Patent ID: 7014033

Claim:
Production line ( 1 ) for assembling or processing components transported on a workpiece holder ( 2 ), incorporating several conveyor sections ( 5 , 6 a , 6 b , 6 c ) arranged one after the other in a feed direction ( 16 ) of the workpiece holder ( 2 ), each of which has at least one separate forward feed mechanism ( 15 , 51 ) which is independent of the adjacent conveyor sections ( 5 , 6 a , 6 b , 6 c ), and at least two oppositely lying guide tracks ( 20 ) spaced at a distance apart from one another and disposed transversely to the feed direction ( 16 ), along which the workpiece holder ( 2 ) is guided by guide elements ( 106 ) disposed at its oppositely lying sides, and is displaceable by means of the respective forward feed mechanism ( 15 , 51 ), wherein the guide elements ( 106 ) or the guide tracks ( 20 ) form a groove-shaped recess ( 108 ) and the guide elements ( 106 ) on the workpiece holder ( 2 ) have a cross-sectional shape complementing the recess ( 108 ) in the guide tracks ( 20 ), or the guide tracks ( 20 ) have guide surfaces ( 110 ) in at least certain regions which complement the recess ( 108 ), and the workpiece holder ( 2 ) with its drive means ( 149 ) engages in a form lock in a belt-type drive element ( 17 , 47 ) of the forward feed mechanism ( 15 , 51 ) and is drivingly linked to the drive element ( 17 , 47 ) and is guided along the guide tracks ( 20 ) in a direction perpendicular to and parallel with the transport plane ( 19 ) and, in at least one of the conveyor sections ( 6 a ; 6 c ), a pair of guide tracks ( 20 ) lying opposite one another in the feed direction ( 16 ) can be raised by means of an adjusting mechanism ( 31 ) from a non-operating position outside a structure gage of the workpiece holder ( 2 ) into a position located above the transport plane ( 19 ) and can be displaced respectively in the same direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the guide track ( 20 ) into an engaged position so that the guide tracks ( 20 ) mutually engage with the guide elements ( 106 ).