CH717844A2 - Apparatus for feeding capsule containers for beverage preparation to a production line. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (5), comprising a storage station (2) for the containers (10) comprising delivery means ( 200) of said containers (10), a first rotating carousel (3) comprising first transfer means (300) of said containers (10) from said delivery means (200), a second rotating carousel (4) comprising gripping means and positioning of said containers (10) from said first transfer means (300) to a production line (5), where said first transfer means (300) comprise a plurality of transfer devices (310i) formed by at least one articulated quadrilateral (311i) pivoted to said first carousel (3), and where a first system of fixed cams cooperating with said first carousel (3) is also provided to animate and phase the movement of said articulated quadrilateral (311 i) with the movement of said delivery means (200) in such a way that there is zero relative speed and fixed orientation between said delivery means (200) and said first transfer means (300) at the moment of passage of said containers (10) to said first transfer means (300).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line.

[0002] Disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages, typically for coffee, which are easy to manage in machines intended for the preparation of this beverage, have been available on the market for some time.

[0003] The disposable capsule generally consists of an impermeable outer casing in the shape of a cup, which is filled with food substances, such as soluble or partially soluble coffee powders; the external envelope containing the food substance is then closed at the top with an impermeable film sealed on the edge, generally after having replaced and / or enriched the residual air in the container with inert gas to protect the food substance, thus creating the disposable capsule.

[0004] The disposable capsule thus packaged is variously inserted into the preparation machine, which produces the drink thereof with its own appropriate on-board equipment.

[0005] Devices and systems for the manufacture of disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages as described above have been on the market for some time.

[0006] It is known that such plants traditionally have successive processing stations along a production line in which the various activities necessary for packaging the finished capsule are subsequently carried out.

[0007] One of the first stations of a production line is dedicated to feeding and positioning the containers, typically consisting of an impermeable outer casing in the shape of a cup, in the appropriate initial locations of the production line along which these different activities.

[0008] Due to the typical cup shape, the semi-finished product-container is traditionally stored in stacks of numerous units axially inserted into each other from which during the production phase it is necessary to extract the single container and transfer it accurately to the single seat arranged for accept it in the production line, generally with automatic operation.

[0009] The high speed of modern production lines, and therefore the high productivity of finished capsules, requires a corresponding high speed even in the initial phase of feeding the line with the individual containers.

[0010] It is known that a criticality of such automatic systems is the accuracy of the container gripping and its positioning and the transfer speed for feeding the production line.

[0011] It is in fact known that an imprecise gripping of the container risks damaging it, and an incorrect positioning in the line risks blocking the machine and its automatisms, with consequent production scraps, slowdowns and drops in productivity of the entire plant.

[0012] Apparatuses and mechanisms for taking from storage and feeding containers to a production line for capsules for the preparation of beverages have been on the market for some time.

[0013] The known art includes single and multiple gripping, transferring and positioning apparatuses, in line or on carousels, which are traditionally more and more complex in search of a higher speed of the production line and therefore of the overall profitability of the plant .

[0014] Such traditional systems for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages also notoriously involve complex specific devices dedicated to the correct positioning of the container for the time necessary for its gripping by the gripping and transfer means.

[0015] There is therefore a need to simplify the structure of traditional systems for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a known production line.

[0016] The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to the production line which allows to eliminate the technical drawbacks complained of in the known art.

[0017] Within the scope of this technical task, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to the production line which allows a precise and safe taking of the containers from the station storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to the production line which has an exact positioning of the container in the production line.

[0019] Another object of the invention is that of realizing an apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to the production line which has a high production speed.

[0020] Not the least object of the invention is that of realizing an apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to the production line that is precise, simple and compact in order to limit the overall dimensions of the production line.

[0021] The technical task, as well as these and other purposes, according to the present invention are achieved by realizing an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line, comprising a container storage station comprising means for delivering said containers, a first rotating carousel comprising first means for transferring said containers from said delivery means, a second rotating carousel comprising means for gripping and positioning said containers from said first transfer means to a production line , characterized in that said first transfer means comprise a plurality of transfer devices formed by at least one articulated quadrilateral pivoted to said first carousel, and by the fact that a first system of fixed cams cooperating with said first carousel is also provided for phasing the movement of said quadrilate They are articulated with the movement of said delivery means in such a way that there is zero relative speed and fixed orientation between said first delivery means and said transfer means at the moment of passage of said containers to said first transfer means.

[0022] Other characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the subsequent claims.

