US3735977A

US3735977A - Method and apparatus for turning flat structures, especially newspapers

Info

Publication number: US3735977A
Application number: US00161704A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Reist
Original assignee: Ferag AG
Current assignee: Ferag AG
Priority date: 1970-07-16
Filing date: 1971-07-12
Publication date: 1973-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-29
Also published as: CH530926A

Abstract

A method of, and apparatus for, turning flat structures, especially newspapers, which are conveyed by a conveying mechanism, wherein each flat structure is erected in a plane which is disposed substantially transverse to the main direction of conveying of the flat structures, and then further conveying such flat structures with the lower portion thereof bearing against the conveying mechanism leading.

Description

eist 1 My 29, 1973 METHOD AND APPARATUS FUR [56] Meter-emcee Cited TURNING FLAT STRUCTURES,

UNITED STATES PATENTS ESPEQIALLY NEWSPAPERS 1 1,337,031 4/1920 Allatt ..l98/33 AD [75 1 Walt" swtzefland 1,541,651 6/1925 Matlack.... ..19s/33 AD x [73] Assignee; Ferag, Fehr 8; Rem AG, Hinwil, 3,280,995 10/1966 Barkley..... ..l98/33 AC X Switzerla d 3,360,103 12/1967 Johnson ..198/33 AD [22] Filed: July 1971 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka [21] Appl. No.: 161,704 Attorney-Brenner, OBrien & Guay [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Jul 16 1970 Switzerland lows/70 A method of, and apparatus for, turning flat strucy tures, especially newspapers, which are conveyed by a [52] U Cl. "271/75 conveying mechanism, wherein each flat structure is 51 1111. CL ..B65h 29/16 erected in a Plane which is dislmed Substantially [58'] Field 015181-11, ..-....19s/33 AC, 33 AD, transverse to the main direction of nveying 0f the 193/165; 271/75 flat structures, and then further conveying such flat structures with the lower portion thereof bearing against the conveying mechanism leading.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented May 29, 1973 3,735,977

3 Sheets-Sheet l Patented May 29, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TURNING FLAT STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY NEWSPAPERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and improved method for turning or reversing the position of flat structures, typically printed matter, especially newspapers, which are conveyed by means of a conveyor mechanism, and this invention also pertains to an improved apparatus for the performance of the aforesaid method.

The prior art is already acquainted with different techniques for turning flat structures and apparatus for carrying out such techniques. These prior art techniques and apparatuses, for instance, serve to turn newspapers which depart from a processing machine in a so-called fish scale arrangement and are delivered to a different processing machine. The expression fish scale arrangement as used in the context of this application means an arrangement of flat structures which are disposed in an overlying spread stack formation, in other words, in the manner of a fanned deck of cards.

The machinery used for producing newspapers, periodicals or the like, generally operate in such a manner that they deliver the articles to a transport or conveyor band, and further convey such articles which are arranged in the aforementioned fish scale arrangement as heretofore defined. The folded portion of a double sheet of a newspaperor the folded portion of a periodical, which hereinafter will be referred to as the fold or spine, generallyv is situated such that it at least bears against the conveyor band, and the opposite situated cut edge of the newspaper or periodical, hereinafter referred to as the open edge of the article, protrudes away from the conveyor band and thus is situated in front of the fold of the newspaper or newspapers upon the preceding articles.

This position of the pre-fabricated articles located in the fish scale arrangement in unsuitable for further processing of such articles in the next successively arranged processing machine. The inlets to the conventional processing machines generally require the. reverse position of the articles, that is to say, the fold should be disposed upwardly and in front of the open edge.

