Patent ID: 7156221

Claim:
A method comprising: driving a conveyor belt continuously along a transport path having at least one bend; and suspending a support cradle from the conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt without inducing appreciable stress on any one of the conveyor belt, the support cradle, and a coupling between the conveyor belt and the support cradle, wherein suspending a support cradle includes coupling a rotatable bearing of the support cradle to a first key attached to the conveyor belt, the rotatable bearing being adapted to accommodate rotational forces applied to the support cradle by the conveyor belt, and wherein suspending a support cradle further includes coupling a slide bearing of the support cradle to a second key attached to the conveyor belt, the slide bearing being adapted to accommodate longitudinal forces applied to the support cradle by the conveyor belt.