CA2295357A1 - Machine for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, more particularly folding cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, more particularly folding cartons (19) about their vertical axis, more particularly for rotating articles through 90°. The machine has a handling device (33) for conveying the articles, the articles being grasped and rotated by a rotation device. The rotation device has a plurality of elements (61) adapted to be positioned relative to the articles and which make contact therewith, and setting means (54, 55, 56) for rotating said elements. The elements are mounted in a revolving conveyor (38, 39).
The invention proposes arranging the revolving conveyor above the handling device (33) and the articles (19) and disposed horizontally. This configuration makes it possible in particular for the machine to be readily accessible and to be of a straightforward design in constructional terms.

Description

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Herr Helmut Seidel Fliederstrasse 19 65396 Walluf Machine for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, more particularly folding cartons D a s c r i p t i o n The invention relates to a machine for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, more particularly folding cartons, about a vertical axis, more particularly for rotating the articles through 90°, having a conveyor device for conveying the articles, on which the articles stand, are gripped and rotated by a rotation device, the rotation device having a plurality of elements which can be positioned relative to the articles and come into contact therewith, and having setting means for rotating said elements, the elements also being mounted in a revolving conveyor.
One such machine is known from EP 0 266 644 B1. It is used for the automated packaging of goods in folding cartons, for example for packaging pizzas.

