Patent ID: 8776994

Claim:
A chain conveyor system comprising: a main conveyor chain having a plurality of synthetic resin link modules interconnected to provide a conveying run extending from a feed end to a discharge end, said modules having upper conveying surfaces forming said conveying run, said conveying run operable to convey articles from the feed end to a discharge end by attracting and retaining the articles on the conveying surfaces thereof by magnetic attraction; an article-separating auxiliary conveyor having links registering with the underside of said conveying link modules to enable separation of the articles on said upper conveying surface attracted to said synthetic resin link modules; said link modules of the main conveyor further comprising magnet-piece-accommodating chambers having a given depth within said synthetic resin link modules; and article-attracting magnet pieces accommodated within the magnet-piece-accommodating chambers, said pieces having a thickness less than said given depth to enable said pieces to move from a chain inner circumferential side to a chain outer circumferential side within said magnet-piece-accommodating chambers to attract and retain an article on the conveyor surface, and said auxiliary conveyor comprising links registering with the link modules of the main conveyor, said links having article-separating magnet pieces that attract the article-attracting magnet pieces within the magnet-piece-accommodating chambers, to displace said pieces from the outer end of said chamber to the inner end of said chamber to reduce the reduce the magnetic attraction upon with the articles on the conveyor.