Convey system and attachments therefor

Claim 2

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor disposed between said guide rails and including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket having a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom and a support member carried by said mounting bracket, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally Beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said support member being coupled to said base and including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said guide rails, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said roller chain on said guide rails.

Claim 3

The conveyor system set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket is integrally constructed of a single piece of material.

Claim 4

The conveyor system set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper ends of said legs are disposed a predetermined distance below the top of said base and respectively cooperate with the opposite end edges of said base to define shoulders which form said support seats.

Claim 5

The conveyor system set forth in claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a single-piece rod formed in the shape of an elongated loop, the opposite elongated sides of said loop comprising said support arms.

Claim 6

The conveyor system set forth in claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a single-piece rod bent to form an elongated loop, the opposite ends of said rod being joined together for closing said loop, the opposite elongated sides of said loop forming said support arms.

Claim 7

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart upper guide rails and a pair of laterally spaced-apart lower guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor having a support reach disposed between said upper guide rails and a return reach disposed between said lower guide rails, said conveyor including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket and a support member carried by said mounting bracket, said mounting bracket including a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom and a pair of support flanges respectively extending laterally outwardly from said legs for engagement with said lower guide rails along the return reach of said conveyor, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said support member being coupled to said base and including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said upper guide rails along the support reach of said conveyor, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said conveyor on said upper guide rails along the support reach of said conveyor while said support flanges cooperate to support said attachments and said conveyor on said lower guide rails along the return reach of said conveyor.

Claim 8

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart upper guide rails and a pair of laterally spaced-apart lower guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor having a support reach disposed between said upper guide rails and a return reach disposed between said lower guide rails, said conveyor including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket and a support member carried by said mounting bracket, said mounting bracket including a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom and a pair of support flanges respectively extending laterally outwardly from said legs for engagement with said lower guide rails along the return reach of said conveyor, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said support member being coupled to said base and including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said upper guide rails along the support reach of said conveyor, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said conveyor on said upper guide rails along the support reach of said conveyor while said support flanges cooperate to support said attachments and said conveyor on said lower guide rails along the return reach of said conveyor.

Claim 9

The conveyor system set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said lower guide rails is provided at one end thereof with a tapered guide surface, each of said support flanges having an inclined guide surface thereon adapted for cooperation with the tapered surface on the adjacent one of said lower guide rails to facilitate the guiding of said suppOrt flanges onto said lower guide rails along the return reach of the conveyor.

Claim 10

The conveyor system set forth in claim 6, wherein said mounting bracket is integrally constructed of a single piece of material.

Claim 11

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor disposed between said guide rails and including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket and a retainer plate and a support member mounted on said retainer plate, said mounting bracket including a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said retainer plate being generally rectangular in shape with a width slightly less than the lateral distance between said legs and a length substantially greater than the longitudinal distance between said support seats having raised attachment surfaces respectively disposed adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, said retainer plate being disposed in use beneath said base and between said legs with said attachment surfaces being respectively disposed longitudinally outwardly beyond the adjacent ends of said base and extending upwardly a slight distance above the upper ends of said legs, said support member including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats in engagement with the opposite ends of said base and attached to the attachment surfaces of said retainer plate and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said guide rails, said mounting bracket and said support arms and said retainer plate all cooperating for holding one another in an assembled condition substantially immovable with respect to one another, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said roller chain on said guide rails.

Claim 12

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor disposed between said guide rails and including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket and a retainer plate and a support member mounted on said retainer plate, said mounting bracket including a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said retainer plate being generally rectangular in shape with a width slightly less than the lateral distance between said legs and a length substantially greater than the longitudinal distance between said support seats having raised attachment surfaces respectively disposed adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, said retainer plate being disposed in use beneath said base and between said legs with said attachment surfaces being respectively disposed longitudinally outwardly beyond the adjacent ends of said base and extending upwardly a slight distance above the upper ends of said legs, said support member including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats in engagement with the opposite ends of said base and attached to the attachment surfaces of said retainer plate and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said guide rails, said mounting bracket and said support arms and said retainer plate all cooperating for holding one another in an assembled condition substantially immovable with respect to one another, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said roller chain on said guide rails.

Claim 13

The conveyor system set forth in claim 9, wherein said raised attachment surfaces are generally arcuate in shape, said retainer plate including two of said attachment surfaces adjacent to each of said support seats and laterally spaced apart with respect thereto.

Claim 14

The conveyor system set forth in claim 9, wherein the upper ends of said legs are disposed a predetermined distance below the top of said base and respectively cooperate with the opposite end edges of said base to define shoulders which form said support seat.

Claim 15

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor disposed between said guide rails and including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket having a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom and a support member carried by said mounting bracket, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly Less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said support member being coupled to said base and including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said guide rails, and abutment members respectively carried by said support member adjacent to the lateral ends thereof and extending vertically upwardly therefrom for limiting movement of conveyed foods and the like transversely of said conveyor, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said roller chain on said guide rails.

Claim 16

A conveyor system for carrying foods and the like comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart guide rails, an articulated roller chain conveyor disposed between said guide rails and including a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins having the outer ends thereof protruding laterally beyond said links, a plurality of attachments engageable with said roller chain at longitudinally spaced-apart points therealong, each of said attachments including a mounting bracket having a base and a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs depending therefrom and a support member carried by said mounting bracket, said legs respectively being provided with substantially parallel facing surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly Less than the length of the associated connecting pins, said legs being respectively provided with laterally aligned openings therein spaced a predetermined distance from said base for respectively receiving the outer ends of the associated one of said pins therein to mount said attachment on said roller chain, the upper ends of said legs extending longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of said base and cooperating therewith to define a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart support seats, said support member being coupled to said base and including two rod-like support arms respectively disposed in said support seats and extending laterally well beyond the opposite sides of said base for engagement with said guide rails, and abutment members respectively carried by said support member adjacent to the lateral ends thereof and extending vertically upwardly therefrom for limiting movement of conveyed foods and the like transversely of said conveyor, said support arms cooperating to define a conveyor apron for supporting associated foods and the like thereon and to support said attachments and said roller chain on said guide rails.

Claim 17

The conveyor system set forth in claim 12, and further including a pair of laterally spaced-apart support rails respectively disposed laterally outwardly of said guide rails and substantially parallel thereto, said support rails being respectively disposed in use in sliding engagement with the adjacent outer ends of said support members for guiding and supporting said support members thereon.

Claim 18

The conveyor system set forth in claim 12, wherein said support member comprises a single-piece rod formed in the shape of an elongated loop, the opposite elongated sides of said loop comprising said support arms.

Claim 19

The conveyor system set forth in claim 12, wherein the opposite elongated sides of said loop comprising said support arms, each of said support arms being deformed upwardly adjacent to each end thereof to form said abutment members.