' CA 02295357 2000-O1-13 In order to carry out the shaping, filling and closing of a folding carton in one continuous and furthermore automated operation it is endeavoured to have the packaging machine perform as many steps as possible towards achieving this goal. It then only remains to seal the end faces of the largely folded carton, which already accommodates the article. For this, however, it is necessary to rotate the folding carton through 90° before sealing the end faces thereof, in order to enable the sealing operations to be carried out from the sides of the packaging machine. To ensure the continuous process, the folding cartons are conveyed onward as they are being rotated about their vertical axis; this is due to the motion of the rotation device in a straight line which the revolving conveyor superimposes on the rotational movement of the rotation device.
In the aforementioned document the revolving conveyor is adapted to be moved horizontally and is situated beneath the articles being handled. The elements coming into contact with the articles are constructed in the form of supporting disks which are moved against the articles from below. The rotational movement of the supporting disks, which takes place through 90°, is effected via a crank guide. Said document also proposes arranging a further conveyor above the revolving conveyor, likewise accommodating supporting disks. These touch the upper face of the folding cartons from above and thus constitute a boundary that prevents an unforeseen displacement of the folding cartons on the lower supporting disks from being able to take place as the folding cartons are being rotated by means of the lower supporting disks. The upper supporting disks are not adjustable in height and therefore the upper conveyor is likewise arranged horizontally.
The known machine has the drawback that the rotation ' CA 02295357 2000-O1-13 device and the revolving conveyor associated therewith are situated beneath the articles being handled. Thus all the components necessary for handling and rotating the articles must be installed beneath the conveying plane of the articles. The fact that the available space is not unlimited means that this can only be done with considerable difficulty. Besides, it also has to be taken into consideration that the handling device for conveying the articles, upon which as a general rule the articles are thus conveyed under their own weight, has to be accommodated in this zone. Because of the two direction-reversing zones of the conveyor, the vertical arrangement of the revolving conveyor will have a considerable constructional height, which thus influences the conveying level of the handling device. Moreover, in the case of the known machine only supporting disks are provided, which are thus not suitable for holding the articles securely. The additional, upper conveyor is provided in order to overcome this drawback, with the result that each article is held between two supporting disks. Moreover, the articles, even in the region of the rotation device, are always conveyed level with the handling device, and thus are not lifted by the handling device as they are being rotated.
DE 38 17 543 A1 discloses a machine for treating articles with a treatment fluid. In this machine a handling device in the form of an endless link conveyor is provided, which continuously conveys workpieces that are to be etched through the various treatment zones of the machine. At regular intervals the endless link conveyor incorporates carrier disks, onto which the workpieces are pushed. As they move through the machine, the carrier disks may be offset in rotation about their own axis. In this manner the workpieces that are pushed onto the carrier disks are sprayed from all sides from the nozzle stands which form part of the machine, in such a manner that all the angles and corners are reliably reached and any formation of shadows is avoided.
It is the object of the present invention to develop a machine of the type mentioned in the introduction, in such a way that it is offers particularly good access and is of a constructionally simple design.
In a machine of the type mentioned in the introduction, the object is achieved by the fact that the revolving conveyor is arranged above the handling device and the articles and is horizontal.
Arranging the revolving conveyor above the handling device and the articles has the effect that at the top there is sufficient room to install the revolving conveyor.
Regardless of this, the revolving conveyor extends not heightwise, but widthwise, since it is arranged horizontally, Consequently, the individual elements of the revolving conveyor are easily accessible, thereby enabling adjustment and reorganisation operations to be performed in a straightforward manner. Apart from this, the rotation device and the revolving conveyor are positioned at a different location from the handling device for conveying the articles. Correcting the deployment of the constructional units ensures that the handling device for conveying the articles is readily accessible. This means that the design of the individual components can be optimised independently of one another.
There is no need to consider how they will co-operate with the other components.
One particular form of embodiment of the invention provides for the elements to be constructed as suction elements, more particularly with a pair of suction elements being able to be brought into operative connection with the respective article. The suction elements are lowered from above onto the article and the latter is preferably lifted slightly and only then rotated. To enable the holding forces to be transmitted into the article in the optimum manner, it is most usual to provide one pair of suction elements for each article, and these suction elements grasp the article outside the centre of gravity thereof, meaning also the product contained by the article, with the result that tilting moments and acceleration forces can largely be counteracted. It should, however, be ensured that the axis about which the suction elements of the suction element pair are pivoted substantially coincides with the article's centre of gravity, taking into consideration the product accommodated therein.
In a particularly straightforward manner the elements, especially the suction elements, can be moved to and fro by means of a stationary crank guide, so as to achieve the desired rotation of the articles about their vertical axis . Specifically this rotation is a 90 ° rotation, which takes account of the fact that when the articles are in the form of folding cartons these are substantially cuboid in construction. The raising and lowering of the elements for the purpose of producing the suction connection between the elements and the articles and lifting the latter is preferably carried out by means of a fixed crank guide.
One particular design configuration provides that the rotation device and the revolving conveyor are mounted in a common cradle. This makes it possible for the rotation device and the conveyor to be converted in a straightforward manner, thereby enabling articles of different thicknesses to be handled and rotated, the conversion being able to take place within an extremely short time. In order, instead of a folding carton that takes one pizza, to now handle a taller folding carton that for example takes three pizzas stacked on top of one another, it is only necessary to raise the entire cradle of the rotation device and of the revolving conveyor. The apparatus can then be operated without the need for additional modifications, since it is only a question of adjusting the height of the rotation device and revolving conveyor relative to the handling device for conveying the articles.
One special embodiment of the invention provides for the suction vacuum to be generated by means of compressed air in the region of each suction element or each pair of suction elements, notably by means of an injector nozzle.
This design solution, namely the conversion of compressed air, i.e. air at excessive pressure, into suction air is an advantage particularly when a central air supply is provided for the suction elements, or suction element pairs, with one suction element, or pair of suction elements, being connected to the central air supply and from this suction element, or pair of suction elements, the air supply for the other suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, being connected up one after the other.
Thus, for example, in the event that a central compressed air supply is provided, the case might arise where there is a leak in the region of the air supply to the other suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, connected up one after the other. This would have the effect that the vacuum could not be maintained and thus all the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, behind the faulty suction element or pair suction elements in the direction of flow will fail to operate, with the consequence that the articles cannot be handled there.
Conversely, in the case of compressed air a leak - and more often than not it will be a minor leak - does not lead to an appreciable fall in the air pressure. Even a slight drop in the pressure of the air will be sufficient to generate a suction vacuum by means of the injector nozzle arranged in the region of each suction element, or pair of suction elements, which ensures that the article in question can be handled satisfactorily.
Feeding air, whether it be compressed air or suction air, to the individual suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, presents a special problem. One particularly simple design solution in constructional terms, and one that is especially useful, provides for the central air supply to incorporate a coupling element that can be moved to and fro, in particularly to and fro in the main direction of movement of the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, with an air line connecting the coupling element to the suction element, or pair of suction elements, associated with the central air supply, and to the air source. Thus this solution provides for the translational, arcuate, translational and again arcuate movement of .the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, to set up a translational motion of the coupling element on account of the movement of the revolving conveyor; the direction of movement of the coupling element and the translational zone of the revolving conveyor should substantially coincide. The air line is ideally in the form of a flexible hose; the same also goes for the air lines that serially connect the individual suction elements, or pairs of suction elements. The coupling element is advantageously mounted in a freely displaceable manner in a rail and connected via a rod to a locator element for the suction element, or pair of suction elements, associated with the central air supply.
The rod creates an articulated connection between the coupling element and the locator element . All the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, should moreover be connected to identically configured locator elements.
This means that there is minimal constructional outlay as a result of the small number of different parts involved.

