The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, applies air bursts to pack the material within the cone, closes the wide top portion of the cone, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

A clamp device for retaining a container in a container-handling apparatus, for example for retaining a drinks container in a container-handling apparatus of a bottling plant, includes two clamp arms which can be moved relative to one another, wherein at least one clamp arm has an interchangeable clamp jaw with a retaining portion for retaining the container which is to be retained, wherein the clamp jaw has a latching element for undergoing a form fit with a recess formed in the associated clamp arm. A clamp jaw and a container-handling apparatus are also described.

A pincer device for gripping and releasing articles from an operating station to a subsequent station, capable of operating, in a transfer apparatus, with a minimum footprint, without interfering with other pincer devices arranged at close range thereto, is presented. The pincer device has a pair of gripping claws, cooperating with each other and having each a proximal end and a distal end, a gripping edge facing the gripping edge of the other gripping claw, and a longitudinal development following a predefined respective direction. The pincer device also has a driving mechanism, having at least one rotary actuator connected to a respective proximal end, configured to rotate each gripping claw from a gripping position to a release position by rotating each gripping claw about a rotation axis parallel to the predefined direction. In the gripping position, the gripping edges have a minimum spacing therebetween, progressively increasing towards the release position.

An apparatus and a transfer process for articles are presented. The articles are transferred without risk of damage when gripped by pincer grip devices, regardless of article shape and gripping manner. The apparatus includes a first transport device, having pincer grip devices, moving along a first closed path, each having pincer claws projecting outward from the first closed path. The pincer claws are movable from a gripping position to a release position. The apparatus also includes a second transport device, having tray-like elements moving along a respective second closed path and configured to receive respective articles resting thereon. The first and second transport devices cooperate with each other at one or two exchange segments where the first closed path is superimposed on said second closed path and where the articles transported in the pincer grip devices are laid on tray-like elements and/or removed therefrom.

A bottle gripping assembly kit including a bottle gripping finger assembly having bottle grip arms and an actuator for actuating the bottle gripping finger assembly for selectively grabbing and releasing a bottle. The actuator including a plurality of actuator heads and a base, wherein a selected one of the actuator heads can be connected to the base dependent on the size of the bottle. The plurality of actuator heads each have engagement surfaces adapted to abut the bottle grip arms to force the first ends of the bottle grip arms towards each other. Each of the actuator heads has a distance between the engagement surfaces that is different than a distance between the engagement surfaces of the remaining actuator heads, thereby allowing the selected one of the actuator heads to be selected depending on the size of the bottle.

Disclosed is an apparatus for transporting containers, having a movable carrier on which a plurality of gripping devices for gripping containers are arranged, wherein these gripping devices being designed as gripping clamps, and these clamps each having at least two clamp arms which can be moved between a first position, in which they grip the containers to be transported, and a second position, wherein the gripping clamps having contact portions which are suitable and intended to contact the containers, and wherein furthermore an actuating mechanism is provided which is suitable for transferring the gripping means between the first position and the second position, characterized in that this actuating mechanism comprises at least one roller element which is arranged on at least one of the clamp arms and can be rotated with respect to this clamp arm and with respect to a predetermined axis of rotation.

A clamping device for holding a container in a container handling device, for example for holding a beverage container by a neck portion, includes a first clamping arm arranged on a support plate pivotably about a first pivot shaft and having a holding portion for contact against the container to be held, and a second clamping arm arranged on the support plate pivotably about a second pivot shaft and having a holding portion for contact against the container to be held. The first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft respectively have a cylinder pin portion for forming a form closure, radially to the longitudinal direction of the pivot shaft, with a bore in a support of a container handling device.

A device for extracting glass containers for pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic use from trays that have recesses or impressions housing glass containers or the like arranged consecutively includes a wheel sector or star segment, which is caused to rotate around a horizontal axis in a circular path and which is brought above a tray moved forward at the same peripheral speed as the wheel sector or star segment. An outer peripheral surface of the wheel sector or star segment is formed as an arc of circumference and carries extraction pincers of the single glass container arranged between each other at a first reciprocal distance equal to that between the recesses or impressions of the tray, each of said extraction pincers having a pair of yielding arms that house a single glass container.

A branch of a clamp for handling hollow bodies in a plant manufacturing containers made of plastic material, the handling clamp comprising two branches intended to be held by a holding member and being intended to grip a hollow body, the branch comprising a base, and a jaw extending from the base. The base has a front edge intended to be in contact with the hollow bodies. The branch is formed by a metal core extending in the jaw set back from the front edge, and a plastic supplement at least partially covering the metal core, the plastic supplement constituting at least the front edge and being secured to the metal core.

A container transport arrangement is used to transport containers, such as beverage bottles or similar containers, which container transport arrangement has adjustable container transport devices.