Apparatus for erecting ribbed cardboard for protecting packed products

An apparatus for erecting a blank sheet of ribbed cardboard and for inserting the erected blank sheet into a tray compartment of a packing line for protecting products packed therein, which comprises:

• a collecting device having gripping means, the collecting device being movable between a gripping station and a folding station, the collecting device gripping a single flat blank sheet located in a store at the gripping station and moving the flat blank sheet to the folding station;
• a folding matrix, arranged in the folding station, the folding matrix having a plurality of fixed folding means, the folding matrix receiving the flat blank sheet of ribbed cardboard supplied by the collecting device;
• a forming punch having a support and a body interiorly exhibiting a flat work surface and having gripping means located at the flat work surface, for gripping an upper surface of the blank sheet, the forming punch having tabs fixed to the support;
• a transfer device hingedly bearing the support of the forming punch, the transfer device moving the forming punch with the flat work surface to a position above the upper surface of the flat blank sheet of ribbed cardboard located on the folding matrix and then moving the forming punch downwardly to force the blank sheet against the fixed folding means of the folding matrix for folding opposite lateral flaps of the blank sheet into a folded configuration by contact with the folding means, folded flaps being engaged by the tabs of the folding punch, the gripping means and the tabs of the forming punch gripping the folded blank sheet for retaining the blank sheet in the folded configuration, the upper surface forming at least an interior bottom surface of the erected blank sheet, the transfer device moving the folded blank sheet to a releasing station, placing the retained folded sheet into the tray compartment of the packing line, the gripping means of the folding punch then releasing the folded blank sheet in the tray compartment.