Apparatus for conveying and turning articles

Apparatus for conveying articles proceeding on a line conveying device to a testing station and for rotating the articles at the testing station, comprising:

• a conveyor belt disposed laterally of the line conveying device;
• means for driving said conveyor belt;
• a through belt disposed laterally of the line conveying device and spaced from said conveyor belt and cooperating therewith to define a track for conveying the articles at spaced intervals from one another to the testing station;
• means for driving said through belt;
• a control roller disposed on one side of said track, said control roller being displaceable between an operating position in which a portion of its periphery extends over said through belt and into said track, and a rest position in which its periphery lies outside said track;
• a first pressing roller disposed adjacent the side of said track opposite that of said control roller, said first pressing roller being pivotable transversely with respect to said track;
• and
• a second pressing roller disposed adjacent the side of said track opposite that of said control roller and downstream of said first pressing roller, said second pressing roller being rotatably disposed on a fixed shaft, said control roller and said first and second pressing rollers cooperating to interrupt the passage of articles proceeding through said track and to rotate each article at least one about the axis of the article at the testing station.