Patent ID: 7201270

Claim:
A device for the accumulation and release of products (P) disposed in ranks, of the type comprising: a storage unit ( 2 ) with respective receiving ( 4 ) and delivery ( 6 ) openings for said products, a plurality of container elements ( 7 ) movably guided within said storage unit ( 2 ) between said receiving ( 4 ) and delivery ( 6 ) openings along a predetermined path ( 8 ), each container element ( 7 ) being provided with a plurality of support surfaces ( 9 ) for containing ranks of products (P), actuating means being provided to control the movement of said container elements ( 7 ) in the storage unit ( 2 ) so as to present each container element ( 7 ) to be filled in sequence at the receiving opening ( 4 ), for loading incoming ranks of products onto the respective support surfaces ( 9 ) of the container, and to conduct the previously filled containers to the delivery opening ( 6 ) for the release of respective ranks of products leaving the storage unit ( 2 ), characterised in that said actuating means comprise first and second separate control means ( 10 , 11 ) respectively associated in sequence with one and another container ( 7 ) in succession to one another of each pair of containers ( 7 ) to be found in said plurality of container elements, so that both of said containers ( 7 ) in succession to one another are conducted from and towards said receiving opening ( 4 ) and/or delivery opening ( 6 ) of the storage unit ( 2 ) by independent movements with respect to one another.