Transport apparatus for flat products with individually controllable grippers

A transport apparatus for transporting substantially flat products infed in an imbricated formation for travel in a predeterminate direction of movement, especially printed products, comprising:

• at least one revolvingly driven traction element;
• a plurality of controllable gripper elements arranged behind one another as viewed in the predeterminate direction of movement of the products at the at least one revolvingly driven traction element;
• each of said gripper elements comprising a clamping jaw and a clamping finger for engagement of the substantially flat products at leading product edges;
• infeed means for infeeding the substantially flat products towards the at least one revolvingly driven traction element in an imbricated formation such that each product bears upon the next following product;
• said transport apparatus comprising a product take-over region where the products come to bear upon the clamping jaws of the gripper elements;
• means for displacing the clamping fingers of the gripper elements to perform a closing movement such that each clamping finger engages a related product from above;
• said transport apparatus having a predeterminate direction of movement;
• said infeed means having a predeterminate direction of movement;
• said predeterminate direction of movement of the transport apparatus and said predeterminate direction of movement of the infeed means being essentially in the same direction at the product take-over region;
• and
• said means for displacing the clamping fingers moving each clamping finger during the closing movement thereof such that said clamping finger raises a region of a leading product, viewed with respect to the predeterminate direction of movement of the products, and which region covers a leading edge of a product which is to be engaged by the clamping finger.