Apparatus for transferring at a predetermined spacing on to a reception conveyor objects fed at an irregular spacing from a delivery conveyor

An apparatus for transferring at a predetermined spacing on to a reception conveyor objects fed at an irregular spacing from a delivery conveyor driven with continuous motion, consisting of a transfer conveyor which moves with continuous motion and at a speed different from that of the delivery conveyor from the delivery conveyor to the reception conveyor and comprises a first portion parallel to the delivery conveyor and a second portion parallel to the reception conveyor, object take-up suckers disposed at regular distances apart on the transfer conveyor for transferring the objects from the delivery conveyor and for depositing them at regular distances on the reception conveyor, and at least one sensor stationarily disposed in front of the first portion of the transfer conveyor and sensing the position of the objects on the delivery conveyor, characterized in that a valve is associated with each sucker and arranged to assume two stable positions relative thereto, namely a position of activation and a position of deactivation of the sucker, at least two control devices disposed in a fixed position along the first portion of the transfer conveyor and which by means of a selective control by the sensor assume a position of engagement with the sucker valves to move them into the activation position, and a further control device disposed in a fixed position on the second portion of the transfer conveyor such as to be able to engage with the sucker valves to move them into the deactivation position.