Apparatus for transporting articles, in particular packaging means

1. An apparatus for transporting articles, comprising

a circulating conveying route ( 3 ), and

a multiplicity of conveying devices ( 40 ), which circulate on the conveying route ( 3 ) along a running direction,

wherein each conveying device ( 40 ) comprises a first conveying element ( 4 ) and a second conveying element ( 5 ),

wherein the first conveying element ( 4 ) and the second conveying element ( 5 ) in each conveying device ( 40 ) are separately spaced from one another and are driven individually and independently of one another, such that a spacing between the first conveying element ( 4 ) and the second conveying element ( 5 ) as measured along the running direction is adjustable,

wherein the conveying elements ( 4 , 5 ) are configured to transport an article ( 2 ) together, and

wherein the first conveying element ( 4 ) and the second conveying element ( 5 ) of each conveying device ( 40 ) each have a handling device, wherein the handling device of the first conveying element ( 4 ) differs from the handling device of the second conveying element.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the conveying elements ( 4 , 5 ) are driven independently of one another by linear drives.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the circulating conveying route ( 3 ) is arranged vertically.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that the articles ( 2 ) are transported on a lower-strand region ( 31 ) of the conveying route ( 3 ).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the handling device of the first conveying element ( 4 ) is an erecting device for erecting a collapsed packaging means.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the handling device of the second conveying element ( 5 ) is a retaining device for retaining a packaging means.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , characterized in that the erecting device is a pivotable lever ( 6 ).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that arranged beneath the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) is a packaging-means module with a packaging-means store ( 20 ).

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) has arranged to a side thereof a loading module ( 13 ) for laterally loading a packaging means ( 2 ) conveyed on the conveying route ( 3 ).

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the articles which are to be transported are packaging means.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the apparatus is a cartoning apparatus.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that arranged beneath the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) is a closure module ( 14 ) for closing packaging means.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that arranged beneath the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) is an identifying module ( 12 ) for providing packaging means with identification.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that arranged beneath the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) is a weighing module for weighing empty and/or loaded packaging means.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that arranged beneath the vertically arranged conveying route ( 3 ) are a packaging-means module with a packaging-means store ( 20 ), a closure module ( 14 ) for closing packaging means, an identifying module ( 12 ) for providing packaging means with identification and a weighing module for weighing empty and/or loaded packaging means.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the articles which are to be transported are cartons.