System for loading and unloading plates into and out of a machine processing containers

A handling system in a machine for processing containers intended to hold a food product, the system comprising:

• a plurality of support plates circulating in a closed circuit, each support plate comprising one or more housings, each housing being able to hold a container,
• a first portion, known as the working portion, in which the support plates circulate in a horizontal position along a first axial direction, with a first member for moving the support plates along the first axial direction,
• a second portion, known as the return portion, with a second moving member configured to move the support plates in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction,
• wherein the support plates circulate in the second portion in a return orientation, said return orientation being vertical or angularly less than 30° away from the vertical, and
• the handling system comprises:
• a first rotation station arranged at a first end of the handling system and
• configured, in normal operation, to pivot the support plates into the horizontal position in order to engage them in the first portion,
• a second rotation station arranged at a second end of the handling system and configured, in normal operation, to pivot the support plates into the return orientation in order to engage them in the second portion, and
• the handling system comprises at least one pallet for holding a plurality of support plates, which is configured to hold preferably all of the support plates required for the normal operation of the machine, said holding pallet cooperating with the first or the second rotation station and the second moving member to selectively either unload the support plates from the second portion onto the holding pallet or to load the support plates from the holding pallet into the second portion.