Apparatus for conveying and temporarily storing products

Abstract

The apparatus comprises an incoming conveyor and a revolving device, in which grippers ( ) circulate at a regular first spacing (T ) over a closed circulating path ( ). The grippers ( ) can be individually switched between a first state, in which they take hold of the products ( ) and carry them along, into a second state, in which they release the products from the grippers. At a transfer point ( ) the grippers ( ) pass above the incoming conveyor ( ). They are switched at the transfer point ( ) into the first state, in which they each take hold of a product and carry it along. A store ( ) has carriers ( ) which circulate at a regular second spacing (T ) in a closed, second circulating path ( ). The second circulating path ( ) runs over a buffer region ( ) parallel to the first circulating path ( ). Within the buffer region ( ) the grippers ( ) can be switched into their second state. The circulating speed of the grippers ( ) is greater than the circulating speed of the carriers ( ). A control device ( ) controls the switching of the grippers ( ) into the second state in such a manner that each storage compartment ( ) between adjacent carriers ( ) downstream of the buffer region ( ) contains a product ( ).