Method and device for splitting-up a stream of piece goods

Abstract

For splitting-up a supply stream ( ) of piece goods into a plurality of conveying away streams, the supplied objects ( ) are guided onto a plurality of conveying away paths ( ) in a predetermined splitting-up sequence. The device includes a supply device for serially supplying objects ( ) to a split-up point ( ) and for positioning the objects ( ) for being taken over by holding device ( ) in the split-up point ( ). The device also has a plurality of conveying away systems, each one of which defines one of the conveying away paths. Of the conveying away systems advantageously each one has a closed-loop rail track ( ) and holding devices ( ) movable along the rail track independently of one another and with variable distances between one another. The rail tracks ( ) of the conveying away systems converge toward the split-up point ( ), run through the split-up point ( ) parallel to one another, and diverge after the split-up point ( ). The conveying away systems also have buffers that retain the holding devices upstream of the split-up point ( ) and devices for releasing the holding devices from the buffers ( ) in a controlled manner. The conveying away systems also have devices for conveying the holding devices ( ) through the split-up point ( ) in a controlled manner and for activating the holding devices in the split-up point. A serial stream of holding devices through the split-up point ( ) is produced by controlled release of holding devices ( ) from the buffers ( ) so that holding devices belonging to different conveying away systems are arranged in a sequence corresponding to the splitting-up sequence for the objects ( ).