EP2164757B1 - Installation for filling cases with cross-partitions - Google Patents

Abstract

The installation comprises, combined on one and the same rack (6): - an accepting station (11), - a case-packing station (12), - a manipulation head (13) designed to take a batch of products (1) which is presented in the form of a row to said accepting station (11) and to transfer it to said case-packing station (12) in a row of cells (4) of the case or cases to be filled, - the structure (14) for handling the guidance of the products (1) to the input of the cells (4), the structure (14) comprising a grill (22) which extends longitudinally above the cases (2). The grill (22) is provided with a number of hoppers (15) arranged in a line and the number of which corresponds to the number of cells (4) in each row of the case or cases (2) to be filled and each grill (22) is mobile, on the one hand, vertically above said cases (2) between a retracted position which enables the passage of said cases (2) and a position in which said hoppers (15) are in active position to channel each product towards its cell (4) and, on the other hand, transversally relative to the direction of displacement of said cases (2) to fill each row of cells (4), one after the other. The section of the input of the hoppers (15) is around twice that of the cells (4) to be filled.

Description

The present invention relates to an installation for filling cross boxes and, in particular, crates for receiving products whose shape and presentation require special care (see US Patent 4833860 ).

The crisscross boxes are mainly used to package products that need to be protected during transport, in particular to limit the risk of degradation of their appearance and decoration.

Mechanized casing is commonly used to put products, and in particular bottles, into crates, including crates.

Mechanization makes it possible to crate a batch of bottles with a number of bottles which corresponds to the number of cells of said box to be filled.

The batch of bottles is handled by a gripping head that goes back and forth between the pick-up station and the packing station.

During this journey, and because of acceleration, the bottles can move and it happens that at the time of their descent to the cells, they are not positioned on the axis of their respective cell.

In this case, they stumble on the braces and they cause incidents that can have an impact on a good part of the lot.

To facilitate the introduction of the bottles into the cells, it is also known to use, as described in the document FR 2506260 for example, additional equipment consisting of guides, or hoppers, which channel the bottles to said cells so as to reduce the risk of interference with the braces.

Except for bottles located on the periphery of the batch, the hopper has an opening whose section corresponds to that of the cells and for these peripheral bottles, the section of the opening of the hopper is more generous but it is limited by the adjacent openings of the hoppers. central hoppers.

The hopper itself forms a spider above the alveoli; it thus only partially reduces the incidents of introduction and it brings other incidents such as, for example, a deterioration of the decoration located on the surface of the bottles and in particular a deterioration of the labels that have just been glued.

Moreover, for multipurpose installations, capable of handling different product formats, the handling of this tool, consisting of hoppers, is an operation. relatively complex because of its implementation which makes its access difficult and also because of its weight.

Moreover, upstream of these introductory incidents, the operations of preparation of the bottles in the form of batch (s), before being taken in charge by the gripping head, also generate other incidents which result from the multiples. contacts and rubbing bottles together or on accessories such as guides.

These contacts and friction can have a devastating effect on the presentation of the bottles with, for example, a deterioration of their appearance and / or degradation of the labels.

Therefore, the use of mechanization for the packing is rather reserved for basic products, simple form, and which, above all, do not fear these risks of degradation of the labels, in particular.

In the case of relatively delicate products, such as bottles, bottles, of particular shape and very high added value, the packing operation is most often carried out manually; each product is carefully placed by an operator in a cell of the box.

The present invention proposes a mechanization solution that allows the packaging of these "precious" products, whose handling requires special attention.

It proposes an installation which allows to reduce to its simplest expression the number of manipulations of the products between their preparation (filling and labeling) and the palletization of the crates filled with these products.

The casing installation according to the invention makes it possible to eliminate many causes of deterioration of the products by limiting the destructive contacts and friction; it proposes a soft mechanization, relatively "soft", well adapted to this kind of delicate products, with high added value.

The invention makes it possible to secure the introduction of a line of products into their respective cells by accepting that these products exhibit a strong deviation when they are brought, by the handling head, above the rank of said cells of the body. fill.

This deviance can also be caused by the products themselves and in particular, in the case of bottles, by an accumulation of defects in form taking into account the important tolerances in their manufacture.

The invention makes it possible to accept a poor positioning of the products and in particular an important misalignment in one direction: the direction which is perpendicular to the line of said products; this tolerance is relatively large compared to the dimension of the cell in this direction.

