Patent ID: 6837364

Claim:
An intermittent internal drive system for a rum conveyor, wherein said conveyor is started, stopped and restarted repeatedly, and comprising: a drive drum defining a hollow interior; a drive motor mounted within and enclosed by said drum and operable to rotate said drum; a clutch located within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said motor and operable to transmit rotation from said motor to said drum, and being operable to discontinue transmission from said motor to said drum; and a brake within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said drum and being operable to stop rotation of said drum, and being operable to permit rotation of said drum, and an actuator, wherein the intermittent internal drive system is operable to maintain the clutch in a disengaged position, and the brake in an engaged position such that the drum is in a rotating stopped position; and wherein the actuator is operable in substantially the same moment to activate the clutch to achieve an engaged position, and further to activate the brake to achieve a disengaged position, thereby transferring rotation from said motor to said rum and permitting said drum to rotate.