SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING ARTICLES

摘要

A rearranging mechanism operable to act on an incoming moving stream (14) of articles (B) , the mechanism having tools operable to grasp one or more articles simultaneously and the moveable relative to said incoming moving stream (14) of articles (B) such that said tools are operable to match the velocity of the moving stream for gripping and lifting articles at a first loading position; operable to match the velocity of the moving stream at a second spaced unloading position, and operable to change velocity and/or position upstream or downstream relative to the moving articles and/or transverse position relative to the moving articles such that said second position is spaced longitudinally and/or transversely relative to said first position and thereby the rearranging mechanism (18) is operable to rearrange an incoming stream (14) of articles into an outgoing stream (84) of articles in spaced groups having a different configuration relative to that of the incoming stream (14) of articles.