Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: Metal-link conveyor belt modules and belts made of such modules. The belt modules have a crossbar. Links extend from opposite sides of the crossbar and terminate in loops. The links have regions of different widths tailored to various operational requirements.

Abstract: A belt conveyor comprising a conveyor belt having upper and lower inline rollers arranged in a stack and selectively actuated to rotate. When actuated, the upper article-supporting rollers are rotated by contact with the lower rollers riding on raised bearing faces in a carryway. When deactuated, the upper rollers are braked by braking pads and the lower rollers are out of contact with lowered bearing faces. The belt rollers are actuated and deactuated by a matrix of individually controllable roller actuation assemblies, each defining a roller actuation zone.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: Conveyor belt modules and a modular conveyor belt constructed of those modules. The belt modules comprise a plurality of thin metal links attached to a crossbar at spaced locations. The metal links extend along lines oblique to the length of the crossbar from a first loop to a second loop. Belt rows include one or more of the belt modules sandwiched between tension links. Hinge rods connect adjacent belt rows together through aligned first and second loops and first and second rod holes in the tension links of adjacent belt rows to form the conveyor belt. The links can be formed of bent wire or stamped and bent sheet metal. Intermediate portions of the links can be planar or curved.

Abstract: A rotatable retainer for hinge rods in modular conveyor belts. The rod retainer includes a plug that is rotatably received in a socket in the edge portion of a conveyor belt module. An aperture through the plug is adjustable between a first locked and operational position guiding a hinge rod obliquely into a hinge-joint passageway between adjacent rows of belt modules and an unlocked second position guiding the hinge rod straight into the passageway. A sideguard, such as for a stacker belt, can optionally be formed with the plug.

Abstract: Belt modules with wear pads for constructing modular plastic conveyor belts. A conveyor belt made of the modules is supported in the carryway of a conveyor atop linear wearstrips along which the belt's wear pads slide as the belt advances.

Abstract: An edge module for a modular conveyor belt. The edge module includes a rod-retention plug that is pivotably mounted in a socket that opens onto the module's bottom. The plug has a bore that receives an axle in the socket on which the plug can be rotated. An arm attached to a main body of the plug by a living hinge allows the arm to flex from a relaxed state occluding a hinge-rod passageway at the belt's hinge joints to a flexed state allowing a hinge rod to be inserted into or removed from the passageway. Locking structure on the plug and in the socket engage to lock the plug in place. A sideguard mounted in the edge module is locked in place by locking structure in the edge module. Locking structure on both the sideguard and the plug engage to lock the sideguard and the plug in place.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: A bone plate comprises a plate body and at least one tab. The plate body defines an inner body surface configured to face an underlying bone, an outer body surface opposite the inner body surface, and an outer side surface that extends between the inner body surface and the outer body surface. The outer side surface defines an outer perimeter of the plate body. The at least one tab includes a head and an arm that extends from the plate body to the head. The tab defines a tab aperture that extends through the head and is configured to receive a bone anchor. The bone anchor can be coupled with a screw hole in the nail. The arm is configured to deflect with respect to the plate body so as to move the head between a pre-fixation position and a fixation position spaced from the pre-fixation position.

Abstract: A bone plate comprises a plate body and at least one tab. The plate body defines an inner body surface configured to face an underlying bone, an outer body surface opposite the inner body surface, and an outer side surface that extends between the inner body surface and the outer body surface. The outer side surface defines an outer perimeter of the plate body. The at least one tab includes a head and an arm that extends from the plate body to the head. The tab defines a tab aperture that extends through the head and is configured to receive a bone anchor. The bone anchor can be coupled with a screw hole in the nail. The arm is configured to deflect with respect to the plate body so as to move the head between a pre-fixation position and a fixation position spaced from the pre-fixation position.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: Belt modules with wear pads for constructing modular plastic conveyor belts. A conveyor belt made of the modules is supported in the carryway of a conveyor atop linear wearstrips along which the belt's wear pads slide as the belt advances.

Abstract: A rotatable retainer for hinge rods in modular conveyor belts. The rod retainer includes a plug that is rotatably received in a socket in the edge portion of a conveyor belt module. An aperture through the plug is adjustable between a first locked and operational position guiding a hinge rod obliquely into a hinge-joint passageway between adjacent rows of belt modules and an unlocked second position guiding the hinge rod straight into the passageway. A sideguard, such as for a stacker belt, can optionally be formed with the plug.

Abstract: A plastic modular conveyor belt constructed of belt modules with wear pads. The belt is supported in the carryway of a conveyor atop linear wearstrips along which the belt's wear pads slide as the belt advances.

Abstract: A slat conveyor belt includes connected drive modules that can be easily disassembled and assembled. Each drive module comprises a slat portion connected to a drive portion forming a drive chain. A conveyor frame for the conveyor belt includes a dust cover for the drive chain and a separator for selectively separating a slat portion from an associated drive portion. A magazine automatically removes and stores separated slats.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for positively driving a 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 that varies in height from the bottom to the top of the tower. The variations in height facilitate the belt's entry onto and exit from the tower and robust, positive driving engagement with the inside edge of the belt along the majority of its path along the tower.