Abstract: A hygienic drive system for a belt conveyor. The drive system has a stator rigidly mounted in a housing having an outer bearing surface that is continuous with the outer surface of mounting supports and avoids hard-to-clean nooks. A rotor assembly formed by drive wheels rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the housing or by a magnetic belt wrapped around a portion of the outer surface is rotated by a rotating magnetic wave produced by the stator. The stator and rotor can form an induction motor or a synchronous motor.

Abstract: A cleanable shoe-type diverter belt having narrow translatable pushers forming article-diverting shoes covering little or none of the belt's conveying surface. Cam followers on the shoes below the pushers follow selectively actuated or fixed guides under the belt to translate the shoes along a transverse track across the width of the belt. Cam followers of different lengths are programmed to follow different paths by multi-level guides.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for grading products and forming predetermined mixes of graded products. Graders sort products into different grades. The graded products are formed into batches of known quantity. Each batch is designated for deposit in a bin specified to have a certain mixture of graded products. A conveyor conveys the batches to the designated bin. The quantity of each batch is determined by count or weight.

Abstract: A multi-directional roller assembly for directing articles in a conveying system. The multi-directional roller assembly has a rotatable roller frame housing at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers. The multi-directional roller assembly directs an article supported by the assembly along a trajectory determined by the orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly relative to an input force. The orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly may be changed to change the trajectory. A conveyor system may include an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. An actuator controls the orientation of the multi-directional roller assemblies individually and may also control an array of multi-directional roller assemblies as a group.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor employs suction to stabilize products on a conveyor belt. The sorting conveyor comprises a conveyor belt including a plurality of embedded rollers for moving conveyed objects relative to the conveyor belt. A vacuum chamber below the conveyor belt houses activators for the rollers and selectively creates a vacuum zone above the conveyor belt for pulling objects on the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a hinged, modular conveyor belt along a helical path. The spiral conveyor includes a rotating cylindrical tower with parallel drive members extending from the bottom to the top of the tower on its periphery. Each drive member includes an outwardly protruding ridge extending from the bottom to the top of the tower for engaging the inside edges of the belt. In one version, the ridges at the entrance end of the spiral are movable to provide a gradually decreasing spacing between consecutive ridges as the belt enters the spiral. In another version, alignment elements at the entrance end align belt-edge structure with the tip ends of associated ridges to help engagement. In another version, the ridges at a discharge end of the tower are retractable between an extended position driving the belt and a retracted position.

Abstract: Method and a conveyor for registering articles on a conveyor belt. The conveyor includes a registration belt having retractable flights regularly spaced along the length of the belt and article-propelling rollers between consecutive flights. The flights are raised in an upstream portion of the conveyor, and the rollers rotated to propel articles forward against the raised flights. In a downstream portion of the conveyor, a flat-top belt under the conveyor belt runs faster than the conveyor belt and causes the flights to lower and the rollers behind the lowering flights to rotate in reverse to urge the articles away from interfering with the lowering flights.

Abstract: Conveying systems and method for detecting the presence and amount of biological contaminants or additives on a conveyor belt. The conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having embedded biosensors. Transmitters co-located in the belt with the biosensors transmit biosensor signals to a remote controller. The remote controller allows remote monitoring of the contamination level on the conveyor belt.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for steam-cooking food products to improve their appearance and decrease yield loss. A steam cooker includes a low-temperature, forced-convection cooking region in series with a high-temperature, steam-impingement cooking region. The food product is conveyed through both regions atop a foraminous conveyor belt. The temperature in the high-temperature cooking region is greater than the temperature in the low-temperature cooking region and less than or equal to 100° C.

Abstract: A conveyor system having a roller-engagement mechanism and a method for conveying articles. The conveyor system includes an infeed conveyor feeding articles to a conveyor belt advancing in a direction of belt travel. The conveyor belt comprises obliquely rotatable rollers—single rollers or stacked sets of rollers—selectively activated by the roller-engagement mechanism. The roller-engagement mechanism has a rack supporting a plurality of flat belts. The flat belts advance in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. The rack is movable between a first position in which the flat belts advancing with the conveyor belt contact the belt rollers to inhibit their rotation and carry articles atop the belt in the direction of belt travel and a second position in which the flat belts are out of contact with the belt rollers.

Abstract: A cleanable belt conveyor and a method for making a cleanable belt conveyor having an underside sculpted with concave indentations to match the shape and positions of the elongated support rails forming a carryway. The support rails may be circular in cross section, and the indentations may be complementary portions of circular cylinders to receive the rails along an extended contact area.

