摘要 |
Articles aligned on a belt conveyor are transferred, without being clamped, to predetermined article delivery positions at the packaging machine. To this end, articles 1 are transferred onto a positioning conveyor 21 having comb-like interteeth clearances. Articles 1 are caused to dwell at a predetermined position on the positioning conveyor 21, and the conveyor 21 is stopped and then lowered to allow the upper surface 61a of holding bars 61 of a slide conveyor 22 to be exposed through the comb-like interteeth clearances, whereupon articles 1 transfer onto the upper surface 61a of the holding bars 61. The slide conveyor 22 is advanced to move the holding bars 61 to a location below pivot shutters 79 of an elevating frame 66 which is on standby at its most elevated position. The elevating frame 66 is then lowered to allow the articles 1 on the holding bars 61 to transfer onto the pivot shutters 79. The elevating frame 66 is further lowered and the pivot shutters 79 are opened, whereupon the articles 1 drop by gravity into the article delivery positions 49.
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