Sapal Societe Anonyme Des Plieuses Automatiques

Hans Pilar

Alexis Chenevard

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. The activation device is adapted to then displace the alignment element in the direction of movement of the conveyor at a substantially constant velocity greater than that of the conveyor, in a manner so as to push the article or row of articles positioned on the conveyor over a predetermined distance, and then to return the alignment element to the initial rest position. Various cycles of operation are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Pully, Switzerland

Hans Pilar