Gripper apparatus comprising: - a gripper frame and a gripper beak including at least one moveable gripper jaw , the gripper beak having an open position and a closed position, wherein the at least one moveable gripper jaw is moveable in a direction with a horizontal component; - a jaw actuation mechanism for selectively actuating the gripper beak to its open position or its closed position; - a clamping force generator biased to exert a clamping force on the gripper beak urging the gripper beak towards its closed position; - a transmission mechanism comprising an input member that is vertically displaceable with respect to the gripper frame , wherein the transmission mechanism engages the jaw actuation mechanism such that a high position of the input member corresponds to the closed position of the gripper beak while a downward displacement of the input member corresponds to a transition of the gripper beak to its open position; - a carrier coupling device for coupling with a carrier device, which carrier coupling device , with respect to the gripper frame , is vertically displaceable between two extreme positions, i.e. an upper lifting position in which the carrier coupling device is in lifting-force transferring engagement with the gripper frame , and a lower rest position; wherein the carrier coupling device in its lower rest position presses down on the input member of the transmission mechanism ; - a latch mechanism coupled to a component of the transmission mechanism or to a component of the jaw actuation mechanism , the latch mechanism having a release state in which the transmission mechanism and the jaw actuation mechanism can move freely, and having a lock state in which the transmission mechanism and the jaw actuation mechanism are prevented from moving from the open position of the gripper beak to the closed position of the gripper beak , for holding the gripper beak in its open position. - a gripper frame and a gripper beak including at least one moveable gripper jaw , the gripper beak having an open position and a closed position, wherein the at least one moveable gripper jaw is moveable in a direction with a horizontal component; - a jaw actuation mechanism for selectively actuating the gripper beak to its open position or its closed position; - a clamping force generator biased to exert a clamping force on the gripper beak urging the gripper beak towards its closed position; - a transmission mechanism comprising an input member that is vertically displaceable with respect to the gripper frame , wherein the transmission mechanism engages the jaw actuation mechanism such that a high position of the input member corresponds to the closed position of the gripper beak while a downward displacement of the input member corresponds to a transition of the gripper beak to its open position; - a carrier coupling device for coupling with a carrier device, which carrier coupling device , with respect to the gripper frame , is vertically displaceable between two extreme positions, i.e. an upper lifting position in which the carrier coupling device is in lifting-force transferring engagement with the gripper frame , and a lower rest position; wherein the carrier coupling device in its lower rest position presses down on the input member of the transmission mechanism ; - a latch mechanism coupled to a component of the transmission mechanism or to a component of the jaw actuation mechanism , the latch mechanism having a release state in which the transmission mechanism and the jaw actuation mechanism can move freely, and having a lock state in which the transmission mechanism and the jaw actuation mechanism are prevented from moving from the open position of the gripper beak to the closed position of the gripper beak , for holding the gripper beak in its open position. <EOS>