Rotary ceramic tile glazing and decorating machine

An apparatus for glazing and decorating ceramic tiles, comprising:

• a tile conveyor;
• a rest plane for transporting tiles, said rest plane being in line with the tile conveyor;
• a rotary glazing and decorating machine positioned above the rest plane and comprising a matrix-bearing cylinder coupled on an underlying transfer cylinder predisposed such that an external cylindrical surface thereof at least partially contacts an upper surface of the tiles;
• a gripping and transport device of the tiles situated such as to project superiorly with respect to the rest plane and to be below the transfer cylinder;
• the gripping and transport device comprising two belts exhibiting two branches, positioned diametrically opposite one to another with respect to a tile advancement direction and predisposed to contact opposite lateral edges thereof and adhere thereto by friction force;
• said branches being speed-synchronized in the tile advancement direction;
• a sensor disposed above the conveyor for signaling when a tile gripped between the branches has reached a predetermined position on the rest plane;
• and
• means for synchronizing a rotation of at least the transfer cylinder with a translation of the branches gripping the tiles, said means for synchronizing being coupled to the transfer cylinder and the gripping and transport device.