FR2810651A1 - Packaging conveyor for bottles has conveyor belt with spaced retractable pushers to selectively engage bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

The packaging conveyor for bottles has a conveyor belt (2) with multiple pushers (6) spaced regularly along it on a movable support (7). The pushers move in a closed path which extends in a plane (P) perpendicular to the conveying surface (S) and locally contiguous to it. Each pusher is movable between inactive and active positions. In the latter, the pusher extends from the conveying surface to engage an article to be pushed (3). The number of pushers active at any time can be varied. The conveyor belt speed changes can be pre-programmed.

Description

The invention relates to a device for constituting successive batches of articles, as well as a packaging installation for forming finished products such as packs from batches of articles, which comprises at least one such device.

The invention applies in particular to the packaging of articles such as bottles, cans or pots (such as yogurt pots), generally of cylindrical shape.

It is known that the articles are first of all individually conveyed on a supply route to a grouping station where batches of articles are formed and then spaced to be transferred to an evacuation route along which are packaged, or packaged.

To form a space between two successive batches of articles, it is known to accelerate the batches of articles between the supply path and the discharge path. Distributors are currently seeking to decrease their stocks while offering increasingly diversified ranges of packaged products.

As a result, the throughputs of the packaging machines must be continuously increased. Thus, in the field of packaging of bottles or cans, we currently reach flow rates of the order of 60 to 75,000 bottles per hour.

In known installations, the articles are grouped in particular by means of grouping devices comprising gripping members circulating at constant speed along a closed path.

To illustrate this type of technology, mention may in particular be made of the document GB-974 995.

These gripping members circulate at a speed significantly higher than that of the articles before they are grouped. In fact, the articles are subjected to violent shocks against the gripping members, which, in the case of glass bottles whose thickness tends to decrease, causes a significant rate of breakage and limits the flow rate and the rate of installation. .

The invention aims to solve in particular the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, by proposing a device and an installation which make it possible to form batches from individual articles without causing jerks when grouping the articles, and which makes it possible to exceed known production rates. Indeed, a first object of the invention is a device for the constitution of successive batches of articles, which comprises - feeding path along which the articles are conveyed one by one to a feeding station, a so-called substantially constant speed of entry, being juxtaposed with each other; - an evacuation route capable of receiving, at an evacuation station, batches of successive articles in order to convey them at a speed known as output greater than the speed of entry; means for transferring the articles from the feeding station to the evacuation station, capable of taking and grouping the articles to form spaced batches, and which comprise a succession of gripping members arranged to engage the articles at the station feeding and disengaging them at the evacuation station, continuously driven along a closed path, at a so-called transfer speed, greater than or equal to the entry speed; the transfer means being arranged so that the speed of transfer of the gripping members is not constant, such that - when the articles are engaged, the speed of the gripping members is substantially equal to the input speed; - during the transfer of the articles, the speed of the gripping members is greater than the input speed; - When the articles are disengaged, the speed of the gripping members is substantially equal to the exit speed.

In this way, the articles are gently engaged and then gradually accelerated, which minimizes the risk of breakage and makes it possible to increase production rates without fear.

Furthermore, the device is quieter than existing devices, which is due in particular to the absence of impact of the gripping members against the articles.

According to one embodiment, the transfer means comprise a toothed wheel, at least part of which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation, this wheel being disposed near the supply path and the evacuation path, substantially tangent thereto, this wheel comprising the said gripping members.

The gripping members are for example in the form of substantially regularly spaced teeth, projecting radially from the toothed wheel, each tooth describing a circle passing through a first angular position in which it engages at least one article at the feeding station, and a second angular position in which it disengages it at the evacuation station.

 The angular difference between the first and second angular positions can be between 90 and 180 degrees, for example substantially equal to 120 degrees. According to one embodiment, the wheel comprises a circular fixed base and a rotary disc, coaxial and superimposed, between which are arranged radial branches whose free ends form the said teeth.

According to a particular constructive arrangement, the said arms are mounted to rotate on the disc by means of pivots with axes parallel to the axis of the wheel. For example, each branch comprises a roller or a lug which cooperates with a groove formed in the base, this groove being extended in a closed loop around the axis of rotation of the wheel.

