Patent ID: 8281554

Claim:
A machine for wrapping sticks of food products, comprising: a feed unit supplying a succession of single sticks having a substantially rectangular outline and of relatively small thickness, arranged flat on a conveyor and advancing, spaced apart at a predetermined first pitch, toward a transfer position; a spacing and wrapping unit by which the sticks are spaced apart at a predetermined second pitch greater than the first pitch, comprising a spacing roller by which the sticks are taken up lying flat into tangential peripheral seats revolving substantially tangential to the conveyor at the transfer position, and a pick-up and transfer mechanism, operating at the transfer position, by which the sticks are picked up and transferred to the spacing roller; wherein the spacing and wrapping unit comprises a wrapping roller, and a transfer roller interposed between the spacing roller and the wrapping roller; wherein the transfer roller includes a plurality of tangential peripheral seats and, associated with each transfer roller seat, a pusher element, and an alignment mechanism for positioning one of the sticks in the transfer roller seat.