Patent ID: 7025191

Claim:
A conveyor unit including a shelf member, said conveyor unit comprising: a crank member having generally opposed first and second end elements offset from and extending generally parallel to one another, said first and second end elements defining therebetween a crank plane, said plane extending generally parallel to a fixed reference plane, said shelf member being mounted to said crank member; a first carriage member journaled to said first end element, said first carriage member being mounted to be driven along an endless first loop at a first rate; a second carriage member journaled to said second end element, said second carriage member being mounted to be driven along an endless second loop at about said first rate, whereby said crank plane is adapted to remain substantially parallel to said reference plane as said first and second carriage members are driven along said first and second loops, each of said first and second endless loops including a continuous gear chain having a plurality of pivotally connected rigid links, each of said pivotally connected rigid links including facing linear gear teeth and an externally projecting said carriage member; and a drive mechanism drivingly associated with said first and second carriage members, said drive mechanism including at least one drive gear adapted to divingly engage said internally facing linear gear teeth.