This groove is arranged so that - when the tooth passes through the feeding station, the branch which carries it pivots in the opposite direction the rotation of the wheel so that the speed of the tooth decreases until it is substantially equal to the entry speed when engaging articles; - between the feed station and the discharge station, the said branch pivots in the direction of rotation of the wheel so that the speed of the tooth increases until it is substantially equal to the exit speed, so that the articles are grouped lots, accelerated, spaced.

According to one embodiment, the groove forms in the base a continuous cam path followed by the roller which forms a cam follower, this cam path comprising two connected portions, one of which, facing the feed station, has a variable curvature, and the other, facing the evacuation station, has a substantially constant curvature, so that - during the passage of the roller in the variable curvature portion, the branch which carries it pivots about its axis; - When the roller passes through the portion with constant curvature, the orientation of the branch is substantially constant.

The teeth include for example a guide surface capable of cooperating with a circumference of the base.

Means can also be provided arranged near the feeding station, capable of ordering the timing of the articles coming from the feeding path, so that they have the desired positioning and spacing when they are gripped by the means transfer.

According to one embodiment, means for ordering and timing the articles are in the form of a star wheel, pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation, comprising at its periphery a toothing capable of engaging and disengaging the articles, the toothing having housings suitable for individually receiving the articles, the tangential speed of said wheel being substantially equal to the input speed.

It is also possible to provide a means of driving said star wheel and / or a means of driving the toothed wheel, connected to a control device arranged to apply to said driving means a predetermined speed profile, chosen from a set preprogrammed speed profiles; The or each drive means may comprise at least one motor whose speed of rotation is continuously adjustable, such as an electric motor, of the brushless direct current type.

A second object of the invention is a packaging installation for forming finished products such as packs from batches of articles, which comprises at least one device such as that which has just been described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the following description of embodiments, description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging installation of which the adjustment is automated, this installation notably comprising a feed path for conveying the articles one by one; means for timing and orienting the articles arranged near one end of this path; means for transferring the articles from the supply path to an evacuation path, which group the articles in batches by placing them on cardboard blanks or the like, coming from a transporter; - means for unstacking the blanks from a stack towards this conveyor; - means for setting volume and closing blanks around the lots to form packs.

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the installation of Figure 1, which illustrates, within the packaging installation, a device for the constitution of successive batches of articles which comprises means for transferring articles, according to an embodiment where they comprise a toothed wheel comprises a base and a rotating disc, as well as arms pivotally mounted on the disc, whose free ends form means for gripping the articles to ensure their transfer; a groove is formed in the base, with which rollers cooperate with which the branches are provided; - Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 3, where the rotating disc is not visible to reveal the branches; - Figure 4 is a detail view of Figure 2, which shows the groove in the base of the toothed wheel; in this figure a branch is partially shown, its inner end, facing the axis of the wheel, has a roller which circulates in the groove; the groove comprises a portion with constant curvature and a portion with variable curvature; the branch is shown in a position where its roller, which circulates for example clockwise, has just left the portion with variable curvature and is engaged in the portion with constant curvature; and - Figures 5 and 6 are graphs representing the speed of a gripping member carried by a branch as shown in Figure 4, respectively depending on the angular position of the roller of the branch, and the angular position of the gripping organ; in Figure 5 are shown schematically in the form of braces the portions of the groove with which the roller successively cooperates during the rotation of the toothed wheel on a revolution. FIG. 1 shows an installation 1 for packaging articles such as bottles or cans, from which finished products such as packs 3 are formed.

To be packaged, the articles 2 undergo at least one grouping operation in batches 4 spaced apart, an operation which, for convenience, supposed to take place in a plane M substantially horizontal.

This operation takes place in a grouping zone 5 to which the articles 2 are conveyed along a conveyor path 6 in a longitudinal direction L contained in the plane M, and represented in the figures.

The articles 2 leave grouped from the grouping zone 5 by being conveyed in batches 4, for example in the longitudinal direction L.

In the figures are also shown a transverse direction T, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L while being contained in the plane as well as an elevation direction E perpendicular to the other two L, T, so that the directions L, T, E form in space a direct orthogonal coordinate system with respect to which this description is made.

The terms upstream, downstream are defined with respect to the longitudinal direction; the lateral term is defined with respect to the transverse direction the terms above, below being defined with respect to the direction E of elevation.

