deflection 17 approximately at an angle of 45 u00b0 immediately upstream of the transition into the circular path portion of the deflection 17 the opening means 40 is located beneath the circulatory gripper path u g the open product edges which are not being held slide in the first instance over a conveying belt 42 and are fanned out slightly and therefore an opening spiral 44 can engage therein and can spread the product parts 3 4 further apart from one another in this region the product stream is guided through between the laterally swung out supporting elements 22 22 u2032 arranged on either side these supporting elements are then pivoted and move in with meshing action between the product parts 3 4 for example when the associated grippers 12 reach the circular path portion of the deflection 17 since the supporting elements 22 22 u2032 are always oriented radially in the present example the leading product part 4 which rests on the supporting element 22 22 u2032 from the outside is retained in this orientation while the trailing product part 3 hangs downward under gravitational force in the immediate vicinity of the feed station 30 the supporting element 22 22 u2032 and thus the leading product part 4 are oriented in an approximately horizontal to slightly upright manner the gripper 12 is opened.