For installations that must have great flexibility, the invention also makes it possible to have tools that are easier to change; their implementation makes them more accessible and their weight, modest, allows easier handling, without the need to resort to lifting gear. The operator can store the tools himself in a shop that is parked near the installation.

For some products, small for example, and for some packaging, large capacity, it is even possible to increase the packing rates while maintaining the advantages mentioned above.

The invention also proposes a layout of the hoppers themselves, which arrangement makes it possible to simplify the mounting of the guides as well as their possible replacement, in particular the most stressed guides, those which delimit the large opening of said hoppers.

• au moins un convoyeur pour amener les produits en ligne au poste de prise en charge, et au moins un convoyeur pour amener les caisses à remplir au poste d'encaissage et pour les évacuer,
• une tête de manipulation aménagée pour prendre au moins un lot de produits audit poste de prise en charge et pour le transférer audit poste d'encaissage dans au moins une rangée d'alvéoles de la ou des caisses,
• une structure pour réaliser le guidage des produits à l'entrée des alvéoles, laquelle structure comprend au moins une grille qui s'étend longitudinalement au-dessus du convoyeur des caisses, laquelle grille est munie de plusieurs trémies disposées en ligne(s) et dont le nombre correspond au nombre d'alvéoles de chaque rang de la ou des caisses à remplir et elle est mobile, d'une part, verticalement au-dessus des caisses à remplir entre une position escamotée qui permet le passage desdites caisses et une position dans laquelle les trémies sont en position active pour canaliser chaque produit dans son alvéole respective et, d'autre part, transversalement par rapport au sens de déplacement desdites caisses pour remplir chaque rangée d'alvéoles, les unes à la suite des autres, lesquelles trémies ont une ouverture dont la section d'entrée est de l'ordre de deux fois la section desdites alvéoles.

The installation according to the invention therefore relates to the packing of delicate products in the cells of one or more cross boxes; it comprises, gathered on the same frame:

• at least one conveyor for bringing the products online to the pick-up station, and at least one conveyor for bringing the boxes to be filled to the packing station and for evacuating them,
• a handling head arranged to take at least one batch of products at said picking station and to transfer it to said packing station in at least one row of cells of the box or crates,
• a structure for guiding the products at the inlet of the cells, which structure comprises at least one grid which extends longitudinally above the conveyor of the boxes, which grid is provided with several hoppers disposed in line (s) and the number corresponds to the number of cells of each row of the box or crates to be filled and is movable, firstly, vertically above the crates to be filled between a retracted position which allows the passage of said boxes and a position in which hoppers are in the active position to channel each product into its cell respective and transversely relative to the direction of movement of said boxes to fill each row of cells, one after the other, which hoppers have an opening whose input section is of the order of twice the section of said cells.

Still according to the invention, the guiding structure of the products comprises a U-shaped cradle whose two parallel arms carry the hopper grid or grids, which cradle is guided vertically on a frame and it is operated by appropriate means to position said hoppers in an active or inactive position relative to the cells to be filled, which parallel arms each comprise a carriage which accommodates one end of said grid, which carriages are guided horizontally and they are movable above the crate or crates, by the action of appropriate means for placing said hoppers in correspondence with each row of cells to be filled.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the installation may comprise trolleys arranged to accommodate at least two grids of hoppers, which grids are arranged side by side to allow, in cooperation with a head and a supply of appropriate products, the simultaneous casing at least two rows of cells, non-adjacent, of the body.

Still according to the invention, each carriage comprises means for accommodating the grid or grids and these means consist of vertical pins on which the ends of said grids are threaded; said grids being locked on these pins by appropriate complementary means.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the hopper grid consists of a pair of longitudinal members and several sleepers, some of which serve to assemble said longitudinal members, which cross members and longitudinal members determine the shape and the section of the passage openings. produced in said hoppers, which openings are delimited, at the longitudinal members, by the inner walls of said longitudinal members and said crosspieces and, below the level of said longitudinal members, said openings extend in the form of guides, said guides being constituted by flexible blades made of thermoplastic material.

Still according to the invention, the longitudinal members of the grid each consist of a profile made of folded sheet with: - a horizontal upper surface, - an external stiffening edge arranged at right angles to said upper surface and - a inner surface which constitutes the wall of the upper part of each hopper, which wall comprises, at the level of each hopper, at least one lug which, when folded towards the inside of the profile, forms a kind of clip to allow the attachment of the various flexible blades, which flexible blades comprise, for their part, a fitting in the form of an oblong orifice along their length and they lock, at their upper end or heel, by locking in the fold to the square of the spar, between its upper surface and its outer edge.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the cross members of the longitudinal members have a U- shaped cross-section and they accommodate the upper part of the flexible blades which are in the form of a tuning fork, which blades are assembled by wedging in said U at means of a wedge which is held by bolts interposed between the two.

