Conveyor mechanism

Claim 1

An endless conveyor system comprising: an endless train of cradles for movement along a longitudinal path; a drive means; and a triple set of track extending along said longitudinal path; each cradle including: a load supporting platform extending transversely and having a convex longitudinal undersurface, a leading arm fixed to said platform and projecting longitudinally therefrom, a trailing arm fixed to said platform and projecting longitudinally therefrom; a transverse axis pivotal connection between the distal end of the leading arm and the distal end of the trailing arm of respective immediately adjacent cradles in said train, said connection permitting limited relative movement of said adjacent cradles in twist and in flex, only 3 feet which support the load of said platform and engage said track, consisting of: a left depending and distally laterally extending foot, a right depending and distally laterally extending foot, an intermediate depending foot spaced longitudinally from said left and right depending feet; said set of track consisting of: a left track having a lateral rabbet receiving said left foot of each of said cradles, a right track having a lateral rabbet receiving said right foot of each of said cradles, and an intermediate track supporting the platform loading carried by said intermediate foot of each of said cradles; said left track having an upwardly facing surface for supporting platform loading and a downwardly facing surface for opposing platform tilting about said right track, said right track having an upwardly facing surface for supportIng platform loading and a downwardly facing surface for opposing platform tilting about said left track, and said intermediate track having only one functional surface for supporting platform loading via said intermediate foot; and said drive means including a sprocket having a plurality of cusps, each cusp having a concave longitudinal surface for respectively engaging a convex undersurface of a respective platform and longitudinally translating said platform to thereby push the upstream cradles and pull the downstream cradles in said train; whereby counter clockwise rotation of an upstream cradle about the transverse axis of its leading pivotal connection is limited by its own three feet and the respective rails, and clockwise rotation of said upstream cradle about the transverse axis of its trailing pivotal connection is limited primarily by its own left and right feet and by the central foot of the immediately adjacent trailing cradle.