CA1230843A

CA1230843A - Conveyor belt

Info

Publication number: CA1230843A
Application number: CA000454180A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Henry Boltrek
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1983-05-12
Filing date: 1984-05-11
Publication date: 1987-12-29
Also published as: ES532443A0; FR2545798A1; JPS6036280A; JPH0784316B2; BR8402225A; ES8505886A1; BE899648A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An articulated conveyor belt having two spaced loops of pivotal interconnected toothed links, with the two loops being joined by axles to which steps or pallets may be attached. The belt joints are formed by the inter-face between two concentric, tubular sleeve bearings, with the ends of each axle entering the opening of the innermost bearing. The two concentric tubular sleeve bearings are fixed to the adjacent ends of the two links, such that belt lengthening due to joint wear is limited to the amount of the wear.

Description

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1 51,041 CONVEYOR BELT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention:
The invention relates in general to conveyor belts, and more specifically to articulated conveyor belts suitable for attaching platforms, pallets or steps used in trays-partition apparatus.
Description of the Prior Art:
-US. Patent Nos. 3,677,388 issued July, 1972;
3,682,289 issued August, 1972 and 3,707,220 issued December, 1972, all of which are assigned to the same assignee as the present application, disclose new and improved passenger conveyor apparatus, such as escalators, which apparatus utilizes a plurality of rigid, toothed links to form a conveyor belt.
A modular drive unit located in the truss, between the load bearing and return runs, just below the transition between the inclined portion and the upper horizontal portion of the escalator, includes a drive chain which engages toothed step links on both the upper load bearing run and the lower return run.
The escalator construction disclosed in the herein-before mentioned patents includes an endless, articulated belt having two sides, each of which are formed by pivotal inter-connected, toothed links. The links may be formed of a plurality of superposed, flat steel laminations, or by any other suitable construction, such as the construction set forth in US. Patent 4,232,783 issued November, 1980, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
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~3~43 Axles interconnect the two sides or loops of step links, and steps are clamped to the axles. The endless belt and steps are guided through the load bearing and return runs, as well as through the turnarounds which interconnect the load bearing and return runs, by axle rollers or guided wheels disposed on the ends of the step axles, trailer wheels on the steps, and separate guide tracks for sup-porting the guide wheels and the trailer wheels. A semi-far construction may be used o'er moving walks, with plats forms or pallets being connected to the axles, instead of steps.
The escalator construction of the herein before mentioned patents provides many advantages over escalators which utilize a step chain and a top sprocket-drive machine to pull the steps up the incline. One of the most signify leant advantages is the substantial reduction in load on the working parts. As the length of the rise increases, the load on the parts remains low, with additional modular drive units being added to the incline, as required. The rigid step links maintain a constant distance between ye step axles, eliminating the need for tensioning devices, which are required with the step chain construction.
yin order to achieve the desired operating smoothness, as well as to meet the desired vibration and sound levels, the guiding portions of the turnarounds are adjusted to accommodate the lengths of the rigid toothed links, and the length of the resulting belt constructed of Jo d D ye the links. US. Patent 4,130,192' which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, points out the noise and vibration problems which can be created when the guide rollers are directed between the load bearing and return runs, if the adjustment is not correct US.
Patent 4,130,192 also discloses a dynamic transition which automatically adjusts the dimensions of the guide tracks to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, and dimensional changes of the belt due to temperature and joint wear.
Since wear occurs in each joint between adjacent toothed ~23(~843 3 51,041 links, and since there are a large plurality of links on each side of the belt, e.g., 62 on each side of a 15 foot rise escalator, even a slight amount of wear at each joint quickly increases the belt length. Dimensional changes of the belt require periodic readjustment of the dynamic trueness it ion set forth in the herein before mentioned US. patent, when the belt length exceeds the automatic adjustment range.
Lengthening of the belt due to joint wear also creates problems when more than one modular drive unit is disposed in the truss to accommodate the rise. As pointed out in US. Patent No. 4,397,096 issued August, 1983 and entitled "Method of and Apparatus for Positioning the Drive Units of a Plural Drive Escalator", wear of the belt causes unequal load sharing between the drive units, requiring periodic repositioning of the drive units.