A known apparatus serving for turning newspapers consists of a number of successively arranged transport bands, the first and third of which are arranged over one another. The second transport band which is disposed inclined and is directed and driven with respect to the conveying direction of the band serves to transport the products from the first transport band to the third transport band. The higher situated end-of the second transport band is arranged at such a spacing from the discharge side of the first transport band that the articles which are lying upon the conveying run are transferred to the second transport band, and the articles are thus downwardly conveyed opposite to the direction of conveying of the first transport band. The open edge of the article, which rested at its front at the top of the preceding article at the first transport band, arrives sooner at the second'transport band, and therefore now bears against the second transport band. The fold of the article thus now extends away from the second transport band, and with respect to the entire article now is situated and'its front at the top of the preceding article. In this position, the newspapers are conveyed by the second transport band downwardly at an inclination towards the original direction of conveying of the first transport band until they are deposited at the third transport band. The thus achieved arrangement of the articles or products which are in a fish scale overlapping staggered disposition does indeed correspond to the position of the newspapers or periodicals required by the next successively arranged processing machine, but the direction of movement of such fish scale overlapping staggered arrangement is opposite to the original transport or conveying direction of the first transport band. For reasons of practicality it is cumbersome to arrange the next successively disposed processing machine beneath the first processing machine. Therefore, in this case there is required an additional device which turns through in a horizontal plane the direction of the fish scale arrangement of the articles.

This known construction of apparatus for turning newspapers exhibits a number of drawbacks. The transition of the products or articles from the first transport band to the second transport band can produce irregularities in the formation of the fish scale article arrangement, since the newspapers, during their transfer from the first to the second transport band, are not guided for a certain predetermined time. The individual pieces tend to slide during transfer against one another, which while rendering possible the desired transformation of the fish scale formation, on the other hand also produces the previously mentioned irregularities in the fish scale arrangement. Further irregularities in the already transformed fish scale arrangement can of course occur when turning its direction of conveying through 180. A further disadvantage of this known apparatus resides in the fact that the stream of products, after turning same through 180, are laterally offset with respect to the alignment or direction of extent of the first transport band. Accordingly, the next processing machine must therefore either be also correspondingly laterally offset with respect to the preceding machine or the fish scale arrangement must be aligned at the first transport band, requiring two further directional changes of the articles which are being conveyed in the fish scale formation. During suchdirectional changes disturbances with respect to the regularity of the fish scale stream can again occur.

There is also known to the art another apparatus for turning articles which likewise is equipped with a number of transport or conveyor bands, and wherein following the first-transport band there is arranged a second transport band which travels more quickly than the first transport band. Following the second transport band is a wheel or impeller having pockets. Below this pocket impeller is arranged a further, third transport band.

Between the first transport band and the second transport hand there is arranged a stop which impacts against the upper forwardly located open edge of the individual articles which are conveyed in a fish scale arrangement and thus brakes the individual articles. After more quickly removing the leading article by means of the second transport band there appears a gap beneath the article which is held by the stop. This article then drops into this gap, and as a result the article comes into operable engagement with the more quickly .running transport band, which now also quickly withdraws this article from the first transport band. This operation causes separation of the fish scale arrangement into individual newspapers which are separated or spaced from one another. The individual articles are then conveyed to the wheel or impeller which is equipped with the pockets and are introduced into these, individual pockets. The newspapers enter the pockets with the open edge leading, and specifically at the point of time when the momentary pocket is located at the top at the end of the more rapidly running transport band. After the pocketed impeller has rotated to such an extent that the pocket containing the newspaper is located downwardly yet above the beginning of the third transport band the fold is now situated in front of the open edge which at this point of time has been inserted into the pocket.

At this period of time the newspaper is ejected out of the pocket by means of a further stop and falls onto the preceding article which has already been deposited onto the third transport band. As a result at the third transport band, which travels considerably slower, there is again formed a fish scale arrangement of such newspapers, wherein the newspapers have their fold forwardly at the top. This position of the individual articles is adequate for further processing, yet the drawback of this apparatus resides in the fact that the movement of the pocket impeller must be accurately synchronized with the movement of the second transport band. Faulty synchronization causes improper introduction of the newspapers into the pocket, resulting in further drawbacks in the operation of the entire turning device.

