A conveyor belt comprising: a plurality of spaced apart rods (120; 220; 320) and a plurality of links (122; 222; 322) connecting the rods (120; 220; 320), wherein the links (122; 222; 322) are generally U-shaped and include an outer leg (131; 231; 331), an inner leg that is a mirror-image of, or is asymmetrical with, the outer leg (131; 231; 331), and a top bar joining a relatively straight upper portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg, the legs including outwardly-tapering transition regions connecting the upper portion to a relatively straight lower portion, such that the top bar is configured to slide into nesting relationship between a lower portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331; 431) and the inner leg (130; 430) of an adjacent one of the links (122; 222; 322), wherein each link (122; 222; 322) is configured to receive an end (121; 221; 321) of one of the rods (120; 220; 320) through a circular first aperture (142; 242; 342) formed in the lower portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg of the link (122; 222, 322) and an end of an adjacent one of the rods (120; 220; 320) through a second elongated aperture formed in the upper portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg of the link (122; 222; 322), wherein the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) is affixed to an outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) of the link (122; 222; 322) by a weld (125; 225; 325), and the weld (125; 225; 325) is formed over the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) and welds the end (121; 221; 321) to the outer surface (134; 234; 334) in the vicinity of the first aperture (142; 242; 342); characterized in that the plurality of spaced apart rods (120; 220; 320) are buttonless, the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) to be welded to the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) is substantially coplanar with the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331); and wherein the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) is welded to the outer leg (131; 231; 331) of the link (122; 222; 322) with additional weld material being applied to the end (121; 221; 321) and the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) to secure the end (121; 221; 321) to the link (122; 222; 322) such that the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the link (122; 222; 322) is substantially smooth. a plurality of spaced apart rods (120; 220; 320) and a plurality of links (122; 222; 322) connecting the rods (120; 220; 320), wherein the links (122; 222; 322) are generally U-shaped and include an outer leg (131; 231; 331), an inner leg that is a mirror-image of, or is asymmetrical with, the outer leg (131; 231; 331), and a top bar joining a relatively straight upper portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg, the legs including outwardly-tapering transition regions connecting the upper portion to a relatively straight lower portion, such that the top bar is configured to slide into nesting relationship between a lower portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331; 431) and the inner leg (130; 430) of an adjacent one of the links (122; 222; 322), wherein each link (122; 222; 322) is configured to receive an end (121; 221; 321) of one of the rods (120; 220; 320) through a circular first aperture (142; 242; 342) formed in the lower portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg of the link (122; 222, 322) and an end of an adjacent one of the rods (120; 220; 320) through a second elongated aperture formed in the upper portion of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) and the inner leg of the link (122; 222; 322), wherein the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) is affixed to an outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) of the link (122; 222; 322) by a weld (125; 225; 325), and the weld (125; 225; 325) is formed over the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) and welds the end (121; 221; 321) to the outer surface (134; 234; 334) in the vicinity of the first aperture (142; 242; 342); characterized in that the plurality of spaced apart rods (120; 220; 320) are buttonless, the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) to be welded to the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) is substantially coplanar with the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331); and wherein the end (121; 221; 321) of said one of the rods (120; 220; 320) is welded to the outer leg (131; 231; 331) of the link (122; 222; 322) with additional weld material being applied to the end (121; 221; 321) and the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the outer leg (131; 231; 331) to secure the end (121; 221; 321) to the link (122; 222; 322) such that the outer surface (134; 234; 334) of the link (122; 222; 322) is substantially smooth.