Patent ID: 7938248

Claim:
A friction conveyor system comprising a conveyor means ( 10 ) including a plurality of conveyor elements ( 16 , 18 ) arranged preferably transverse to the conveying direction ( 12 ), the conveyor elements ( 16 , 18 ) being partly driven and partly arranged for free rotation, workpiece carriers ( 30 ) adapted to be loosely placed on the conveyor means ( 10 ), and transmission elements ( 26 ) connected to the driven conveyor elements ( 18 ) and cooperating with friction regions ( 42 ) provided on the workpiece carrier ( 30 ) so as to convey the workpiece carriers ( 30 ), wherein the friction regions ( 42 ) are arranged on a friction element ( 38 ) which is movably connected to the workpiece carrier ( 30 ), the friction element ( 38 ) being connected to an actuation element ( 46 ) adapted to cause the friction region ( 42 ) of the friction element ( 38 ) to become disengaged from the transmission element ( 26 ) of the driven conveyor elements ( 18 ).