A further prior art apparatus for turning newspapers or the like again will be seen to be equipped with a number of transport or conveyor bands. With this construction .of equipment a second transport band is arranged beneath the first transpoi't band and transverse to such first transport band. This second transport band is operatively associated and communicates with the first transport band. The spacing of these two transport bandsfrom one another approximately corresponds to the spacing of the fold from the cut or open edge of the turned article. The space between the transport bands is bridged by a sheet metal member which extends be tween these two bands, this sheet metal member being somewhat extended or elongated in the direction of the second transport band. Hence, the newspapers drop from the discharge end of the first transport band onto the starting or beginning region of the second transport band in such a manner that, supported by the aforementioned sheet metal member, they only come to bear with their cut or open edge upon the second transport band. Thus, the. newspapers while reposed upon their cut or open edges and supportedupon the somewhat inclined sheet metal member are transferred at the second transport band in a direction transverse to the original conveying direction. Since the length of the sheet metal member is somewhat shorter in the feed or conveying direction of the second transport band than the length of the second transport band itself, and specifically approximately by the width of the newspaper, the articles will drop from the second transport band behind the sheet metal member onto a further third transport band. The inclination of the aforementioned sheet metal member is selected such that the newspapers tend to tilt towards the transport direction of the first transport band. i

Now the newspapers are disposed upon the third transport band, and specifically in the desired position, that is, with the fold leading towards the top. However, here also the newspapers move once again in a direction which is opposite the desired conveying or transport direction. Therefore, they must again be turned in a horizontal plane through resulting in the already explained drawbacks. Further more, this type of hardware can only operate with relatively low conveying speeds because such speed is limited by the speed of tilting of newspapers.

There is also known to the art a further construction of equipment which is quite similar to the apparatus construction just discussed above. In order to overcome the need to turn the articles through 180 in the horizontal plane, the sheet metal member is equipped with a suitable flexed or bent-through region, causing the tilting of the newspapers towards the front into the desired conveying direction. However, here also this piece of equipment can only operate with a limited speed and still has attributed thereto the further drawback that there is required the lateral displacement or offsetting of the fish scale arrangement of the articles with respect to the original position of the transport band.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, from what has been discussed above, it will be recognized that while numerous proposals have been made in the prior art for different techniques and apparatus constructions for turning flat structures or articles, especially newspapers or the like, still none of these state-of-the-art proposals have satisfactorily coped with the problem in some of the more significant respects. Hence, it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a novel method of, and apparatus for, turning flat structures, especially newspapers or the like in a manner which is not associated with the previously explained disadvantages of the prior art proposals. 4 Still a further significant object of the present invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, turning flat articles, especially printed matter, such as newspapers, periodicals or the like, in an extremely efficient and reliable manner, affording effective handling of the articles, and proper disposition thereof following turning to facilitate further processing of such articles with a minimum of difficulty.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, and particularly to overcome to a large extent the previously explained drawbacks of the heretofore known apparatus constructions and methods proposed by the art, the invention contemplates 8 method of turning such articles in a'manner that each flat article is initially erected in a plane which is disposed transverse to the main direction of feed or I conveying of the articles, and then such article, with the lower portion bearing against the conveying device, is further conveyed so that such lower portion leads.

As already explained above, the invention is not only concerned with the novel method aspects but also with a new and improved construction of apparatus for the performance of such method. The inventive apparatus will be seen to embody a flexible conveying element which conveys the articles. According to important aspects of the invention, the flexible conveying element is guided about a deflecting support which deflects the flexible conveying element in a direction which is transverse to the main conveying or feed direction of the articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a preferred form of inventive apparatus for turning newspapers or the like;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of thezapparatus construction of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 to which there has been operatively connected a turn ing mechanism for the fish scale arrangement of articles i.e. newspapers;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic fragmentary view showing a detail of the apparatus construction of FIG. 1, wherein the support is constructed as a roller;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but this time showinga detail of the apparatus wherein the support however here is constructed in the form of a rail member;

FIG. 6 illustrates the roller construction of FIG. 4 but provided with grooves or ridges; and

FIG. 7 shows the same details of the apparatus as depicted in FIG. 6, but wherein the transport or conveyor band however is this time provided with grooves or ridges, i.e. serrations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now more particularly to a detailed discussion of the inventive aspects of this development, it is to be understood that the essence of the method as pects of this invention for turning or reversing flat structures, especially newspapers, resides in the features that the structure which is conveyed by a conveying mechanism or device is elevationally erectedin plane which is disposed transverse to the main direction of conveyingand the edge of the structure or article which up to that time was trailing, and owing to the inherent weight of thestructure itself it is pressed against the conveying mechanism, is entrained by the moving transport band. From this point on the aforementioned edge becomes the-leading edge of the structure or article. This flat article then again comes to bear with its entire surface upon the conveying mechanism and is further transported.

