Carton opening and feeding apparatus

A device for opening a flat folded tubular blank to set up a container, said device comprising:

• an opening station provided with a support surface substantially horizontal and with opening means situated transversally and parallel to said support surface means for moving, said opening means with stepwise reciprocating motion between a retracted position, in which they are positioned clear of said support surface, and an advanced position in which said opening means are inserted inside said flat folded tubular blank, with said opening means including a lower blade and an upper blade hinged to said lower blade so that it can rotate from a closed position to an opened position to open said blank;
• at least one packaging line, provided with a conveying surface situated next to, and at higher level of said support surface with a connecting guide bar therebetween, said packaging line being also provided with two pairs of longitudinal endless chains situated at both sides of said conveying surface, each endless chain being driven stepwise by a related toothed wheel, with the upper runs of said chains substantially flush with said conveying surface, and with each chain being provided with a plurality of prongs turned outward, regularly spaced apart, and defining seats aimed at housing said containers;
• withdrawing means, concentric to said toothed wheels and located between them, aimed at engaging adjacent walls of each container in correspondence with said support surface so as to guide them to a starting position in said support surface up to a release position in the conveying surface, said withdrawing means cooperating with said opening means to open the blank.