A conveyor has an endless belt which encompasses a gate section and a fixed section thereof Both the gate section and fixed section have beds which extend lengthwise and widthwise thereof between rails which extend along the lengths of the section. The edges of the belt run along the rails and are hence guarded by the rails. The sections are joined at adjacent edges by hinges pivotally connected to the bed of the fixed section and extending across the joint to the gate section. The hinges are within the confines of the belt, that is within the path of the belt and between the edges of the belt, so as to enable the gate section to be pivoted to an open position allowing a passageway via the width of the conveyor. When in closed position, the hinge enables the ends of the rails to move into abutting relationship. Permanent guards on the outsides of the fixed section can extend above the belt to maintain safe operating conditions without interfering with the opening and closing of the gate section. The endless belt may be made of panels joined together by rods which allow the belt to turn around the outer ends of the fixed and gate sections. The fixed section is equipped with a sprocket in which the rods are engaged for driving the belt. The sprocket is motorized by a drive within a closed housing attached to the rails so that the fixed section serves as a drive section of the conveyor. The belt is not tensioned and is supported on the bed of the sections so that the belt can move and change shape from straight to curved at the hinged joint as the gate section moves from closed to open position. The sections may be mounted on legs. The gate section may be counterbalanced to maintain it in open position. Concealed interlock sensors may be located in the joint for automatically stopping and starting the conveyor when opened and closed, respectively.