Patent ID: 8419342

Claim:
A device to transfer product stacks, comprising: a discharge station at which product stacks are present; a receiver station to which said product stacks are to be transferred; a transport device operable to move said product stacks from said discharge station to said receiver station; a transfer device comprising a transfer device housing having a connection element configured to connect said transfer device to said transport device; said transfer device housing comprising a plurality of receiver regions each configured to receive a product stack therein, each receiver region being bounded by guide elements forming components of said transfer device housing, each guide element comprising a spring-loaded closure element, and each of said receiver regions comprising a plate that is movable by spring loading, along a direction of the guide elements in the receiver region, on the closure elements in the receiver region; and said receiver station comprising release elements that engage said closure elements upon said transfer device arriving at said receiver station, to allow said product stacks to remain at said receiver station after said transfer device is removed from said receiver station each release element being operable by a slider engageable with one of said plates, said slider being pneumatically or electrically driven at said receiver station.