Apparatus and method for the suspended conveyance of items

An apparatus for the suspended conveyance of items, wherein said apparatus comprises

• a. a conveyor system which has a conveyor rail along which the items can each be conveyed suspended from an overhead adapter,
• b. a plurality of buffer devices coupled to the conveying system, which buffer device each
• i. are designed as circulating storage devices having a closed circulating storage line and a conveyor,
• ii. have a discharge conveyor for conveying overhead adapters along a discharge line of the buffer device,
• iii. have a separating unit arranged upstream of the discharge conveyor for separating the overhead adapters,
• iv. have an identification unit arranged downstream of the separating unit for identifying at least one of the group comprising the items and overhead adapters to be discharged from the buffer device,
• v. have a diverter element arranged on the discharge line for discharging the overhead adapters to be discharged from the buffer device into the conveyor system,
• wherein the discharge conveyor
• is operable at a first conveying speed when no overhead adapter to be discharged has been identified,
• is operable at a second conveying speed when an overhead adapter to be discharged has been identified,
• wherein the second conveying speed is lower than the first conveying speed.