Apparatus for separating laterally projecting imbricated printed copy products

Apparatus for separating imbricated printed copy products (4, 5) having

• a first arriving transport path (3) feeding said copy products in which outer imbricated copy products (5) are offset laterally from inner copy products (4) folded in the outer copy products (5), comprising
• two pairs (1, 2) of upper (6, 8) and lower (7, 9) transport systems,
• one pair each being located at the side of the transport path (3) and each pair engaging a respective side of the folded copy products and hence either an outer (5) or an inner (4) copy product;
• each upper and lower transport system (6-7;
• 8-9) including an endless transport element and a plurality of engagement projection elements (10, 11, 12, 13) positioned on the respective upper and lower transport systems to project towards each other;
• and guide means (14;
• 19, 20, 21, 22) guiding the respective pairs of transport elements in paths in which
• (a) the pairs (1, 2) are essentially parallel to said transport path (3) and the upper and lower systems are positioned to leave an open clearance space between the projection elements (B;
• C, C1);
• (b) the pairs (1, 2) of the transport systems continue in a path essentially parallel to said transport path (3) and the upper and lower systems of the pairs close towards each other to place and grip the lateral projecting portions of the copy products (4', 5') between said projection elements (B1;
• C1, C2);
• (c) the pairs (1, 2), with the gripped projecting portions of the copy products therebetween, diverge laterally from each other to thereby pull the inner and outer printed copy products apart and out from each other (C2, C'2) until the copy products (4', 5'), gripped between the projection elements (10-13) are clear of each other (B2;
• C3, C'3);
• and
• (d) the upper and lower systems spread apart to release the copy products (4", 5") from gripping engagement by said projection elements (C4, C'4).