[0023] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line according to the invention, illustrated for illustrative and non-limiting purposes in the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an overall schematic view of the apparatus; Figure 2 shows an overall schematic view of the first rotating carousel; figure 3 shows a detail view of the first transfer means; Figure 4 shows an overall schematic view of the second rotating carousel; figure 5 shows a detail view of the gripping and positioning means; Figures 6A to 6E schematically show a power supply sequence of the apparatus.

[0024] With reference to the aforementioned figures, an apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line indicated as a whole with the reference number 1 is shown.

[0025] The apparatus 1 comprises a storage station 2 of the containers 10 stacked axially one inside the other in at least one row; advantageously, according to the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention, delivery means 200 select and simultaneously propose to the next working station of the apparatus two stacks of containers 10 aligned and axially parallel.

[0026] The apparatus 1 then comprises a first carousel 3 rotating around its own axis A, comprising first means 300 for transferring the containers 10 from the storage station 2 to a second rotating carousel 4.

[0027] The second carousel 4 rotating around its own axis C is activated in tangential counter-rotation with respect to the first carousel 3, and comprises gripping and positioning means 400 which load the containers 10 from the first transfer means 300 of the first rotating carousel 3 and they unload into position on a production line 5, typically but not exclusively a belt production line as illustrated in the figures.

[0028] The axis of rotation A of the first carousel 3 and the axis of rotation C of the second carousel 4 are parallel; the translation axis X of the belt production line is orthogonal to the direction of the axes A and C respectively of the carousels 3 and 4.

[0029] A first system of fixed cams is provided, cooperating with the first carousel 3, comprising at least two fixed cams, respectively first cam 3A and second cam 3B; a second system of fixed cams is also provided, cooperating with the second carousel 4, comprising at least two fixed cams, respectively first cam 4A and second cam 4B.

[0030] Suitable control, handling and coordination means not shown in the figures carry out the coordinated movements of the delivery means 200 with the rotation of the first carousel 3 and the second carousel 4 and the linear movement of the belt production line 5.

[0031] The first transfer means 300 comprise a plurality of transfer devices 310i formed by at least one articulated quadrilateral 311i, typically an articulated parallelogram 311i, and at least one support for the containers 350i rigidly constrained to one of the rods of the parallelogram.

[0032] The parallelogram 311i is substantially constituted by two opposite pairs of rods of different length connected with hinged connections that allow relative free rotation, in which the first rods 312Ai and 312Bi of a first pair of first rods generally have and typically, greater length than the second rods 313Ai and 313Bi of the second pair of second rods.

[0033] The plurality of parallelograms 311i is pivoted to the first carousel 3 in correspondence with the respective axes Bi parallel to the axis of rotation A of the first carousel 3, and subsequently arranged at equal angular distances in the circumferential position of the first carousel 3: this circumference does not it is highlighted in the figures for reasons of clarity.

[0034] The axis Bi corresponds to the axis of the connection hinge of a first rod 312Ai of the first pair of rods and a second rod 313Ai of the second pair of rods; said first rod 312Ai and second rod 313Ai are mutually constrained in free rotation.

[0035] The rotation movement of the first rod 312Ai is achieved by means of a toothed wheel 314i integral with the rod and having an axis coinciding with the axis Bi, which engages with a toothed sector 315i integral with a rotating arm 316i around the axis Gi parallel to the axis Bi, and integral with the transfer device 310i in the rotation of the first carousel 3; the arm 316i comprises a follower 317i of a first fixed cam 3A around which the first carousel 3 rotates.

[0036] The engagement of the follower 317i against the first fixed cam 3A in the rotation of the first carousel 3 causes the controlled rotation of the toothed sector 315i around the axis Gi, which in turn causes the rotation of the toothed wheel 314i integral with the first rod 312Ai about the axis Bi: the rotation of the first rod 312Ai in the parallelogram 311i causes the consequent parallel rotation of the first rod 312Bi of the first pair of rods.

[0037] The second rod 313Ai is pivoted in the common hinge with the first rod 312Ai with axis Bi; the rotation of the second rod 313Ai around this axis is activated by a follower 320i rotationally integral with the rod, and engaged against the second fixed cam 3B of the first carousel 3; the rotation of the first carousel 3 around the second fixed cam 3B causes, by means of the radial displacement of the follower 320i, the controlled rotation of the second rod 313Ai around the axis Bi; the rotation of the second rod 313Ai in the parallelogram 311i causes the consequent parallel rotation of the second rod 313Bi of the second pair of rods.

[0038] The controlled and non-reciprocally constrained rotations of the first pair of first rods 312Ai and 312Bi and of the second pair of second rods 313Ai and 313Bi cause the controlled deformation of the parallelogram 311i in its circumferential path of rotation of the first carousel 3.

