A kit and associated methods for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor. The converted conveyor comprises a U-shaped pan mounted to the top of a pre-existing conveyor frame. The U-shaped pan has a pair of side walls flanking a base. A carryway is fastened to the base of the pan to support a modular conveyor belt. Liners extending from the top of the side walls extend into the pan to act as low-friction side rails. Inverted-U-shaped guides attached to the bottom portion of the pre-existing frame at periodically spaced frame supports guide the belt in the returnway beneath the carryway. Spacers interposed between the frame supports and the frame provide vertical and lateral clearance for the belt along the returnway. The kit provides parts for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor.

Typical roller conveyors suffer from excess noise and frequent maintenance due to worn rollers and roller bearings. Continuous loop belt conveyors solve some of these problems, but still suffer from an inability to change the width of the conveyor belt without significant rework or adjustment. Although a narrower belt can be used without major adjustment, prior continuous loop conveyor systems still suffer from belt drift. To alleviate these problems, a belt conveyor system that easily adjusts to accommodate continuous loop belts of varying widths is provided. The system comprises a rigid conveyor frame having at least one pair of generally parallel side walls traversed by one or more support brackets. The support brackets are secured to the conveyor frame. Additionally, one or more belt guides, having at least one surface for guiding a conveyor belt, are secured to the support brackets. The system further comprises one or more belt supports each having a substantially horizontal surface for guiding the conveyor belt, wherein the belt supports are secured to the support brackets.

An endless loop belt conveyor system that is free of rollers is produced from a roller conveyor or a powered endless belt roller conveyor using a conversion kit. The conversion kit includes at least one endless loop belt conveyor guide; and at least two conveyor guide mounts. In addition, the conversion kit may include a motor driven roller section and an idler roller section both designed to be dropped in at the head portion or at the tail portion of a frame. The resulting converted conveyor system, and also the method of removing and replacing roller conveyors to convert the conveyor system to an endless belt conveyor that is free of rollers is taught.