conveyor 17 it is also the case that the conveying belts of the belt conveyors 18 and 19 are guided around deflecting drums 27 and 28 respectively of which at least one can be driven narrow gap clearances forming a transverse folding gap 29 or 30 for the respective transverse folding station 13 or 14 are formed between the downwardly directed second portion of the upper strand 22 of the belt conveyor 17 and those ends of the belt conveyors 18 and 19 which are directed towards said second portion the transverse folding station 15 is formed differently to be precise by the belt conveyor 20 which is provided beneath a deflecting drum 24 defining the end of the upper strand 22 of the belt conveyor 17 a transverse folding gap 32 of the third transverse folding station 15 is formed between the lower deflecting drum 24 at the end of the upper strand 22 of the belt conveyor 17 and an upper strand 31 of the belt conveyor 20 the deflecting drum 24 at the lower end of the upper strand 22 of the belt conveyor 17 is assigned a directing drum 33 the latter can be driven in rotation preferably individually but may also be of drive free design the directing drum 33 is located opposite the deflecting drum 24 at the end of the upper strand 22 and forms a through passage gap 34 in relation to the end of the upper strand 22 of the belt conveyor 17 the belt conveyor 21 which serves for transporting away folded items of laundry 10 follows an end of the belt conveyor 20 which is directed away from the trough mangle 11 and is intended for forming part of the third.