Buhler Inc.

Achim Klein

Mark Knapp

Kay Hauschulz

Stephen Chapman

Sean Knight

A device and method for temporarily storing stacks of piece goods which are provided in a clocked manner at a transfer point integrated in the device or adjacent to the device of a system for producing food products, in particular chocolate products, comprising: one or more storage points, a delivery point, a transport apparatus for moving the stacks of piece goods in the direction of transport; and a manipulator by means of which the transfer point, the delivery point as well as the storage points arranged therebetween can be approached; wherein at least one piece of goods of a stack of piece goods, preferably a plurality of piece goods of a stack of piece goods, can be transferred at once to the delivery point by the manipulator; wherein the stacks of piece goods can be separated at the delivery point and fed to a downstream section of the system; and wherein the flow of stacks of piece goods provided at the transfer point can be decoupled from the downstream section of the system by successively occupying the storage points.

Apparatus and process for the temporary storage of piece good stacks in a system for producing food products

A plant () for producing food products, more particularly chocolate products; a module for a plant of this kind and a method for process changeover on the plant (). The plant () includes a plurality of modules () in which the food products, preferably in product carriers (), can be processed and/or transported. The modules () each have a module frame () with heights (), widths () and lengths (). The length is a multiple of a smallest module length (). The plant preferably has modules () with a single smallest module length () and modules () with a length () of a twice the smallest module length. Preferably, the modules () are designed such that they can be connected or are connected to adjacent modules in the longitudinal direction, preferably on both sides.

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Iserlohn, Germany

Achim Klein