Apron conveyor

Claim 1

A conveyor assembly comprising: a pair of pulleys each rotatable about an axis and spaced apart with their axes generally parallel to define an endless path of travel extending between said pulleys and about their peripheries, with a pitch circle being defined about each of said pulleys having a center which is coincident with the axis of rotation of each pulley, respectively; a plurality of recess means defined about the periphery of each of said pulleys, each of said recess means being defined between at least a pair of circumferentially spaced curved convex terminal side walls extending generally parallel to said pulley axes with a widening configuration opening radially outwardly of said pulleys; said terminal side walls of said recess means including a portion thereof extending radially outwardly of said pitch circle and a portion extending radially inwardly therof, said radially outwardly extending portion having a radius of curvature which is smaller than the radius of curvature of said radially inwardly extending portion; a plurality of slats each having a pair of ends and a predetermined length extending therebetween; a plurality of connecting means each joined between the ends of adjacent slats to form said slats in an endless assembly extending in a direction lengthwise of said slats along said endless path of travel between said pair of pulleys; said connecting means including means enabling relative pivotal motion between each of said connecting means and each of said slats joined thereto about a pivot axis extending generally parallel to said axes of said pulleys; means defining on each of said connecting means at least a pair of opposed convex walls adapted to be engaged within each of said recess means between terminal side walls thereof, said opposed convex walls being spaced apart in the direction of said endless path of travel a distance commensurate with spacing between said terminal side walls to enable each pair of said opposed convex walls to be engaged with rolling contact in succession between pairs of said terminal side walls during rotation of said pulleys; each of said recess means being spaced apart circumferentially about said pulleys a distance determined by said predetermined length of said slats to enable said connecting members to become engaged in succession within said recess means to drive said endless slat assembly through said endless path of travel upon rotation of said pulleys; said terminal side walls of said recess means and said opposed convex walls of said connecting means being configured to form said pulleys and said connecting means essentially as intermeshing gearing members.