Apparatus for forming lots of products for the packing thereof

An apparatus for forming, for their packing, lots of products fed by a conveyor and arranged in contiguous rows, said apparatus being characterized by comprising:

• a plurality of carriages (2, 2, etc.) each comprising a movable holding and separation means (21-33, etc.) for forming a lot (30) of products (3);
• a transfer chain (1) stretched between first and second feed wheels (11, 12) having respective vertical axes (111, 121), said chain (1) being provided with uniformly spaced drive units (13) each intended for holding one of said carriages (2) to carry same downstream from said first wheel (11) to said second wheel (12);
• said chain (1) extending along a path having first and second points of offset (14, 15), with the first point of offset (14) being upstream of said second point of offset (15) and being located a short distance downstream of the second feed wheel (12);
• said chain (1) including a strand (10) that runs downstream from said first point of offset (14) to said second point of offset (15), with said strand (10) being disposed so that said drive units (13) on said strand (10) are free of driving engagement with said carriages (2) while traveling downstream from said first point of offset to said second point of offset;
• a variable pitch screw (5) having an axis which is generally parallel to a straight line extending between the first and second points of offset (14, 15), said screw (5) having a length which is approximately equal to a distance by which said first and second points of offset (14, 15) are separated from each other, said screw (5) having a variable pitch groove (51);
• each of said carriages (2) having a roller (242) attached thereto and engageable in said groove (51) while said carriage (2) is free of driving engagement with said drive units (13) whereby rotation of said screw (5) is effective to move said carriages (2) downstream from said first point of offset (14) to said second point of offset (15).