[0039] The activation of the rotation around the axis Bi of the toothed wheel 314i integral with the first rod 312Ai in the same direction of rotation of the first carousel 3 causes a deformation of the parallelogram 311i moving forward in the direction of rotation of the first carousel 3 with respect to a purely radial position; the activation of the rotation around the axis Bi of the toothed wheel 314i integral with the first rod 312Ai in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the first carousel 3 causes a deformation of the parallelogram 311i in retraction in the direction of rotation of the first carousel 3 with respect to a purely radial position.

[0040] The activation of the rotation around the axis Bi of the second rod 313Ai causes a deformation of the parallelogram 311i which allows to maintain the alignment of the second pair of second rods 313Ai and 313Bi in a predetermined orientation, for a predetermined sector of rotation of the first carousel 3.

[0041] Advantageously, according to the present invention, the combined control of these rotations allows to keep the second rod 313Bi of the parallelogram 311i in a fixed position with respect to the rotation of the first carousel 3 and predetermined orientation, for a predetermined rotation sector of the first carousel 3.

[0042] A support for the containers 350i is rigidly constrained to the second rod 313Bi; advantageously, according to the present invention, this support 350i comprises a plate 360i constrained to the second rod 313Bi supporting a pair of identical supports 351Ai and 351Bi.

[0043] Each support 351i is substantially constituted by a support 352Ai for the lateral surface of the container 10 and a pneumatic depression holding means 353Ai in an orthogonal position with respect to the support 352Ai.

[0044] Advantageously, the support 352Ai has a support surface having a shape mating with the lateral surface of the container 10; the pneumatic vacuum holding means 353Ai is advantageously positioned for engagement with the bottom of the container 10.

[0045] The support 351Ai has an axis KAi and the support 351Bi has an axis KBi, oriented orthogonally with respect to the plate 360i; the pneumatic depression holding means 353Ai and 353Bi have axes coinciding respectively with the axes KAi and Kbi. The second rotating carousel 4 comprises gripping and positioning means 400 comprising a plurality of gripping and positioning devices 410i pivoted in correspondence with the respective axes Di parallel to the axis of rotation C of the second carousel 4, and subsequently arranged at equal angular distances in position circumferential of the second carousel 4: this circumference is not shown in the figures for reasons of clarity.

[0046] The gripping and positioning devices 410i are substantially constituted by a support element 411i freely rotating around the axis Di and rigidly supporting a pair of supports 450Ai and 450Bi respectively of conjugate shape with respect to the internal surface of the container 10;

[0047] The supports 450Ai and 450Bi have axes JAi and JBi respectively, and comprise suitable means for retaining the containers 10 in position, not shown in the figure.

[0048] The second carousel 4 cooperates with a second fixed cam system, typically at least two fixed cams 4A and 4B.

[0049] Two wheels 413i and 414i are pivoted to the support element 411i and free to rotate around their own axes Ei and Fi respectively, parallel to the axis of rotation Di of the support element 411i. The wheel 413i engages against the fixed cam 4A, the wheel 414i engages against the fixed cam 4B.

[0050] The rotation of the second carousel 4 of the support element 411i and the engagement of the wheels 413i and 414i respectively against the fixed cams 4A and 4B cause the controlled rotation of the support element 411i around its own axis Di.

[0051] In particular, and advantageously, the control of this rotation allows to maintain an alignment in a predetermined direction of the support 411i for a predetermined rotation sector β of the second carousel 4.

[0052] The operation of an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line according to the invention appears evident from what has been described and illustrated and, in particular, is substantially the following. From a storage station 2, not shown in the drawing, delivery means 200 sequentially feed single pairs of the containers 10 to the supports for the containers 350i of the plurality of transfer devices 310i.

[0053] Advantageously, according to the present invention, the controlled and non-reciprocally constrained rotations of the first pair of first rods 312Ai and 312Bi and of the second pair of second rods 313Ai and 313Bi cause the controlled deformation of the parallelogram 311i of the transfer device 310i in its circumferential path of rotation of the first carousel 3.

[0054] In a suitable angular sector α of the rotation of the first carousel 3, with the transfer device 310i in correspondence with the delivery means 200, the system of fixed cams 3A and 3B cooperates with the first carousel 3 and cores and puts in phase the controlled deformation and therefore the relative movement of the parallelogram 311i with the feeding movement of the containers 10 of the delivery means 200, so that there is zero relative speed and a fixed orientation between the delivery means 200 and the transfer devices 310i of the first 300 means of transfer.

