Device for stabilising articles has a bar abuttable by the articles during raising upwards thereof in grouping operations. A support element of the abutting bar is predisposed so as to be coupled to vertical sliding guides so as to be freely slidable along the guides and enable displacement upwards of the abutting bar pushed by the articles when raised upwards during the grouping operations. The stabilising device further comprises a contact element, predisposed on the support element so as to be translatable with respect to the support element, and an activator of the contact element, activatable for moving the contact element from a non-operative position, at which the contact element is distant from the vertical sliding guides, to an operative position, at which the contact element is in contact with at least one of the vertical sliding guides.

A transportation system for stacking/carrying of containers including a panel, which has a stacking unit positioned on the panel and including a first body in which the containers are stacked; a transport element for transferring the container onto the panel by means of a first displacing member and including a base on which the container is placed; a second displacing member for transferring the container positioned on the base into the first body; a gripping arm that holds the transferred container; a third displacing member that moves the gripping arm; and a locking arm which has a flexible member that holds the container; a transport unit positioned on the panel; a displacing mechanism; a transport arm which is associated with the movable plate and which lifts the containers; and a support shaft having a fixing arm.

A transportation system for stacking/carrying of containers including a panel, which has a stacking unit positioned on the panel and including a first body in which the containers are stacked; a transport element for transferring the container onto the panel by means of a first displacing member and including a base on which the container is placed; a second displacing member for transferring the container positioned on the base into the first body; a gripping arm that holds the transferred container; a third displacing member that moves the gripping arm; and a locking arm which has a flexible member that holds the container; a transport unit positioned on the panel; a displacing mechanism; a transport arm which is associated with the movable plate and which lifts the containers; and a support shaft having a fixing arm.

A packaging system and method for receiving articles from a first location, such as a product delivery system, transporting the articles to a second location for unloading the articles such that they are placed in a desired orientation and number of columns, rows, and stacks.

A packaging system and method for receiving articles from a first location, such as a product delivery system, transporting the articles to a second location for unloading the articles such that they are placed in a desired orientation and number of columns, rows, and stacks.

Forming unit (A) and forming method to manufacture a group of articles (14), wherein the articles (14) are arranged at a given distance from one another. The following are provided: a forming conveyor (26) which moves at least one forming box (27) along a forming path (P2): a hopper (24), which is arranged along the forming path (P2) and is provided with at least one output mouth (25) comprising a plurality of dividing walls (31) defining channels (32), each configured to contain a vertical stack of articles (14); and an extractor (29), which is configured to extract the group of articles (14) from the channels (32) of the output mouth (25) and to insert the group into the forming box (27) by means of a work stroke, which is perpendicular to the forming path (P2). The forming box (27) has aa plurality of through holes (28) with a cylindrical shape, each being separate from and independent of the other through holes ((2288)) and being designed to house a corresponding single article (14) of the group.

A method and a feeding apparatus for feeding spacers for cigarette packs are disclosed, in which each spacer comprises a substantially rectangular flat body, the spacers being insertable in cartons for cigarette packs to space out packs with dimensions smaller than the standard dimensions; the spacers are stacked on a pallet that is positioned in a withdrawal station; the stacks of spacers are withdrawn from the withdrawal station and transferred to a respective hopper by passing each stack of spacers through an upper opening of the hopper, to then unload the spacers one by one through a lower opening of the hopper.

A method and a feeding apparatus for feeding spacers for cigarette packs are disclosed, in which each spacer comprises a substantially rectangular flat body, the spacers being insertable in cartons for cigarette packs to space out packs with dimensions smaller than the standard dimensions; the spacers are stacked on a pallet that is positioned in a withdrawal station; the stacks of spacers are withdrawn from the withdrawal station and transferred to a respective hopper by passing each stack of spacers through an upper opening of the hopper, to then unload the spacers one by one through a lower opening of the hopper.

A barrel loader for a carton packaging machine for packaging articles, including a leading pusher arm assembly and a trailing pusher arm assembly, the pusher arm assemblies positioned adjacent to a carton conveyor that move along a longitudinal path and cooperate to push an article group into a carton. Each pusher arm assembly has a pusher arm that carries a face on one end and also is extendable and retractable on guide rails transverse to the longitudinal path. The pusher arm assemblies are driven in a downstream direction along the longitudinal path by endless chains. One of the endless chains can be advanced or retarded in phase relative to the other endless chain to move the loader arms and associated faces further apart or closer together parallel to the longitudinal.

A barrel loader for a carton packaging machine for packaging articles, including a leading pusher arm assembly and a trailing pusher arm assembly, the pusher arm assemblies positioned adjacent to a carton conveyor that move along a longitudinal path and cooperate to push an article group into a carton. Each pusher arm assembly has a pusher arm that carries a face on one end and also is extendable and retractable on guide rails transverse to the longitudinal path. The pusher arm assemblies are driven in a downstream direction along the longitudinal path by endless chains. One of the endless chains can be advanced or retarded in phase relative to the other endless chain to move the loader arms and associated faces further apart or closer together parallel to the longitudinal.