In addition to the maintenance time required to adjust the turnarounds and reposition drive units, the joint wear is costly in terms of the part cost and main-tenancy time involved in the periodic replacement of worn step axles, bushings, and step links, when wear proceeds to the replacement point.
Thus, it would be desirable to reduce joint wear of the endless, articulated belt construction of toothed links, including reduction in the wear of the axles, but such reduction must be accomplished without offsetting economic disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention is a new and improved articulated belt for transportation apparatus which takes the axles completely out of the joint, and which reduces belt lengthening due to wear by one-half. These advantages are achieved by forming a joint constructed of first and second concentric hollow sleeve bearings, with the bearing Joint being at the interface of these concentric bearings. The step axles are not part of this joint. The ends of the step axles merely enter the opening of the innermost bearing, to be pulled along with the step links. Further, the first and second bearings are attached to the ends of adjacent links such that belt lengthening due to joint wear is limited to the exact amount of the wear, and not double the amount of wear, as in certain prior art constructions.
More specifically, one of the hollow sleeve bearings is in the form of a hollow pin, which is pressed into an opening at one end of each step link. The other concentric bearing is in the form of a ring, which is pressed into an opening at the other end of each step link. Opposite ends of adjacent links are coupled, with the bearing joint being between the OLD. of the hollow pin and the I.D. of the ring type sleeve bearing. Since only one link is freely pivot able at each joint, wear occurs in only one direction measured from the longitudinal axis of the joint, not in both directions as in prior art belt construction where each link is freely pivot able, which reduces belt lengthening due to wear by one-half.
Each joint is completely formed by the concentric - bearings. The axles are not part of these joints. The ends of each axle extend through the openings in the pins ¦ disposed on opposite sides of the belt, and the guide rollers are attached to their extreme ends, resulting in the axles merely being pulled along when the toothed links are driven by the drive chain.
RIFE Description OF THE RINKS
The invention may be better understood, and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the following detailed descrip-lion of exemplary embodiments, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an elevation Al view of a passenger conveyor of the type which may utilize the teachings of the invention;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the endless, articulated belt of the passenger conveyor of ~3~843 Figure 1, which belt may be constructed according to the teachings of the invention;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a joint between two toothed links, taken between and in the direct lion of arrows III-III in Figure 2, which joint construe-lion sets forth a prior art arrangement;
Figure 4 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view of a link joint constructed according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an asset-bled joint constructed according to the teachings of Figure 4, taken between and in the direction of arrows III-III in Figure 2;
Figure 6 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view of a link joint constructed according to another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an asset-bled joint constructed according to the teachings of Figure 6, taken between and in the direction of arrows III-III in Figure 2;
Figure 8 is a side elevation Al view of a standard length of links constructed according to an embodiment of the invention; and figure 9 is a plan view of the standard length of links shown in Figure 8.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRER EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, and to Figure 1 in particular, there is shown transportation apparatus 10 which may utilize the teachings of the invention. While l30 the invention is equally applicable to moving walkways having an endless series of rigid segments or platforms, commonly called pallets, it will be described relative to an escalator. Apparatus 10 employs a conveyor portion 12 for transporting passengers at a predetermined angle 124 between a first landing 14 and a second landing 16.
Conveyor 12 is of the endless type, having an articulated belt 15, best shown in Figure 2, which is driven about a 6 51,041 closed path or loop. While the invention may be utilized with any type of movable stairway which utilizes rigid spacing of the belt supporting guide wheels via toothed links, its use is particularly advantageous with the modular passenger conveyor construction disclosed in the herein before mentioned US. patents, and the invention will be described relative to such construction.
Conveyor 12 includes an upper load bearing run 18 upon which passengers stand while being transported between landings 14 and 16, a lower return run 20, and upper and lower turnarounds 21 and 23, respectively, which interconnect the load bearing and return runs.
