US 12,264,014 B2
Positive-drive spiral conveyor
Casper Fedde Talsma, Valencia (ES); and David W. Bogle, Franklinton, LA (US)
Assigned to Laitram, L.L.C., Harahan, LA (US)
Filed by Laitram, L.L.C., Harahan, LA (US)
Filed on Apr. 24, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/644,751.
Application 15/337,147 is a division of application No. 13/805,608, granted, now 9,481,523, issued on Nov. 1, 2016, previously published as PCT/US2011/043352, filed on Jul. 8, 2011.
Application 15/337,147 is a division of application No. 12/834,314, filed on Jul. 12, 2010, granted, now 8,181,771, issued on May 22, 2012.
Application 18/644,751 is a continuation of application No. 17/737,185, filed on May 5, 2022, granted, now 11,970,337.
Application 17/737,185 is a continuation of application No. 17/012,197, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,383,932, issued on Jul. 12, 2022.
Application 17/012,197 is a continuation of application No. 16/559,757, filed on Sep. 4, 2019, granted, now 10,766,705, issued on Sep. 8, 2020.
Application 16/559,757 is a continuation of application No. 16/259,577, filed on Jan. 28, 2019, granted, now 10,501,265, issued on Dec. 10, 2019.
Application 16/259,577 is a continuation of application No. 16/011,031, filed on Jun. 18, 2018, granted, now 10,189,645, issued on Jan. 29, 2019.
Application 16/011,031 is a continuation of application No. 15/337,147, filed on Oct. 28, 2016, granted, now 10,023,388, issued on Jul. 7, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/479,620, filed on Apr. 27, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2024/0270500 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 17/08 (2006.01); B65G 15/30 (2006.01); B65G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 17/086 (2013.01) [B65G 15/30 (2013.01); B65G 21/18 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spiral conveyor comprising:
a conveyor belt including a series of belt rows and an inner side;
a plurality of drive members configured to rotate about a vertical axis, each of the plurality of drive members having a generally vertical length and a ridge extending along the length and radially outward away from the vertical axis to a ridge top;
wherein the ridge top is a constant first distance from the vertical axis in a first length of the drive member and decreases to a lesser second distance in a consecutive second length of the drive member and is constant at the second distance in a consecutive third length of the drive member;
wherein the inner side of the conveyor belt between adjacent belt rows enters into initial driving engagement with the ridges in the first length and is driven without slip by the ridges on a helical path about the vertical axis along the first length, then along the second length, and next along the third length.