Flexible belt carrier mechanism

Claim 2

A flexible belt for use in a carrier mechanism and comprising at least one pair of adjacent substantially flat flexible portions and a connector for retaining said portions together, at least one extension from each of said flat flexible portions, said extensions projecting oppositely to one another in the direction of the belt length and substantially in the plane of the belt when straight, each extension having an outer end, at least said ends of the extensions transversely lapping one another in the direction of the belt length and thereby forming a space between said lapping extension ends, at least one rigid connector spanning said space, rigid fastening means attaching said connector to the proximate ends of the extensions respectively, the location of the fastening means securing one extension end to the connector being in the region where said extensions lap one another in the direction of the belt length and being spaced lengthwise beyond the location where another fastening means secures said other extension end to the connector, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector will maintain said ends substantially in a plane outside of the arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the ends at said fastenings.

Claim 3

The flexible belt of claim 1 wherein there are a series of extensions from each of said flat flexible portions.

Claim 4

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent substantially flat flexible portions and a connector for retaining said portions together, at least one extension from each of said flat flexible portions, said extensions projecting oppositely and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length, at least one rigid connector being held to said lapped extensions, a fastening means holding said connector to one extension, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector will maintain said extensions substantially in a plane outside of said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 5

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent substantially flat flexible portions and a connector for retaining said portions together, at least one extension from each of said flat flexible portions, said extensions projecting oppositely and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length, at least one rigid connector being held to said lapped extensions, a fastening means holding said connector to one extension, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector will maintain said extensions substantially in a plane outside of said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 6

The flexible belt of claim 3 wherein one extension comprises a tongue like extension, the other extension comprising a pair of finger like extensions, said finger like extensions embracing and lapping a portion of said tongue like extension.

Claim 7

A flexible belt according to claim 3 wherein each of said adjacent flexible portions and each extension therefrom including its end are integral and composed of a single flat sheet and wherein the spanning connector has coplanar face portions at said fastening means.

Claim 8

The belt according to claim 5, wherein said adjacent flexible portions are also integral and form a part of an endless strip.

Claim 9

A belt according to claim 5, wherein said adjacent flexible portions are separate and with their respective extensions form ends of a continuous strip.

Claim 10

A belt according to claim 5, wherein there are several connectors and several pairs of said adjacent flexible portions and their respective extensions, the extension of the members of each pair being joined by a connector, whereby the belt is composed of flexible links.

Claim 11

A flexible belt comprising, a series of adjacent links, each link having an end, each link having at least one extension from each end, each extension having an end, the extensions on adjacent links projecting oppositely in the plane of the belt when the belt is straight and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length to form a longitudinal distance between said extension ends in the direction of the belt length, each link, including its extensions and their ends being flexible, integral, and normally substantially flat, a rigid connector Spanning each space, rigid fastening means attaching each connector and the ends of a pair of the lapped extensions, one fastening means holding said connector to one extension end, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension end at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of the belt, whereby said connector will maintain said ends substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said belt when it is in an arcuate configuration, thereby to avoid bending of the extension ends at said rigid fastening means.

Claim 12

A flexible belt comprising, a series of adjacent links, each link having an end, each link having at least one extension from each end, each extension having an end, the extensions on adjacent links projecting oppositely in the plane of the belt when the belt is straight and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length to form a longitudinal distance between said extension ends in the direction of the belt length, each link, including its extensions and their ends being flexible, integral, and normally substantially flat, a rigid connector Spanning each space, rigid fastening means attaching each connector and the ends of a pair of the lapped extensions, one fastening means holding said connector to one extension end, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension end at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of the belt, whereby said connector will maintain said ends substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said belt when it is in an arcuate configuration, thereby to avoid bending of the extension ends at said rigid fastening means.

Claim 13

A flexible belt comprising, a series of adjacent links, each link having an end, each link having at least one extension from each end, each extension having an end, there being two extensions of finger-like form projecting from one end of each link and a single extension of tonguelike form from the other end of each link, the extensions on adjacent links projecting oppositely in the plane of the belt when the belt is straight and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length to form a longitudinal distance between said extension ends in the direction of the belt length, whereby the single tongue-like extension from each link lies between the two finger-like extensions from an adjacent link, each link, including its extensions and their ends being flexible, integral and normally substantially flat, a rigid connector spanning the distance between the lapping extension ends, there being one rigid fastening means between the connector and each finger-like extension, and at least one fastening means between the connector and each tongue-like extension at a location where said tongue-like extension laps said finger-like extensions and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said finger-like extensions along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of said belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of the arcuate configuration, thereby to avoid bending of the extension ends at said rigid fastening means.

