Patent ID: 7325371

Claim:
An apparatus for applying protective corner elements that have first and second sides designed to protect respective corresponding first and second sides of at least one corner of a palletized load, the apparatus comprising: transfer means for conveying at least one corner element from an initial position to a position where the first and second sides of the corner element are respectively close to the first and second sides of the load corner to be protected; a gripping unit for gripping the corner element, said gripping unit mounted on a rotating arm for transferring the corner element by a rotational movement through an angle from the initial position to an alignment position where at least a first side of the corner element is aligned with and parallel with the corresponding first side of the corner of the load; wherein said gripping unit rotates with respect to the arm and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for rotating the gripping unit with respect to the arm in order to keep the first and second sides of the corner element respectively parallel with the first and second sides of the load corner during at least part of the time when said arm rotates, wherein the means for rotating comprises a rack that slides inside the arm, the rack being linked at one end in such a way as to follow a profile of a cam and, at the other end, said rack meshes with a toothed wheel on which a swivel pin of the gripping unit is mounted.