links of said chain to space the platform of such links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower surfaces, said platform extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said helix, said first means being substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform, said platform having leading and trailing edges, said leading edge being convex and said trailing edge being complimentarily concave, said first means being curved on the opposite side thereof from said platform to coact with a curved surface of a driving member.

Claim 14

A conveyor chain including a plurality of articulated rigid links and capable of formation into a helix, each of said links comprising a rigid platform adapted to support a load and first means located to and coextensive with one side of said platform having at least a part extending from the plane of the platform, said first means having a shallow depth and being integral with said platform, said first means including upper and lower faces disposed in parallel planes, whereby when said chain is formed into a helix said first means of said link coacts with other like parts of vertically adjacent links of said chain to space the platform of such links apart from each other, and means pivotally connecting said link to other links for pivotal movement of said link about an axis substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of said upper and lower surfaces, said platform extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said helix, said first means being substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform, said platform having leading and trailing edges, said leading edge being convex and said trailing edge being complimentarily concave, said first means being curved on the opposite side thereof from said platform to coact with a curved surface of a driving member.