The endless, flexible belt 15 has first and second sides, each of which are formed of rigid, toothed links 38 which are pivotal interconnected into first and second loops. The two loops are disposed in spaced, side-by-side relation, with the planes of the loops they define being vertically oriented. A plurality of spaced step axles 39 extend between the loops, transverse to the vertical planes thereof, with the ends of the step axles 39 extending through aligned openings at the ends of each pair of adjacent toothed step links 38. The toothed step links 38 may be formed of stacked, metallic laminations, such that their ends dovetail, enabling openings in their ends to be aligned, while also aligning the teeth of the step links in each loop. A typical laminated step link may include twelve flat steel laminations each having a thickness dimension of .109 inch, for example.
The links may also be constructed of steel shells, as disclosed in the herein before mentioned US. Patent 4,232,783. Steps 36 are connected to the step axles 39, such as by the arrange-mint disclosed in US. Patent 3,789,972 issued February, 1974, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
The belt 15 is supported by guide and support rollers or :~3~38~3 wheels 40 which cooperate with guide tracks I The steps 36, in addition to being supported by the step axles 39 and rollers 40, are also supported and guided by trailer wheels or rollers 42 which cooperate with trailer guide tracks 48 to guide, direct, and support the steps as they move about the endless loop.
A balustrade 22 is disposed above the conveyor 12, on each lateral side thereof, for supporting the upper run of a continuous, flexible handrail 24. The handrail 24 is guided about a closed loop which includes an upper run 26, and a lower return run 28.
Conveyor 12, and thus the steps 36, are driven by one or more modular drive units, depending upon rise, such as the single drive unit 52 illustrated. Drive unit 52 includes an electrical motor 60 which drives a pair of spaced drive sprockets disposed on opposite sides of conveyor 12, such as drive sprocket 64, via a suitable gear reducer, a pair of spaced idler sprockets disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor 12, such as sprocket 68, and a pair of drive chains. A drive chain construction I
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which may be used is shown in US. Patent 4,361,220, which I is assigned to the same assignee as the present applique-? lion. Each drive chain has three strands, and is revved 3 about the drive and idler sprockets, such as sprockets 64 and 68, respectively, with the two outer strands engaging teeth on the sprockets. The inner strand engages the teeth I of the links 38, to drive the conveyor 12.
Modular drive unit 52 includes a handrail drive pulley on each side of the conveyor 12, with each handrail drive pulley driving a handrail drive unit disposed on its associated side of the conveyor 12, such as handrail drive unit 56.
As Sheehan in Figure 2, which is a fragmentary, perspective view of articulated belt 15, each toothed link 38 has first and second ends 70 and 72, With each first end 70 being constructed to link with a second end 72 of an adjacent toothed link. For example, the first end may include first and second spaced side bars 74 and 76, respectively, and the second end may include a center bar 78. The space between the side bar portions 74 and 76 is selected to receive a center bar portion 78 of an adjacent toothed link 38.
In the prior art, the adjacent ends of the toothed links are joined by a joint, or bearing structure, which includes a step axle 39. A typical prior art bearing joint 80 is shown in Figure 3, which is a cross sectional :10 view of a link bearing joint, taken between and in the direction of arrows III-III in Figure 2. Figure 3 is essentially the same as Figure 9 of the herein before mentioned US. Patent 4,232,783, and it thus illustrates the steel shell construction claimed in that patent. Axle 39 may be case hardened at the area of the joint 80, or, as shown, a case hardened sleeve or liner 82 may be fixed to the axle. The spaced side bars 74 and 76 ox the first end of each link 38 each have a hardened sleeve bushing 84 and 86, respectively, pressed into suitably dimensioned openings disposed in the side bars, and the second end 74 has a hardened sleeve bushing 88 pressed into actable dimensioned opening disposed in the center bar I. The axle 39 includes a retaining ring 90 disposed adjacent to 'sleeve 82, and end 92 of axle 39 is inserted through the aligned openings in two adjacent step links 38, through sleeve bushings 84, 86 and 88, and a retaining ring 94 is placed on the axle to hold this assembled relationship.
There is a bearing interface between the OLD. of sleeve 82 and the I.D. of bearing 88. Using longitudinal axis 96 as a fixed reference, wear of this interface results in elongation of belt 15 in a direction on one side of axis 96, as indicated at 98. There is also a bearing interface between the OLD. of sleeve 82 and the I.D.'s of bearings 84 and 86. Again, using axis 96 as a fixed reference, wear at these interfaces results in elongation of belt 15 in a direction on the other side of axis 96, as indicated at 100. Thus, for each .001 inch wear of a sleeve 82-- ~3~3 bearing 84,86, 88 interface, elongation of belt 15 will be .002 inch. This will be multiplied by the number of joints in the loop. The wear also directly affects the axle 39, or an extension of the axle, such as provided by sleeve 82.
