Patent ID: 7861848

Claim:
A supply station for supplying articles to a plurality of channels opening above a blister strip, the supply station receiving both articles and returned excess articles for supply to the plurality of channels, the supply station having: supply organs for containing the articles and for dispensing the articles towards conveying means located downstream, which conveying means select and direct the articles in an ordered fashion in an advancement direction towards mouths of the plurality of channels; collecting and transfer means, functionally associated with the channel mouths for receiving and collecting excess articles which accumulate at the mouths, and transferring the excess articles to a transfer means located upstream of the mouths, in proximity to a predetermined first zone of the conveying means, for supplying the excess articles thereto; the supply station further comprising: directing organs interposed between the supply organs and the conveying means to release the articles onto the conveying means, in proximity to the first zone; detecting and control organs for detecting a presence or absence of articles and/or excess articles on at least a second zone of the conveying means adjacent to the first zone and for at least temporarily inhibiting the directing organs to cause at least a temporary interruption of release of the articles by the directing organs in relation to a quantity of articles and/or excess articles present in the second zone, in order to prevent an excessive accumulation of the articles and/or the excess articles on the conveying means wherein the first zone is downstream of the second zone, and wherein the directing organs release the articles upstream of the second zone, the directing organs comprising a first vertical channel having relative top and bottom ends respectively communicating with the supply organs and with an intermediate chamber provided laterally with an opening; and, a carousel, rotating internally of the intermediate chamber, for projecting the articles towards the opening.