An end effector (10) for an industrial robot has the ability to pick up
plural objects, selectively rotate same and adjusts the spacing between
the plural objects as the products are being carried by the robot to a
desired deposit location. This functionality is achieved by locating a
rotary actuator (16) at the end (8) of a robot arm and providing a lazy
tong linkage assembly (60) to which plural product graspers (62) are
affixed where the lazy tong assembly is carried by a rotatable platform
(18) of the rotary actuator. The rotary actuator, the lazy tong assembly
and the product graspers are preferably pneumatically actuated.