• la figure 1 est une élévation schématique de l'installation, vue depuis l'entrée des produits ;
• la figure 2 représente une caisse à croisillons ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus schématique de l'installation, sans la tête de manipulation des produits ;
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle de l'installation, montrant le décalage transversal de la grille de trémies en vue de la mise en place d'un deuxième lot de bouteilles dans la deuxième rangée d'alvéoles de la caisse ;
• la figure 5 montre une variante de réalisation de l'invention pour l'encaissage de deux rangs simultanés de produits en utilisant plusieurs grilles de trémies et ceci pour le cas de caisses comportant une multitude de rangées d'alvéoles ;
• la figure 6 est une coupe de la grille et en particulier une coupe transversale de la figure 3, selon 6-6 ;
• la figure 7 est une coupe de la grille également et en particulier une coupe de la figure 3, selon 7-7, au niveau d'une entretoise qui sert à l'assemblage de deux longerons ;
• la figure 8 est une coupe longitudinale partielle de la grille et en particulier une coupe de la figure 7, selon 8-8 ;
• la figure 9 montre la fixation d'une lame souple sur un longeron, par agrafage et blocage.

The invention will be further detailed in the following description with reference to the appended drawings, given for information only, and in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic elevation of the installation, seen from the entrance of the products;
• the figure 2 represents a crisscross box;
• the figure 3 is a schematic top view of the installation, without the product handling head;
• the figure 4 is a partial view of the installation, showing the transverse offset of the hopper grid for the purpose of setting up a second batch of bottles in the second row of cells of the body;
• the figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention for the packing of two simultaneous rows of products using several grids of hoppers and this for the case of boxes with a multitude of rows of cells;
• the figure 6 is a section of the grid and in particular a cross-section of the figure 3 , according to 6-6;
• the figure 7 is a section of the grid also and in particular a section of the figure 3 , according to 7-7, at a spacer which serves to assemble two longitudinal members;
• the figure 8 is a partial longitudinal section of the grid and in particular a section of the figure 7 , according to 8-8;
• the figure 9 shows the attachment of a flexible blade on a spar, by stapling and locking.

The schematic installation figures 1 and 3 allows for the packaging of products (1) of the bottle type in crates (2) of the cross type (3), such as the box which is shown figure 2 , in the size of the machine.

The braces (3) delimit cells (4) in which the products (1) slide, which products are thus protected during the entire time of their transport. The box shown figure 2 is a box of the "American box" type with flaps (5).

• le convoyeur (7) qui amène les produits (1) finis au poste (11) de prise en charge, lesquels produits arrivent en ligne ; un deuxième convoyeur (7'), dont le rôle sera précisé plus loin, est représenté en traits mixtes fins à côté du convoyeur (7) ;
• le convoyeur (8) qui amène la ou les caisses (2) alvéolées à remplir au poste (12) d'encaissage ;
• la tête (13) de manipulation qui prélève les produits (1) audit poste (11) de prise en charge et qui les transfère audit poste (12) d'encaissage ;
• la structure (14) de guidage qui comprend des trémies (15), lesquelles trémies s'interposent entre ladite tête (13) et les caisses (2) pour positionner les produits (1) avec précision dans le rang approprié d'alvéoles (4) desdites caisses ;
• des moyens, en forme d'automate, non représenté, pour commander et coordonner l'ensemble des mouvements des éléments constitutifs de ladite installation.

This schematic installation figures 1 and 3 comprises a general frame (6) on which are arranged:

• the conveyor (7) which brings the finished products (1) to the handling station (11), which products arrive in line; a second conveyor (7 '), whose role will be specified later, is shown in fine mixed lines next to the conveyor (7);
• the conveyor (8) which brings the one or more boxes (2) to fill the filling station (12);
• the handling head (13) which picks up the products (1) at said handling station (11) and transfers them to said box (12) for packing;
• the guide structure (14) which comprises hoppers (15), which hoppers interpose between said head (13) and the boxes (2) to position the products (1) accurately in the appropriate row of cells (4); ) said boxes;
• means, in the form of an automaton, not shown, for controlling and coordinating all the movements of the constituent elements of said installation.

