Apparatus for feeding products, such as cards and product samples, to a further processing point

An apparatus for feeding products from a stack to a processing point comprising:

• a magazine device having at least two magazine compartments, each for receiving a stack of products, and
• a conveying device extending serially across each of said at least two magazine compartments and to a further processing point, wherein said conveying device includes a plurality of grippers which are arranged one behind the other on a drawing member which is driven in a conveying direction between said magazine device and said further processing point, and wherein each of said grippers has a gripper mouth which is movable between open and closed positions, and means for effecting individual movement of said grippers between said open and closed positions, and
• a transporting member assigned to each of said at least two magazine compartments wherein each of said transporting members is movable from a receiving position located adjacent its assigned magazine compartment to a transfer position located proximate the path of movement of said grippers and back to said receiving position and wherein each of said transporting members is capable of removing a product from said stack of products placed in its assigned magazine compartment and transporting said product from said receiving position to said transfer position and then releasing said product to one of said plurality of grippers, and
• pushing means assigned to each of said at least two magazine compartment for pushing stacks of products placed in said magazine compartments in a direction towards said conveying device, and
• control means for selectively operating said transporting member of each of said at least two magazine compartments so as to selectively
• (1) serially remove products from one of said at least two magazine compartments and deliver the removed products to successive grippers of said conveying device, and
• (2) serially remove products from another one of said at least two magazine compartments and deliver the removed products to successive grippers of said convey device,
• whereby an interruption of the delivery of the products to the grippers of said conveying device may be avoided during periodic filling of the magazine compartments.