WO2003091105A1

WO2003091105A1 - Method and device for forming groups of packages of a pasty food product

Info

Publication number: WO2003091105A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/001712
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mauro Bianchi
Original assignee: Corrazza S.P.A.
Priority date: 2002-04-24
Filing date: 2003-04-22
Publication date: 2003-11-06
Also published as: DE60311445D1; AU2003219455A1; EP1497179B1; ITBO20020236A1; EP1497179A1; ATE352490T1; ITBO20020236A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for forminggroups (G) of packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) of a pasty product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions, to be packed in cartons or boxes. The packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) are each in the form of a solid having a first side wall (14) and a second side wall (16) and a rear wall or heel end (20), the group (G) being formed by moving the packages close together and placing them in contact with each other. According to the invention, the packages are first of all arranged in a spaced10 apart configuration, where they are distributed peripherally around the grouping area with each package separated from the others by a certain space, and then moved into contact with each other to form the required group.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING GROUPS OF PACKAGES OF A PASTY FOOD PRODUCT

Technical field

The present invention relates to a method and a device for forming groups of packages of a pasty, liquid or semi-liquid food product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions, to be packed in cartons or boxes.

Each package forms a solid having a base in the shape of a triangle or circular sector, first and second side walls tapering to a front vertical edge or tip, and a rear wall or heel end.

In the group to be prepared, the packages must be placed close together with the side walls of each package touching the side walls of the adjacent packages.

Background art

At present, machines operating with stop/start or stepping motion are equipped with systems for preparing the groups of packages. These prior art systems normally comprise a collating unit based on a positioning unit that rotates in steps and comprises a plurality of slots defined by radial walls for guiding and positioning the packages, each slot being open on its outside edge to enable a package to be inserted into it with the tip facing the inside of the slot.

The packages are fed into the slots in stepped sequence. Once a package has been inserted into a slot, the positioning unit or wheel is turned through a predetermined angle so that another slot moves to the position where it can receive the next package. When all the slots are full, that is to say, when the group of packages has been completed, the positioning wheel is lifted and the plate supporting the group of packages is moved away from the grouping area and transferred to the cartoning machine. This procedure is extremely lengthy since the positioning wheel must be rotated each time a single package is inserted into a slot. Moreover, the step of transferring a completed group and moving an empty supporting plate into position, ready to receive another group, is a particularly critical one. Thus, between the moment the last package in one group is inserted into the last empty slot and the moment the first package in the next group is presented for insertion, there must be enough time to substitute the full supporting plate with an empty plate by appropriate drive movements of the positioning wheel.

In automatic machines of this kind, which operate in steps, where the steps follow each other at a constant rate, such that the time intervals in which package feed is in motion are equal to the time intervals in which package feed is stopped, the step of substituting the supporting plate must be carried out during a time interval in which package feed is stopped. Thus, prior art systems cannot attain very high operating speeds and, as a result, their performance is rather low.

Another disadvantage of prior art collating systems of this kind is that the wrapped processed cheese portions are subjected to excessive wear and tear, with the risk of creating misshapen cheese portions or of damaging the wrappers and thus giving rise to the risk of contamination of the cheese product inside the wrapper .

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a method for forming groups of packages of a pasty food product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions to be packed in cartons or boxes, in a machine for making these wrapped pasty product packages, each package having a first side wall, a second side wall and a rear wall or heel end, and where the packages are placed close together in a group with the side walls of each package touching the side walls of the adjacent packages, the method being characterised in that it comprises a step of arranging the packages in a spaced apart configuration where they are distributed around the grouping area and each package is separated from the others by a certain space, and a step of moving the packages into contact with each other to form the required group of packages. The present invention also provides a device for forming groups of packages of a pasty, liquid or semi-liquid food product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions, to be packed in cartons or boxes, in a machine for making these wrapped pasty product packages, each package being in the form of a solid having a first and a second side wall and a rear wall or heel end, and where the packages are placed close together with the side walls of each package touching the side walls of the adjacent packages. The device comprises means for grouping the packages and is characterised in that said grouping means comprise means for arranging the packages in a spaced apart configuration where they are distributed around the grouping area and each package is separated from the others by a certain space, and means for moving the packages into contact with each other to form the required group of packages.

In this way, the group of packages formed can be transferred while the next group reaches the grouping device and is positioned in the spaced apart configuration.

Thus the packages can be fed at considerably faster rates than in prior art machines, while at the same time allowing ample time to perform the operations on the packages without the risk of squashing the packages or damaging the wrappers and contaminating the product, which in turn means that the machine does not need to be stopped to remove damaged packages. According to another advantageous aspect of the invention, at least the first package to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is moved towards the central position ahead of the others in the group being formed so that the position occupied by it can be taken by the first package in the next group to be formed when it reaches the grouping means.

According to yet another advantageous aspect, the packages are grouped together following a circular feed motion accompanied by a radial positioning movement that puts the packages in a closely grouped configuration. In this way, it is possible to create a group of packages without appreciably slowing down package feed. More specifically, the invention makes it possible to form one group of packages and, at the same time, continue feeding the packages continuously towards the grouping unit. This means improved performance: that is to say, machines whose output is comparable to that of prior machine but which are more delicate on the product, with lower risk of damaging the packages.

