Unit for feeding solid drug forms to a conveyor line of a machine for filling capsules

A unit for feeding solid drug forms (2) to a conveyor line (3) of a machine for filling capsules, the conveyor line (3) comprising a feed station (23);

• and a first conveyor (5) having at least one pocket (8) for a bottom shell (4) of a capsule, and movable to feed the pocket (8) along an endless first path (P1) extending in a given first plane (S1) and through said feed station (23);
• the unit comprising a vibratory distributor plate (10);
• a hopper for feeding solid forms (2) onto the plate (10);
• and a feed device (22) comprising an input station (21) for receiving the solid forms (2) from the plate (10), an output station for feeding at least one solid form (2) to said feed station (23), and a second conveyor (24) having at least one seat (27) for the solid form (2), and movable to move the seat (27) along a given endless second path (P2) extending in a second plane (S2), parallel to the first plane (S1), and through said input station and said output station;
• wherein the plate (10) comprises a cup-shaped container (11) for a number of solid forms (2), the container (11) having a given longitudinal second axis (12), and having a feed track (13) coiling about and along said second axis (12) to feed the solid forms (2) successively to said input station (21);
• wherein recirculating means (18) are located upstream from said input station (21) in a first travelling direction (19) of the solid forms (2) along said track (13), to transfer the solid forms (2) from the track (13) to said container (11);
• and wherein logic control means are provided for deactivating said recirculating means (18) when the seat (27) is located downstream from said input station (21) in a second travelling direction (33) of the seat (27) along said second path (P2).