Patent ID: 7849998

Claim:
A routing device for switching containers, the routing device rotating about a fixed axis of rotation and comprising: a number of gripping arms for gripping at least one container, the arms being provided at the periphery about the axis of rotation; a first path; a second path separate from the first path; a runway of a cam, each of said gripping arms comprising a cam follower collaborating with said runway, the runway having at least one fixed section and at least one removable section provided with a retractable-cam for allowing the removable section to be moved between a nominal position and a retracted position where the removable section is retracted from said runway, wherein the removable section, when in said nominal position, allows at least one of the gripping arms to follow the first path, while in said retracted position, the removable section allows at least one of the gripping arms to follow the second path; at least one rotary transverse plate to which the radially movable gripping arms are attached; a first fixed transverse plate in which the runway for the cam follower of the gripping arm is formed; an actuator fixed to the first fixed transverse plate for actuating a displacement of said removable section substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, from the nominal position to the retracted position; and a second fixed transverse plate in which another runway is formed; and wherein the gripping arms comprise a first set of gripping arms, the movements of which are controlled by the runway formed in the first fixed transverse plate, which is on one of a lower and upper fixed transverse plate, and a second set of gripping arms, the movements of which are controlled by a runway formed in the second fixed transverse plate, which is on the other of the lower and upper fixed transverse plate.