Patent ID: 7093709

Claim:
A belt conveyor having opposite sidewalls, said belt conveyor comprising: a motorized roller and at least one other roller positioned along and between the opposite sidewalls; a continuous conveying belt reeved around said motorized roller and said at least one idler roller, said conveying belt defining a conveying surface between the opposite sidewalls of said belt conveyor, said motorized roller being operable to drive said conveying belt to move articles on said conveying belt along said belt conveyor, said motorized roller engaging a surface of said conveying belt to drive said conveying belt via rotation of a roller portion of said motorized roller, said conveying belt having a low modulus characteristic, wherein said conveying belt is initially stretched in a lengthwise direction of said conveying belt at least 0.75% when said conveying belt is reeved around said rollers; and wherein said conveying belt is tracked around said rollers via engagement of a surface of said conveying belt with said rollers and without a take up device, said low modulus characteristic of said conveying belt providing at least partial tracking of said conveying belt around said rollers.