This method can basically be carried out in two ways gal force as well as by virtue of their own stiffness of rigidity, these articlesascend further past and over the apex or crown of the wave, even through the transport band itself again descends behind the crown of such wave. The trailing edge of the article, however, always remains in contact with the transport band, and therefore it is transferred over the crown of the wave or undulation. Then from this elevationally erected position the article slides downwardly along the other side of the wave and finally again assumes the horizontal position which it previously enjoyed.

However, it would be conceivable to carry out a turning or reversing of these articles in a different manner. It is possible to design the speed of movement of a conventionally constructed transport band of a conveying mechanism as well as the direction and the position of the articles delivered to this transport band in such a manner that only the trailing edge of the article is engaged by the frictional or grippable surface of the transport band and the front edge remains somewhat above the band. The trailing edge, entrained by the transport band, travels beneath the edge of the article which is still disposed above the transport band and has now been elevationally erected or tilted, so that the article can be transferred through the elevationally erected position again into the reversed horizontal position.

Now, with the benefit of the foregoing discussions attention is invited to FIG. 1 illustrating an apparatus designed according to the teachings of this invention and serving for reversing or turning flat articles. As a matter of convenience in the presentation of the discussion of this invention, it will be assumed that the articles in question are newspapers. It'will be seen that the apparatus embodies a transport band 1 which is guided over two rollers 2 and 3 and a support 4. This support 4, which if desired can likewise be constituted by a rotatably mounted roller, is arranged outside of the linear path between the rollers 2 and 3, and specifically support 4 is situated in such a manner that the run of the transport band I which is transporting the flat articles at any instant of time fonns an undulation or wave, generally indicated by reference character 50. The newspapers 32 are delivered from anysuitable and therefore non-illustrated processing machine arranged ahead of the inventive apparatus and transferred to the transport band 1 and the latter brings such transferred newspaper into the so-called turning or reversing station where the newspaper is raised up to the crown of the aforementioned wave or undulation 50 to such an extent that such newspaper only now bears with its edge, which up to this time was the rear edge, upon the transporting surface of the band 1 and remains erected or standing thereat. This edge of the newspaper which is now the lower edge, pressed by the weight of the newspaper itself against the transport band 1, is entrained by such transport band at the reversing station at the turning point of the support 4, so that the newspaper is further conveyed out of this reversing station with this edge now leading.

In order to ensure this operation, further measures are provided at the above-discussed apparatus. It will be seen that drum members 5 are provided which bear at both sides of the lower portion of the wave or undulation 50 formed by the transport band 1. The newspapers 32 are guided between the band 1 and the drum members 5, and therefore are controllably conveyed upwardly into the reversing station and similarly out of thereversing station back into the original conveying direction.

Apart from the foregoing structure it will be recognized that guide rails 6 and 7 are arranged along and to both sides of the curved portions of the conveying path.

These guide rails 6 and 7 ensure for the correct guiding of the stream of newspapers at that location where the width of the newspapers exceeds the width of the conveyor band 1 and the drum members 5. The first guide rails 6 are disposed partially somewhat also beneath the horizontally directed portion of the conveying run of the transport band 1, whereas the second guide rails 7 exceed the height of the wave or undulation 50 formed, as previously explained, by the transport band 1, so that these guide rails engage into the region of the reversing or turning station.

