Transfer of products between a transit zone and a collecting surface

A method for supplying products (2) to a collecting surface (3) installed between two workstations of an industrial processing line for the in-line processing of products (2), from an entry transit zone (4) supplied with products (2) continuously by an entry conveyor (11), said transit zone (4) comprising at least one inner longitudinal conveyor (5) and one outer longitudinal conveyor (6) which are spaced away from a slider bed (7) and each intended to transport a file of products (2), the transit zone (4) running alongside the collecting surface (3) in the region of the inner longitudinal conveyor (5), comprising at least the cyclic repetition of the following succession of steps:

• a) feeding the outer conveyor (6) with products,
• b) stopping the products on the outer conveyor (6), halting the feeding of the outer conveyor (6) with products (2) and feeding the inner conveyor (5) with products (2),
• c) transversely pushing the products (2) from the outer conveyor (6) onto the slider bed (7),
• d) stopping the products on the inner conveyor (5), halting the feeding of the inner conveyor (5) with products (2) and feeding the outer conveyor (6) with products (2), and
• e) transversely pushing the products (2) from the inner conveyor (5) and from the slider bed (7) onto the collecting surface (3);
• wherein steps c) and e) are formed using the one same transfer tool (8) comprising at least three longitudinal vertical walls (9), and in that step c) is performed using a movement of at least one wall (9) of the transfer tool (8) within said tool (8).

A method for removing products (2) arranged in longitudinal rows (10) side by side on a collecting surface (3) installed between two workstations of an industrial processing line for in-line processing of products (2), to an exit transit zone (4′) so as to remove products (2) continuously onto an exit conveyor (12), said transit zone (4′) comprising at least one inner longitudinal conveyor (5′) and an outer longitudinal conveyor (6′) which are spaced away from a slider bed (7′) and each intended to transport one file of products (2), the transit zone (4′) running alongside the collecting surface (3) in the region of the inner longitudinal conveyor (5′), comprising at least the cyclic repetition of the following succession of steps:

• a) pushing the rows (10) of products (2) transversely from the collecting surface (3) onto the inner conveyor (5′) and the slider bed (7′);
• b) actuating the inner conveyor (5′) to release the products (2) thereon onto the exit conveyor (12);
• c) pushing the products (2) transversely from the slider bed (7′) onto the outer conveyor (6′);
• d) actuating the outer conveyor (6′) to release the products (2) onto the exit conveyor (12) and stopping the inner conveyor (5′);
• steps a) and c) being formed using the one same transfer tool (8) comprising at least three longitudinal vertical walls (9);
• wherein step c) is performed at least using a movement of at least one wall (9) of the transfer tool (8) within said tool (8), inside and with respect to the tool (8) such that the at least one wall (9) at least partially performs the transfer of the products.