Transport device comprising a branch for transporting sheets

A transport device (10) for transporting valuable documents, in particular bank notes and check forms, having pairs of belts comprising at least two endless belts and rotatable rolls to guide and to drive the belts, a transport path for the transport of one or more valuable documents being formed between the belts, and the transport direction of the valuable documents being determined by the direction of rotation of the rolls comprising:

• a. a first belt transport unit (15) comprising at least one first belt (12) and at least one second belt (14), the first belt (12) being guided by rolls (16, 18) and the second belt (14) being guided by rolls (20, 22), and a transport path for valuable documents being formed between the belts (12, 14);
• b. a second belt transport unit (5) comprising at least one first belt (26) which is guided by rolls (28, 30), and at least two second belts (32, 38), which are guided by rolls (36, 34) and rolls (40, 42), the belt (32) forming with the belt (26) a first belt transport section (33), and the belt (38) forming with the belt (26) a second belt transport section (39), and a transport path for valuable documents being formed between the belts of the first and second belt transport section (33, 39);
• c. the second belt transport unit (5) being arranged transversely with respect to the first belt transport unit (15);
• and
• d. a valuable document which is transported along the transport path of the first belt transport unit (15) in the direction of the second belt transport unit and striking the belt (26) with its leading edge being transferred into the first belt transport section (33) or the second belt transport section (39), depending on the direction of rotation of the rolls (28, 30;
• 36, 34;
• 40, 42),
• wherein an adjustable guide element (72) is provided, which can be adjusted from a neutral position, in which it has no influence on the valuable document transport, into a deflection position, in which it projects into the path of a valuable document transported in one of the sections (33, 39) of the second belt transport unit (5) in the direction of the inner end of the latter and deflects said valuable document by the leading edge into the first belt transport unit (15).