Apparatus for transporting packs

An apparatus for transporting in a forward conveying direction a string (12) of packs, which is formed from a plurality of rows (13, 14, 15, 16) of packs (10), and for forming groups (11) of packs by pushing off the groups transversely to the string (12), said apparatus having two endless side conveyors (22, 23) disposed on opposite sides of the string (12) for applying a first conveying drive to the packs in the forward conveying direction, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

• a) inspection means (49) for inspecting the relative position of the rows (13 . . 16) that are disposed adjacent to one another, and for producing control signals indicative of said relative position;
• and
• b) a plurality of individual conveying means (28) respectively assigned to the plurality of rows (13 . . 16), wherein,
• c) for a given row (13 . . 16) that lags behind others of said rows relative to the conveying direction, and in response to said control signals from said inspection means (49), each of said individual conveying means applies an additional conveying drive to the given row (13 . . 16) until the rows are aligned relative to one another;
• wherein said individual conveying means are individually movable into and out of a driving position in response to the control signals produced by the inspection means (49):
• wherein said plurality of conveying means comprises a plurality of conveyor belts 28, and wherein the conveyor belts (28) have conveying strands (33) which are driven in the conveying direction and which contact several packs (10) of one row (13 . . 16) and apply said additional conveying drive to the packs (10) in the driving position.

An apparatus for transporting in a forward conveying direction a string (12) of packs, which is formed from a plurality of rows (13, 14, 15, 16) of packs (10), and for forming groups (11) of packs by pushing off the groups transversely to the string (12), said apparatus having two endless side conveyors (22,23) disposed on opposite sides of the string (12) for applying a first conveying drive to the packs in the forward conveying direction, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

• a) inspection means (49) for inspecting the relative position of the rows (13 . . 16) that are disposed adjacent to one another, and for producing control signals indicative of said relative position;
• and
• b) a plurality of individual conveying means (28) respectively assigned to the plurality of rows (13 . . 16), wherein,
• c) for a given row (13 . . 16) that lags behind others of said rows relative to the conveying direction, and in response to said control signals from said inspection means (49), each of said individual conveying means applies an additional conveying drive to the given row (13 . . 16) until the rows are aligned relative to one another:
• wherein said individual conveying means are individually movable into and out of a driving position in response to the control signals produced by the inspection means (49);
• wherein said plurality of conveying means comprises a plurality of conveyor belts (28), and further comprising braking means, wherein the conveyor belts (28), while being non-driven and still contacting packs (10), are braked and stopped by said braking means in order to temporarily stop transport of the pack string (12).

In an apparatus for conveying in a forward conveying direction a string (12) of packs which is formed from a plurality of rows (13, 14, 15, 16) of packs disposed above one another, the packs (10) being conveyed in a closely packed position and being aligned from row to row, and for forming pack groups (11) by pushing off the pack groups transversely to said conveying direction of the pack string (12), said apparatus having two side conveyors (22, 23), disposed in regions on opposite sides of the pack string, for applying a first conveying drive to the pack string (12) in said conveying direction, the improvement wherein:

• a) at least one sensor (49) is assigned to each row (13, 14, 15, 16) and generates a control signal indicative of the relative position of said each row relative to the other rows;
• b) two conveyor belts (28) are respectively assigned to, and disposed on opposite sides of, each row (13 to 16);
• c) said conveyor belts (28) are located outside of said regions of said side conveyors (22, 23);
• and
• d) the conveyor belts (28) are controlled by said control signal generated by said sensor (49) such that, if one row (13 to 16) lags behind the other rows with respect to said conveying direction, the conveyor belts (28) assigned to said one row apply an additional conveying drive to said one row until there is attained an alignment of the packs (10) of said one row with the packs of the other rows.