Patents by Inventor Gilbert J. MacLachlan

Gilbert J. MacLachlan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240010436
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module (20) includes a movable hinge rod retainer (220) that can be opened and closed without tools. The movable hinge rod retainer facilitates opening and rejoining of the conveyor belt (100) at one or more dedicated locations. In a first position, the hinge rod retainer locks a hinge rod (130) withing a hinge rod passageway. A user can easily move the hinge rod retainer to a second position in which the hinge rod passageway is open to allow removal of the hinge rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Abraham L. Miller, Benson Hall, Krissie K. Zambrano, Matthew Vulpetti, Matthew A. Lignieres, Angela Longo Marshall
  • Publication number: 20230356949
    Abstract: A dedicated access module inserted between standard conveyor belt modules in a conveyor belt forms a dedicated opening and closing point for the conveyor belt. The dedicated access module comprises two mating portions, each portion including standard, articulating hinge elements on an outside end and non-articulating connection means on an inside end for connecting to the other, corresponding mating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Angela Longo Marshall, Kevin W. Guernsey, Benson Hall, Matthew Vulpetti, Jonathan J. Bishop, Jacob Govert Vermeiden, Andrzej Jacek Gonera
  • Patent number: 10947058
    Abstract: A conveyor system integrates lane dividers to form a plurality of product lanes across a conveyor belt carryway while providing conduits enabling transverse fluid flow across the carryway. Each lane divider includes a body defining edges of adjacent conveyor belt lanes and hinge elements or other attachment means for integrating the lane divider into a modular conveyor belt. The body has lateral conduits to allow transverse fluid flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20200140206
    Abstract: A conveyor system integrates lane dividers to form a plurality of product lanes across a conveyor belt carryway while providing conduits enabling transverse fluid flow across the carryway. Each lane divider includes a body defining edges of adjacent conveyor belt lanes and hinge elements or other attachment means for integrating the lane divider into a modular conveyor belt. The body has lateral conduits to allow transverse fluid flow therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Patent number: 10589935
    Abstract: A motorized pulley mounted on a stationary shaft to drive a conveyor belt. The motorized pulley is constructed of an axial-flux motor in a housing connected to the motor's rotor. A driver including a drive ring has a drive surface mounted to the periphery of the housing to rotate with the rotor and the housing and drive a conveyor belt. The motor's stator is affixed to the shaft axially offset from the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Bryant G. Ragan, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, David C. Weiser
  • Patent number: 10464755
    Abstract: A noseroller assembly for transitioning a conveyor belt at an end of a carryway comprises offset bearings for guiding a conveyor belt. A first set of bearings protrudes slightly from the end of the noseroller substrate to guide the conveyor belt around the noseroller and a second set of bearings in recessed from the end of the noseroller substrate to prevent wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gilbert J. MacLachlan, David C. Weiser
  • Patent number: 10399781
    Abstract: A conveyor comprising a modular belt constructed of rows of belt modules in which only alternate rows are engaged by the teeth of a drive sprocket. Alternate belt rows have drive recesses for receiving the sprocket teeth. The belt rows not engaged by the sprocket are devoid of drive pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20190055088
    Abstract: A conveyor comprising a modular belt constructed of rows of belt modules in which only alternate rows are engaged by the teeth of a drive sprocket. Alternate belt rows have drive recesses for receiving the sprocket teeth. The belt rows not engaged by the sprocket are devoid of drive pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20190016537
    Abstract: A motorized pulley mounted on a stationary shaft to drive a conveyor belt. The motorized pulley is constructed of an axial-flux motor in a housing connected to the motor's rotor. A driver including a drive ring has a drive surface mounted to the periphery of the housing to rotate with the rotor and the housing and drive a conveyor belt. The motor's stator is affixed to the shaft axially offset from the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Bryant G. Ragan, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, David C. Weiser
  • Publication number: 20180244472
    Abstract: A noseroller assembly for transitioning a conveyor belt at an end of a carryway comprises offset bearings for guiding a conveyor belt. A first set of bearings protrudes slightly from the end of the noseroller substrate to guide the conveyor belt around the noseroller and a second set of bearings in recessed from the end of the noseroller substrate to prevent wear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Gilbert J. MacLachlan, David C. Weiser
  • Patent number: 9663298
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module has a conveying surface and a shaped bottom surface. The shaped bottom surface includes a concave lateral channel in the shape of a bell curve, designed to accommodate a nosebar, so that a conveyor belt formed of the modules can smoothly navigate the nosebar. The module includes hinge elements having elongated, slotted openings that are offset from the vertical center of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Patent number: 9573767
