Patent ID: 6981580

Claim:
An apparatus for rotating an article, the apparatus having means arranged in a bearing plane, the article resting on these means by way of a base surface, and the rotation of the article taking place about an axis running perpendicularly to the bearing plane, wherein at least two conveyors are present, the at least two conveyors extending along a transporting direction and being spaced apart at least more or less parallel to one another, wherein the conveyors contain means for bearing the base surface of the article, wherein at least a first of the conveyors can be driven, in order for at least that region of the article which rests on the associated means to be transported in the transporting direction, this first conveyor having a transporting speed which is different from that of the other longitudinal and rotary conveyors or the other longitudinal and rotary conveyor, and wherein these means have direction-dependent coefficients of friction in respect of the bearing plane, these coefficients of friction being greater, in particular, in the transporting direction than those in a direction which is perpendicular thereto, and runs in the bearing plane, wherein each conveyor has a plurality of these means, the means being arranged individually or in groups one behind the other in the transporting direction and having rollers, and wherein the rollers are arranged individually or in groups in cages and all of the cages have axes of rotation which are arranged at least more or less perpendicularly to the transporting direction.