Each lot 4 includes a predetermined number of aligned items 2. This number can vary between 2 and 6, or more.

Each pack 3 comprises at least one batch 4 of articles 2. For the pack 3 to comprise at least two parallel batches 4 of articles 2, several converging conveyor paths 6 can be provided, to form separate series of successive lots 4 which are then grouped together. The installation shown in FIG. 1 is intended to form packs 3 comprising two identical batches 4 of articles 2 aligned.

This is why two conveying paths 6 are provided which are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal elevation plane, for the formation of two distinct series of lots 4.

This representation is obviously given by way of example, and a plurality of separate converging conveyor paths 6 can be provided.

For each series of lots, the installation 1 includes a device 7 for the constitution of the lots 4, which is substantially arranged in the grouping area 5.

This device 7 comprises feed path 8 along which the articles 2 are conveyed one by one to a feed station 9, located in the grouping zone 5, and example confused with one end of the path of food 8.

The articles 2 are conveyed at a substantially constant input speed VE along the feed path 8, being juxtaposed with each other, by means of a motorized conveyor belt or any other equivalent means.

The device 7 also includes an evacuation route 10, capable of receiving, at an evacuation station 11 located in the grouping area 5, the articles 2 grouped in batches 4 to convey them from upstream to downstream to a so-called output speed VS substantially constant, greater than the input speed VE. The device 7 further comprises means 12 for transferring the articles 2 from the supply station to the evacuation station 11, which take the articles 2 from the supply station 9 and group them together to form the spaced batches 4.

To this end, the transfer means 12 comprise a succession of gripping members 13 which engage the articles 2 at the feeding station 9 and disengage them at the evacuation station 11 after they have been grouped in batches 4 and spaced .

The gripping members 13 are driven and circulate along a closed loop trajectory at a speed VT called transfer speed.

This transfer speed VT is greater than or equal to the input speed VE, so that the articles are accelerated between the supply station 9 and the discharge station 11.

The input velocities VE and output VS being predefined, the transfer means 12 are arranged so that the transfer speed VT of the gripping members 13 varies along their trajectory, so that - when the articles are engaged 2 at the feed station 9, the transfer speed VT is substantially equal to the input speed VE; - During the transfer of the articles 2, that is to say between the supply station 9 and the evacuation station 11, the transfer speed VT is greater than the input speed VE; and - during the disengagement of the articles 2 at the evacuation station 11, the transfer speed VT is substantially equal to the exit speed VS.

Thus, the engagement and disengagement of articles 2 is carried out without shock and without jolts.

According to one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transfer means comprise a toothed wheel 14 mounted at least in part pivoting about an axis R of substantially vertical rotation, perpendicular to the plane M, driven in rotation by a means d drive 15, such as a motor 16. This toothed wheel is disposed in the transfer zone 5, near the supply path and the discharge path 10, for example adjacent to them.

According to one embodiment, the gripping members 13 are in the form of regularly spaced teeth 1, for example six in number, projecting radially from the toothed wheel 14.

When the wheel 14 rotates about its axis R, each tooth 13 describes a circle, passing a first angular position 0E in which it engages, at the feeding station 9, at least one article 2 coming from the track d supply and a second angular position 0S in which it disengages the article at the evacuation station on the evacuation route 10.

For each tooth 13, its angular position relative to the axis R of rotation of the toothed wheel 14 is noted 0, this angular position 0 being defined arbitrarily as the angular distance separating a fixed transverse radius r from the toothed wheel 14, and a mobile radius r 'passing through tooth 13.

The angular difference between the first and second angular positions 0E, 0S is for example between 90 degrees and 180 degrees approximately.

According to one embodiment, this angular difference is approximately 120 degrees, as it appears in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The transfer speed VT is the tangential speed of the teeth 13 during the rotation of the wheel 14.

The variations in transfer speed VT of tooth 13 as a function of its angular position can be defined as follows.

When 0 is substantially equal to 0E, the transfer speed VT is substantially equal to the input speed VE of the articles. In this way, the tooth 13 engages at least two articles 2 continuously, without hitting them (Figures 2 and 3), forming a batch 4 of grouped articles.

transfer speed VT then increases continuously with the angular position 0, to reach a value substantially equal to the output speed. Thus, a space is created between lot 4 and articles 2 still on the feed path 8.

