Patent ID: 6976675

Claim:
An installation for transforming a supply stream ( 1 ) of flat articles ( 8 ) into an imbricated stream ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) with a selectable article arrangement, the installation comprising: supply means ( 10 ) for supplying the flat articles ( 8 ) each held individually at an upper edge substantially transverse to a conveying direction, said supply means including grippers ( 11 ); and, conveying-away means ( 12 ) for conveying-away the imbricated stream ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ), said conveying-away means including a conveying surface ( 13 ); wherein, at a first and a second depositing point (I, II), the conveying surface ( 13 ) is arranged underneath the grippers ( 11 , 11 ′) and is driven in the same direction as the grippers; wherein at the first and the second depositing point (I, II), said installation includes means ( 15 ) for selectively de-activating the grippers ( 11 , 11 ′) and means for displacing the lower edges of the articles ( 8 ) held by the grippers ( 11 , 11 ′) into a leading or a trailing position relative to the held edges, and wherein, said installation includes means for rotating the articles by 180° around the conveying direction, said means for rotating either being located upstream of the first deposition point and equipped for rotating articles to be deposited at the first deposition point or being located downstream of the first deposition point and equipped for rotating articles deposited at the first deposition point.