Figure 4 is an exploded, perspective view of a bearing joint 102 constructed according to a first embody-mint of the invention. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of joint 102, after assembly. The view in Figure 5 is taken between and in the direction of arrows III-III of Figure 2. Elements in Figures 4 and which may be the same as in Figures 2 and 3 are identified with like refer-once numerals, and will not be discussed again in detail.
More specifically, joint 102 includes first and 15 second concentric sleeve bearings 104 and 110. The first sleeve bearing 104 is in the form of a hollow metallic pin 104, which may be formed of hardened steel, for example.
¦ Sleeve bearing 104 has an outer surface 106 which is finished to function as a smooth beaning surface, and an 20 inner surface 108 which defines an opening 109 which extends between the axial ends of the pin. The opening 109 is selected to receive an end of an axle 39. The I junction of opening 109 in pin 104 is to pull the axle 39 ¦ along as the link 38 is driven. Inner surface 108 does not function as a bearing interface in a belt joint. It holds an end of an axle 39 and acts as a wearing when the axle rotates slightly by step action at the turnarounds.
The second bearing 110 of joint 102 is a ring type sleeve bearing formed of hardened steel, spring steel, or the like. Bearing or bushing lo has an outer surface 112 and an inner surface 114. The inner surface 114 is finished to provide a smooth bearing surface, and its I.D. dimension is selected to provide a pivot able bearing with the OLD. of pin 10~. An opening 116 is provided through the center bar 78 of each link 38, and it is sized such that it will accept the OLD. of sleeve bearing 110 with a press fit. The side bars 74 and 76 are 1~3~843 10 51,041 provided with openings 118 and 120, respectively, with these openings being dimensioned to receive the OLD. of pin 104 with a press fit.
In the assembly of joint 102, sleeve bearing 110 is pressed into opening 116. Center bar 78, with bearing 110 in place, is coccal aligned on longitudinal axis 96 with openings 118 and 120. Pin 104 is then pressed into opening 118 of side bar 74, it is guided through opening 114 of bearing 110, which is disposed in center bar 78, and it is lo further pressed into opening 120 of side bar 76. This completes the joint 102 between two adjacent links on one side of belt 15. When both sides of the belt 15 have been completed, the step axles 39 have their ends disposed through the openings 109 in pins 104 on each side of the belt 15. Suitable retain in rings 90 and 94 may maintain the assembled relationship, and the rollers 40 may be placed on and suitably secured to the extreme ends of the axles 39.
It will be noted from Figure 5, that the bearing interface of belt joint 102 is the interface 122 disposed between the surface 106 of pin 104 and the surface 114 of bearing 110. The axle 39 is not part of this bearing joint.
Using axis 96 as a fixed reference, wear at interface 122 produces movement on only one side of axis 96, indicated at 124. Using axis 96 as a fixed reference can result in no elongation of the belt on the other side of the axis, as pin 104 is pressed into both side bars 74 and 76. Thus, .001 inch wear at interface 122 results in belt lengthening of .001 inch, which is one-half the belt lengthening which results from the prior art construction of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an exploded, perspective view of a bearing joint 130 constructed according to another embody-mint of the invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of joint 130, after assembly. The view in Figure 7 is taken between and in the direction of arrows III-III of Figure 2. Elements in Figures 6 and 7 which may be the same as those in Figures 2 and 3 are identified with like reference numerals, and will not be described again in detail.
More specifically, joint 130 includes inner and outer concentric sleeve bearings, with the inner sleeve bearing function being performed by a metallic pin 132, and with the outer bearing function being provided by first and second ring type sleeve bearings 150 and 152.
The hollow, metallic pin 132, which may be formed of hardened steel, for example, has a center or intermediate portion 134, and first and second lateral or side portions 136 and 138, respectively. The side portions 136 and 138 have like OLD. dimensions, the surfaces of which are finished to function as smooth bearing surfaces 140 and 142, and the center portion 134 has an OLD., which is greater than the Odyssey of the side portions, with the OLD. of the center portion having a surface 144. Pin 132 also has an opening 146 defined by an inner surface 148, with opening 146 having a constant I.D. through the three portions 134, 136 and 138 of the pin. Opening 146 is sized to accept the OLD. of axle 39, in the same manner as opening 109 of pin 104 of the first embodiment. In other words, the interface between the inner surface 148 of pin 25 132 and the outer surface of axle 39 is not a part of the belt joint. As herein before stated relative to joint 102, the bearing created between surface 148 and the axle accommodates the rotation of axle 39 by step action at the turnarounds.
The first and second sleeve bearings 150 and 152, respectively, are similar in configuration and dime-sons, and may be formed of hardened steel, spring steel or the like. Since bushings 150 and 152 may be the same, only bushing 152 will be described in detail. Bushing 152 35 has an outer surface 154, and an inner surface 156 which defines an opening 158. Surface 156 is finished to provide a smooth bearing surface, and its dimension is selected 12 51,041 such that it will function as a bearing with the surface 142 of pin 132. An opening 160 is provided through side bar 76, and it is sized such that it will accept the OLD.
