A shipping method includes the steps of receiving stacks of flat die cut corrugated paperboard blanks from a corrugator or sheet plant; loading the stacks of blanks into a pallet assembly machine; folding the blanks together in the assembly machine to produce a corrugated paperboard pallet; and providing the pallets for shipping items to a receiver. The assembly machine folds the blanks using intermittent motion of the blanks through multiple folding sections in the assembly machine. The sections operate by positioning, clamping and folding the blanks using levers that are supported by rotary bearings and driven by pinned end mounted pneumatic cylinders. The assembly machine overcomes misalignment and shifting of the stacks of blanks by picking up single blanks from the top of the stacks using vacuum, and adjusting alignment of the blanks after being picked up but prior to being fed into the first folding section of the assembly machine.

A loading device to supply successively with cardboard sheets a station for handling the sheets by folding to form from them boxes for packaging, the handling station having a storage area to receive the successive sheets, optionally grouped in bundles, the device itself having a manipulator that includes: a gripping tool to pick up the sheets; an actuator to move the tool between an inventory of sheets and the receiving storage area of the station; a detection unit for detecting the status of filling of the storage area; and a control unit that directs the action of the device and that receives detection information from the detection unit to do this, the control unit being independent of the control of the handling station and programmable to adapt the operation of the loading device to the type of sheets handled. A corresponding process is also described.

The invention relates to a device for transporting objects, in particular packaging means, said device comprising a continuous conveying section (3) and a plurality of conveying assemblies (40) that circulate on the conveying section (3). Each conveying assembly (40) comprises a first conveying element (4) and a second conveying element (5) and each of said conveying elements (4, 5) can be driven individually and independently of one another. The conveying elements (4, 5) are designed to jointly transport one individual object (2).

The apparatus for realising at least two continuous cardboard strips for packaging having different width by consecutively joining to one another at least two respective pluralities of cardboard sheets for packaging of different width, comprises: a first store, for containing a first stack of a first plurality of cardboard sheets each having a first width; a second store, for containing a second stack of a second plurality of cardboard sheets each having a second width, wherein the second store is arranged upstream of the first store and at a raised height with respect to the first store. The apparatus further comprises a first operating station, which is arranged above the first store and which is designed to reciprocally join the sheets of the first stack and realise a first continuous cardboard strip having a first width, and a second operating station which is arranged above the second store, and which is designed to reciprocally join the sheets of the second stack and realise a second continuous cardboard strip having a second width.