Patent ID: 6920905

Claim:
An installation for filling and packaging hollow bodies, comprising at least one filling and packaging station ( 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 ) for filling and packaging hollow bodies ( 12 ), and a transfer device for transfer of the hollow bodies between an inlet station ( 18 ) for the hollow bodies in the transfer device and an outlet station ( 19 ) for the hollow bodies filled and packaged, passing through the filling and packaging station ( 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 ), the transfer device containing a motor-driven endless conveyor ( 16 ) comprising an outgoing side ( 32 ), opposite which is arranged the filling and packaging station and the outlet station, and an incoming side ( 34 ) characterized in that the incoming side ( 34 ) extends over the outgoing side ( 32 ), the hollow bodies respectively have open ends forming necks, the inlet station is adapted to present the hollow bodies in positions with the necks turned toward the conveyor, the conveyor being equipped with gripping means ( 44 , 46 ) for gripping the hollow bodies in the positions, the gripping means contain a plurality of pairs of gripping flaps ( 44 , 46 ), the pairs of gripping flaps being adapted for seizing together respective necks and being mounted on a drive number ( 43 ) of the conveyor for pivoting the gripping flaps between an active position in which the gripping flaps are brought close to each other for the seizing and an open position in which the gripping flaps are separated from each other, the gripping flaps ( 44 , 46 ) of each of the pairs being provided with respective opposite gripping edges with respective complementary cutouts together delimiting, in the active position, at least one neck gripping opening, and each at the gripping flaps ( 44 , 46 ) is mounted freely turning on a support ( 50 ) of the drive member ( 43 ) and in that the support contains a lug ( 54 ) holding the gripping flaps in the active position, the jug extending longitudinally along a lower face of the incoming side ( 34 ) and on which the gripping flaps rest.