One particularly advantageous design solution in constructional terms provides for the conveyor to be in the form of a revolving double chain, the two chains being arranged one above the other and, viewed in the conveying direction, taking equidistantly spaced locator elements for the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements.
The locator elements are permanently joined to the chains and are able to take all the necessary parts for lowering the suction elements, or pairs of suction elements, and for rotating them. The locator elements also accommodate the units used for conducting the air, for example the respective injector nozzles.
As the article is being rotated, here specifically the folding carton, which is still open at its ends, there is no guarantee that the product contained in the article will not be displaced therein. This applies not only to the pizzas already mentioned above, and hence to products whose form essentially does not vary, but for example also to products packed in bags, such as cornflakes, sugar, etc.. In order to align these products, particularly products packed in bags, in relation to the article, here specifically the folding carton, a re-centring device is provided. The use of the device is not confined to cases where the rotation of the article has already taken place, but rather it can be provided independently thereof, for example in order, as a matter of course where products of variable form which may therefore very easily protrude from the folding cartons are packed in bags and accommodated in said folding cartons, to push said products fully into the latter. The re-centring device preferably has two centring elements which are adapted to be introduced into the article, on the opposing sides thereof which are open at those locations. The re-centring of the product preferably takes place as the product, and thus the article, are being conveyed. This may for example be accomplished by thrust members mounted in parallel guide bars, whose respective cross-section substantially matches the clear opening of the article, or folding carton, and which as the article is conveyed along is moved partially into the latter and then back out of it.
Additional features of the invention are represented in the Claims, in the Description of the Figures, and in the Figures themselves, it being noted that all the features and individual features are essential to the invention.
The invention is represented by means of an exemplifying embodiment, though without being confined thereto, in the Figures, wherein:
Fig. shows a side view of a packaging machine which incorporates the apparatus according to the invention for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, in the present instance folding cartons;

Fig. is a plan view of the packaging machine depicted in Fig. 1, with the components of the machine only shown in part;

Fig. shows a plan view of a folding carton which has been folded except for the end faces;

Fig. shows the folding carton seen in Fig. 3, in a position rotated through an angle of about 45 about a vertical axis;

Fig. shows the folding carton, seen here with a product inside it, in a cross-sectional view after rotation through 90 has taken place, and before a device for re-centring has been used;

Fig. shows the arrangement seen in Fig. 5, once the re-centring operation is completed;

Fig. shows a scaled-up excerpt VII from Fig. 1 to illustrate the apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. shows a section through the apparatus, approximately along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7;

Fig. is a schematised plan view of the apparatus according to the invention, to illustrate the components that effect the rotation of the pairs of suction elements;

Fig. is a schematised plan view of the apparatus according to the invention, with the components that provide the supply of air to the pairs of suction elements;

Fig. shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to the invention, in the region of a pair of suction elements.

