Patent ID: 7222722

Claim:
An apparatus for conveying objects generally transversely to a direction of initial delivery, the apparatus comprising: two conveying arrangements which can move independently of one another; the two conveying arrangements being arranged opposite one another to form a dividing gap; each of the two conveying arrangements comprising a transport region and a return region; a first set of deflecting rollers for guiding, tensioning and equalizing one of the two conveying arrangements and a second set of deflecting rollers for guiding, tensioning and equalizing another of the two conveying arrangements; a sliding mechanism which can be positioned to at least one of adjust a length of the transport regions and adjust a length of the return regions; and an equalizing mechanism which can be positioned to at least one of compensate for the change in the return regions and compensate for the change in the transport regions, wherein the sliding mechanism and the equalizing mechanism comprise separate mechanisms, and wherein the two conveying arrangements are structured and arranged to move in opposite directions so that the objects can move in opposite conveying directions.