Apparatus for handling articles, such as cartons

In an apparatus for receiving, conveying and depositing cuboid articles, and comprising a liftable, lowerable and transversely movable gripper (27) having at least two vertical carrying arms (29, 30) for grasping at least one article (10), said vertical carrying arms (29, 30), during transport of an article (10), extending on opposite sides of the article, the improvement comprising:

• a support plate (46) on the gripper and having two oppositely situated edges on which said carrying arms (29, 30) are pivotably mounted;
• at least two first pressure medium cylinders (56, 57) for pivoting said carrying arms (29, 30) from a vertical position to an inclined position;
• at least two carrying legs (31, 32) pivotably attached to the carrying arms (29, 30);
• at least two vertically extending actuating means (33, 34), attached to said support plate (46), for moving said carrying legs (31, 32) between a carrying position, in which said carrying legs are horizontally directed, and a release position in which said carrying legs are essentially vertically directed;
• and
• at least two second pressure medium cylinders (63), attached between said support plate and said actuating means at a position above said support plate, for moving said actuating means (33, 34) up and down so that said carrying legs (31, 32) move between the carrying position and the release position;
• wherein the carrying legs (31, 32) are one-armed levers, and wherein said actuating means (33, 34) are connected to said carrying legs (31, 32) in an articulated manner at a point spaced from said carrying arms (29, 30) at a side confronting the article (10), and in such a way that said carrying legs (31, 32) are held in said carrying position by tensile forces in said actuating means (33, 34).