Apparatus for the transfer of articles between two machines

An apparatus for transferring solid articles of identical size and shape without changing their position or spacing relative to each other, the articles being discharged from an upstream machine at a first constant speed to a downstream machine having a second speed which can differ from said first speed, said apparatus comprising a first linear endless conveyor arranged approximately horizontally and driven in the same direction and at the same speed as an inlet conveyor fed by the upstream machine, a second linear endless conveyor driven by variable speed means arranged approximately horizontal and parallel to and in substantially the same plane as the first linear conveyor, said second linear conveyor being driven in the same direction and at the same speed as an outlet conveyor feeding the downstream machine, the first and second linear conveyors being driven for translation in opposite directions, interchange means for bringing said first and second linear conveyors into communication with each other, said interchange means lying close to the same plane as the said first and second linear conveyors, said first and second linear conveyors extending substantially tangentially to said interchange means, said interchange means defining an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to said plane, said interchange means being mounted for translatory movement parallel to said first and second linear conveyors, and controlled by the relationship in speeds between said first and second linear conveyors, said interchange means being driven at a translatory speed equal to one-half the difference between the displacement speeds of said first and second conveyors, and said interchange means being rotationally driven at a speed such that the tangential speed of the articles conveyed by said interchange means is equal to one-half the sum of the displacement speeds of said first and second conveyors.