Patent ID: 7458196

Claim:
A method of packing articles, comprising a first feed step to feed at least two articles ( 2 ) singly and successively along a first path (P 1 ) from an input station ( 4 ) to an output station ( 5 ); a first folding step, performed during the first feed step, to fold a respective sheet of packing material ( 7 ) about each article ( 2 ) to form a respective first wrapping ( 8 ) about each article ( 2 ); a group-forming step to bring the articles ( 2 ) into contact with each other to form a group ( 10 ) of articles ( 2 ); a second feed step to feed the group ( 10 ) of articles ( 2 ) along a second path (P 3 ), which at least partly coincides with the first path (P 1 ); a second folding step, performed during the second feed step, to fold a further sheet of packing material ( 11 ) about the group ( 10 ) of articles ( 2 ) to form a second wrapping ( 12 ) about the group ( 10 ) of articles ( 2 ); and a third feed step, which substantially follows the first feed step and substantially precedes the second feed step, and during which the articles ( 2 ) are fed along a third path (P 2 ) from the output station ( 5 ) to the input station ( 4 ).