Link for the connection of rods of a conveyor belt spirally wound around a driven drum, conveyor belt and conveying system with such connective links

1. A conveyor belt for a system in which the conveyor belt is spirally wound around a driven drum, said conveyor belt comprising a repeating interconnected arrangement of:

a) longitudinally spaced rods each extending in a lateral direction defining first and second ends between a central conveying section; and

b) connective links connecting the rods together, each connective link comprising legs extending in a longitudinal direction from a lateral cross-member at a closed first end and to an open second end, and defining laterally aligned first apertures on each of said legs at said closed end for reception of a rod, and laterally aligned second apertures at said open end for reception of a rod, whereby the first apertures of a first link are aligned with the second apertures of a second link for reception of a rod thereinto; wherein said rods are at least fused to said second apertures on the outside edge of the belt,

and further comprising protection means arranged on the first link for protecting the fusion of the second link, at least when the links are in contact with the driven drum.

2. The conveyor belt according to claim 1 , wherein the protection means extend in a lateral direction of the conveyor belt beyond the fusion.

3. A conveying system comprising a vertically extending driven drum and a conveyor belt according to claim 2 spirally wound around the drum, wherein the protection means abut the drum.

4. The conveyor belt according to claim 1 , wherein the outside leg of the first link is extended in a longitudinal direction.

5. A conveying system comprising a vertically extending driven drum and a conveyor belt according to claim 1 spirally wound around the drum, wherein the protection means abut the drum.

6. A connective link for a conveyor belt according to claim 1 , which connective link comprises legs extending in a longitudinal direction from a lateral cross-member at a closed first end and to an open second end, and defining laterally aligned first apertures on each of said legs at said closed end for reception of a rod, and laterally aligned second apertures at said open end for reception of a rod,

wherein at least one leg is extended in longitudinal direction over a distance from the second aperture substantially equal to the distance between the first and second aperture.