Patent ID: 8485122

Claim:
A gluing unit for applying adhesive to a succession of opening devices to be fitted to respective sealed packages of pourable food products, said unit comprising: a conveyor configured to receive said opening devices and operable to move in a forward direction while said opening devices are positioned on the conveyor to feed said opening devices in the forward direction along a path; adhesive dispensing means located along said path and positioned relative to the conveyor to apply said adhesive to a portion of each opening device as the opening devices positioned on the conveyor are being fed in the forward direction along said path by the conveyor; and wherein said dispensing means are movable parallel to said path, so as to increase output of the unit; wherein, as they move parallel to said path, said dispensing means are movable in a first and a second direction, crosswise to each other, in respective independent movements, to deposit said adhesive along a predetermined deposition trajectory; and first and second drive means for moving said dispensing means in said first and said second direction respectively; wherein said dispensing means are connected to said first and second drive means by connecting means; said connecting means permitting relative movement between said dispensing means and each of said first and second drive means in each of said first and said second direction; and wherein said connecting means comprise two pairs of members; each pair comprising a respective first member connected operatively to said dispensing means, and a respective second member which is connected operatively to a relative drive to move in a respective one of said first and said second direction, and is connected to said first member to slide in the other of said first and said second direction.