Patent ID: 8011493

Claim:
A device for changing the pitch between articles in a flow of moving articles, the device comprising: at least one conveying element for conveying the articles, said element adapted to describe a path of orbital movement about a principal axis between a position of picking-up and a position of release of the articles, the speed of said orbital movement being selectively variable in the passage between said positions of picking-up and of release so as to modify the pitch between said articles in the passage between said position of picking-up and said position of release; said at least one conveying element being likewise orientable about a respective axis, oriented in a radial direction with respect to said principal axis so as to modify the orientation of said articles in the passage between said position of picking-up and said position of release; a cam formation with a cam profile that follows said path of orbital movement of said at least one conveying element for conveying the articles about said principal axis; and at least one cam-follower element, carried by said at least one conveying element for conveying the articles; said at least one cam-follower element being able to co-operate in a cam-follower relationship with said cam formation for determining the orientation assumed by said at least one conveying element in said position of picking-up and said position of release, irrespective of the speed of said orbital movement, wherein said cam-follower element comprises at least two rolling bodies co-operating with said cam profile, wherein said cam formation comprises a furrow or groove with staggered sides, each designed to co-operate with a respective one of said at least two rolling bodies.