Patent ID: 6971509

Claim:
A center drive assembly for a conveyor having a frame assembly extending from a first end to a second end and including a pair of spaced side frame members, at least one end assembly mounted between the side frame members and movable toward and away from the first end of the frame assembly, and a continuous conveyor belt having an upper run and a lower run and engaged around the end assembly and positioned between the side frame members, the center drive assembly comprising: a pair of spaced side plates each configured for attachment to one of the side frame members between the first end and the second end of the frame assembly, the side plates extending below the side frame members; a guide roller assembly pivotally mounted between the pair of spaced side plates, wherein the guide roller assembly is pivotally movable between an operating position in which the lower run of the conveyor belt passes over the guide roller assembly and enters into the center drive assembly and a belt-changing position in which the guide roller assembly is pivoted away from the side frame members to reduce the tension in the conveyor belt; a drive roller rotatably mounted between the pair of spaced side plates and positioned such that the lower run of the conveyor belt passes around at least a portion of the outer circumference of the drive roller; a drive motor mounted to one of the side plates and coupled to the drive roller to rotate the drive roller and move the conveyor belt along the longitudinal length of the frame assembly; and a tension roller extending between the spaced side plates and positioned such that the lower run of the conveyor belt passes around at least a portion of the outer circumference of the tension roller, wherein the guide roller, the drive roller and the tension roller define a belt path through the center drive assembly; wherein the tension roller is movable relative to the drive roller and the guide roller to modify the length of the belt path.