Technique for nesting articles

A device for nesting a first article and a second article, each having a nesting surface and a number of formations extending outwardly therefrom, said first article having a first near end portion and a first far end portion and said second article having a second near end portion and a second far end portion, comprising:

• an article receiving surface;
• means for delivering said first and second articles to said article receiving surface with said first near end portion at a first ready position and said second near end portion located at a second ready position adjacent said first near end portion;
• engaging means for engaging the near end portion of one of said articles independently of the far end portion thereof;
• transfer means operable with said engaging means for transferring said engaged near end portion relative to the other of said near end portions. thereby to initiate nesting of said engaged near end portion with said other near end portion, wherein said transferring means includes rotating means for rotating said engaged near end portion about an axis;
• and
• manipulating means for manipulating at least one of said articles downstream of said first and second near end portions, to allow nesting of said articles to continue beyond said first and second near end portions.

A method of nesting a pair of elongate articles, each article having a near end portion, a far end portion and a nesting surface which is complementary to the nesting surface of the other article, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an article receiving surface;
• delivering the articles side by side on said article receiving surface;
• engaging a near end portion of one of said articles independently of the far end portion thereof;
• transferring said engaged near end portion relative to the other of said near end portions to initiate nesting thereof;
• and
• manipulating at least one of said articles downstream of said near end portions, to allow the nesting of said articles to continue beyond said first and second near end portions.

A method of nesting a pair of elongate articles, each of having a near end portion, a far end portion and a nesting surface which is complementary to the nesting surface of the other article, the method comprising:

• a step for providing an article receiving surface;
• a step for delivering the articles side by side on said article receiving surface;
• a step for engaging a near end portion of one of said articles independently of the far end portion thereof;
• a step for transferring said engaged near end portion relative to the other of said near end portions to initiate nesting thereof;
• and
• a step for manipulating at least one of said articles downstream of said near end portions, to allow the nesting of said articles to continue beyond said first and second near end portions.

A method of nesting a pair of elongate articles, each article having a near end portion, a far end portion and a nesting surface which is complementary to the nesting surface of the other article, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an article receiving surface;
• delivering the articles side by side on said article receiving surface;
• engaging a near end portion of one of said articles independently of the far end portion thereof;
• manipulating at least one of said articles downstream of said near end portions;
• and
• transferring said engaged near end portion relative to the other of said near end portions to initiate nesting thereof.