Patent ID: 8671650

Claim:
A transfer line for the transfer of identical filled two-piece capsules between two successive processing stations comprising: a loading area to be located at the outlet of a first processing station for receiving in series groups of said filled two-piece capsules with a substantially vertical orientation, an unloading area to be located at the inlet of a second successive processing station for discharging in series said groups of filled two-piece capsules with a substantially vertical orientation, a plurality of identical transfer units each comprising a plurality of cavities each adapted to receive one of the filled two-piece capsules at the loading area and to let such capsule be unloaded in the unloading area, said plurality of cavities of each transfer unit being designed to receive in a first relative configuration the groups of filled two-piece capsules when located at a loading position in the loading area and so as to discharge these groups when located at an unloading position in the unloading area, a conveyor device adapted to temporarily and individually support the transfer units so as to transfer the transfer units from the loading position to the unloading position and vice-versa, while keeping the filled two-piece capsules in the same substantially vertical orientation in the loading and unloading positions, and at least from the loading position to the unloading position.