Conveyor with improved cleaning capabilities

摘要

A conveyor with enhanced cleanability includes a belt for conveying objects above a floor and having a forward run and a return run. A conveyor bed for supporting the belt provides an upper support for supporting the forward run of the belt and a lower support for supporting a return run of the belt. The upper support is adapted for moving toward and away from the lower support, including when the conveyor belt is sectioned into first and second portions corresponding to the forward run and the return run. A conveyor is also mounted in a cantilevered fashion, such as by embedding posts in a curable material forming a base for supporting the conveyor. Related methods are also disclosed.

主权项

1. An apparatus for supporting a conveyor belt for conveying objects in a conveying direction above a floor, the belt including an upper forward run and a lower return run, the upper forward run forming a conveying path extending in the conveying direction, comprising:
a conveyor bed for supporting the conveyor belt, the conveyor bed including a first support for supporting the forward run of the belt and a second support connected to the first support for supporting the return run of the conveyor belt, the first support overlying the second support in a first, unraised position for supporting the forward run of the conveyor belt, wherein the first support for the forward run of the conveyor belt is adapted for being raised to a second position relative to the second support for the return run of the conveyor belt.