A DEVICE FOR CHANGING THE PITCH BETWEEN ARTICLES BEING CONVEYED AND ROTATING THESE ARTICLES

摘要

A device for carrying out a repitching operation, i.e., for changing the pitch between articles (A) comprised in a flow of moving articles, includes one or more conveying elements (12) for the articles (A) that are to follow a path of orbital movement about a principal axis (X10) between a position of picking-up (T) and a position of release (G) of the articles (A) themselves. The speed of said orbital movement is selectively variable (39, 37, 36) in the passage between the aforesaid positions of picking-up (T) and of release (G) so as to modify the pitch between the articles (A) carried by the conveying elements (12). Said conveying elements (12) are likewise orientable about a respective axis (X12) oriented in a radial direction with respect to the principal axis (X10) so as to modify the orientation of the articles (A) in the passage between the position of picking-up (T) and the position of release (G). There is present at least one cam.formation (160), the cam profile of which follows the path of orbital movement of the conveying elements (12) about the principal axis (X10). The conveying element or each conveying element (12) is provided with a cam-follower element (158a, 158b) that can co-operate in a relationship of following with the aforesaid cam formation (160) for determining the orientation assumed by the respective conveying element (12) in the position of picking-up (T) and of release (G), irrespective of the speed of the aforesaid orbital movement.