Abstract: The present invention concerns a production line for rows or layers of products, especially food products and more specifically, confectionery products such as chocolate wafers, bars, or the like, comprising a recycling device for the timed reintroduction of the temporarily stored products into the empty spaces between the products on said conveyor belts.The recycling device (13) comprises a first endless conveyor belt, called the recycling belt (18), mounted on a pivoting support, and a second endless conveyor belt, called the switching belt (19), also mounted on a pivoting support, said switching belt (19) being positioned either in the extension of the recycling belt (18) or inserted between two conveyor belts (10) on the line, and the recycling belt (18) being positioned either in the extension of the switching belt (19) or in the extension of the conveyor belt of the storage device (14).

Abstract: Process and apparatus for aligning articles or rows of articles positioned irregularly on a conveyor along a predetermined path downstream of a conditioning line or the like, including at least one detector to detect the passage of the trailing article or row of articles. At least one alignment element is provided, and a respective activation device for each of the alignment elements, whereby the detector is adapted to transmit to the activation device a detection signal upon detecting the passage of the trailing product or row of products, and whereby the activation device is adapted to displace the alignment element from an initial rest position beyond the path of the article or row of articles on the conveyor, to an active position abutting against the trailing article or row of articles.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for regularly and continuously supplying articles to an evacuation conveyor from at least one feed conveyor. The articles are arranged in successive rows on each feed conveyor and are deposited onto the evacuation conveyor which moves the articles in a single longitudinally extending row. The evacuation conveyor is positioned at an acute angle relative to each of said feed conveyors and each of the article is aligned and moved through an angle on the evacuation conveyor which is substantially complementary to the acute angle. The speeds of the feed and evacuation conveyors are adjusted so that the spacing between the last article in a given row deposited from a feed conveyor onto the evacuation conveyor and the first article in a successively deposited row is substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent articles within any row.

Abstract: The assembly comprises several transport bands for advancing the products to be disposed in the preformed containers for assorted packings to a distributing station, from where several band conveyors transport the products to different filling stations. Each filling station comprises a depositing means for the products being mounted on a slewing arm comprising an extensible horizontal arm. The depositing means comprises a tubular stem connected to a coupling piece which in turn is carried by the head of a conveyor thus connecting the conveyor and the slewing arm. The assembly is designed to facilitate the regulations which are necessary for a change of the format of assorted packings.

Abstract: An automatic packing line consisting of feeder conveyor belts arranged to bring products to be packed to a series of packing machines and of automatic feeder stations located along the said belts to distribute the said products selectively to the packing machines, is equipped with a recovery device installed after the last automatic feeder station to collect the products which have not been taken charge of by the said stations, a storage device for storing temporarily the products collected by the recovery device and an ejection device which evacuates the undistributed products when the storage device becomes saturated with such products.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling a box with objects, such as praline assortments, comprises an insertion plate having compartments into which the objects can fit, each compartment having an apertured base, and a table for receiving the insertion plate. The table has a plurality of plungers, one associated with each compartment, each having a shape inversely corresponding to the shape of the aperture of the associated compartment. The plungers are movable simultaneously to push the objects from the insertion plate and a suction device holds the objects above the plate while movable walls compress the objects into a space corresponding to the internal area of the box. The suction device, walls and held objects are then moved as a unit to a filling station and deposited in the box at the station.

Abstract: A machine for joining separate products, such as biscuits or chocolates, into a sandwich comprises a drum having a series of pairs of sleeves with open inlet and outlet ends, the cross-section of the sleeves corresponding to the cross-section of the products, and one sleeve of each pair being fixed to the drum and the other sleeve of each pair being hinged to the fixed sleeve and movable between a position in which it bears against the drum and a folded position in which it bears against and is radially outwardly of the fixed sleeve. The drum is rotated so as to present to products brought in succession by a conveyor the inlet opening of a fixed sleeve and then the inlet opening of a hinged sleeve in the unfolded condition. The hinged sleeve is then rotated to its folded position and the products ejected from the adjacent sleeves of a pair in a sandwich to another conveyor.

Abstract: A device for transferring rows of products from moulds to a delivering table while turning over and setting the spacing of the products during transfer comprises telescopic assemblies of suction-cup supports mounted on diametrically opposed tubular arms rotatable on a fixed suction pipe with which the suction cups communicate. The angular position of the suction-cup supports relative to the arms is controlled during rotation to facilitate unmoulding of the products, and the spacing of the suction-cup supports is set, by a sliding sun-and-planet pinion arrangement controlled by two cam systems.

Abstract: Sets of objects such as cupped chocolates are deposited by templates on a table where each set is held by suction with the objects spaced apart from another. A frame with movable walls brings together each set of objects which are lifted by a suction head forming a bell with the closed frame, and the set of objects is then deposited in a box.