Method and machine for forming bag packs

A method for forming packs of flat bags wherein a continuous line of bags moving in a horizontal oriented direction of advance is received, comprising:

• converting the continuous line of bags into a line of overlapped bags before stacking them,
• movingly contacting the overlapped bags, over a receiving table on which the bags are stacked, while the bags are stopped in the oriented direction of advance by an abutment to form a stack,
• lowering the receiving table;
• separating the bags that are located above the receiving table and disposed in generally the same vertical plane as the stacked bags on the receiving table by a separator comprising a separating device,
• wherein when a pack with a predetermined number of bags is on the receiving table, the separating device is moved in a vertical separating direction perpendicular to the horizontal oriented direction of advance to receive a following bag in the overlapped line such that the separating device is placed between the following bag and a preceding bag, and such that when the following bag stops against the abutment, it is at least partially supported by the separator.