Abstract: In a device for destacking and conveying sticks to be inserted into ice-cream bodies in an apparatus of the kind, in which the sticks are supplied in the form of an elongate stack of sticks in guide means (5, 6, P), from which the sticks are destacked singly adjacent to a carrier (7, 8) moving past the exit aperture (12) of the guide means (6, P), the destacking means is in the form of a rotor (7) with teeth resembling those of a ratchet wheel. With this arrangement, the sticks are destacked quickly and reliably, making it possible to achieve high operating rates, either when the sticks are placed directly in front of an ice-cream body, or when the sticks are inserted in pockets on a carrier belt (8). In the latter case, said belt (8) may have pockets or fingers with a substantially greater depth or height, respectively, than the thickness of an ice-lolly stick, so that the stick is held more securely during the further conveying.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting sticks into ice cream bodies contains a magazine 2, from where the sticks 1 are discharged to a carrier 4, which is provided with pockets 6 for receiving the sticks 1. The sticks 1 are fed from the pockets 6 to mold cavities filled with ice cream, by clamping devices 8 mounted in a pick-up assembly 7, which can be moved between a position in which the sticks 1 are lifted out of the pockets 6 to a position above mold cavities containing ice cream. A piston 3 is placed in the magazine 2. The piston is designed to squeeze the sticks 1 in the magazine against the carrier with an abutment force substantially greater than the weight of the sticks stacked in the magazine.