Patent ID: 8307973

Claim:
A device for generating, from a flow of incoming articles with a given advancing velocity (v in ), an output flow of said articles comprising: an input conveyor; and a screw conveyor configured to receive longitudinally said flow of incoming articles from said input conveyor, said screw conveyor including at least one screw having a helix configured to interact with said advancing articles to control the conveying of said articles by said at least one screw, a rotational velocity (ω) of said at least one screw being selectively adjustable to vary a conveying velocity (v app ) of said articles by said at least one screw with respect to said given advancing velocity (v in ) such that said conveying velocity (v app ) of said articles by said at least one screw may be adjustably set as a sub-multiple of said given advancing velocity (v in ), whereby said output flow of said articles includes groups of stacked articles, the number of articles in each group being determined by the ratio of said given advancing velocity (v in ) and said conveying velocity (v app ) of said articles by said at least one screw.