[0055] With the transfer device 310i in correspondence with the delivery means 200, with the axes KAi and KBi of the supports 351Ai and 351Bi aligned and coinciding respectively with the axes HA and HB of the pair of stacks of containers 10 in the storage station 2 , the delivery means 200 extract a pair of containers from the stacks and feed the transfer device 310i.

[0056] The pair of containers 10 is housed in the supports 351Ai and 351Bi, with the lateral surface supported by the mating surface of the supports 352Ai and 352Bi, and the pneumatic vacuum holding means 353Ai and 353Bi are activated by holding the bottom of the container in position 10.

[0057] The container 10 thus retained has its own convexity radially towards the outside of the first carousel 3.

[0058] Once the containers 10 have been transferred, the transfer device 310i resumes the circumferential rotary movement on the first carousel 3, which brings it to an angular exchange sector of the containers 10 from the first carousel 3 to the second carousel 4.

[0059] In analogy with the transfer of the containers 10 from the delivery means 200, the first system of fixed cams 3A and 3B cooperates with the first carousel 3 to animate and phase the controlled deformation and therefore the relative movement of the parallelogram 311i of the transfer device 310i with the tangential movement of the gripping and positioning devices 410i of the second carousel 4.

[0060] Accordingly, the second system of fixed cams 4A and 4B cooperates with the second carousel 4 to animate and phase the relative rotation of the support element 411i of the gripping and positioning devices 410i with the transfer devices 310i.

[0061] The coordinated rotations of the first carousel 3 cooperating with the first system of fixed cams 3 A and 3B and of the second carousel 4 cooperating with the second system of fixed cams 4 A and 4B suitably realize that there is a zero relative speed and a fixed orientation between the transfer devices 310i and the gripping and positioning devices 410i, in correspondence with an angular sector of rotation of the first carousel 3 and of the second carousel 4 for exchanging the containers 10 from the first carousel 3 to the second carousel 4.

[0062] When the alignment of the axes KAi and KBi of the supports 351Ai and 351Bi of the device 310i has been reached, respectively, with the axes JAi and JBi of the pair of supports 450Ai and 450Bi integral with the support 411i of the device 410i, the vacuum holding means are deactivated 353Ai and 353Bi of the device 310i and the pair of containers 10 is transferred from the device 310i to the device 410i, at zero relative speed of the devices 310i and 410i and relative orientation of the devices 310i and 410i fixed.

[0063] Suitable retaining means not shown in the figure retain the containers 10 in position on the supports 450Ai and 450Bi. The container 10 thus retained now has its own convexity radially towards the inside of the second carousel 4.

[0064] Once the containers 10 have been transferred, the gripping and positioning device 410i resumes the circumferential rotary movement on the second carousel 4, which brings it to a subsequent angular sector for positioning the containers 10 from the second carousel 4 to the production line 5 in tangential linear motion along the X axis.

[0065] Consistently with the previous transfers, the system of fixed cams 4A and 4B cooperating with the second 4-core carousel and phasing the tangential speed of rotation of the support element 411i of the gripping and positioning device 410i with the speed of the linear movement of the production line 5, so that there is zero relative speed between the gripping and positioning devices 410i of the containers 10 and the production line 5.

[0066] When the alignment of the axes JAi and JBi of the pair of supports 450Ai and 450Bi of the device 410i with the X axis of the production line 5 is reached, the means for holding the containers 10 in position on the supports 450Ai and 450Bi are deactivated and the a pair of containers 10 is transferred from the device 410i to the production line 5, at a relative speed of the devices 410i and of the production line 5 zero and relative orientation of the devices 410 and of the line 5 fixed.

[0067] Advantageously, the container 10 thus positioned on the production line 5 has its own free convexity upwards, thus suitably arranged for the subsequent packaging operations of the disposable capsule.

[0068] Figures 6A to 6E schematically illustrate an operating sequence of the apparatus.

[0069] The transfer device 310i in the phases of loading the containers 10 from the delivery means 200, the transfer device 310i + n in the phases of transferring the containers 10 to the gripping and positioning devices 410i, the gripping device and positioning 410i + n in the steps of positioning the containers 10 on the production line 5.

[0070] In practice it has been found that an apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line according to the invention is particularly advantageous for a precise and safe taking of the containers from the storage station and an exact positioning of the container in the production line, and with a high production speed.

