Device for the transfer of long products particularly bars or tubes

A device for horizontally transferring long and heavy articles, particularly metal articles such as bars or tubes of circular section, in which the articles in the course of transfer are laterally spaced from each other and displaced laterally while rotating about themselves, said device comprising at least three sets of stringers, each set of stringers comprising at least two laterally spaced-apart stringers, each stringer having upwardly projecting teeth presenting surfaces symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane generally perpendicular to the travel path of the article, the teeth being equal to each other and spaced apart respectively horizontally, the teeth of the stringers of each set being aligned transversely of the direction of travel of the article, and the peaks of the teeth of the respective sets being spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the path of travel of the articles, and drive means for moving the stringers vertically in sequence to rotate and laterally displace an article thereon, said drive means comprising means for moving each peak of a tooth of each of the stringers exclusively in a vertical plane generally perpendicular to the travel path of the product, said drive means and said teeth of said stringers cooperating to comprise means for always supporting the article on teeth of at least two sets of stringers during lateral displacement of the article.