Lot 4 then reaches the evacuation station 11 where it is disposed on the evacuation route 10 which takes charge of it at constant speed VS, while the tooth 13 disengages from it.

According to one embodiment, now described with reference to Figures 2 to 4, the toothed wheel 14 comprises a fixed circular base 17 as well as a rotary disc 18 called platinum in the following description.

base 17 and plate 18 are substantially coaxial with axis R and superimposed, plate 18 being disposed above the base 17; they define between them a substantially cylindrical enclosure 19.

A location close to the R axis is said to be interior, as opposed to a location remote from the R axis, said to be exterior.

Radial branches 20 arranged in a star are inserted into the enclosure 19 between the base 17 and the plate 18.

Each branch 20 has on the one hand an end facing inwardly, fixed to the plate 18 by means of a pivot 22 with an axis parallel to the axis R, all of the pivots 22 being inscribed in a circle d 'axis Each branch 20 has on the other hand a free end 23 facing outwards, projecting radially from the enclosure 19 to form the tooth 13 described above.

The rotation of the plate 18 around its axis R causes the branches 20 to rotate in a circular movement of axis R, each branch 20 sweeping in its movement the space defined by the enclosure 19.

The pivoting of each branch 20, about its axis, relative to the plate 18, is controlled by a roller 24 or a lug with an axis parallel to the axis R, fixed to the inner end of the branch 20, pivot distance 22.

Each roller 24 cooperates with a groove 25 forming a cam, formed in the base 17, in which the roller 24 circulates during the rotation of the plate 18, this groove being extended in a closed loop around the axis R of rotation of the wheel. tooth 14.

This groove 25 forms in the base a continuous cam path 26, followed by the roller 24 which thus forms a cam follower.

The cam path 26 has a pseudo circular shape of axis R, and comprises two connected portions - a first portion 27 of substantially constant curvature, that is to say substantially circular of axis R, extending over approximately one half-turn three-quarters of a turn around the axis R, facing the evacuation station 11; a second portion 28 having a variable curvature, extending over about a quarter of a turn to a half turn around the axis R, and facing the feed station 9. cam path 26 having a radius of curvature p ( Figure 4), we recall the curvature of the cam path 26 is defined by the inverse of the radius of curvature p.

the kind - during the passage of the roller 24 in the portion 27 with constant curvature, the orientation of the branch 20 is substantially constant, the speed VT of the tooth 13 therefore being substantially constant; - During the passage of the roller 24 in the portion 28 with variable curvature, the branch 20 pivots about its axis R1, the speed VT of the tooth 13 varying accordingly.

According to an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the portion 28 comprises - a first portion 28a adjacent to the portion 27 with constant curvature, and extending angularly over approximately a quarter of a turn; and - a second part 28b located near the entry station 9, between the first part 28a and the portion 27 with constant curvature, which extends angularly over a few degrees, for example about ten.

The first part 28a has a curvature increasing substantially linearly from the portion 27 with constant curvature to the second part 28b, so as to form a spiral arc of axis R.

The second part has a curvature which decreases from the first part 28a to the portion 27 with constant curvature.

In addition, the portion 28 with variable curvature comprises a baffle 29 located near the supply station 9, at the junction between the first part 28a and the second part 28b. When the roller 24 leaves the portion 27 and engages in the first part 28a, this forces it to move away from the axis R, so that the branch pivots in the direction of rotation of the plate 18, the speed of transfer VT of tooth 13 then increasing (Figures 5 and 6).

Tooth 13 therefore advances in relation to plate 18.

When the roller 24 passes the baffle 29 and then engages in the second part 28b, the latter forces it to approach the axis R, so that the branch 20 pivots in the opposite direction to the rotation of the plate 18 , the transfer speed VT of the tooth 13 then decreasing.

The speed VT of the tooth decreases until it is substantially equal to the speed of entry when the tooth 13 passes through the feeding station 11, to ensure smooth grip of the articles 2, the roller then being substantially in the middle of the second part 28b (Figures 4 to 6).

The tooth 13 therefore loses its lead, and is delayed relative to the plate 18. By finding the circular portion 27, the roller 24 forces the branch 20 to pivot around its axis R1 in the direction of rotation of the plate 18 , so as to gradually accelerate the tooth 13 so that its speed VT increases appreciably up to the exit speed VS, the articles 2 being grouped in batches 4, accelerated and spaced.

