Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an apparatus (1) for packaging series of articles (3) in different formations (71). According to the invention, articles for each formation (71) are fed in mutually opposite directions (69, 70) by longitudinal conveyors (2) towards a common receiving zone (6) for collecting and stacking of articles (3), where first articles are stopped and transferred laterally by lateral conveyors (15) to a first collecting means (25) for collecting part of a stack (72) of two formations (71) of articles, whereupon a so collected part is released to a second collecting means (34) for collecting the remainder of a complete stack (72) by way of stopping and transferring second articles. The complete stack (72) is then moved onwards for further handling and packaging, and the latter movement is provided to be carried out during the first collecting step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of packaging together series of bottles (6) by holder blanks (4) in which each one is to hold a number of bottles. The holder blanks (4) are provided in stacks (8) and are fed via a separation unit (9) to an application unit (3), into which bottles are fed on a conveyor (5) in a required formation (27). When a holder blank is applied, its laterally disposed flaps (39) are bent downwards and, at the same time, fingers (44), integrated with the flaps and possibly additional fingers are pressed upwards by the bottle caps (26) and the bottle flanges (26), respectively, and are moved downwards below their level. At the same time, the holder blank is cut through to obtain individual holders to rows of holders. The invention also relates to a device (1) designed to carry out this method and a holder (4), to be used when carrying out the method and with the device (1), respectively.

Abstract: A carrying and/or uniting device (1), designed for mainly parallelepiped-shaped packages (4), having outer fastening tapes (8), provided with glue and designed to fasten the device onto a set of packages (49). The device is subdivided into plurality of longitudinal or horizontal sections (12, 14), which are separated from each other by means of folding indications, designed as perforations or the like and/or tearing-off tapes or the like (11, 16, 18). At least one of these sections is provided with one or several recesses (13) with a carrying and/or information function. The device is close to the tearing-off indication provided with transverse perforations (9) for dividing up and consequently detaching separate packages from a set of packages, which are united by a device. In accordance with the invention the applied device with the carrying function has a rhomboidal open shape.