A grouping station includes a first transfer means for moving loading pallets to the grouping station and second transfer means for forwarding the loading pallets from the grouping station. The first transfer means and the second transfer means are both arranged for two different handling directions of the loading pallet.

Packaging apparatus of sachets comprising a primary packaging unit, a secondary packaging unit, and a transfer unit interposed between the primary and the secondary packaging units in order to transfer the sachets between the primary and secondary packaging units, wherein the transfer unit comprises at least three transfer drawers disposed one after the other, selectively movable independently along a closed-ring path between a reception station and a delivery station and vice versa, each of the transfer drawers being configured to contain a first number of sachets and the transfer unit comprising a removal member associated with the delivery station and configured to remove from one or more of the transfer drawers a second number of sachets and to supply them to the secondary packaging unit. The present invention also concerns a method for packaging sachets.

The object of the invention is a forming and transporting apparatus for conveying rod-like articles and for forming groups of the rod-like articles of the tobacco industry, comprising transport units, whereas a transport unit comprises a transport carriage adapted to move along a path, and a transport tray provided with a number of transport grooves adapted to hold the rod-like articles, whereas the tray is fastened to the transport carriage, whereas the transport tray is divided into two transport sections which are adapted to change the reciprocal position between an open configuration in which the transport grooves are situated substantially in one plane and a closed configuration in which the transport grooves are situated in two planes being substantially parallel to each other.

An apparatus for grouped take-up and feeding of a container-group of containers to a cyclical processing machine having a cyclical take-up device for taking up the group of containers includes an intake, a feed, and a transfer apparatus arranged in a transfer region between the intake and the take-up device. The intake forms a closed conveyor section that comprises a linear section, a conveyor, and carrying-and-holding elements that convey containers in a continuous container stream along the conveyor section. The feed uses mechanical propulsion to convey suspended containers to individually transfer the suspended containers to the carrying-and-holding elements. The transfer apparatus has rotatable grippers for taking up a container group from the container stream and after having taken up the group of containers, feeding the group of containers to the cyclical take-up device.

A tray sealing machine comprises a gripper device including first and second tray grippers that operate together to take up trays provided by a feed unit and transport them to a sealing station that is downstream in a production direction. A speed of the first and second tray grippers in the production direction when respectively performing, a closing motion from a respective initial position toward a respective closing position can be accelerated such that the speed of the first and second tray grippers in the production direction relative to a belt speed of the feed unit during a predetermined first time interval is slower than the belt speed, and during a subsequent predetermined second time interval until the respective closing position has been reached is greater than the belt speed, so that gripper fingers on the first and second tray grippers immerse into respective position windows located between the trays.

A compact collator for sorting and collating product containers includes a laner, a pattern conveyor, a cross-pusher assembly and a plurality of interchangeable inserts. The laner has a first movable conveyor for conveying product containers through the laner, and defines an infeed area. The pattern conveyor has a second movable conveyor positioned down-stream from the infeed area and off-set 90 degrees from the first moveable conveyor. The cross-pusher assembly includes a cross-pusher arm that the interchangeable inserts are configured to be engaged to. Each insert defines a unique face contour that corresponds to the profile shape of at least one type of product container.

Herein described is a system and method for packaging packages (C), comprising the steps of: forming a row of packages (C) advancing, one following the other, along a pre-set advancement direction (A), picking up at least two first packages (C) from the row, superimposing each of said first packages (C) on a respective second package (C) of the row, releasing each of the first packages (C) resting on the respective second package (C), obtaining at least two stacks of packages, each of which comprises at least two mutually superimposed packages (C) and stabilising the stacks of packages (C).

The object of the invention is a forming and transporting apparatus for conveying rod-like articles and for forming groups of the rod-like articles of the tobacco industry, comprising transport units, whereas a transport unit comprises a transport carriage adapted to move along a path, and a transport tray provided with a number of transport grooves adapted to hold the rod-like articles, whereas the tray is fastened to the transport carriage, whereas the transport tray is divided into two transport sections which are adapted to change the reciprocal position between an open configuration in which the transport grooves are situated substantially in one plane and a closed configuration in which the transport grooves are situated in two planes being substantially parallel to each other.

A pack stacker system for stacking articles is presented. The pack stacker system is configured to lift an article from a conveyor while the conveyor is in operation and stack the article on a second article while the conveyor is in continuous operation. The pack stacker system is accurate and can operate without human intervention.

A system and a method are described for the intermediate storage of differently cut boards for a wooden structure, in particular a truss, with several compartments arranged laterally adjacent to one another. The compartments are each configured for receiving a set of boards for such a wooden structure, wherein a set is to be understood as the entirety of cut boards which are required for such a wooden structure. A feeding device fills the cut boards into the individual compartments and stacks them over one another therein. The compartments can be opened respectively at their underside, in order to remove the set of boards. A discharge device transports away the set of boards removed from the respective compartment.