Patent ID: 6082523
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An infeed device for a packaging machine comprising:an infeed conveyor carrying articles in a predetermined orientation in a plurality of parallel lanes;a group collator arranged to receive said articles from said lanes and which in use aligns a group of articles in one or more rows transverse to the infeed conveyor's direction of travel;means for transferring the article group to the packaging machine;re-orientating means being provided to turn sub-groups of articles in the group to a specified orientation for such transfer, each article sub-group being turned about a respective axis normal to the plane of the infeed conveyor, and at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of lanes of articles being spaced from one another on the infeed conveyor to allow turning of the sub-groups, the article transfer means comprising a pusher arranged to push the group of articles transversely off the infeed conveyor and into the packaging machine.