In Figures 1 and 2 the essential components of the packaging machine are depicted in a highly simplified form. The packaging machine has a double incoming chain 1 with driving dogs 2 which engage between mounting rails disposed parallel to one another, upon which rest pizzas 3. The respective pizza 3 is displaced in the conveying direction 4 by means of two driving dogs 2 which form a pair. A height guard 5 detects the height of the respective pizza and co-operates with an expulsion unit 6 which expels pizzas that are too high. Arranged above the double incoming chain 1 is a magazine 7 which accommodates a large number of plane blanks 8. A rotary placement device 9 takes whichever blank 8 is at the front out of the magazine 7 using suction devices (not separately numbered), and deposits it on lateral guides (not shown).
The movement of the rotary placement device 9 and of the double incoming chain 1 is synchronised in such a way that, as can be taken from the view shown in Fig. 1, the respectively deposited blank 8 slightly overlaps adjacent transverse dividers 2 of the incoming double chain 1. The blank 8 is deposited transversely to its conveying direction onto the lateral guides and is located a short distance from the pizza 3 situated below it. The respective blank 8 is conveyed by means of a circular belt conveyor 10 disposed above the latter. Provided to the side of the incoming double chain 1 in the region of the circular belt conveyor 10 are devices (not shown) which convert the respective blank 8 into a pre-folded position in which the side wall sections and a tab section used for gluing are folded against one another at 90° out of the their original plane. Following on from the incoming double chain 1 is a further conveyor device 13 for the pizzas 3, which incorporates a rear conveyor section 14 and a front conveyor section 15, between which an interspace 16 is disposed. In the latter is arranged a strut 17, whose job it is to continue folding the pre-folded packing box blank. In the region of this conveyor device 13 the respective blank 8 is no longer conveyed by means of the circular belt conveyor 10, but lateral conveyor devices 18 with driving dogs are provided there which grasp the blank at the sides. The bottom section of the blank is folded up under the pizza 3 in the region of the strut 17, where said bottom section is glued to the tab section. As a result of this wrap-around process the pizza 3 is located inside the partially folded carton, which by now is only open in the region of its two end faces. To close these, the folding carton 19 is fed to the apparatus according to the invention for handling and simultaneously rotating the folding cartons, which is illustrated in Fig. 1 by the excerpt VII. After the respective folding carton 19 has been folded about a horizontal axis through 90°, the end faces of the packing box can be closed in the following zone 20 of the packaging machine, which incorporates an outgoing double chain 21. This is followed by a discharging conveyor 22, which conveys the packaged pizzas out of the packaging machine.
Fig. 3 shows the partly folded carton 19 prior to rotation. The folding carton 19 has a lid section 23 and a bottom section 43, which are of a matching square shape and are joined by means of a rectangular side wall section 24. On the side furthest from the side wall section 24, the lid section 23 has a further matching side wall section 25 to which the tab section 26 is joined which is glued to the bottom section. Not visible in Fig. 3 are dust flaps which are joined at the ends to the side wall sections 24 and 25. In relation to the conveyor device 4 for the folding carton 19, end wall sections 27 are joined to the bottom section and the lid section 23 on both the leading and the trailing face of the carton. These end wall sections 27 are as yet unfolded and thus lie in a plane with the lid section 23 and bottom section 43, respectively.
In the case of the apparatus according to the invention for handling and simultaneously rotating the folding carton 19, the latter is conveyed onward, proceeding from the position seen in Fig. 3 towards the arrow 4, and turned through 90° towards the arrow 28, with the result that the folding carton 19, which is open at the ends, adopts the position shown in Fig. 5. Admittedly, this Figure, and also Fig. 6, show the case where instead of a pizza 3 the folding carton 19 takes a bag 29 of cornflakes 30. If the bag 29 is pressed correspondingly flat, this means that it expands towards the end faces of the folding carton 19, with the result that in certain circumstances it then protrudes from the folding carton as depicted in Fig. 5. In order to centre the bag 29 in the folding carton 19 as the folding carton 19 is being carried along in the conveying direct~_on 4 , centring cheeks 31 which are swivel-mounted in parallel guide bars 32 are swung in synchronism against the end faces of the bag 29 and press the latter fully into the folding carton 19, as can be seen in the view in Fig. 6. As the folding carton 19 is conveyed onward in the conveying direction 4 , the centring cheeks swing back out of the end zones of the folding carton 19. This centring of the bag 29 takes place on account of the optimised lateral accessibility of the openings at the ends of the folding carton 19 after the folding carton 19 has been rotated through 90°. The mountings which accommodate the guide bars 32 for the centring cheeks 31 can be moved back and forth in the conveying direction 4, superimposed onto the pivoting motion of the guide bars 32.
It is immaterial to the discussion which follows which product is contained in the folding carton, and in particular whether it is a question of one pizza, several pizzas or a bag that contains a product of variable or invariable shape.
Figs. 7 to 11. show the layout and the mode of operation of the machine according to the invention for conveying and simultaneously rotating the folding carton 19. Via a handling device, for example a plurality of circular belt conveyors 33, the folding cartons 19 loaded with the products are conveyed into the zone of the machine according to the invention. The circular belt conveyors 33 are mounted in a stationary manner via bearing elements 34 in the frame 35 of the packaging machine. The frame holds vertically adjustable bearing elements 36 which accommodate the machine for conveying and simultaneous rotation in accordance with the invention. The bearing elements 36 are adjusted in height by means of a spindle drive 37. The bearing elements 36 accommodate two vertical bearing shafts 79 spaced apart from one another in the conveying direction of the folding cartons 19, and to said shafts 79 are connected gear wheels 38 on which double chains 39 run. One of the bearing shafts 79 is powered. To this end a cardan connection 40 is provided to a drive unit which incorporates an electric motor 41 and a step-up gear 42. The electric motor 41 preferably drives additional units of the packaging machine. To enable the height of the machine for conveying and simultaneous rotation in accordance with the invention to be adjusted, the cardan connection 40 is designed to be variable in length. Adjusting the height of the apparatus serves the purpose of allowing folding cartons 19 of different heights to be handled, as Fig. 8 illustrates in the region of the folding cartons 19 resting on the circular belt conveyors 33 by the thicknesses A and B
