Articulated link conveyor

Abstract

A conveyor of like, individual, flat-top articulated links is described wherein the articulating mechanism permits angular movements in a common plane and wherein the individual links are downwardly stepped at a top front surface portion and upwardly stepped at a bottom rear surface portion to provide for nesting interfitting of top and bottom surface portions of successive links permitting fanning out in a common plane without mutual separation while at the same time presenting link .[.supper.]. .Iadd.upper .Iaddend.surface support portions lying in a common plane. .Iadd. This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 623,485, filed Oct. 17, 1975, now abandoned, which was a continuation of Ser. No. 455,802, filed Mar. 28, 1974, now abandoned, for Reissue of Pat. No. 3,653,494, and which was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 769,248, filed Oct. 21, 1968, and now Pat. No. 3,513,965, said Ser. No. 769,248 being a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 655,401, filed July 24, 1967, now abandoned. .Iaddend.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A link for articulated-link conveyors comprising, in combination, a substantially rectangular elongated link member having an upper support surface and front and back of edges, mechanism for interconnecting said link member with successive identical link members so as to form a belt-like conveyor of transversely extending articulated links, said interconnecting means being loose enough to permit angular movements in a common plane of the individual links of a plurality of articulated links, and means for overlapping mutually adjacent articulated links to permit their "fanning out" in such angular movements to substantially eliminate separation of their front and back edges, said overlapping means comprising a downwardly stepped surface portion in the front portion of said upper support surface and an upwardly stepped surface portion in the rear portion of the bottom of said link member, said downwardly stepped surface portion of one link being of such size and shape as to be nestingly interfitted in face-to-face relation with the upwardly stepped surface portion of an adjacent articulated link member, the zone of demarcation between the stepped upper surface .[.portion.]. .Iadd.portions .Iaddend.being defined by an inclined riser surface portion presenting obtuse angular inner and outer corner edges therealong, said zone of demarcation defining, along its length, an obtuse angle the apex of which is centrally disposed with respect to the front edge of the link member. .Iadd. 2. A link for articulated-link conveyors comprising, in combination, an elongated link member having an upper support surface and front and back edges, means for interconnecting said link member with successive identical link members so as to form a belt-like conveyor of transversely extending articulated links, said interconnecting means being loose enough to permit angular movements in a common plane of the individual links of a plurality of articulated links to permit their "fanning out" in such angular movements to substantially eliminate separation of their front and back edges, overlapping means comprising a downwardly stepped surface portion in the front portion of said upper support surface and an upwardly stepped surface portion in the rear portion of the bottom of said link member, said downwardly stepped surface portion of one link being of such size and shape as to be nestingly interfitted and overlapped in face-to-face relation with the upwardly stepped surface portion of an adjacent articulated link member, the zone of demarcation between the stepped upper surface portions being defined by a riser surface portion presenting angular inner and outer corner edges therealong, said zone of demarcation defining, along its length, an obtuse angle the apex of which is centrally disposed with respect to the front edge of the link member. .Iaddend.