Device for forming successive batches of articles comprising means of transferring the articles

A device for forming successive batches (4) of articles (2), which comprises:

• a supply track (8) along which the articles (2) are routed one by one up to a supply station (9), at a substantially constant input speed (VE);
• a discharge track (10) able to receive, at a discharge station (11), the successive batches (4) of the articles (2) in order to route them at a output speed (VS) greater than the input speed (VE);
• means (12) of transferring the articles (2) from the supply station (9) to the discharge station (11), comprising a rotating member able to take and group the articles (2) in order to form the batches (4) spaced apart, said rotating member comprising a succession of gripping members (13) arranged so as to engage the articles (2) at the supply station (9) and to disengage them at the discharge station (11), driven continuously along a closed path, at a transfer speed (VT), greater than or equal to the input speed (VE);
• the transfer means (12) being arranged so that the transfer speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is not constant, so that:
• when the articles (2) are engaged, the transfer speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is substantially equal to the input speed (VE);
• when the articles (2) are transferred, the transfer speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is greater than the input speed (VE);
• when the articles (2) are disengaged, the transfer speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is substantially equal to the output speed (VS);
• characterised in that the articles are driven continuously along said closed path on a route which follows at least a quarter of the periphery of the rotating member, so that the gripping members can come into contact with the articles and group them in successive batches, the speed of the rotating member being greater than the input speed (VE) of the articles and the rotating member making it possible to vary the number of articles per batch.