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.

The invention relates to a driving end module of a modular conveyor belt, the driving end module having an elongate body with an arrangement of interspaced fingers on opposed sides along the length of the body. Each interspaced finger includes a transverse aperture which defines a link path through the transverse apertures into which a rigid rod can be inserted through an installation aperture to link two adjacent conveyor belt rows to each other and provide a conveyor belt section. The driving head also includes a socket located between the installation aperture and the link path which is shaped to receive a plug to prevent the rigid rod from sliding through the installation aperture. The driving end module further includes a terminal driving head having a positive drive protrusion which in use engages a vertically extending ridge of a rotating drive tower.

The invention relates to a driving end module of a modular conveyor belt, the driving end module having an elongate body with an arrangement of interspaced fingers on opposed sides along the length of the body. Each interspaced finger includes a transverse aperture which defines a link path through the transverse apertures into which a rigid rod can be inserted through an installation aperture to link two adjacent conveyor belt rows to each other and provide a conveyor belt section. The driving head also includes a socket located between the installation aperture and the link path which is shaped to receive a plug to prevent the rigid rod from sliding through the installation aperture. The driving end module further includes a terminal driving head having a positive drive protrusion which in use engages a vertically extending ridge of a rotating drive tower.

A conveyor apparatus includes an endless conveyor belt wound around outgoing path side guide pulleys in turn along a helical conveyance path in a bent state where the belt is folded in two in a width direction such that an upper edge portion thereof is supported by the outgoing path side guide pulleys, and wound around returning path side guide pulleys in turn along the helical conveyance path in the bent state where the belt is folded in two in the width direction such that the upper edge portion is supported by the returning path side guide pulleys, and folded back at each turning positions of a horizontal conveyance unit located at an upper side and a horizontal conveyance unit located at a lower side of the support frame and being in an expanded state where the belt expanded in the width direction in a vicinity of the turning position.

Zero tension system conveyor. A conveyor belt is driven by at least a portion of the conveyor belt being in continuous contact with a block chain within at least a portion of an overall conveyor belt system. Such a conveyor belt system may be implemented in a spiral configuration such that a relatively small portion of the overall width of the conveyor belt is in contact with the block chain above and/or below the conveyor belt. The static force/weight of the conveyor belt in conjunction with the continuous contact between at least a portion of the conveyor belt and the block chain effectuates the driving of the conveyor belt through the overall conveyor belt system. The block chain is composed of a number of links, at least some of which include a respective hook/protrusion on one side thereof, for being directly engaged by drum bars implemented within a drum assembly.

Zero tension system conveyor. A conveyor belt is driven by at least a portion of the conveyor belt being in continuous contact with a block chain within at least a portion of an overall conveyor belt system. Such a conveyor belt system may be implemented in a spiral configuration such that a relatively small portion of the overall width of the conveyor belt is in contact with the block chain above and/or below the conveyor belt. The static force/weight of the conveyor belt in conjunction with the continuous contact between at least a portion of the conveyor belt and the block chain effectuates the driving of the conveyor belt through the overall conveyor belt system. The block chain is composed of a number of links, at least some of which include a respective hook/protrusion on one side thereof, for being directly engaged by drum bars implemented within a drum assembly.

A spiral conveying mesh chain which pertains to the field of conveying equipment includes a conveying mesh chain main body. The edge of the inner side of the conveying mesh chain main body is uniformly provided with passive teeth. The passive teeth are used to engage with driving teeth on the outer periphery of a rotating drum for driving the conveying mesh chain main body to rotate. The contact surface of the passive tooth and the driving tooth is one item selected from a group consisting of an inclined surface, an arc-shaped surface, a V-shaped contact surface, and a T-shaped contact surface, so that the force direction between the passive tooth and the driving tooth is inwardly deviated relative to the rotation direction of the conveying mesh chain.

A spiral conveying mesh chain which pertains to the field of conveying equipment includes a conveying mesh chain main body. The edge of the inner side of the conveying mesh chain main body is uniformly provided with passive teeth. The passive teeth are used to engage with driving teeth on the outer periphery of a rotating drum for driving the conveying mesh chain main body to rotate. The contact surface of the passive tooth and the driving tooth is one item selected from a group consisting of an inclined surface, an arc-shaped surface, a V-shaped contact surface, and a T-shaped contact surface, so that the force direction between the passive tooth and the driving tooth is inwardly deviated relative to the rotation direction of the conveying mesh chain.

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to systems and methods for chain wear elongation measurement and drive compensation. In one embodiment, a chain system includes a chain including a plurality of links arranged in a continuous loop and having first measurement values for plurality of links and total chain length, wherein the chain is configured to rotate on a sprocket, and a chain elongation measurement system for counting the plurality of links of the chain and for determining total chain length to determine first chain elongation measurement values.

A conveyor belt (36) is arranged in at least one spiral conveyor unit (32) or (34) is arranged in tiers forming at ascending spiral stack (38) and/or a descending spiral stack (40). A ceiling or top sheet (58) is positioned over the spiral stack. A circulation fan (60, 62) draws spent thermal processing medium laterally from the tiers of the spiral stack, up the exterior of the stack and across the top of the stack above the ceiling or top sheet and through a heat exchanger (64) located above the ceiling. The treated thermal processing medium is then routed across the remainder of the diameter of the spiral stack and then down the side of the spiral stack diametrically opposite to the circulating fan thereby to enter the spiral stack in a lateral direction diametrically toward the circulating fan. At least one opening (70, 100, 200) is formed in the ceiling between the heat exchanger and the diametrically distal end of the spiral stack from the circulating fan thereby to provide an alternative flow path for a portion of the thermal processing medium to enter the spiral stack from above, thereby resulting in more uniform treatment of the work product being carried by the conveyor of the spiral stack.