Cartoning machine

A cartoning machine comprising:

• a store unit configured for storing a stack of cardboard blanks;
• an unfolding station, in which the cardboard blanks are shaped into an open box;
• a product feeding station, into which products destined to be packaged in the boxes obtained from the cardboard blanks are fed;
• an insertion station, in which the products are inserted into the open boxes;
• an exit station for the packages consisting of boxes with the products inside them;
• wherein arranged and acting between the store unit and the unfolding station, is a picking up means configured for picking up the individual cardboard blanks from the store unit by moving them along a predefined picking up direction, a conveyor for conveying the individual cardboard blanks to the unfolding station, and a transfer means for transferring the individual cardboard blanks between the store unit and the conveyor;
• and wherein
• said transfer means comprise a dragging unit and a collection compartment, the dragging unit arranged downstream of said picking up means with respect to the picking up direction and the collection compartment for the cardboard blanks arranged below the dragging unit from which it receives the cardboard blanks coming from the store unit, the collection compartment being provided with unloading means adapted to unload one cardboard blank at a time onto the conveyor;
• said dragging unit comprises an active zone in which engagement means are arranged to engage the cardboard blanks and move them along said picking up direction of the cardboard blanks, said engagement means being selectively activated and deactivated along said picking up direction, such that extension of the active zone is adjustable according to the size of the cardboard blanks;
• and
• the cardboard blanks collection compartment arranged below the dragging unit is formed by a containment structure with a front wall and a rear wall whose positions are both adjustable with respect to said picking up direction both towards and away in relation to the store unit.