The products (1) arrive, for example, directly from the filling and preparation unit, not shown; they are arranged in line on the sole (16) of the conveyor (7), guided between rails (17), and they advance in the position (11) of support until a stop (18) whose position is adjusted to center the batch of products to cash with respect to the packing station (12).

The head (13) for handling the products (1) comprises a series of gripping members (19) of the gripper type or, as shown in the figures, of the cupping type, also called tulips.

These gripping members (19) are arranged on a line and can, by means of appropriate tools (20), move away from one another to adjust the distance between two adjacent products (1), and adapt this distance to the schema of distribution, before introducing them into the cells (4) of the different boxes (2) at the level of the box (12).

The head (13) is vertically movable, on the one hand, to release the products (1) of the position (11) of care and, secondly, to introduce them into the boxes (2) at the station (12). ) of packing. It moves transversely relative to the conveyor (7) and the conveyor (8) to transfer the products (1) between the two positions (11) and (12).

The packing operation is carried out rank by row. A batch of products (1) is taken at the point of care (11); this lot is in the form of a row of products (1) and, in the example of the figure 3 this lot consists of three groups of products (1); each group comprises a number of products which corresponds to the number of cells (4) of each box (2) and the number of groups corresponds to the number of boxes to be filled, that is to say three boxes as represented figure 3 .

The number of operations to fill the boxes (2) corresponds to the number of rows of cells (4). The boxes (2) shown in the figures comprise three rows of cells (4) and are filled by the handling and transfer of three batches of products (1).

When the number of rows is much larger, one can, as illustrated figure 5 and detailed below, perform a simultaneous filling of several rows of cells (4) which are not adjacent.

To carry out this packing operation, whatever the embodiment, the products are guided into the cells (4) by means of the hoppers (15), with a hopper by product (1) and by cell (4).

The set of hoppers (15) forms, as visible figure 3 , a kind of grid (22) which extends in length on the conveyor (8). This grid (22) and the hoppers (15) will be detailed later in connection with the Figures 6 to 9 .

These hoppers (15) make it possible to channel products (1) and in particular they make it possible to effectively correct a relatively large difference between the actual position of said products (1) and their theoretical position which must be centered on the axis of the cell (4) home.

The hoppers (15) being arranged on a single line, their input section is arranged to be the largest possible. This inlet section of the hoppers (15) is almost twice as large as the section of the cells (4) of each box (2), as visible further figure 6 , especially.

In the exemplary embodiment, the section of the inlet of the hoppers (15) is of rectangular shape. This shape is related to the shape of the host cell; it can be oval, or almost oval, for example.

The size of this inlet, in the longitudinal direction of the grid (22), corresponds to that of the cells (4), but its dimension in the transverse direction is of the order of twice that of said cells.

In addition, for each group of hoppers (15), the inlet section of said hoppers located at the ends of said groups is even larger, of the order of three times the section of the cell (4).

The gate (22) is part of the guiding structure (14) previously discussed.

This structure (14) comprises a kind of cradle (23) which carries the grid (22); this cradle (23) is U- shaped with two arms (24) which extend above the conveyor (8).

The cradle (23) is vertically movable, guided by slides (25) integral with the frame (6) and arranged laterally.

An organ (26) motor, visible figure 3 , controls the vertical movement of the cradle (23) by means of endless chains (27) arranged laterally and a drive shaft which is located in the upper part of the frame (6).

The cradle (23) also has the particularity of being completely retracted to release access to the station (12) including packing. On one side, visible figure 3 , the cradle (23) is supported and articulated on a vertical axis (28) which is integral with the frame (6); on the other side, it is carried by a plate (29) integral with said frame (6), and on which it can be locked, which plate (29) is integral with the movable portion of the other slide (25).

The vertical stroke of the cradle (23) is at least equal to a value which corresponds to the sum of the height of the flaps (5) of the body (2) if they exist, and the distance of depression of the hoppers (15). ) in the cells (4).

The grid (22) is driven by the cradle (23) and it also moves transversely relative to the direction of movement of the boxes (2) to serve each row of cells (4) of said boxes (2).

For this purpose, the arms (24) of the cradle (23) each comprise a carriage (30) for receiving the ends of the grid (22). These trolleys (30), visible figure 3 , are guided to means of slides (31) and they are operated by means of a member (32) motor through chains (33) endless. These endless chains (33) are each guided on a set of gears whose one wheel (34 ') is located at the end of each arm (24) and the other wheel (34) is at the level of from the bottom of the U ; the two wheels (34) are driving, integral with the same shaft (35) which is connected to the member (32) motor, which shaft (35) extends between the arms (24), guided by them.

