Abstract: A belt conveyor apparatus includes a conveyor frame with a belt support, a belt, a belt drive, and corner containment sidewalls releasably attached to the conveyor frame at a concave corner defined by the conveyor. The corner containment sidewalls each include a disk-shaped recess on an outboard surface at their lower/rearward edges, and corner rollers are rotatably mounted in the recesses, with an edge of each roller extending beyond the recess to engage and hold down the conveyor belt as the belt traverses the concave corner. The corner rollers greatly reduce sliding friction of the belt across the concave corner, and yet do not include lubricant, nor separate fasteners, nor create nib points. Thus, the rollers greatly facilitate maintenance, and reduce maintenance and component cost.

Abstract: A belt conveyor apparatus includes a conveyor frame with a belt support, a belt, a belt drive, and containment side members releasably attached to the conveyor frame. Specifically, a linear first slot and arcuate second slot on the conveyor frame engage permanently-attached first and second studs on the containment side members to allow rotational assembly of the containment side member to the conveyor frame. The path of engagement prevents the studs from being removed simultaneously from respective slots. As a result, the first and second studs will wedgingly bind and thus cannot be simultaneously pulled out of the first and second slots when the containment side member is biased toward a release direction. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A belt conveyor apparatus includes a conveyor frame with a belt support, a belt, a belt drive, and containment side members releasably attached to the conveyor frame. Specifically, a linear first slot and arcuate second slot on the conveyor frame engage permanently-attached first and second studs on the containment side members to allow rotational assembly of the containment side member to the conveyor frame. The path of engagement prevents the studs from being removed simultaneously from respective slots. As a result, the first and second studs will wedgingly bind and thus cannot be simultaneously pulled out of the first and second slots when the containment side member is biased toward a release direction. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A modular conveyor system (10) comprising multiple modules, such as a straight module (18), a powered module (20), a return module (23), and a radius turn module (22). The modules can be directly connected or connected by one or more connection assemblies (26). The radius turn module includes bendable side walls (131) that can be combined or cut as needed to obtain the desired angle of turn.

Abstract: A modular conveyor is defined by a belt-supporting frame (4), leg supports (2) for supporting the frame (4), and a continuous conveyor belt (6) supported and guided by the frame (4) for continuous movement. The modular conveyor is improved by providing the frame (4) with a plurality of modular frame assemblies (16) and connector assemblies (14, 18) for joining the modular frame assemblies (16) end to end to form conveyors of different size and shape wherein the connector assemblies (14, 18) and modular frame assemblies (16) are joined end to end in alternating relationship. The connector assemblies (14, 18) comprise straight connector assemblies (14) for extending the conveyor along a linear path and angular connector assemblies (18) for extending the conveyor along an angular path with respect to a preceding modular frame assembly (16). The angular connector assemblies (18) can be used to extend the conveyor along an upward direction or along a downward direction.