A device and a method for portioning a flow of individual products having an input-side conveying device continuously supplying individual products and at least two output-side conveying devices for continuously discharging the products. The output-side conveying devices are arranged vertically above one another. The input-side conveying device continuously transfers the products to a first output-side conveying device. The input-side and/or the output-side conveying devices are able to be pivoted in their position to transfer the products to one of the at least two output-side conveying devices, continuously or in batches. The input and output-side conveying devices may be circulating conveyor belts, in the form of front and/or rear ends, which are movable in the direction of conveyance and cooperate so that during the phase of adjusting the position of the input and/or the output-side conveying devices, the products on the input-side may be supplied continuously at uniform spacings from one another.

A packaging line for products, in particular food products, includes a conveyor belt having a longitudinal feed axis and carrying the products arranged in a plurality of rows orthogonal to the longitudinal feed axis, at least one packaging machine for the products, and at least one transfer device for transferring the products from the conveyor belt to the at least one packaging machine along a direction transverse to the longitudinal feed axis. The at least one transfer device has a linear motor having a closed-loop stator and a plurality of conveyor units independently movable along the closed-loop stator, each configured to receive at least one of the products.

A packaging line for products, in particular food products, includes a conveyor belt having a longitudinal feed axis and carrying the products arranged in a plurality of rows orthogonal to the longitudinal feed axis, at least one packaging machine for the products, and at least one transfer device for transferring the products from the conveyor belt to the at least one packaging machine along a direction transverse to the longitudinal feed axis. The at least one transfer device has a linear motor having a closed-loop stator and a plurality of conveyor units independently movable along the closed-loop stator, each configured to receive at least one of the products.

A tray loading packaging machine that carries out a method for filling a multi-row packaging tray with piece-form products at a high performance level, having the following steps: dividing up a single-row stream of piece-form products onto a plurality of lanes arranged substantially parallel to one another in order to convey the products further; synchronizing the individual streams of products on the plurality or lanes with one another such that in each case one product from one lane can be transferred to the packaging tray substantially at the same time as in each case one product from the other lanes; and transferring the produces to the packaging tray, wherein in each case one product from one lane is transferred to one row of the packaging tray.

A tray loading packaging machine that carries out a method for filling a multi-row packaging tray with piece-form products at a high performance level, having the following steps: dividing up a single-row stream of piece-form products onto a plurality of lanes arranged substantially parallel to one another in order to convey the products further; synchronizing the individual streams of products on the plurality or lanes with one another such that in each case one product from one lane can be transferred to the packaging tray substantially at the same time as in each case one product from the other lanes; and transferring the produces to the packaging tray, wherein in each case one product from one lane is transferred to one row of the packaging tray.

The present disclosure relates to a gripper for forming slugs of flat baked products, comprising a longitudinal retainer arranged for individually loading the flat baked products and comprising elongated wall elements extending along a longitudinal direction of the gripper for enclosing the retainer forming a retainer space for retaining the flat baked products a loading element, arranged for displacement of at least a contact surface thereof which is located adjacent a segment of the circumference of a loaded flat baked product near a free end of the retaining space; and wherein the gripper is arranged for displacement of the contact surface of the loading element enabling individually loading the flat baked products for forming the slug in the retainer space, and wherein the gripper is further arranged for rotating the longitudinal retainer over a rotation-axis in a plane parallel to a supporting surface of the conveyor means at the input for bringing the slug from a horizontal vertical orientation into a vertical horizontal orientation, and wherein at least one of the elongated wall elements is arranged for displacement thereof for unloading the vertical horizontally oriented slug into the conveyor means of the packing device.