indicated by means of the arrows, which thicknesses reflect the height dimensions of one relatively low and one relatively tall packing box 19.
Connected to the double chains 29 are eight base elements 44 uniformly distributed around the circumference thereof, which are essentially U-shaped in cross-section, with the result that the side-pieces 45 thereof accommodate the double chains 39 between them. The crosspiece 46 of the base element 44 which links the respective two side-pieces 45 is used to vertically guide a bearing block 47 provided with a roller 48. This roller 48 runs in a guide slot 49 of a horizontally arranged guide rail 50, which is bolted to the bearing element 36 via an angular element 51. The guide slot 49 is vertically curved, such that in a run-in zone of the guide slot 49 it initially lowers the bearing block 47 via the roller 48 and in an exit zone of the guide slot 49 the roller 48 lifts the bearing block 47 back up again. Fig. 11 illustrates both the top position and the bottom position of the guide slot 49. A
vertically arranged pipe 52 is mounted in the bearing block 47 so as to be axially immovable but able to swivel.
Joined to it are two side-pieces 53 spaced apart from one another above the bearing block 47 and pointing in the same direction, which between them accommodate a vertical guide slot 54. Mounted in the latter in a manner enabling it to swivel and to be vertically displaced is one end of a lever 55. The other end of the lever 55 takes a roller 5& which co-operates with a crank guide 57. The latter is incorporated into a fixed crank element 58, and as can be seen from the view in Fig. 9 the crank guide 57 is in the form of a closed curve. The crank guide is so configured that as the bearing block 47 moves above the circular arm conveyors 33 it causes the side-pieces 53 to pivot through 90°, resulting in the rotation of the folding cartons 19 through 90° relative to their vertical axis, as will be described below. As the bearing block 47 subsequently returns, the 90° swivelling movement is again reversed in that zone on account of the design of the crank guide 57.
In the region of its bottom end the pipe 52 accommodates a bearing plate 59 which is joined to the pipe 52 in a manner locked against rotation, but is adapted to be displaced slightly towards the bearing block 47 against the force of a spring 60 surrounding the pipe 52. On its lower face the bearing plate 59 accommodates two suction cups 61 equidistant from the median longitudinal axis of the pipe 52. From these suction cups 61, air ducts 62 in the bearing plate 59 run to a central air duct 63 which passes through the bearing plate 59 and the pipe 52.
Connected to the top end of the pipe 52 is an air hose 64 leading to an injector nozzle 65. Connected to the entrance thereof is a further air hose 66 which leads to a connector piece 67 joined to the side-piece 45 of the base element 44. The air feed into the connector piece 67 takes place in the region of connector 68, while via connector 69, which communicates in flow terms with connector 68, the air leads via an air hose 70 to the connector piece 67 of the adjacent base element 44.
Fig. 10 illustrates the central air feed to one of the diverse suction element pairs 71; the air is conducted onward from the connector piece 67 associated with specific suction element pair 71 in this case to the connector pieces 67 of the other serially connected suction element pairs 78, as is illustrated by the air hoses 70. As can be seen in particular from the view in Figs. 7, 8 and 10, situated above the double chains 39, orientated towards the circular belt conveyors 33, is a fixed rail 72 in which a coupling element 73 is mounted in a displaceable manner. A central air hose 74 is connected to a compressed air source (not specifically shown) and fastened to the cradle-like coupling element 73. A rod 75 is mounted on the one hand so as to be able to swivel in the coupling element 73, and on the other hand so as to be able to swivel in the injector nozzle 65 of the pair of suction elements 71 associated with the central air supply, and the rod 75 is adapted to be swivelled about vertical axes. Thus the movement of the coupling element 73 takes place in dependence on the movement of said injector nozzle 65 which is produced by means of the revolving double chains 39. In the region of the rod 75 a hose line 76 connects the central air hose 74 to the associated injector nozzle 65. The unbroken lines in Fig.
indicate a middle position of the coupling element 73, whereas the dot-and-dashed lines therein illustrate the path taken by the coupling element 73 and the position of the rod 75 in the various positions of the base element 44 associated with the central air supply, as the double chains 39 revolve.
As can be taken from the view in Fig. 9, the folding cartons 19 are conveyed along by means of the circular belt conveyors 33, at a distance from one another that matches the spacing between pairs of suction elements 71.
When the respective folding carton 19 arrives in the entrance zone 77 of the double chains 39, first of all the associated suction element pair 71 is lowered onto the lid section 23 of the folding carton 19 via the crank guide for the rollers 48, as is illustrated by the dot-and-dashed lines in Fig. 11. The compressed air waiting at the injector nozzle 65 causes a vacuum to be set up in the injector nozzle 65, and this vacuum operates on the two suction cups 61 via the lines 64, 63 and 62, with the result that, as shown in Fig. 9, in the central zone of the circular belt conveyor 33 the folding cartons 19 and their contents are lifted under the action of the suction forces on account of the roller 48 being guided in the crank, and simultaneously rotated through 90° as a result of the roller 56 being guided in the crank guide 57. In the exit zone 78 of the double chains 39, the crank guide steers the bearing block 47 in such a manner that it is lowered back down again, thus depositing the rotated folding carton 19 back on the circular belt conveyor 33.
Via control means (not specifically shown) which are acted upon at this location by the bearing block 47, the supply of suction air to the suction cups 61 is cut off, thereby breaking the connection thereof to the folding carton 19.
Next the suction cups 61 are lifted back up again. The suction element pair 71 is again carried along in the entrance zone 77 and there the suction air is activated via means not shown. After the rotated folding carton 19 has been placed onto the circular belt conveyor 33, the folding carton 19 is taken over by the outgoing double chain 21, which is provided with transverse dividers 2.