In order to ensure the position of the newspapers 32 or their components which are located at the reversing station, there is advantageously provided a set of holding rails 8. These holding rails 8 are pivotably connected at one end to a common carrier 9 and the other end, in each instance, is flexed or bent away from the transport band 1, as shown, and arranged at a spacing to both sides of the support 4. All of these

rails

6 and 7 and 8 should be either fixedly mounted or suspended so as to be movable under the action of spring pressure. Further, above the crown or apex of the wave 50 there are arranged stops 10, the spacing of such stops 10 from the aforementioned crown or apex being adjusted to correspond to the length of a copy of newspaper as measured in the direction of conveying. These stops 10 prevent undesirable detachment of the lower edge of the newspaper from the transport band 1. Any detachment of the mentioned end of such newspaper could bring about a delay or retardation of the newspaper at the reversing station which might be damaging for the proper overall operation of the total installation, and such could impair the uniformity of the fish scale staggered overlying relationship of the newspapers. Further, stops 10 are equipped with pins 11 which are attached through the agency of the supports 12 likewise to the carrier 9.

In order to ensure that the conveying of the newspaper copies proceeds reliably to both sides of the supporting roll or support 4, and for the purpose of preventing any possible sliding of the individual copies of the newspaper at the fish scale stream or arrangement of such newspapers, there are advantageously arranged to both sides of the support roll 4 the counter-pressure rolls 13 and 14.

The pressure rolls 13 disposed at the infeed side of the reversing station are each mounted at one end of an angle lever 15, the other end of this angle lever 15 being hingedly connected to the carrier or support 9. In order to obtain the required counter pressure of the rollers 13 against the transport band 1, each such angle lever 15 is operatively connected through the agency of a first transverse rod 16, a tension spring 17 and via a second rod 18, to the frame unit 19 of the apparatus. The tension spring 17 generates an adjustable counterpressure of the aforementioned rollers 13 against the transport band 1.

The pressure rollers 14 bear against the transport band 1 at the outlet or outfeed side of the reversing station and, in turn, are each mounted at a respective lever 20. These levers 20 are likewise articulated withthe carrier or support 9. The transport band rollers 2 and 3 are rotatably mounted at a

respective arm

21, 22,

'these arms being hingedly connected at one end with the frame 19. There are also provided pressure springs 23 and 24 which, as best seen by referring to FIG. 1, are supported at one end against the respective supports 25 and 26 and, at the other end of such springs 23 and 24 these springs bear against the

arms

21 and 22 to displace such away from one another in such a manner that the transport band I trained about the rollers 2 and 3 will be maintained in a tensioned condition. One of these rollers, for instance the right-hand situated roller 3 of the arrangement of FIG. 1 can be driven through the agency of a belt 27 from a suitable drive unit. This drive unit can, in the exemplary embodiment under consideration, consist of an electric motor 28 and a transmission 29 of standard design.

The frame unit or frame 19 is equipped with wheels 30, so that the entire construction can be assembled together as a building block or module with other transport devices or processing machines to form a processing or production line.

One such production or processing line has been schematically illustrated in FIG. 3, and specifically wherein the just described apparatus has connected following thereto a further apparatus for turning the fish scale article stream about its lengthwise axis. Arranged ahead of or upstream of the above-discussed fish scale stream turning device is a conveyor band 31 which transports the newspapers in this fish scale arrangement, in other words in the staggered overlying stack arrangement from a non-illustrated machine into the operating confines of the turning device. As will be clearly seen by referring to FIG. 3, the individual newspapers are reposed upon the conveyor band 31 by means of their spines or rear edge and their so-called open or cut edge is directed forwardly away from the conveyor band 31. At the considered reversing station of the successively arranged turning mechanism the newspapers are turned in the previously described manner in such a way that the newspapers now have their fold or spine portion disposed forwardly at the transport band 1. However, the fold of each newspaper, for the further processing of the newspaper should be situated forwardly towards the top. Now, for properly turning each such newspaper each newspaper is engaged by a suitable schematically illustrated gripper means provided at the transport band of the turning mechanism and is turned through along the conveying path of the transport band. Now, as clearly seen at the right of FIG. 3, the cut or open edge of each of these newspapers is located in trailing fashion at the lowermost position of the transport band, indicated generally by reference character 100, and such newspapers can then be properly further processed in a next successively arranged processing machine.

FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of the reversing or turning station. From this Figure it will be seen how the individual newspapers arrive at the reversing or turning station, the manner in which the fold of the newspaper is supported upon the crown or apex of the wave 50 formed by the transport band 1, and how the newspapers leave such reversing station with their fold leading. The second counter-pressure roller 14 is elevationally adjustably mounted at the lever 20, rendering possible an adjustment of the desired discharge conditions.

In FIG. 5 there is illustrated an embodiment of the turning or reversing device for the fish scale arrangement of the newspapers, wherein here the deflecting support 4 entrained by the transport band 1 is designed as a rail member 33 having a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration. The transport band is guided about a rounded edge of this rail member 33.

The other elements of the illustrated turning station correspond to the components previously described.

In certain situations the transfer of the newspapers over the crown of the support 4 at the reversing or turning station can cause difficulties. This can occur in those instances where the individual articles or newspapers are somewhat stiffer or more rigid, so that the resistance governed by the inherent stiffness of each newspaper copy is greater than the friction between the fold or back of the newspaper and the transport band 1. This fold or back, instead of being transferred forwardly by the transport band, will slide at the crown of the undulation or wave over the transport band and the newspaper copy cannot be guided out of the reversing station. This drawback can be essentially overcome in two different ways. It is possible to either provide the support roller 4 with longitudinal ridges or grooves 60 (FIG. 6) at the portions which extend past the width of the transport band I, or the transport band 1 itself can be provided with ridges or serrations 61, as best seen by referring to FIG. 7. Then, the fold or back of the newspapers will be in engagement with the aforementioned grooves 60 or 61, so that there is effectively prevented sliding of the newspapers at the location of the reversing or turning station. When using the transport band of FIG. 7 which is equipped with the grooves or ridges 61 there is also improved the guiding of the individual newspapers at the sides of the wave or undulation, as such can be understood by referring to FIG. 7. While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is v 1. An apparatus for turning flat structures, especially newspapers or the like, comprising a flexible conveyor element for conveying the flat structures essentially in a main conveying direction, a deflecting support about which is guided said flexible conveying element in such a manner that said flexible conveying element is deflected in a direction transverse to the main conveying direction, and holding rail means arranged adjacent one another above said deflecting support, said holding rail-means having free ends which are disposed at a spacing to both sides of said deflecting support.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor element has a conveying surface, a respective drum member bearing against the conveying surface of the conveyor element to both sides of said deflecting support at those regions where said conveyor element is deflected out of the main conveying direction.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor element has a conveying surface, pressure roll means bearing against the conveying surface of said conveyor element at the region of the infeed location of the conveyor element to said deflecting support.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor element possesses a conveying surface, and pressure roll means bearing against the conveying surface of said conveyor element at the region of the outfeed location of the conveyor element from the deflecting support.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said deflecting support comprises a rotatably mounted roller.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said deflecting support comprises a rail member possessing a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration, said conveyor element being guided about one edge of said rail member.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor element possesses a conveying surface having a serrated conveying surface extending transverse to the direction of travel of the conveyor element.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said deflecting support comprises a roller equipped with ridges.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including stop means arranged between said holding rail means above said deflecting support, said stop means being adjustably spaced from the surface of the conveyor element guided about said deflecting support by an amount corresponding to the dimension of a flat structure measured in the conveying direction.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a conveying band arranged after said conveyor element, said conveying band being equipped with gripper means, and the run of said conveying band destined to convey the flat structures being turned through

Claims

1. An apparatus for turning flat structures, especially newspapers or the like, comprising a flexible conveyor element for conveying the flat structures essentially in a main conveying direction, a deflecting support about which is guided said flexible conveying element in such a manner that said flexible conveying element is deflected in a direction transverse to the main conveying direction, and holding rail means arranged adjacent one another above said deflecting support, said holding rail means having free ends which are disposed at a spacing to both sides of said deflecting support.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a conveying band arranged after said conveyor element, said conveying band being equipped with gripper means, and the run of said conveying band destined to convey the flat structures being turned through 180*.