Apparatus for feeding pasta sheet into a pasta-making machine

An apparatus for cutting pasta sheet, comprising:

• at least one feed roller for feeding a strip of pasta sheet along a predetermined path,
• a punching device for operating on the strip in a stop condition to punch the strip and obtain from the strip cut pieces of pasta sheet intended to be wrapped around respective portions of filling, thereby producing respective pieces of filled pasta;
• a speed variator device for variating a feed speed of the strip, the speed variator device being interposed between the at least one feed roller and the punching device for causing, during each machine cycle of the apparatus, a variation in the feed speed of a branch of the strip positioned at the punching device which, in combination with a supply speed at which the strip is supplied by the at least one feed roller, stops the branch of the strip;
• wherein the speed variator device comprises a diverter device for the strip, for moving a portion of the strip in both directions, cyclically, transversely to the predetermined path;
• wherein the diverter device comprises a conveyor belt, looped around at least two end pulleys rotatable around respective horizontal axes, parallel with each other and perpendicular to a direction of feed of the strip, the conveyor belt comprising an upper conveyor branch extending mainly in a horizontal direction for supporting the strip;
• a first end pulley of the at least two end pulleys being a driving pulley and being associated with a motor, and a second end pulley of the at least two end pulleys being supported by a frame for oscillating in two directions about an axis of rotation of the first end pulley driven by an oscillation actuator.