[0071] An apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; furthermore, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

[0072] In practice, the materials used, as well as the geometric and kinematic dimensions and characteristics, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1), comprising a storage station (2) for the containers (10) comprising delivery means (200) for said containers ( 10), a first rotating carousel (3) comprising first transfer means (300) of said containers (10) from said delivery means (200), a second rotating carousel (4) comprising gripping and positioning means (400) of said containers (10) from said first transfer means (300) to a production line (5), characterized in that said first transfer means (300) comprise a plurality of transfer devices (310i) formed by at least one quadrilateral articulated carousel (311i) pivoted to said first carousel (3), and by the fact that a first system of fixed cams cooperating with said first carousel (3) is also provided to animate and phase the movement of said articulated quadrilateral (311i) withthe movement of said delivery means (200) in such a way that there is a zero relative speed and fixed orientation between said delivery means (200) and said first transfer means (300) at the moment of passage of said containers (10) to said first transfer means (300). 2. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said gripping and positioning means (400) comprise gripping and positioning devices (410i), by the fact that said first system of fixed cams cooperating with said first carousel (3) animates and stages the relative movement of said articulated quadrilateral (311i) of said transfer device (310i) with the movement of said devices for gripping and positioning (410i) of said second carousel (4), and by the fact that a second system of fixed cams cooperating with said second carousel (4) is provided to animate and phase the relative rotation of said gripping devices and positioning (410i) with said transfer devices (310i), so that there is zero relative speed and a fixed orientation between said transfer devices (310i) and these gripping and positioning devices (410i). 3. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second system of fixed cams with the rotation of said second carousel (4) animates and puts in phase the tangential speed of rotation of said gripping and positioning devices (410i) with the speed of the linear movement of said production line (5) in such a way that there is a zero relative speed between said devices for gripping and positioning (410i) of said containers (10) and said production line (5). 4. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said articulated quadrilateral (311i) is a parallelogram comprising two opposite pairs of rods of different length connected with hinged connections that allow their free relative rotation, the first rods (312Ai) and (312Bi) of a first pair of first rods having a greater length than the second rods (313Ai) and (313Bi) of the second pair of second rods .. 5. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plurality of parallelograms (311i) is pivoted to said first carousel (3) at equal angular distances in the circumferential position of said first carousel (3). 6. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first system of fixed cams cooperating with said first carousel (3 ) comprises a first fixed cam (3A) and a second fixed cam (3B). 7. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second system of fixed cams cooperating with said second carousel (4 ) comprises a first fixed cam (4A) and a second fixed cam (4B). 8. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plurality of parallelograms (311i) is pivoted to said first carousel (3) in correspondence of the respective axes (Bi) corresponding to the axis of the connecting hinge of said first rod (312Ai) of said first pair of rods and of said second rod (313Ai) of said second pair of rods of said parallelogram (311i). 9. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first rod (312Ai) is activated in rotation by a wheel toothed (314i) integral with said first rod (312Ai) having axis coinciding with said axis (Bi) and engaging with a toothed sector (315i) integral with an arm (316i) rotating around an axis (Gi) parallel to said axis ( Bi) and integral with said transfer device (310i) in the rotation of said first carousel (3), said arm (316i) comprising a follower (317i) of said first fixed cam (3A) around which said first carousel ( 3). 10. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second rod (313Ai) is activated in rotation around said axis (Bi) by a follower (320i) rotationally integral with said second rod (313Ai) engaged against said second fixed cam (3B) of said first carousel (3), the rotation of said first carousel (3) around said cam fixed second (3B) causing by the radial displacement of said follower (320i) the controlled rotation of said second rod (313Ai) around said axis (Bi). 11. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second rotating carousel (4) comprises gripping and positioning means (400) comprising a plurality of gripping and positioning devices (410i) pivoted in correspondence with the respective axes (Di) parallel to the axis of rotation (C) of said second carousel (4) subsequently arranged at equal angular distances in a circumferential position of said second carousel (4). 12. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping and positioning devices (410i) of said second carousel (4) comprise a support element (411i) freely rotating around said axis of rotation (Di) comprising two wheels (413i) and (414i) pivoted to said support element (411i) free to rotate around their own rotation axes respectively (Ei) and (Fi) parallel to said axis of rotation (Di) of said support element (411i). 13. Apparatus for feeding disposable capsule containers for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wheel (413i) engages against said fixed cam (4A ) and said wheel (414i) engages against said fixed cam (4B). 14. Apparatus for feeding containers for disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages to a production line (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotation of said second carousel (4) of said gripping and positioning device (410i), the engagement of said wheel (413i) against said fixed cam (4A) and the engagement of said wheel (414i) against said fixed cam (4B) cause the controlled rotation of said support (411i) around its axis of rotation (Di).