Patent ID: 7395918

Claim:
A conveyor apparatus having a first end, a second end, and an adjustable length between the first end and the second end, the conveyor apparatus comprising: a bed of rollers extending from the first end of the conveyor apparatus to the second end of the conveyor apparatus; a frame supporting a fixed number of the rollers, the frame extending from a first end of the frame that is the first end of the conveyor apparatus, to a second end of the frame that is disposed toward the second end of the conveyor apparatus; means for supporting the frame moveably for movement relative to the second end of the conveyor apparatus, between retracted and extended positions of the frame; and means for feeding additional rollers into and out of position between the second end of the conveyor apparatus and the second end of the frame according to movement of the frame, including a string of rollers connected to the second end of the frame; wherein the conveyor apparatus is a beltless conveyor apparatus: wherein the means for supporting the frame moveably includes a support structure on which the frame is mounted moveably and means on the support structure for moving the frame under operator control between the retracted and extended positions while withdrawing the string of rollers as the frame is moved toward the retracted position; and wherein said means on the support structure for moving the frame under operator control includes a drive mechanism having a chain disposed in a loop, with the frame being connected to a first side of the loop for frame-moving purposes and the string of rollers being connected to a second side of the loop for string withdrawal purposes.