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module comprises a module body and offset hinge elements extending from each end of the module body. On one end, the hinge elements include a progressively widening hinge passageway having hinge openings extending at different angles. The hinge openings progressively widen in a stepped manner to facilitate load sharing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Patent number: 9527672
    Abstract: A cleanable belt conveyor and a method for making a cleanable belt conveyor having a simplified frame design. The conveyor includes at least one toolbar and one or more auxiliary components mounted to the toolbar using a snap clamp having a protrusion that mates with a channel on the toolbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeff Batchelder, Michael Hendrik DeGroot, Friso Antonius Maria Oonk, Laurentius G. J. Wolters, James R. Honeycutt, Jr., Edward T. Mol, Angela Longo Marshall, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Joseph M. DePaso, Timothy J. DeRoche
  • Patent number: 9527671
    Abstract: A platform member for a knuckle-linked conveyor belt includes a stabilizer for pushing a conveyed product towards a side rail to stabilize the product during conveyance. The platform member may include an upper portion forming a conveying surface and a lower portion stepped down from the upper port for receiving the forward end of an adjacent platform member. A connector on the lower portion connects the platform member to a corresponding body member in the conveyor belt. The upper portion overlies and protrudes forward from the front of the lower portion. Shaped side rails on the platform member are configured to allow overlapping between adjacent side rails to minimize gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Nicholas J. Judice, R. Scott Dailey, John F. Landrum, Jorge E. Nagel, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Dennis K. Scates
  • Patent number: 9475645
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module has a conveying surface and a drive surface having a skewed drive edge for engaging a sprocket tooth. The skewed drive edge is skewed relative to the conveying surface. The skewed drive edge is formed on an interior drive surface in a sprocket pocket and—or an exterior drive surface on a drive element. The skewed drive edge is parallel to a corresponding downwardly-angled drive shaft accommodating sprockets of increasing size for driving a radius conveyor belt formed of a plurality of conveyor belt modules with skewed drive edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Abraham L. Miller, Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20160229637
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module comprises a module body and offset hinge elements extending from each end of the module body. On one end, the hinge elements include a progressively widening hinge passageway having hinge openings extending at different angles. The hinge openings progressively widen in a stepped manner to facilitate load sharing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20160176642
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module has a conveying surface and a shaped bottom surface. The shaped bottom surface includes a concave lateral channel in the shape of a bell curve, designed to accommodate a nosebar, so that a conveyor belt formed of the modules can smoothly navigate the nosebar. The module includes hinge elements having elongated, slotted openings that are offset from the vertical center of the module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventor: Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20160060041
    Abstract: A conveyor belt module has a conveying surface and a drive surface having a skewed drive edge for engaging a sprocket tooth. The skewed drive edge is skewed relative to the conveying surface. The skewed drive edge is formed on an interior drive surface in a sprocket pocket and—or an exterior drive surface on a drive element. The skewed drive edge is parallel to a corresponding downwardly-angled drive shaft accommodating sprockets of increasing size for driving a radius conveyor belt formed of a plurality of conveyor belt modules with skewed drive edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Abraham L. Miller, Gilbert J. MacLachlan
  • Publication number: 20150210478
    Abstract: A cleanable belt conveyor and a method for making a cleanable belt conveyor having a simplified frame design. The conveyor includes at least one toolbar and one or more auxiliary components mounted to the toolbar using a snap clamp having a protrusion that mates with a channel on the toolbar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Jeff Batchelder, Michael Hendrik DeGroot, Friso Antonius Maria Oonk, Laurentius G.J. Wolters, James R. Honeycutt, JR., Edward T. Mol, Angela Longo Marshall, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Joseph M. DePaso, Timothy J. DeRoche
  • Publication number: 20150183584
    Abstract: A platform member for a knuckle-linked conveyor belt includes a stabilizer for pushing a conveyed product towards a side rail to stabilize the product during conveyance. The platform member may include an upper portion forming a conveying surface and a lower portion stepped down from the upper port for receiving the forward end of an adjacent platform member. A connector on the lower portion connects the platform member to a corresponding body member in the conveyor belt. The upper portion overlies and protrudes forward from the front of the lower portion. Shaped side rails on the platform member are configured to allow overlapping between adjacent side rails to minimize gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Nicholas J. Judice, R. Scott Dailey, John F. Landrum, Jorge E. Nagel, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Glenn R. McCall, JR., Dennis K. Scates