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.

A spiral conveyor and methods 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.

A spiral conveyor and methods 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.

A drive member for a cage of a spiral conveyor, the drive member comprising a cage-bar and an engagement member. The cage-bar comprises a ridge extending along a longitudinal axis of the cage-bar, the ridge being adapted to mate with an inner side of a conveyor belt. The cage-bar has a conical shape and a driving ridge in a single part with coating to protect against wear. At the belt entrance of the spiral conveyor, the sanitary monopiece direct drive cage-bar have an UHMW (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight) polyethylene bloc overlapped to help engagement of the belt as specified by manufacturer of the belt. The custom bended shape of the cage-bar allows using several different conical angles to reduce belt tension. The monopiece cage-bar also allows applications where great temperature changes are required because the thermal dilatation will not causes gap in the driving ridge.

A drive member for a cage of a spiral conveyor, the drive member comprising a cage-bar and an engagement member. The cage-bar comprises a ridge extending along a longitudinal axis of the cage-bar, the ridge being adapted to mate with an inner side of a conveyor belt. The cage-bar has a conical shape and a driving ridge in a single part with coating to protect against wear. At the belt entrance of the spiral conveyor, the sanitary monopiece direct drive cage-bar have an UHMW (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight) polyethylene bloc overlapped to help engagement of the belt as specified by manufacturer of the belt. The custom bended shape of the cage-bar allows using several different conical angles to reduce belt tension. The monopiece cage-bar also allows applications where great temperature changes are required because the thermal dilatation will not causes gap in the driving ridge.

A spiral conveyor system may include a drum associated with a motor, wherein the drum extends from a drum bottom to a drum top. In addition, the system may include a conveyor belt traveling helically about the drum from an entrance end of the drum to an exit end of the drum. Further, the system may include a rib associated with the drum, wherein the rib extends radially from a surface of the drum, and at least one drive face positioned on the rib. The conveyor belt may include at least one belt surface configured to engage the at least one drive face. The length of the rib extends along the length of the drum from a first end of the rib to a terminus of the rib proximate the entrance end of the drum. In addition, the drum includes a ring that extends between the terminus of the rib and the entrance end of the drum.

A spiral conveyor system may include a drum associated with a motor, wherein the drum extends from a drum bottom to a drum top. In addition, the system may include a conveyor belt traveling helically about the drum from an entrance end of the drum to an exit end of the drum. Further, the system may include a rib associated with the drum, wherein the rib extends radially from a surface of the drum, and at least one drive face positioned on the rib. The conveyor belt may include at least one belt surface configured to engage the at least one drive face. The length of the rib extends along the length of the drum from a first end of the rib to a terminus of the rib proximate the entrance end of the drum. In addition, the drum includes a ring that extends between the terminus of the rib and the entrance end of the drum.

Spiral conveyors have a drive drum, wherein the drive drum comprises a plurality of drive drum bars connected around an outer perimeter of the drive drum, wherein a drive rod on a drive drum bar is distally located on the outer perimeter of the drive drum, wherein the drive drum bar comprises the drive rod; a face plate; and a support rib, wherein the support rib is connected to the drive rod through standoffs, and the face plate is located between the drive rod and the support rib, and the face plate is separated from the drive rod.

Spiral conveyors have a drive drum, wherein the drive drum comprises a plurality of drive drum bars connected around an outer perimeter of the drive drum, wherein a drive rod on a drive drum bar is distally located on the outer perimeter of the drive drum, wherein the drive drum bar comprises the drive rod; a face plate; and a support rib, wherein the support rib is connected to the drive rod through standoffs, and the face plate is located between the drive rod and the support rib, and the face plate is separated from the drive rod.

A linear fixed shaft drive assembly for use in a self-stacking industrial/commercial-grade spiral/gyro oven or freezer that includes a fixed, non-rotatable shaft having a cylindrical mounting portion, a bearing cup supported by the mounting portion, and a hub and shaft base that includes a shaft portion and flange portion. The flange portion is configured to couple to a first side of a flange extending from the bearing cup. A sprocket is mounted to an opposite second side of the flange extending from the bearing cup. The sprocket includes teeth configured to engage with a ball chain assembly of the oven or freezer. The bearing cup includes at least two permanently lubricated bearings. Rotation of the shaft portion of the hub and shaft base causes the bearing cup and sprocket to rotate on the mounting portion of the fixed, non-rotatable shaft. Also a method for retrofitting an oven or freezer having an existing shaft assembly mounted within a thermal chamber of the oven or freezer, and a method for servicing an oven or freezer having an existing linear fixed shaft drive assembly.