Patent ID: 6112880
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A lot forming device for forming separated lots of products, each lot comprised of at least one of the products, wherein the products are from a continuous row of the products delivered to the lot forming device from the outlet of a first conveyor and wherein the device is for delivering the lots of products to a following device; the lot forming device comprising:at least a first and a second sector, each sector supported for rotation independently of the other sectors; respective first and second coaxial shafts on which the first and second sectors are supported for rotation; each of the first and second sectors having a respective set of receptacles therein for receiving therein a respective lot of the products from the outlet of the first conveyor;drive means connected with the first and second shafts for driving the respective sectors to rotate according to respective speed and acceleration parameters of the sectors for forming lots of the products and for delivering the lots to the following device;control means for the drive means and operable in accordance with different phases of formation and separation of lots of the products, such thatduring a phase of forming a first lot of the products, the first one of the sectors is rotated at a speed that permits the receptacles of the first sector to receive a first lot of the products and the first sector being operable at a respective first speed upon displacement of the products from the first conveyor;during a following phase of separation from the first conveyor of the first lot formed at the first sector, the first sector is accelerated in speed by the drive means operated by the control means so that the first lot at the first sector is spaced from a second lot at the second sector which follows the first sector in rotation around the axis, and for bringing the first sector to a predetermined speed which promotes the transfer of the first lot in the first sector to the following device;during a phase of forming a second lot of the products, upon the second sector then passing the outlet from the first conveyor the second sector receiving in the respective receptacles thereof a second lot of the products; the drive means thereafter imparting to the second sector an acceleration and speed separating the second lot of the products from the conveyor and from the first sector around the axis and for subsequently delivering the second lot of the products to the following device; andat a third phase of forming another lot of the products, the drive means then decelerating the first sector to the speed of the products leaving the outlet of the first conveyor to form another lot of the products at the first sector;the control means causing the drive means to thereafter repeat the phases.