The tooth 13 therefore recovers its delay relative to the plate 18.

By forming a cam follower, the roller 24 therefore makes it possible to regulate the transfer speed VT of the tooth 13 during the rotation of the plate 18.

The setting of the toothed wheel 14 in particular to allow the number of articles 2 per batch 4 to be changed is effected by angularly shifting the base 17 - in the direction of rotation of the plate 18 to reduce the number of articles 2 by 4; or - in the opposite direction to the rotation of the plate 18 to increase the number of articles 2 per batch 4.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate gripping of the articles 2, the teeth 13 are extended in an elevation direction, and have a surface 30 capable of conforming to the shape of the articles 2.

According to one embodiment, the teeth 13 have two opposite external surfaces 31, 32 curved to match the shape of a cylindrical article 2, as well as two upper guide surfaces 33 and lower 34 projecting vertically on either side of each branch 20.

The guide surfaces 33, 34 are extended tangentially with respect to wheel 14, are supported respectively on a circumference 35 of the plate 18 and a circumference 36 of the base 17, on which they slide during the rotation of the plate 18 relative at base 17.

In order to order and time the articles 2 coming from the feed path 8 so that they have the desired positioning and spacing during engagement by the teeth 13, the device 7 can also comprise a star wheel 37.

The star wheel 37 is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation R ′ substantially parallel to the axis R of rotation of the toothed wheel 14.

According to one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the star wheel 37 comprises at its periphery a toothing 38 which meshes with the articles 2 coming from the feed path 8, and disengages them at the feed station 9 for allow their grasping by the teeth 13 of the toothed wheel 14. To this end, the toothing 38 includes housings 39 capable of individually receiving the articles 2, the shape of each housing 39 being substantially complementary to an article 2.

In order to ensure a continuous movement of the articles 2, the tangential speed of the star wheel 37, or of the housings 39, is substantially equal to the input speed. The rotation of the star wheel 37 can be ensured by a drive means 40 such engine 41.

According to one embodiment, one or both of the motors 16, 41 are connected to a control and servo device 42 which is arranged to apply to them a predetermined speed profile.

To this end, the control device may include a memory 43, for example a computer memory, in which a certain number of speed profiles are preprogrammed, from which one of them is chosen to be applied to one of the motors 16, 41, or from which two of them are chosen to be applied to the two motors 16, 41.

According to one embodiment, the motor 16, 41 is a motor whose speed of rotation which can be adjusted continuously, for example an electric motor, of the brushless direct current type.

We describe the route of a set of two consecutive articles 2, one 2a being said upstream, the other 2b downstream, intended for the same lot 4, from the station, according to a setting where the installation 1 produces packs of four items (i.e. two lots of two items).

The two articles 2a, 2b are conveyed along the feed path 8 at a constant speed VE to the transfer zone 5 where they are engaged by the star wheel 37 which makes them describe an arc-shaped trajectory circle, always at constant speed VE, to the feed station 9. They are then simultaneously disengaged by the star wheel 37 and engaged by the toothed wheel a tooth 13 engaging with the upstream article 2a at an equal speed at input speed VE.

Articles 2a then undergo a progressive acceleration under the effect of the increase in speed VT of tooth 13.

This acceleration has the effect of grouping them into a lot 4, while spacing them from the following articles 2, not yet engaged by the toothed wheel 14.

Articles 2a, 2b then describe a trajectory substantially in the form of an arc of a circle, for example a quarter of a circle, at the end of which they are arranged on the evacuation route, at a speed equal to the exit speed VS.

When changing the machine pitch P (which corresponds to the distance separating two batches of consecutive articles), the toothed wheel 14 is changed, which is replaced by a wheel comprising a lower number of branches 20 for an increase in pitch P; or - by a wheel comprising a greater number of branches 20 for a reduction in P.

