Transfer device for an apparatus for continuously conveying items, and method for continuously conveying items

A method for continuously conveying items by means of an apparatus (100), which includes the following:

• a store (10) having at least a plurality, preferably a multiplicity, of storage tracks (11), in which conveyable items are arranged;
• a downstream conveyor track (30) to a downstream device;
• and
• a transfer device (20), which is arranged between the store (10) and the downstream conveyor track (30) and is designed to transfer conveyable items from a selected storage track (11) of the store (10) to the downstream conveyor track (30),
• wherein the method includes the following steps:
• receiving conveyable items by means of a feed component (21) of the transfer device (20);
• transferring the conveyable items from the feed component (21) to a discharging component (23) by means of a transfer track (22);
• and
• discharging the conveyable items to the downstream conveyor track (30) by means of the discharging component (23),
• wherein, when the selected storage track (11) is changed over from a previously selected storage track (11) to a subsequently selected storage track (11), the discharging component (23) moves relative to the downstream conveyor track (30) or vice versa such that continuous conveying operation is possible despite the changeover of the selected conveyor track (11), wherein after a changeover of the selected storage track (11), the discharging component (23) moves from a first position (x0) to a second position (x1) on the downstream conveyor track (30), wherein the distance between the first position (x0) and the second position (x1) corresponds to the length of a gap, which has been produced by the changeover of the storage track (11), between a last conveyable item (9) from a previously selected storage track (11) and a first conveyable item (1) from a subsequently selected storage track (11).

A method for continuously conveying items by means of an apparatus (100), which includes the following:

• a store (10) having at least a plurality, preferably a multiplicity, of storage tracks (11), in which conveyable items are arranged;
• a downstream conveyor track (30) to a downstream device;
• and
• a transfer device (20), which is arranged between the store (10) and the downstream conveyor track (30) and is designed to transfer conveyable items from a selected storage track (11) of the store (10) to the downstream conveyor track (30),
• wherein the method includes the following steps:
• receiving conveyable items by means of a feed component (21) of the transfer device (20);
• transferring the conveyable items from the feed component (21) to a discharging component (23) by means of a transfer track (22);
• and
• discharging the conveyable items to the downstream conveyor track (30) by means of the discharging component (23),
• wherein, when the selected storage track (11) is changed over from a previously selected storage track (11) to a subsequently selected storage track (11), the discharging component (23) moves relative to the downstream conveyor track (30) or vice versa such that continuous conveying operation is possible despite the changeover of the selected conveyor track (11),
• wherein after a changeover of the selected storage track (11), the downstream conveyor track (30) moves from a first position to a second position, wherein the distance between the first position and the second position corresponds to the length of a gap, which has been produced by the changeover of the storage track (11), between a last conveyable item (9) from a previously selected storage track (11) and a first conveyable item (1) from a subsequently selected storage track (11).