Method and device for forming groups of flat products, in particular biscuits, for supply to a packing line
AssigneeAzionaria Construzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.
InventorsMario Spatafora, Giulio Strazzari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and device for forming groups of flat products, in particular biscuits, for supply to a wrapping line, whereby the products, on a supporting surface, are withdrawn by a conveyor unit and transferred onto a pocket conveyor in a sequence having a series of gaps between adjacent products. Each pocket on the conveyor being designed to receive a respective group of products, and being defined by two projections, each of which travels in time with a respective gap through a loading station where the products are loaded onto the pocket conveyor.
Claims9
A method of forming groups of flat products, particularly biscuits, for supply to a wrapping line, said method comprising the steps of:
- feeding the products, contacting one another, in a given direction along a supporting surface;
- and
- transferring the products, by means of a conveyor unit, from said supporting surface onto an output conveyor for forming the products into groups to supply said wrapping line;
- wherein said transferring step comprises the step of:
- feeding the products onto the output conveyor in a sequence presenting a series of gaps between adjacent products, by means of said conveyor unit which comprises a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged in series between said supporting surface and said output conveyor;
- wherein:
- the first conveyor is driven at a first speed for successfully withdrawing the products from the supporting surface;
- the second conveyor is driven at a second speed greater than the first speed for spacing the products and forming said gaps;
- and
- the output conveyor defines a series of pockets each of which is designed to receive a number of said products to form one of said groups, each of said pockets being defined by two projections, each traveling in time with a respective one of said gaps through a loading station wherein the products are loaded onto the output conveyor.
A device for forming groups of flat products, in particular biscuits, for supply to a wrapping line, said device comprising:
- a supporting surface along which the products are fed, contacting one another, in a given direction;
- an output conveyor for forming the products into groups and supplying said wrapping line;
- a loading station for loading the products onto the output conveyor;
- and
- a conveyor unit for transferring the products from said support surface to said loading station;
- wherein:
- said conveyor unit comprises gap forming means for feeding the products to said loading station in a sequence presenting a series of gaps between adjacent products, said gap forming means comprising timing means for withdrawing said products in an orderly sequence from said supporting surface, and spacing means for receiving said orderly sequence and for evenly spacing the products thereof so as to form said gap between each pair of adjacent products;
- the output conveyor comprises a series of pockets, each designed to receive a number of products forming one of said groups, and each defined by two projections;
- and
- first drive means are provided for feeding each of said projections through said loading station in time with a respective one of said gaps.
A device for forming groups of flat products, in particular biscuits, for supply to a wrapping line, said device comprising:
- a supporting surface along which the products are fed, contacting one another, in a given direction;
- an output conveyor for forming the products into groups and supplying said wrapping line;
- a loading station for loading the products onto the output conveyor;
- and
- a conveyor unit for transferring the products from said supporting surface to said loading station;
- wherein:
- said conveyor unit comprises gap forming means for feeding the products to said loading station in a sequence presenting a series of gaps between adjacent products;
- the output conveyor comprises a series of pockets, each designed to receive a number of products forming one of said groups, and each defined by two projections;
- first drive means are provided for feeding each of said projections through said loading station in time with a respective one of said gaps;
- said gap forming means comprising said conveyor unit comprises a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged in series between said supporting surface and said loading station;
- second drive means are connected to and drive the first conveyor at a first speed for withdrawing the products from the supporting surface in said orderly sequence;
- and
- third drive means are connected to and drive the second conveyor at a second speed greater than the first speed for spacing the products and forming said gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.