Packaging machine for packs of beverage containers, a guide system for packaging packs and a method for packaging packs

A packaging machine for packs of containers, such as bottles and/or beverage containers, comprising:

• a horizontal conveying means for the containers grouped as packs and/or wrapped with a foil or the like;
• a means for supplying flat paperboard sheets at the bottom side of the containers and/or packs, wherein the containers and/or packs are transported in a standing manner on the paperboard sheet;
• a means for folding upward front and back edge portions of the paperboard sheet in a transport direction of the horizontal conveying means, each of which extends beyond a footprint of the pack;
• at least two opposing lateral guide elements for folding upward lateral edges of the paperboard sheet extending laterally beyond the footprint of the grouped containers or the pack in the transport direction, wherein edge portions of the lateral edges of the paperboard sheet are provided with adhesive wherein at least portions of the at least two opposing lateral guide elements exert a defined pressing force on the upward-folded edges of the paperboard sheet and the side faces of the pack;
• wherein at least a portion of the at least two opposing lateral guide elements are designed to be elastic;
• wherein the guide elements are each formed of a plurality of stationary spring elements arranged one next to the other and which are each formed of flat spring elements and each lateral guide element has a stationary support rail to which the stationary spring elements are directly fastened on one side and wherein a free end of each spring element of each one of the pluralities of stationary spring elements simultaneously extends away from the support rail at an oblique angle in the transport direction of the horizontal conveying means and overlaps the adjacent stationary spring element and wherein each stationary spring element of each one of the pluralities of stationary spring elements is pushed towards the support rail by the pack that touches it and is slidingly transported past it;
• wherein the flat spring elements are made of spring-elastic metal;
• and,
• wherein the spring elements have an elastic resilience in the horizontal direction.