Claims (12)

1. Machine for conveying and simultaneously rotating articles, more particularly folding cartons (19), about a vertical axis, more particularly for rotating articles through 90°, having a conveyor device (33) for conveying the articles, on which the articles stand, are gripped and rotated by a rotation device (52 - 61), the rotation device having a plurality of elements (61) which can be positioned relative to the articles and come into contact therewith, and having setting means (52 - 57) for rotating said elements (61), the elements (61) also being mounted in a revolving conveyor (39, 38), characterised in that the revolving conveyor (38, 39) is arranged above the handling device (33) and the articles (19) and is horizontal.

2. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the elements are configured as suction elements (61), more particularly a pair (71) of suction elements being able to be brought into operative connection with the respective article (19).

3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the elements (61) are adapted to be raised and lowered by means of a stationary crank guide (48, 49).

4. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the elements (61) are adapted to be swivelled to and fro by means of a stationary crank guide (56, 57).

5. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the rotation device (52 - 61) and the revolving conveyor (38, 39) are mounted in a common cradle (36).

6. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the rotation device (52 - 61) and the revolving conveyor (38, 39) are adjustable in height relative to the conveyor device (33).

7. Machine according to any of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that a suction vacuum is generated by means of compressed air in the region of each suction element (61), or each pair (71) of suction elements, more particularly by means of an injector nozzle (65).

8. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that a central air supply (73 - 76) is provided for the suction elements (61), or suction element pairs (71), with each suction element (61), or suction element pair (17), being connected to the central air supply (73 - 76) and the air supply of the other suction elements (61), or suction element pairs (71), being connected in series from this suction element (61) or suction element pair (71).

9. Machine according to claim 8, characterised in that the central air supply (73 - 76) has a coupling element (73) which is adapted to be moved to and fro, more particularly in the chief direction of movement of the suction elements (61) or suction element pairs (71), with an air line (74, 76) connecting the suction element (61) or suction element pair (71) associated with the central air supply (73 - 76) to an air source.

10. Machine according to claim 9, characterised in that the coupling element (73) is mounted in a rail (72) so as to be freely displaceable therein and is connected via a rod (75) to a locator element (65, 44) for the suction element (61), or suction element pair (71), associated with the central air supply (73 - 76).

11. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the conveyor (38, 39) is configured as a revolving double chain (39), the two chains (39) being arranged one above the other and accommodating diverse, equidistantly spaced locator elements (44) for the suction element (61) or suction element pair (71).

12. Machine according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that a device (31, 32) for re-centring the product (29, 30; 3) accommodated by the respective article (19) with respect to said article (19) is provided, the re-centring device (31, 32) having two centring elements (31) which are adapted to be introduced into the article (19) on the open opposing sides thereof, more particularly after rotation of the article (19).