An apparatus for conveying sheet-type flat items to a sheet-collecting location includes at least one lower belt conveyor and one upper belt conveyor arranged above the lower belt conveyor. A first operating mechanism is arranged to move the upper belt conveyor relative to the lower belt conveyor between (1) a lower position in which the upper belt conveyor is in an operating position adjacent to the lower belt conveyor and comes in contact with the flat items positioned on the lower belt conveyor and (2) a raised upper position in which the upper belt conveyor has a segment positioned at such a distance to the lower belt conveyor as to be out of contact with the flat items positioned on the lower belt conveyor.