of sleeve bearing 152 with a press fit. A like opening 162 is provided in side bar 74, which is dimensioned to receive bearing 150 with a press fit. The center bar 78 is provided with an opening 164, which is dimensioned to receive the OLD. of the center portion 134 of pin 132 with a press fit.
In the assembly of joint 130, pin 132 is pressed into opening 164 of the center bar 78. In like manner, bushing 152 is pressed into opening 160 of side bar 76, and bushing 150 is pressed into opening 162 of side bar 74. Center bar 78, with pin 132 in place is coccal aligned on long-tudinal axis 96 with openings 158 and 158' of bearings 152 and 150, respectively. The side portions of pin 132 are then inserted into openings 158 and 158'. This completes the joint between the two adjacent links on one side of belt 15.
Bolts or rivets may be used to hold the elements of each step link in asseTnbled relation, as will be explained relative to Figures 8 and 9. When both sides of the belt 15 have been completed, the step axles 39 have their ends disposed through the openings 146 in pins 132, on each side of the belt 15.
Suitable retaining rings 90 and 94 may maintain the assembled relation, and the guide rollers 40 may be placed on, and suitably secured to, the extreme ends of the axles 39.
It will be noted from Figure 7 that the bearing interface of belt joint 130 is the interface 170 between the OLD. of side portion 136 of pin 132 and the I.D. of bearing 150, and the interface 172 between the OLD. of side portion 138 and the I.D. of bearing 152. Axle 39 is not part of this joint. Using longitudinal axis 96 as a fixed reference, wear at this interface produces movement on only one side of axis 96, indicated at 176. Using axis 8~3 96 as a fixed reference can result in no elongation of the belt on the other side of axis 96 as pin 132 is pressed into the center bar 78. Thus, .001 inch wear at interfaces 170 and 172 results in belt lengthening of OWE inch, which is one-half the belt lengthening which results from the prior art construction of Figure 3.
Since the press fits which are an integral part of the conveyor belt joints are high press fits, such as in the range of 4000 to 6000 pounds, the pressed joints are not suitable for field installation. Thus, predator-mined standard lengths of assembled links 38 are formed at the factory using an arrangement which forms all of the pressed fit joints. One standard length would include a single pressed bearing joint, and another standard length would include a predetermined plurality of pressed joints.
A preferred arrangement which enables easy field assembly of belt 15 is set forth in Figures 8 and 9, with Figures 8 and 9 being side elevation Al and plan views, respectively, of a standard length 179 of assembled eye 20 38. isle Figures 8 and 9 illustrate only one complete link 38 and two pressed joints 102, it may have any desired number of links and pressed joints, dictated by the number which can be easily handled in the field. For example, a 3 standard length of about eight feet would be suitable.
Standard length 179 is constructed of center bars 78' and first and second side bars 74' and 76', respectively. The first and second side bars, which may be identical, and the center bar, may each be constructed of stacked steel laminations, or of steel shells, as i 30 herein before described.
One end of each standard length 179 is terminated by a center bar 78' and the remaining end is terminated by first and second side bars 74' and 76'. The center bar 78' which terminates one end includes a plurality of 35 openings 180. The side bars 74' and 76' which terminate the remaining end include a plurality of openings 182 and 184, respectively. The center and side bars disposed between the two ends of standard length 179, in addition to being joined by the pressed bearing joints 102 (or 130), may be interconnected by a plurality of rivets 186.
The shortest standard length, i.e., the one 5 having a single pressed bearing joint, would simply have a center bar 78' at one end and spaced side bars I and 76' at its other end, interconnected by a single pressed bearing joint. There would be no rivets in this length.
When two standard lengths are assembled in the 10 field, the center bar 787 of one length is inserted between the side bars 74' and 76' of an adjacent length. Openings 180, 182 and 184 are aligned and removable fasteners, such as socket head screws, or bolts 188, are inserted through the aligned openings. juts 190 are thread ably engaged 15 with the bolts to complete the joint. Bolts 188 and nuts, for example, may be shipped to the field in openings 182 and 184.
In summary, there has been disclosed a new and improved continuous, articulated belt which includes first 20 and second spaced loops of pivotal interconnected, toothed links. The belt joints are formed at the interface between two concentric, tubular sleeve bearings. The openings of the innermost bearings receive the ends of axles which extend between the two loops, to which steps 25 or pallets may be attached. Thus, the axles are not part of the joint, and are not subjected to joint wear. The coaxial bushings are fixed to adjoining ends of the links, such that belt lengthening is only equal to the wear at S each bearing interface.
,,

