Patent ID: 8479476

Claim:
A unit for supplying products ( 2 ) to a packing machine (M), the packing machine (M) comprising a line along which container elements ( 3 , 3 A) in which the products ( 2 ) are to be inserted and packed are advanced in an advancement direction (A), the unit ( 1 ) comprising: a flat element ( 8 ) provided with a through-slit ( 10 ), arranged directly closely above and facing the container elements ( 3 , 3 a ) advancing on the line; a disc ( 4 ) having an upper surface and a lower surface and having through-holes ( 6 ), each through-hole sized for receiving and housing internally thereof a respective product ( 2 ), with a lower portion of the product extending below the lower surface thereof, a frame for bearing the disc and for adjustably positioning the disk with respect to the flat element ( 8 ), the lower surface of the disk ( 4 ) facing the flat element ( 8 ) and being spaced away from the flat element ( 8 ) for an adjustable distance such that the lower portions of the products ( 2 ) housed in the through-holes ( 6 ) rest on and are supported by the flat element ( 8 ) while upper portions of the products ( 2 ) are disposed below the upper surface of the disc ( 4 ), the frame being vertically movable with respect to the flat element ( 8 ) for adjusting the position of the disc ( 4 ) above the flat element ( 8 ), the space between the lower surface of the disc ( 4 ) and the flat element ( 8 ) being adjusted for receiving products ( 2 ) of different dimensions internally of the through-holes ( 6 ), such that more or less of the product lower portions are accommodated by the adjusted space, the disc ( 4 ) also being activatable in rotation with respect to the flat element ( 8 ), and with respect to the container elements ( 3 , 3 a ) advancing along the line, in order to bring the products ( 2 ) housed in the through-holes ( 6 ) to a position above the slit ( 10 ) contemporaneously with a transit of the container elements ( 3 , 3 a ) below said slit ( 10 ) such that the products ( 2 ) housed in the through-holes ( 6 ) fall directly through the slit ( 10 ) into the container elements ( 3 , 3 a ).