Patent ID: 6981939

Claim:
A forming machine ( 1 ) for producing articles ( 2 ) of sheet material from flat blanks ( 2 a ); the machine ( 1 ) comprising: a powered conveying means for feeding an orderly succession of flat blanks ( 2 a ) along a forming path (K), and pressure means ( 15 ) for holding said blanks ( 2 a ) on said conveying means; and being characterized in that said conveying means comprise a roller conveyor ( 4 ) comprising: a number of intermediate rollers ( 6 ) aligned transversely to their respective axes of rotation in a plane parallel to said forming path (K), two lateral shoulders ( 5 ) and a synchronous drive means ( 7 ); said intermediate rollers ( 6 ) each being connected perpendicularly between said shoulders ( 5 ) and each being connected to said synchronous drive means ( 7 ) for rotating each of said rollers ( 6 ) about its axis ( 6 a ); said axes ( 6 a ) of said rollers ( 6 ) being equally spaced with a first spacing (P); said pressure means ( 15 ) being fitted to supporting means ( 18 ) comprising a supporting frame ( 19 ), and a locating and retaining means associated with said shoulders ( 5 ) to locate and lock the supporting frame ( 19 ) along the forming path (K) in a number of fixed relative reference positions with respect to the shoulders ( 5 ).