Abstract: A self-supporting platform is formed of a plurality of hingedly connected modules. Adjacent modules may bend inwards against each other but resist flexing in the opposite direction. Each module includes a slotted module connector extending below the module body. The slotted module connector engages a peg to allow one-way bending of the modules relative to each other.

Abstract: A conveying system employs independently controlled flights. The flights are controlled separately from a conveying surface. The conveying system includes a dynamic gapping conveyor for spacing conveyed objects in a selected manner. The dynamic gapping conveyor uses flexible flights independently driven by drivers to control the spacing between conveyed objects. The independent drivers allow the position of the flights to be controlled based on the length of a conveyed object.

Abstract: Method and a conveyor for registering articles on a conveyor belt. The conveyor includes a registration belt having retractable flights regularly spaced along the length of the belt and article-propelling rollers between consecutive flights. The flights are raised in an upstream portion of the conveyor, and the rollers rotated to propel articles forward against the raised flights. In a downstream portion of the conveyor, a flat-top belt under the conveyor belt runs faster than the conveyor belt and causes the flights to lower and the rollers behind the lowering flights to rotate in reverse to urge the articles away from interfering with the lowering flights.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor including a diverting conveyor and a bidirectional assist roller to help sort articles over the side of the diverting conveyor. The diverting conveyor includes, in one version, a conveyor belt with diverting rollers selectively actuated to push articles toward a side of the diverting conveyor. The bidirectional assist roller rotates on an axis parallel to the main conveying direction. As articles to be diverted reach the side of the diverting conveyor, the bidirectional roller rotates in a direction to assist articles over the side of the diverting conveyor and the bidirectional roller and onto an exit conveyor. When the diverting rollers are not actuated, the bidirectional roller rotates in the opposite direction to prevent articles from exiting the side of the diverting conveyor. In some instances, the bidirectional roller can be raised above the level of the diverting rollers to further block articles not selected for sorting from exiting over the side and onto the exit conveyor.

Abstract: A modular roller-top conveyor belt and rollers for the belt. The roller-top belt has axles that are fixed relative to the module body. Each of the pieces of the multi-piece rollers can be installed radially onto an axle and joined together in a puzzle pattern to form a complete roller that can rotate on the axle. Parallel ridges extending across the width of the modules add stiffness to the belt.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cleaning the peeling section of a roller-type peeling machine. The apparatus includes an x-y robot disposed above the peeling section of the peeling machine. The robot has a cleaning tool, such as a liquid spray nozzle, as an end effector. A controller commands the robot to control the movement of the cleaning tool along a predetermined cleaning path to clean the peeling section. One such cleaning path follows each of the insert rollers in the peeling section of a peeling machine. An underside cleaner may be used in conjunction with the robot to simultaneously clean the underside of the peeling section.

Abstract: A conveyor belt scraper includes a non-linear scraping edge for directing product towards the center of the scraper. The non-linear scraping edge comprises two obliquely extending portions that intersect at an obtuse angle to define a nadir of a channel. The non-linear scraping edge is formed at the top end of a curved inner surface that abuts a conveyor belt wrapped around a reversing element. Channeling surfaces are formed between the non-linear scraping edge and an outer surface of the scraper. The scraping edge and channeling surfaces direct product away from the conveyor belt and over the outer surface of the scraper.

Abstract: Front and back ends (2a, 2b) of plastic chain modules (2) made of a plastic material are rotatably linked by multiple plastic connecting pins (3a) and metal connecting pins (3b) to form an endless plastic chain conveyor (1). In the plastic chain modules (2) of the plastic chain conveyor (1), carrier surfaces (4a) (top surfaces) of module bodies (4) are smooth. Offset engaging parts (5a, 5b) that can be attached to and detached from each other in the width direction of the plastic chain conveyor (1) are formed on linking end pieces (4X) of the module bodies (4). Circular through-holes (6) receiving the bar-shaped connecting pins (3a, 3b) that rotatably link the offset engaging parts (5a, 5b) of the chain modules (2) are formed at the centers of the sides of the offset engaging parts (5a, 5b).

Abstract: A wear-resistant modular plastic conveyor belt can resist wear at the hinge for a long operating life, even in abrasive environments. The conveyor belt comprises a plurality of modules having T-shaped link ends interleaved together. A hinge rod may be inserted in a hinge passageway, formed at least in part by kidney-shaped openings in the T-shaped links. The conveyor belt employs multiple surfaces to transfer load from module to module during operation of the conveyor belt depending on the relative motion of the modules.