Patent ID: 7131530

Claim:
A conveyor carrying a curved belt having an inward arc and an outward arc, comprising: a) a frame including an inward side and an outward side; b) a roller attached between said inward side and said outward side for supporting said curved belt; c) a drive unit comprising: i) a drive shaft; ii) a pulley connected to said inward side and said outward side of said frame and said drive shaft comprising: A) a recess proximate said outward side of said frame; and B) a first set of teeth positioned in said recess; iii) an endless loop rider integrally formed with a convex head, an outward lip and an inward lip, wherein: A) said outward lip and said inward lip are sized to fit through an opening and said endless loop convex head is prohibited from passing through said opening; B) said outward lip is of lesser length than said inward lip; C) said endless loop convex head, said upper up and said lower lip create a slot for receiving an outward portion of said conveyor belt such that said endless loop convex head is positioned distal from said conveyor belt, said upper lip and said lower lip; D) said inward lip's surface proximate said first set of teeth comprises a second set of teeth for meshing with said first set of teeth; and E) said inward lip's inward surface circulates about said recess; and iv) means for connecting said endless loop rider to said conveyor belt; d) a plurality of holders mounted to said frame for gripping said endless loop rider, wherein each holder of said plurality of holders comprises said opening created between an upper rotable bearing and a lower rotable bearing; and e) a power source for said drive unit.