Abstract: Each gripper chain assembly is driven by its own headshaft. The headshafts rotate in opposite senses and are powered from a motor/reducer combination. A sheave on the output shaft of the reducer is coupled by one endless belt with a sheave on one of the headshafts, and it is also coupled with a sheave on the other of the headshafts by another endless belt. The one belt is in a non-twisted configuration so that the sheave on the one headshaft rotates in the same sense as the reducer output shaft. The other belt is twisted into a figure eight configuration so that the sheave on the other headshaft rotates in the opposite sense. The two headshafts therefore provide the desired counter-rotation of the two gripper chain assemblies. The motor reducer is mounted on a base plate which is adjustably positionable on the conveyor's frame so as to enable the drive to be adjusted whenever the spacing distance between the two gripper chain assemblies is adjusted for conveying a different sized article.

Abstract: A one-piece unitary guide member for guiding an article-engaging member of a metering device is disclosed. The guide member is fabricated from a rigid non-metallic material to form a through-hole having a rectangular transverse cross section just slightly larger than that of the article-engaging member which it guides. Apertures are formed in the guide member to provide for its attachment to a base plate by means of screws. The apertures are in a rectangular pattern which is offset lengthwise of the guide member so that two apertures are closely adjacent one edge. The guide member has a generally rectangular shape and is formed with wall structures which are of generally uniform thickness.