Connectors for woven conveyor belts

Claim 2

An improvement in a woven conveyor belt comprising a plurality of links with each link having opposite ends and a plurality of forward extending clips and a plurality of rearward extending clips wherein each of the forward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the forward extending clips on an adjacent link and wherein each of the rearward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the rearward extending clips on an adjacent link assembly, for connecting the links to form the woven conveyor belt, the improvement comprising: each link being constructed of a plastic; a plurality of connectors, each connector having one portion connected to one of the links and another portion connected to an adjacent link whereby the connectors cooperate to substantially prevent the rearward extending clips and the forward extending clips from becoming unclipped during the operation of the woven conveyor belt; and a pair of posts disposed on each rearward extending clip with each post being disposed near an adjacent rearward clip whereby the posts cooperate with the rearward extending clips for preventing the rearward extending clips from becoming unclipped during the operation of the woven conveyor belt.

Claim 3

An improvement in a woven conveyor belt comprising a plurality of links with each link having opposite ends and a plurality of forward extending clips and a plurality of rearward extending clips wherein each of the forward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the forward extending clips on an adjacent link and wherein each of the rearward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the rearward extending clips on an adjacent link assembly, for connecting the links to form the woven conveyor belt, the improvement comprising: each link being constructed of a plastic; a plurality of connectors, each connector having one portion connected to one of the links and another portion connected to an adjacent link whereby the connectors cooperate to substantially prevent the rearward extending clips and the forward extending clips from becoming unclipped during the operation of the woven conveyor belt; and a plurality of bridges, each bridge being connected to each rearward extending clip is disposed generally under one of the bridges connected to the rearward extending clips and another portion of each forward extending clip is disposed generally under one of the bridges connected to the rearward extending clip.

Claim 4

An improvement in a woven conveyor belt comprising a plurality of links with each link having opposite ends and a plurality of forward extending clips and a plurality of rearward extending clips wherein each of the forward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the forward extending clips on an adjacent link and wherein each of the rearward extending clips on each of the links is clippably connectable to one of the rearward extending clips on an adjacent link assembly, for connecting the links to form the woven conveyor belt, the improvement comprising: each link being constructed of a plastic; a plurality of connectors, each connector having one portion connected to one of the links and another portion connected to an adjacent link whereby the connectors cooperate to substantially prevent the rearward extending clips and the forward extending clips from becoming unclipped during the operation of the woven conveyor belt; and a plurality of bridges, each bridge being connected to each rearward extending clip is disposed generally under one of the bridges connected to the rearward extending clips and another portion of each forward extending clip is disposed generally under one of the bridges connected to the rearward extending clip.