Conveyor

Claim 2

A conveyor comprising a driving member in the form of a cylinder having a continuous external surface and a substantially vertical axis of rotation, and a conveyor chain having at least part of the length thereof in engagement with said driving member, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said support portion being provided with an inner curved surface having a radius of curvature substantially identical to that of said cylinder, said curved surface being in frictional engagement with said external surface of said cylinder, at least part of the length of said chain being arranged about said driving member in a helix, each of said support portions of vertically adjacent links of said chain in said helix abutting each other, whereby said chain is self-supporting throughout the height of said helix.

Claim 3

The conveyor of claim 1 wherein said platform extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of said driving member.

Claim 4

A conveyor comprising a driving member in the form of a cage having a substantially vertical axis of rotation and including a plurality of bars parallel to said vertical axis, and a conveyor chain including means to engage said bars and having at least part of the length thereof in engagement with said driving member, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said support portion engaging said driving member, said at least part of the length of said chain being arranged about said driving member in a helix, each of said support portions of vertically adjacent links of said chain in said helix abutting each other, whereby said chain is self-supporting throughout the height of said helix, said means to engage said bars is provided by protrusions on adjacent links, said protrusions cooperating to provide a recess within which to receive one of said bars.

Claim 5

A conveyor comprising a driving member in the form of a cage having a substantially vertical axis of rotation and including a plurality of bars parallel to said vertical axis, and a conveyor chain including means to engage said bars and having at least part of the length thereof in engagement with said driving member, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said support portion engaging said driving member, said at least part of the length of said chain being arranged about said driving member in a helix, each of said support portions of vertically adjacent links of said chain in said helix abutting each other, whereby said chain is self-supporting throughout the height of said helix, said means to engage said bars is provided by protrusions on adjacent links, said protrusions cooperating to provide a recess within which to receive one of said bars.

Claim 6

The conveyor of claim 3 wherein said protrusions are constructed to grip said bar when said chain moves in a curved path about said driving member and to release said bar when said chain moves into a rectilinear path.

Claim 7

The conveyor of claim 3 wherein said platform extends substantially perpendicularly to the Axis of rotation of said driving member.

Claim 8

The conveyor of claim 3 wherein said support portion is of shallow depth and extends substantially coextensive with said one side of said platform said support portion, said platform one of unitary construction and said links each are constructed of synthetic polymeric material.

Claim 9

The conveyor of claim 3 wherein said support portion extends substantially the length of said one side of said platform and is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said platform.

Claim 10

A conveyor comprising two horizontally spaced driving members, each of said driving members comprising a cylinder having a continuous external surface and having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, and an endless conveyor chain arranged in engagement with said driving members, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said support portion being provided with an inner curved surface having a radius of curvature substantially identical to that of said cylinders, said curved surface being in frictional engagement with said external surface of said cylinders, said chain being arranged about each of said driving members in a helix, each of the support portions of vertically adjacent links in the helices abutting each other whereby said chain in self-supporting throughout the height of each helix, said chain including substantially rectilinear portions joining said helices.

Claim 11

A conveyor comprising two horizontally spaced driving members, each of said driving members comprising a cylinder having a continuous external surface and having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, and an endless conveyor chain arranged in engagement with said driving members, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said support portion being provided with an inner curved surface having a radius of curvature substantially identical to that of said cylinders, said curved surface being in frictional engagement with said external surface of said cylinders, said chain being arranged about each of said driving members in a helix, each of the support portions of vertically adjacent links in the helices abutting each other whereby said chain in self-supporting throughout the height of each helix, said chain including substantially rectilinear portions joining said helices.

Claim 12

The conveyor of claim 8 including means to drive each of said driving members.

Claim 13

A conveyor comprising two horizontally spaced driving members each in the form of a cage and having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, each of said cages including a plurality of bars parallel to said vertical axis, and an endless conveyor chain including means to engage said bars and arranged in engagement with said driving members, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said chain being arranged about each of said driving members in a helix, each of the support portions of vertically adjacent links in the helices abutting each other whereby said chain is self-supporting throughout the height of each helix, said chain including substantially rectilinear portions joining said helices, said means to engage said bars are provided by protrusions on adjacent links, said protrusions cooperating to provide a recess within which to receive one of said bars.

Claim 14

A conveyor comprising two horizontally spaced driving members each in the form of a cage and having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, each of said cages including a plurality of bars parallel to said vertical axis, and an endless conveyor chain including means to engage said bars and arranged in engagement with said driving members, said conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of articulated links, each of said links including a platform cantilevered from a single support portion at one side thereof, said chain being arranged about each of said driving members in a helix, each of the support portions of vertically adjacent links in the helices abutting each other whereby said chain is self-supporting throughout the height of each helix, said chain including substantially rectilinear portions joining said helices, said means to engage said bars are provided by protrusions on adjacent links, said protrusions cooperating to provide a recess within which to receive one of said bars.

Claim 15

A conveyor of claim 10 wherein said protrusions are constructed to grip said bar when said chain moves through said helices and to release said bar when said chain moves into said rectilinear path.

Claim 16

The conveyor of claim 10 including means to drive one of said driving members, whereby one of said driving members drives said chain and the other of said driving member is driven by said chain.