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 units, each of said magazine units having a plurality of magazine compartments for receiving a stack of products and with the magazine units each being mounted on a base which is rotatable about an axis of rotation so that said magazine compartments each can be rotated between a working position and a filling position, and
• a conveying device extending serially across each of said magazine compartments of said at least two magazine units which are located at said working position 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 magazine compartments of said at least two magazine units which are located at said working position and 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,
• pushing means assigned to each of said magazine compartments of said at least two magazine units which are located at said working position and for pushing stacks of products placed in said magazine compartments in a direction towards said conveying device, and
• control means for selectively operating each of said transporting members so as to continuously deliver products to the conveying device from said magazine compartments located at their respective working positions and without interruption.