Method and unit for forming and conveying groups of products
AssigneeAzionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.
InventorMario Spatafora
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and unit for forming and conveying groups of elongated products, whereby products, fed successively and continuously along a first path, are stacked along a guide by a stacking device to form a group, which is moved along the guide by a lifting device to the input of a second path, and is transferred, along the second path, into a conveying pocket moving along the second path; transfer into the conveying pocket being effected by means of a retaining pocket initially aligned with the guide and moving along the second path.
Claims16
A method of forming and conveying groups of elongated products, the method comprising the steps of feeding said products successively and continuously along a first path (P1) to a stacking device;
- stacking said products, by means of said stacking device, along guide means to form a group, said guide means maintaining the products in said group in a stacked position;
- and transferring said group along a second path (P2) into a respective conveying pocket moving along the second path (P2), said group being transferred by means of a retaining pocket moving in steps along said second path (P2) and through a position of alignment with said group on said stacking device, said group being transferred into said conveying pocket as the retaining pocket travels along said second path (P2);
- and said retaining and conveying pockets simultaneously engaging the along said second path (P2);
- and said retaining and conveying pockets simultaneously engaging the group as the group travels through a transfer station located along said second path (P2).
A unit for forming and conveying groups of elongated products, the unit comprising supply means for feeding said products successively and continuously along a first path (P1) to a stacking station;
- a stacking device located at the stacking station for stacking said products into a group;
- guide means located at the stacking station to maintain the products in said group in a stacked position;
- transfer means comprising at least one retaining pocket moving in steps along a second path (P2) for transferring said group along said second path (P2);
- and conveying means having conveying pockets moving along the second path (P2), and each for receiving a respective group;
- said retaining pocket moving through a position of alignment with said group on said stacking device, and through a transfer station to transfer the group to a respective conveying pocket;
- said transfer means comprising two first conveyor belts facing each other on either side of said second path (P2) and separated by a distance equal to the length of said products, and each first conveyor belt extending through said transfer station, and having a number of pairs of peripheral projections defining said retaining pockets together with the peripheral projections of the other first conveyor belt.
A unit for forming and conveying groups of elongated products, the unit comprising supply means for feeding said products successively and continuously along a first path (P1) to a stacking station;
- a stacking device located at the stacking station for stacking said products into a group;
- guide means located at the stacking station to maintain the products in said group in a stacked position;
- transfer means comprising at least one retaining pocket moving in steps along a second path (P2) for transferring said group along said second path (P2);
- and conveying means having conveying pockets moving along the second path (P2), and each for receiving a respective group;
- said retaining pocket being mounted for movement through a position of alignment with said group on said stacking device, and through a transfer station to transfer the group to a respective conveying pocket as both the respective conveying pocket and said retaining pocket travel along said second path (P2);
- and drive means being provided to advance said retaining and conveying pockets through said transfer station to simultaneously engage the respective group as the group travels through said transfer station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.