Claims

I claim as my invention:

1. An articulated conveyor belt, comprising:
a plurality of toothed links having first and second ends, with each end having a predetermined opening therein, a sleeve bearing disposed in the opening at a pre-determined end of each toothed link, each of said sleeve bearings having a predetermined outside diameter sized to create a press fit with its associated toothed link, and a predetermined inside diameter, a hollow pin bearing disposed in the opening at the remaining end of each toothed link, each of said pin bearings having a predetermined outside diameter sized to create a press fit with its associated toothed link, and a predetermined inside diameter, the first end of each toothed link being pivotally connected to the second end of another toothed link to provide first and second endless loops, with each pivotable connection being completely provided by a single bearing joint between the inside diameter of a sleeve bearing and the outside diameter of a pin bearing, resulting in each endless loop being mechani-cally and functionally complete, a plurality of axles having first and second ends, with the first and second ends extending into the openings defined by the hollow pin bearings in the first and second endless loops, respectively, and means for imparting movement to said endless loops by engaging said toothed links, said axles relating one mechanically complete endless loop to the other without functioning as an essential mechanical part of either endless loop, such that the axles are carried by movement of the endless loops without being subjected to loop bearing forces.

2. The articulated conveyor belt to claim 1, wherein the first end of each toothed link includes first and second spaced side bars, with the predetermined opening associated with the first end extending through each side bar, and the second end includes a center bar, with the predetermined opening associated with the second end being in said center bar.

3. The articulated conveyor belt of claim 2, wherein a sleeve bearing is disposed in the opening of each center bar, a hollow pin bearing is disposed to extend into the openings of both the first and second side bars, the center bar of one link is disposed between the spaced side bars of an adjacent link, and each pin bearing extends through the opening in a sleeve bearing to provide the bearing joint.

4. The articulated conveyor belt of claim 2, wherein each hollow pin bearing includes a central portion having a predetermined outside diameter which is sized to provide the press fit, and first and second integral, lateral portions coaxial with the central portion, each having like predetermined outside diameter, and wherein the central portion of each pin bearing is disposed in the opening of a center bar, a sleeve bearing is disposed in the opening of each of the first and second side bars, a center bar of one link is disposed between the side bars of an adjacent link, and the first and second lateral portions of each pin bearing extend through an opening of a sleeve bearing to provide the bearing joint.

5. The articulated conveyor belt of claim 2, wherein predetermined adjacent links are interconnected via removable fasteners disposed through the side bars of one link and the center bar of the adjacent link.