On the figure 1 , the hoppers (15) are in the retracted position after having contributed to the positioning of the products (1) in the first row of cells (4) of the boxes (2); on the figure 4 these hoppers (15) are in active guiding position to channel each product (1) brought by the head (13) to its respective cell (4) of the second row.

In the case of a box (2) which has a large number of rows of cells (4), the filling can be performed more quickly by using several grids (22) which channel the products in rows of cells ( 4) non-adjacent.

This variant is represented figure 5 . The installation comprises two grids (22) which are spaced apart and which each carry out, successively, the filling of three rows of cells (4).

These grids (22) are mounted in the same way on carriages (30) and they are movable, driven by the chains (33), which chains are driven, as detailed previously, by the member (32) engine and by the shaft (35) extending between the two arms (24).

In the case of a use of two or more grids (22), the arrival of the products (1) can be done on two lines with two conveyors supply: the conveyor (7) and a conveyor (7 ') as represented in fine dotted lines figure 3 .

For this case, the handling head (13) is equipped accordingly with a tool (20 ') which comprises several rows of tulips (19), as shown figure 5 , which tulips have a spacing which is adjustable transversely, in addition, to adapt their arrangement to the distribution scheme of products (1) in the box or crates (2).

The grid (22) consists of two longitudinal members (36) and several crosspieces (37, 38) which correspond, for example, to the delimitation of the groups of cells (4) of the different boxes (2). These sleepers (37, 38) are also used for assembling the two longitudinal members (36).

As shown figure 3 , apart and in perspective, the grid (22) is fixed to the carriages (30) by means of single vertical pins (39) which are integral with said carriages and they are locked on said carriages (30) by appropriate means of the genus pins.

This arrangement makes it possible to easily change the hopper model (15) in the case of flexible installations, capable of processing products (1) of different formats.

In addition, the change of the grid (22) is greatly facilitated by the fact that its weight is reasonable and the possibility of retraction of the cradle (23) which allows to place said grids (22) ergonomically within range the operator or operators who even have handles to handle them.

The figure 6 shows a cross section of the grid (22) at a hopper (15). The dimension of the opening of the inlet E of this hopper (15), in the transverse direction, is of the order of twice the dimension D of the cell (4) formed by the spider (3).

The inlet of the hopper (15) is delimited by the two longitudinal members (36). These beams (36) are shaped in the form of U-section profiles from a folded sheet. Each profile comprises: - vertical outer edges (40) which give a certain inertia, - an upper horizontal surface (41) and an inclined internal wall (42), which forms the funnel and in particular one side of the upper part. of the hopper (15).

It is these two walls (42) disposed facing each other which form, with the spacers (37, 38), the upper part of the hopper (15) for introducing the products (1) into the cells ( 4) of the box.

The spacers (38) which form the upper wall of the hopper (15) are in the form of a vertically arranged plate; this plate is inserted into slots (44) in the walls (42) of the longitudinal members (36) and may extend to the edges (40) and serve for assembling said longitudinal members (36) by means of bolts, not shown, of the prison nut type.

The lower part of the hopper (15) comprises guides in the form of flexible blades made of thermoplastic material. These guides consist of blades (45) which extend the walls (42) and blades (46) which extend the transverse walls formed of the spacers (37, 38).

The blades (45) are in the form of flexible strips made of thermoplastic material and they are locked, as shown figure 9 , on the longitudinal members (36).

For this purpose, the lower edge of the wall (42) of the spar (36) comprises lugs (47) which, when folded on the inner surface of said wall (42), act as staples for the different blades ( 45).

Each blade (45) has an orifice (48), of oblong shape, which allows it to be threaded onto the corresponding pin (47) and the wedging of said blade (45) is achieved by placing its upper end in the angle internal formed by the edge (40) and the upper surface (41) of the spar (35).

To remove the blade (45) from its housing, an orifice (49) is provided in the upper surface (41) of the spar (35) to allow the passage of a tool to disengage the end of said blade (45). ) of the angle in which it is locked and to be able to extract it from the pin (47).

The blades (46) extend the spacers (38) and they are fixed on the walls (42) of the longitudinal members or complementary guides, not shown, in the form of flares, installed in the corners of each hopper (15).

