Device for feeding carton stacks

A method for feeding stacks of standing flat-folded cartons by a feeding device from an infeed region of the feeding device to a receiving station where the stacks are merged, wherein the feeding device is adapted to convey stacks having different lengths, and wherein the stacks are conveyed by a conveyor track comprising a plurality of teeth, comprising:

• determining the length of a stack of flat-folded cartons that is to be conveyed by the feeding device and save the length in a control unit;
• setting a selected number of teeth to an erected position in dependency of the determined length of the stack of flat-folded cartons;
• inserting a stack of flat-folded cartons between the teeth at the infeed region,
• holding the teeth in the selected position by a guide track arranged along a bearing plane of the conveyor track;
• releasing the teeth from the selected position at an end region of the feeding device, such that the teeth are unsupported by a guide track, and such that the teeth are supported by the stacks of flat-folded cartons;
• withdrawing the teeth in a vertical orientation;
• and
• merging the stack with previous stacks at an outfeed region of the feeding device;
• wherein all teeth are set to an erected position in a return path of the feeding device, and a selected number of teeth are set to a folded position by a switch.