Fördervorrichtung und Verfahren für eine Produktionslinie

A conveying system in a production line for conveying a plurality of objects includes a conveying route. The conveying route comprises first rails and second rails, extending in the different directions and intersecting each other. Each object has a driven portion including a moveable section pivotably supported on the object. The conveying system includes a plurality of conveying units. A first conveying unit has a mechanism for advancing rollers, which are pressed against the driven portion of an object, toward an intersection, when the object travelling on the first rails nears an intersection, and for retracting the rollers from the driven portion when the object enters the intersection. A second conveying unit has a mechanism for advancing the rollers toward the intersection when the object is in the intersection, and for advancing the rollers away from the intersection toward a third conveying unit when both rollers are pressed against the driven portion of the object in the intersection. The intersection has a mechanism for turning the movable section from extending in the direction of the first rails to extending in the direction of the second rails for changing the conveying direction of the object.