Claim 14

A flexible belt comprising, a series of adjacent links, each link having an end, each link having at least one extension from each end, each extension having an end, there being two extensions of finger-like form projecting from one end of each link and a single extension of tonguelike form from the other end of each link, the extensions on adjacent links projecting oppositely in the plane of the belt when the belt is straight and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length to form a longitudinal distance between said extension ends in the direction of the belt length, whereby the single tongue-like extension from each link lies between the two finger-like extensions from an adjacent link, each link, including its extensions and their ends being flexible, integral and normally substantially flat, a rigid connector spanning the distance between the lapping extension ends, there being one rigid fastening means between the connector and each finger-like extension, and at least one fastening means between the connector and each tongue-like extension at a location where said tongue-like extension laps said finger-like extensions and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said finger-like extensions along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of said belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of the arcuate configuration, thereby to avoid bending of the extension ends at said rigid fastening means.

Claim 15

A flexible belt comprising a continuous substantially flat flexible portion, at least one pair of extensions projecting from said portion, said extensions projecting substantially opposite and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length, at least one rigid connector being held to said lapping extensions, a fastening means holding said connector to one extension, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of said belt, whereby in an arcuate form of said belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of the arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 16

A flexible belt comprising a continuous substantially flat flexible portion, at least one pair of extensions projecting from said portion, said extensions projecting substantially opposite and lapping one another in the direction of the belt length, at least one rigid connector being held to said lapping extensions, a fastening means holding said connector to one extension, and another fastening means holding said connector to the other extension at a location where said second extension laps said first extension and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first extension along the length of said belt, whereby in an arcuate form of said belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of the arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 11 wherein said first fastening means attaches the end of said first extension proximate the side edge of the connector, and the other fastening means attaches the distant end of the other extension proximate the other side edge of said connector.

Claim 18

In a flexible belt at least one junction between adjacent separate portions of flexible material comprising, projections formed from the flexible material of said separate portions respectively and projecting therefrom in lapping relationship with one another along the length of the belt, a rigid connecting member, fastening means attaching the end portions of the projections and said connecting member, one of said fastening means holding said connector to one projection, and another of said fastening means holding said connector to the other projection at a location where said second projection laps said first projection and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first projectIon along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connecting member will maintain said projections substantially in a plane outside of and substantially tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the projections proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 19

In a flexible belt at least one junction between adjacent separate portions of flexible material comprising, projections formed from the flexible material of said separate portions respectively and projecting therefrom in lapping relationship with one another along the length of the belt, a rigid connecting member, fastening means attaching the end portions of the projections and said connecting member, one of said fastening means holding said connector to one projection, and another of said fastening means holding said connector to the other projection at a location where said second projection laps said first projection and spaced lengthwise beyond the attachment of said connector to said first projectIon along the length of the belt, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connecting member will maintain said projections substantially in a plane outside of and substantially tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the projections proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 20

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent portions, at least one extension from each portion, said extension from the first portion projecting opposite the extension from the other portion so as to obtain lapping of said extensions in the direction of the belt length, a connector, fastening means securing said connector to each extension, the location where one fastening means securing the first extension to the connector being at a location in the area of lapping and spaced beyond the location where another fastening means secures the other extension to said connector, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 21

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent portions, at least one extension from each portion, said extension from the first portion projecting opposite the extension from the other portion so as to obtain lapping of said extensions in the direction of the belt length, a connector, fastening means securing said connector to each extension, the location where one fastening means securing the first extension to the connector being at a location in the area of lapping and spaced beyond the location where another fastening means secures the other extension to said connector, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 22

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent portions, at least one extension from each portion, said extension from the first portion projecting opposite the extension from the other portion so as to obtain lapping of said extensions in the direction of the belt length, a connector, fastening means securing said connector to each extension, the location where one fastening means securing the first extension to the connector being at a location in the area of lapping and spaced beyond the location where another fastening means secures the other extension to said connector, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 23

A flexible belt comprising at least one pair of adjacent portions, at least one extension from each portion, said extension from the first portion projecting opposite the extension from the other portion so as to obtain lapping of said extensions in the direction of the belt length, a connector, fastening means securing said connector to each extension, the location where one fastening means securing the first extension to the connector being at a location in the area of lapping and spaced beyond the location where another fastening means secures the other extension to said connector, whereby in an arcuate form of the belt said connector maintains said extensions substantially in a plane outside of and tangent to said arcuate form, thereby to avoid bending of the extensions proximate the location of their fastening to said connector.

Claim 24

The invention of claim 14 wherein the first extension projects beyond the second extension in a direction of the belt length, with said extensions being substantially maintained in the plane of the belt.