At the cross members (37), the blades (46) are shaped as shown figure 8 , in the form of a tuning fork and they are immobilized by jamming. The cross member (37) has a U- shaped section returned; it accommodates the upper part of the fork-shaped blade (46), which blade is immobilized by a wedge (50) of trapezoidal section which is put in place and held by the bolts (51) which are arranged between the latter and said crossbar (37), figure 7 .

Claims (7)

1. An installation for case-packing of products in the cavities (4) of one or more cases (2) with cross-partitions, which installation comprises, assembled on one and the same frame (6) :

   - at least one conveyor (7, 7') for carrying the products (1) on a line to the receiving station (11) and at least one conveyor (8) for carrying the cases to be filled to the case-packing station (12) and to carry them away,

   - a handling head (13) arranged in order to take a batch of products (1) which takes the form of a row to said receiving station (11) and to transfer it to said case-packing station (12) in a row of cavities (4) of the case(s) to be filled,

   - a structure (14) for guiding the products (1) to the entrance of the cavities (4), which structure (14) comprises at least one grid (22) which extends longitudinally above the conveyor (8) of the cases (2), which grid (22) is furnished with several hoppers (15) placed in line(s) and the number of which corresponds to the number of cavities (4) of each row of the case(s) (2) to be filled characterized by the fact that this grid (22) can be moved, on the one hand, vertically above said cases (2) between a retracted position which allows the passage of said cases (2) and a position in which said hoppers (15) are in the active position in order to channel each product into its respective cavity (4) and, on the other hand, transversely relative to the direction of movement of said cases (2) in order to fill each row of cavities (4), one after the other, which hoppers (15) have an opening the entrance section of which is of the order of twice the section of the cavities (4).
2. The case-packing installation as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the structure (14) for guiding the products (1) comprises a cradle (23) in the shape of a U the two parallel arms (24) of which carry the grid(s) (22) of hoppers (15), which cradle (23) is guided vertically on the frame (6) and it is maneuvered by appropriate means in order to position said hoppers (15) in the active or inactive position relative to the cavities (4) to be filled, which arms (24) each comprise a carriage (30) which accommodates one end of said grid (22), said carriages (30) are guided horizontally and they can be moved, above the case(s) (2), by appropriate means, in order to place the hoppers (15) in correspondence with each row of cavities (4) to be filled.
3. The case-packing installation as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that it comprises carriages (30) arranged to accommodate at least two grids (22) of hoppers (15), which grids (22) are placed side by side to allow, in cooperation with an appropriate head (13) and an appropriate delivery of the products, the simultaneous case-packing of at least two, nonadjacent, rows of cavities (4) of the case.
4. The case-packing installation as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that each carriage (30) comprises means for accommodating the grid(s) (22) and these means consist of vertical pins (39) onto which the ends of said grids (22) are fitted, said grids being locked onto these pins (39) by appropriate matching means.
5. The case-packing installation as claimed in anyone of claims 1-4, characterized in that the grid (22) of hoppers (15) consists of a pair of side rails (36) and of several crossmembers (37, 38) delimiting the hoppers (15) and certain of which are used for the assembly of said side rails (36), which crossmembers (37, 38) and side rails (36) define the shape and the section of the entrance opening of said hoppers (15) for the passage of the products (1), which openings correspond to funnels which are delimited, on the one hand, by the inner walls (42) of said side rails (36) and by said crossmembers (37, 38) and, on the other hand, by guides which extend below the level of said side rails (36) and crossmembers (37, 38).
6. The case-packing installation as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the side rails (36) of the grid (22) each consist of a section piece made out of folded metal sheet with: - a horizontal top surface (41), - an outer stiffening border (40), at the bracket and - an inner surface (42) which forms one of the walls of the hopper (15), which wall comprises, at each hopper (15), at least one lug which, once folded toward the inside of the section piece, forms a sort of staple (47) to allow the attachment of the various flexible strips (45) which extend said surface (42), which flexible strips (45) comprise, over their length, an arrangement in the form of an oblong orifice (48) and they are locked, at their top end or heel, by being immobilized in the fold at the bracket of the side rail (36), between its top surface (41) and its outer border (40).
7. The case-packing installation as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the crossmembers (37) for assembling the side rails (36) have a section in the shape of an upside-down U and they accommodate the top portion of the flexible strips (46) which are in the form of a tuning-fork, which strips (46) are assembled by being wedged in said U by means of a wedge (50) which is held by bolts interposed between the two.

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