Claims (8)

1. Device for the constitution of successive batches (4) of articles (2), which comprises - a feed path (8) along which the articles (2) are conveyed to a to a post supply (9), at a speed (VE) called substantially constant input speed, being juxtaposed with each other; - evacuation route (10) capable of receiving, at an evacuation station (11), the successive batches (4) of articles (2) to convey them at a so-called exit speed (VS) greater than the speed input (VE); - Transfer means (12) of the articles (2) from the supply station to the evacuation station (11), capable of taking and grouping the articles (2) to form batches (4) spaced apart, and which comprise a succession of gripping members (13) arranged to engage the articles (2) at the feeding station (9) and to disengage them at the evacuation station (11), driven continuously along a closed path, at a so-called transfer speed (VT), greater than or equal to the input speed (VE); characterized in that the transfer means (12) are arranged so that the transfer speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is not constant, such - when the articles (2) are engaged, the speed (VT) gripping members (13) is substantially equal to the input speed (VE); - during transfer of the articles (2), the speed (VT) of the gripping members (13) is greater than the input speed (VE); - When disengaging the articles (2), the speed of the gripping members (13) is substantially equal to the output speed (VS). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer means (12) comprise a toothed wheel (14) of which part (18) at least is pivotally mounted about an axis (R) of rotation, this wheel (14 ) being arranged near the supply path (8) and the discharge path (10), this wheel (14) comprising said gripping members (13). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said gripping members (13) are in the form of teeth (1 substantially evenly spaced, projecting radially from the toothed wheel (14), each tooth 3) describing a circle passing through a first angular position (6E) in which it engages at least one article (2) at the feeding station (9), a second angular position (6S) in which it disengages the latter at the evacuation station ( 11). 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the angular deviation between first and second angular positions (6E, 9S) between 90 and degrees. 5. Device according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that said toothed wheel (14) comprises a fixed base (17) circular as well as a rotary disc (18), coaxial and superimposed, between which are disposed radial branches (20) whose free ends (23) form said teeth (13). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said branches (20) are mounted for rotation on the rotary disc (1 by means of pivots (22) of axes (R1) parallel to the axis (R) of the gear wheel (1 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that each branch (20) comprises a roller (24) or a lug which cooperates with a groove (25) formed in the base (17), this groove (25) being extended in closed loop around the axis (R) of rotation of the toothed wheel (14). 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said groove (25) is arranged so that - during the passage of the tooth (13) through the feeding station (9), the branch (20) which carries it pivots in the opposite direction of rotation of the wheel (14) so that the speed (VT) of the tooth (13) decreases until it is substantially equal to the input speed (VE) when the articles are engaged (2); between the feeding station (9) and the evacuation station (11), said branch (20) pivots in the direction of rotation of the wheel (14) for the speed (VT) of the tooth (13) increases until being substantially equal to the output speed (VS), so that the articles (2) are grouped in batches (4), accelerated, spaced. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said groove (25) forms in the base (17) a continuous cam path (26) followed by the roller (24) which forms a cam follower, this cam path (26 ) comprising two connected portions (27, 28), one of which (27), facing the evacuation station (11), has a substantially constant curvature, and the other (28), facing the feeding station (9), has a variable curvature, so that - when the roller (24) passes through the portion (28) with constant curvature, the orientation of the branch (20) is substantially constant; - When the roller (24) passes through the portion with variable curvature, the branch (20) which carries it pivots about its axis (R1). 10. Device according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the teeth (13) comprise a guide surface (34) capable of cooperating with a circumference (36) of the base (17). 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it further comprises means (37) disposed near the supply station, capable of ordering and timing the articles (2) coming from the supply path (8), so that they have the desired positioning and spacing when they are gripped by the transfer means (12). Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the means (37) for ordering and timing the articles are in the form of a star wheel (37), pivotally mounted around an axis of rotation comprising its periphery a toothing (38) able to engage and disengage articles (2), toothing (38) having housings (39) able to receive articles individually (2), the tangential speed of said star wheel (37) being substantially equal to the input speed ( LIFE). 13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a drive means (40) of said star wheel, connected to a control device (42) arranged to apply to said drive means (40) a predetermined speed profile, chosen from a preprogrammed set of speed profiles. 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a drive means (15) of the toothed wheel (14), connected to a control device (42) arranged to apply to said drive means (15) a predetermined speed profile, selected from a preprogrammed set of speed profiles. 15. Device according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that said drive means (40, 15) is in the form of a motor (41, 16) whose speed of rotation is adjustable so keep on going. 16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that said motor (41, is an electric motor, of the brushless direct current type. 17. Packaging installation for forming finished products such as packs from batches of articles , which comprises at least one device according to one of claims 1 to 16.