Patent ID: 6145281
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus (1) for collecting, stacking and packaging a plurality of articles (3), the apparatus comprising:first and second longitudinal conveyors (2) for carrying a plurality of articles towards a common receiving zone (6) located therebetween;first stop means (7-11), located at a first stop zone (8) of the first longitudinal conveyor, for stopping the articles conveyed along the first longitudinal conveyor, and a first lateral conveyor (15) for laterally transferring the articles conveyed by the first longitudinal conveyor from the first stop zone (8) of the first longitudinal conveyor to the receiving zone (6);second stop means (17-22), located at a second stop zone (8) of the second longitudinal conveyor, for stopping the articles conveyed along the second longitudinal conveyor, and a second lateral conveyor (15) for laterally transferring the articles conveyed by the second longitudinal conveyor from the second stop zone (8) of the second longitudinal conveyor to the receiving zone (6);the first lateral conveyor (15) and the second lateral conveyor (15) being offset with respect to one another to facilitate stacking of the articles fed from the first and second longitudinal conveyors in a partially overlapped stacked formation; andcollecting means for collecting the stack of articles fed from the first and second longitudinal conveyors in the partially overlapped formation.