Abstract: A horizontal support has an angularly reciprocatable body supported in a horizontal and rotary manner and having an axially reciprocatable rod disposed therein and articulated to gripper designed to take horizontally disposed tubes in individual sequence and to transfer them, disposed vertically, with their bases upwardly open by inserting them from the top into resilient take-up members disposed with a uniform spacing along the processing line of the machine following oscillations of this body supporting the gripper.

Abstract: An apparatus for the positive transfer of pre-formed tubes of the so-called crushable type with open bases from the line which processes them into boxes of tube-filling and boxing machines comprises first gripper means which may be vertically moved in an alternating manner at the location of a station at which the tubes are taken up rhythmically from the processing line, second gripper means which may be moved vertically in an alternating manner at the location of a station for the rhythmic introduction of these tubes into the said prefabricated boxes having their filling apertures upwardly open and gripper means which may be moved in an alternating manner for the rhythmic transfer of the tubes from the first to the second gripper means.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and supplying containers or boxes to the outlet of the processing line of the tube-filling machine section and to the inlet of the boxing machine section of the tube-filling and boxing machine type, has a forked body having substantially coplanar prongs supported in an inclined and freely rotatable manner in the region of its shank. A kinematic articulated lever linkage is associated with a respective prong of the forked portion of this body supported freely and in an inclined manner. A suction device is controlled by the respective kinematic articulated lever linkage. The unit is equipped for the simultaneous control of the respective kinematic articulated lever linkages. An actuator actuates the forked body in an oscillating manner in both directions, and another actuator effects the simultaneous control of the kinematic articulated lever linkages.

Abstract: Picking up in a positive manner from a feeding hopper in individual sequence horizontally positioned tubes, feeding them by gravity and delivering them, always positively held, to an element that from the horizontal pick-up position inserts them positively in a vertical plane with their open ends upwards in clamping elements on a processing line along which, advancing in increments, they are filled and closed and sealed in a conventional manner along the end thereof. Thereafter, synchronized with the incremental advance along the processing line, the tubes thus filled and end sealed, are successively gripped by transfer elements that insert them in preassembled boxes having their introduction opening facing upwards, at a packaging station, and there the tubes are packed inside the appropriate boxes with the introduction opening of the box being then closed.

Abstract: Flattened cartons or containers stacked in a hopper of a packaging machine are successively removed from the hopper by an extractor including a vertically reciprocable suction-cup carrier engageable with the bottom section of the lowermost carton in the stack which initially is coplanar with an adjoining lateral section. The latter section, during the descent, comes to rest against a stationary ramp; the incipient erection of that lateral section by its engagement with the ramp is accelerated by a pair of swingable arms flanking the ramp, these arms being pivoted into a vertical position for area contact with the side of the passing carton. Possible malfunctions can be detected by a pressure sensor communicating with the suction line or by a photosensor in line with an area occupied by an end section of the carton in the unfolded position thereof.