Patent ID: 6164045
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A device for packaging packages (10), of approximately matching dimensions, in a blank or in a large container (11), the packages being continuously fed first to form, in a grouping station (23), a row (13) of the packages, and then to form, from a plurality of rows (13) of packages, a layer (14) by means of transverse displacement of the rows (13) of packages, and wherein a complete layer (14) is gripped and introduced into the container or fed to the blank, said device comprising:a) an individualizing belt (18) for conveying the packages individually and one after the other in a horizontal conveying direction into a grouping station (23) and onto a grouping belt (24) arranged and conveying in continuation of the individualizing belt (18);b) arranged in the grouping station (23), an upright stop wall (25) which extends transversely to the conveying direction of the individualizing belt (18) and which limits a conveying path of the packages on the grouping belt (24),c) the packages (10) being conveyed individually and successively by the grouping belt (24) toward the stop wall (25) while forming the rows of packages (13), with a first package of each row (13) coming to rest on the stop wall (25), and other packages of the same row coming to rest on each other;d) arranged in the grouping station (23), a transverse slide (28) which has a slide plate (30) extending along a full length of each row (13) of packages, and with which each row (13) of packs is pushed off in a transverse direction, parallel to the stop wall (25), from the grouping belt (24) and onto a collecting plate (29);e) means for stopping the individualizing belt (18) when the row (13) is pushed by the transverse slide (28), so that no further packages (10) can be conveyed in the direction of the stop wall (25) and onto the grouping belt (24);f) arranged in the grouping station, a counter slide (31) located transversely opposite to the transverse slide (28); andg) means for causing, as soon as a row (13) is formed which extends along the length of the slide plate (30), the transverse slide (28) to push the row along the stop wall (25) and onto the collecting plate (29) by a width of one package or more, whereinh) the layer (14) is formed on the collecting plate (29) as a plurality of the rows (13) and is pushed off, andi) when each row (13) is pushed off, the counter slide (31) abuts on a respective front row (13) of the layer (14) to be formed and supports the front row.