Rotary Indexing Table And Method For Transporting Objects

Transport device for transporting objects from work station to work station of a production facility, comprising

• an object carrier on which a plurality of object carrier elements are arranged for placing down one or more objects, the object carrier being able to move in successive cycles in such a way that the object carrier elements can be transported on a movement path from work station to work station, and
• a drive unit for driving the object carrier,
• characterised in that
• at least one object carrier element of the plurality of object carrier elements on the object carrier is arranged to be displaceable relative to the object carrier in the direction of the movement path on which the object carrier elements can be transported from work station to work station,
• the at least object carrier element is assigned a dog element that can move together with the object carrier and can move between an active state, in which relative movement between the object carrier element and object carrier is prevented, and an inactive state, in which relative movement between the object carrier element and object carrier is permitted, and
• the at least one object carrier element is assigned a stationary retaining element that can move between an active state, in which the object carrier element is held in place, and an inactive state, in which the object carrier element is released,
• an actuation unit for actuating the at least one dog element and the at least one retaining element is provided and a control unit for the actuation unit is provided, the control unit being designed such that, in some cycles of the successive cycles, the dog element assumes an active state and the retaining element assumes an inactive state such that the at least one object carrier element is carried along by the object carrier and moved from work station to work station, and, in some cycles of the successive cycles, the dog element assumes an inactive state and the retaining element assumes an active state such that the at least one object carrier element remains at a work station.