Modular conveyor stand

Claim 2

A modular conveyor stand comprising a substantially vertical extensible stem, bracket means at the upper end of said stem, and block means stationarily seated in said bracket means, said block means being formed in its upper region to define a longitudinal guide channel flanked by opposite, longitudinally extending rabbets, and being formed in its lower region with a longitudinally-extending polygonal passageway.

Claim 3

The conveyor stand of claim 1 including an oppositely laterally extending base for said stem formed near each of its opposite extremities with a vertically-extending threaded aperture, and a headed screw threadedly penetrating each such aperture with its head exposed downwardly beneath said base. 3.The conveyor stand of claim 1 in which said block is further formed with a plurality of laterally-spaced, longitudinally-extending bores therethrough.

Claim 4

The conveyor stand of claim 1 including an outwardly-opening, C-shaped rail fixed in each of said rabbets.

Claim 5

The conveyor stand of claim 4 in which each of said rails provides an upwardly facing surface, said surfaces being disposed substantially in a common plane to support a portion of an endless conveyor member.

Claim 6

The conveyor stand of claim 1 including means depending from said block And providing opposite inwardly-extending flange means spaced below said block to support the inactive run of an endless conveyor member.

Claim 7

Conveyor means comprising a plurality of stands according to claim 1 arranged in transversely parallel alignment, longitudinally-adjustable means connecting said stands, and an endless conveyor strand movably supported from said stands.

Claim 8

The conveyor means of claim 7 in which said adjustable means comprises a first polygonal tube received in each said polygonal passageway and extending in at least one direction away from said block, and a second polygonal tube telescopically associated with the first polygonal tubes of at least two adjacent stands.

Claim 9

Conveyor means comprising a first plurality of stands according to claim 3 arranged in transversely parallel alignment, a first endless conveyor strand movably supported from said stands, a second plurality of stands according to claim 3 arranged in transversely parallel alignment and laterally spaced from, and parallel with said first plurality of stands, a second endless conveyor strand movably supported from said second plurality of stands, means for driving said strands at equal speeds in opposite directions, and a substantially semicircular trackway provided at each end with a plurality of fingers, the fingers at one end of said trackway being receivable in the bores of the block at one end of said first plurality of stands and the fingers at the other end of said trackway being receivable in the bores of the block at the corresponding end of said second plurality of stands.

Claim 10

The conveyor means of claim 9 including accumulator means disposed between said first plurality of stands and said second plurality of stands.