초록 ▼

A conveyor is provided which is particularly suited for use in a helical conveyor path where limited footprint space is available. The conveyor includes belt (4) with flights comprised of conveying portions (41) and holding portions (41a). Each of the portions has forward projections and rear projec

A conveyor is provided which is particularly suited for use in a helical conveyor path where limited footprint space is available. The conveyor includes belt (4) with flights comprised of conveying portions (41) and holding portions (41a). Each of the portions has forward projections and rear projections, the forward projections being staggered relative to the rear projections so that adjacent flights can be interconnected by connection between staggered projection of the adjacent flight. The holding portions (41a) are provided with an upstanding projection (47) which serves to retain product placed on the conveyor in a desired orientation as the conveyor travels along the helical path.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A conveyor for conveying articles in a continuous flow along a helical path in a generally vertical direction, the conveyor comprising: a belt having a plurality of conveying portions adapted to be interlinked so as to permit travel around windings on the helical path;each conveying portion havin

1. A conveyor for conveying articles in a continuous flow along a helical path in a generally vertical direction, the conveyor comprising: a belt having a plurality of conveying portions adapted to be interlinked so as to permit travel around windings on the helical path;each conveying portion having a plurality of interconnected first flights, each first flight including a first member having a leading face and a trailing face relative to a longitudinal axis of the first member and each first member includes a series of spaced apart forward projections extending from the leading face and a series of spaced apart rear projections extending from the trailing face;the belt comprising a plurality of holding portions positioned at intervals intermediate the conveying portions along the belt, each holding portion including a second flight adapted to interlink with adjacent conveying portions and/or holding portions of the belt, each holding portion having retaining means for retaining articles in a desired orientation relative to the conveyor's helical path once placed upon the belt, the retaining means in the form of an integrally formed upwardly projecting edge of the second flight which provides an elongate raised formation extending substantially across the width of the conveyor belt, andeach of the conveying portions and holding portions defining a flight. 2. A conveyor according to claim 1, in which the forward spaced apart projections and rear spaced apart projections are offset from each other along the longitudinal axis of the first member so that the forward projections and the rear projections lie in a mutually staggered relationship. 3. A conveyor according to claim 1, in which the second flight of each holding portion includes a second member having a leading face and a trailing face relative to a longitudinal axis of the second member, with a series of spaced apart forward projections extending from the leading face and a series of spaced apart rear projections extending from the trailing face, the forward spaced apart projections and rear spaced apart projections being offset from each other along the longitudinal axis of the second member so that the forward projections and the rear projections lie in a mutually staggered relationship, the projections of the holding portion being sized and shaped to enable the holding portion to interconnect with adjacent conveying portions and/or holding portions of the belt. 4. A conveyor according to claim 3, in which the integrally formed upwardly projecting edge of each retaining means is intermediate the leading and trailing faces of the second flight. 5. A conveyor according to claim 1, in which articles deposited on the conveyor abut against and are retained by the elongate raised formation and are maintained by the elongate raised formation in a desired orientation and relative spacing along the belt throughout its travel. 6. A conveyor according to claim 1, in which each conveying portion and holding portion present at least one uniform face positioned on the underside of the conveyor belt remote from the retaining means. 7. A conveyor according to claim 2, in which the conveying portions and holding portions are arranged such that each forward projection provided on a particular flight is located between two rear projections on the next adjacent flight thereby interconnecting each of the adjacent conveying portions, each of the adjacent holding portions or both the adjacent conveying portions and the adjacent holding portions. 8. A conveyor according to claim 2, in which each projection is provided with an opening with each forward projection of a particular flight located between two rear projections of the next adjacent flight, the openings being in mutual alignment to define a channel for receiving a linkage means placed through said openings thereby securely linking said conveying portions and/or holding portions together. 9. A conveyor according to claim 8, in which the openings are in the form of an elongate aperture or slot sized and shaped to allow adjacent conveying and/or holding portions to move closer together or move further apart thereby providing belt flexibility in horizontal and vertical planes. 10. A conveyor according to claim 1, in which the flights defined by the conveying portions and holding portions are formed from materials resistant to degradation in the temperature range −40° C. to 118° C. and are readily cleanable. 11. A conveyor according to claim 1, further comprising a return portion extending between opposing ends of the helical path.