Assembly for packaging a discontinuously supplied stream of products

An assembly for packaging a discontinuously supplied stream of newspapers, comprising:

• a packaging apparatus provided with a roll mount for rotatably supporting a roll comprising:
• a continuous packaging web;
• means for placing newspapers to be packaged on the continuous packaging web;
• folding means for folding the longitudinal edges of the continuous packaging web around the newspapers in longitudinal direction to form a tubular packaging sleeve;
• connecting means for forming at least one transverse connection in the tubular packaging sleeve between two successive of the newspapers;
• and
• separating means for breaking the tubular packaging sleeve between the newspapers in a transverse direction for forming separated packaged products;
• a feeding conveyor operatively supplying a discontinuous stream of the newspapers, said feeding conveyor including a conveyor chain provided with grippers for clamping therein the newspapers to be conveyed;
• an intermediate conveyor for supporting and conveying the newspapers, the intermediate conveyor being built up from a number of mutually aligning conveying sections, the conveying sections being drivable independently of each other and with variable speed, a discharge end of the intermediate conveyor being linked up with the means for placing newspapers to be packaged on the continuous packaging web;
• and
• a control, said control being adapted to drive the conveying sections of the intermediate conveyor such that the mutual distances between discontinuously supplied newspapers are reduced to a standard distance,
• wherein the conveyor chain extends partly above an in-feed end of the intermediate conveyor, the grippers are arranged for releasing the newspapers above the in-feed end of the intermediate conveyor, and the conveyor chain forms part of a printing machine for newspapers.