Patent ID: 7735404

Claim:
In a belt skiver configured to form recesses along an end of a conveyor belt in preparation for mounting a belt connector therein, the improvement comprising: a clamping mechanism having generally flat opposed surfaces configured to engage top and bottom surfaces of the conveyor belt to securely, yet removably retain the conveyor belt in position, with a free conveyor belt end protruding outwardly of said clamping mechanism in a cantilevered fashion; a belt cutting mechanism movable relative to said clamping mechanism, and having an upper belt cutting blade configured with mutually angled portions positioned to slice simultaneously both longitudinally and transversely into and through a top portion of the free conveyor belt end and remove an upper surface layer strip therefrom, and a lower belt cutting blade configured with mutually angled portions positioned to slice simultaneously both longitudinally and transversely into and through a bottom portion of the free conveyor belt end and remove a lower surface layer strip therefrom; and a drive mechanism shifting said belt cutting mechanism and said clamping mechanism relative to each other laterally along the free conveyor belt end, whereby as said drive mechanism shifts said belt cutting mechanism and said clamping mechanism relative to each other, both the upper surface layer strip and the lower surface layer strip are substantially contemporaneously severed from the top portion and the bottom portion of the free conveyor belt end to create precisely aligned upper and lower recesses which are adapted to receive and mount an associated belt connector therein; and an upper guide plate operably connected with said belt cutting mechanism and generally aligned with said upper belt cutting blade at a location forwardly thereof in the direction of cutting motion; and a lower guide plate operably connected with said belt cutting mechanism and generally aligned with said lower belt cutting blade at a location forwardly thereof in the direction of cutting motion; said upper and lower guide plates being disposed in a generally parallel relationship for guiding the conveyor belt end therebetween.