Patent ID: 8827065

Claim:
An apparatus for transporting articles, comprising: a feeding device; a buffer device having a branching device and at least two buffer sections being disposed parallel to each other relative to a transport direction; and a transporting-away device; wherein: each of said buffer sections connects said feeding device to said transporting-away device, said feeding device is configured to transport the articles to said buffer device, and said transporting-away device is configured to transport the articles away at a predetermined transporting-away speed; said branching device is configured to direct each article received at said buffer device into a respective one of said buffer sections, and said buffer sections are configured to transport each respective article to said transporting-away device; said feeding device is configured to transport the articles at a predetermined feeding speed and said transporting-away device is configured to transport the articles away at a predetermined transporting-away speed; a regulator connected to and configured to actuate said branching device and said buffer sections such that each buffer section is in at least one of the following modes: a feeding mode of said buffer section, wherein said branching device directs an article transported to said buffer device into said buffer section and said buffer section transports each article in said buffer section, in direction, to said transporting-away device at a feeding buffer speed that depends on the feeding speed; a transporting-away mode of said buffer section, wherein said buffer section transports each article in said buffer section to said transporting-away device at a transporting-away buffer speed that depends on the transporting-away speed; and said regulator further being configured to actuate each said buffer section such that: each buffer section is at any one time in at most one of the feeding or transporting away modes or a third mode; there is a gap present between an article that is farthest forward, in the transport direction, in said buffer section and said transporting-away device while the said buffer section is in the feeding mode; and said regulator switching the said buffer section into another mode in such a way that the said buffer section is in the other mode before the article that is farthest forward reaches said transporting-away device.