Patent ID: 8061507

Claim:
A sequencing unit operating along a feed path of a number of opening devices for attachment to respective sealed packages of pourable food products, comprising: conveying means for conveying said opening devices arranged in at least one line; releasable stop means interacting with said opening devices downstream from said conveying means along said path to stop movement of the opening devices and thereby prevent travel of the opening device along the path while the stop means is in a first configuration; said stop means normally being set to the first configuration, and being movable into a second configuration allowing travel of said opening devices along said path; and push means comprised of a pair of paddles positioned on opposite sides of the path and traveling at predetermined intervals past said stop means so that both paddles engage one of the opening devices stopped by said stop means and move said one opening device along the path so that the movement of said one opening device by the paddles pushes said one opening device against the stop means which applies a force to said stop means moving said stop means from said first configuration to said second configuration, so that said opening devices are fed in sequence and at a predetermined rate through the stop means, the stop means stopping movement of the opening devices before the opening devices are engaged by the push means.