Brief description of the drawings

The technical characteristics and advantageous aspects of the invention are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view from above of the part of the packaging machine equipped with a grouping device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2A is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the bottom part of the grouping device according to the present invention; - Figure 2B is a longitudinal vertical cross section of the bottom part of the grouping device according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section showing the bottom part of the grouping device; - Figures 4A to 4G schematically illustrate the different positions of the packages while they are being grouped together;

Figure 5 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the bottom part of the transfer unit forming part of the grouping device according to the present invention; - Figure 6 is a horizontal cross section of the preferred embodiment of the package transfer unit.

Description of the preferred embodiments of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates the area at the end of a machine that wraps portions of a pasty product to make individual packages.

This end part of the machine is equipped with the preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention for forming groups G of the packages of the pasty product, consisting in particular, of processed cheese portions, to be packed in cartons or boxes at a station downstream (not illustrated in Figure 1) .

These packages are made by suitably folding a sheet of aluminium foil into the shape of shell which is then filled with a charge of the processed cheese and covered over by another sheet of foil. Packages of this kind are very well known in the field and will not therefore be described in more detail in this specification. More specifically, the packages, which are labelled 12 when referred to generically or 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f when referred to as individual packages making up a group, have the form of a solid with a base shaped like a triangle or circular sector and comprise, as shown in Figure 4A, a first side wall 14 and a second side wall 16 tapering to a front vertical edge or tip 18, and a rear wall or heel end 20.

For convenience, the reference character "L" is used in the drawings to denote the longitudinal axis of each package, joining the midpoint of the heel end 20 to the tip 18 of the package. In the group G of packages, the packages must be placed close together with the side walls 14, 16 of the packages 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f touching the side walls of the adjacent packages, and with all the tips touching each other at the centre, as shown in Figure 4G. The packaging machine also comprises a package grouping station 22 equipped with suitable means for grouping the packages.

According to one advantageous aspect of the invention, these means for grouping the packages comprise means for arranging the packages in a spaced apart configuration where they are distributed peripherally - and in particular in a circle - around the grouping area and each package is separated from the others by a certain space, and means for moving the packages into contact with each other to form the required group of packages.

More specifically, in the non-grouped, spaced configuration, the packages are arranged in a circle and are radially spaced from each other to form a shape corresponding to that of the final grouped configuration. As shown also in Figures 2A, 2B and 3, the grouping means comprise means 24, 26 for supporting the packages which, looking in more detail, comprise means 24 which support the packages when these are in the spaced apart condition, and which consist of a circular plate 24 - and, more specifically, a circular crown - suitably connected to the machine frame (in a manner not illustrated in the accompanying drawings) and on which the packages are fed at angular intervals from each other, as - described in more detail below. As shown in Figure 1, the means 24 for supporting the packages in the spaced apart configuration have an infeed end 24 ' where the plate 24 receives the packages in succession at predetermined intervals from each other.

For supporting the packages in the closely grouped configuration, means 26 are provided. For this purpose, the plate 24 has a circular central opening 25, in which the means for supporting the packages in the closely grouped configuration G are mounted.

The means for supporting the packages in the closely grouped configuration consist, more specifically, of an inner circular plate whose diameter is substantially the same as that of the opening in the outer plate 24, and which are mobile so that the packages in the closely grouped configuration can be moved away from the grouping station. The means for supporting the -packages in the closely grouped configuration can be lowered relative to the outer plate 24 to allow the group of packages to be easily moved away from the grouping station (this feature not being illustrated in the accompanying drawings) . The grouping means also comprise means for feeding the packages 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f along a path for arranging the packages in the spaced apart configuration.

These feed means have continuous feed motion and, as illustrated, are mounted above the supporting means 24, 26. The feed means comprise a plurality of elements 30, each having a surface 32 for radially contacting the side wall 14 of one of the packages 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f. Means 33 for mounting the feed means consist of a substantially conical body 33 which is hollow to permit the passage of the means for mounting and driving the radial push plates (as described in more detail below) . With reference in particular to Figure 2A, the feed means consist of a shaped plate 30.

The plate 30 has a vertical portion 36 extending from the mounting means 33 to a radially protruding portion of which it is fixed by respective screws 34, and a lower portion 38 for contacting the packages 12, and which is offset with respect to the portion 36 by which it is fixed to the mounting body 33.

As illustrated in particular in Figure 2A, there is a short horizontal section 40 joining the mounting portion 36 to the portion 38 that contacts the package. Means are provided for rotationally driving the feed means, said means (which are not shown in the accompanying drawings) acting on the means 33 that mount the feed elements in such a manner as to rotate them.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4G, the packages are received sequentially at predetermined intervals and fed along a circular path around the grouping area to be arranged at angular positions which are radially spaced on the outside of the positions they will have been moved to when they are in the closely grouped configuration, as described in more detail below. The grouping device according to the invention comprises means for moving the processed cheese packages from a spaced apart configuration to a closely grouped configuration where the packages are in contact with each other.

More specifically, the means for moving the packages consist of means for pushing the packages radially from an outer position where they are not closely grouped to an inner position where they are close together on the central supporting plate.

As illustrated, these pushing means comprise a plurality of push plates 44 designed to contact the back ends of the processed cheese packages.

The push plates are made from thin sheet and their profiles are curved relative to the horizontal, each forming a curved contact surface 44' that matches the shape of the heel end 20 of the package.

As illustrated, the push plates 44 slide in respective guides 46 and each plate 44 is mounted on a block 48, to which it is fastened by screws 49. The guides 46 consist of radial rods with rectangular cross section.

As shown in particular in Figures 2A and 2B, the block 48 has formed in it a slot 50 into which the guide 46 is slidably fitted. Means are provided for driving the push plates from an outer position to an inner grouped position.

The means for driving the push plates comprise a drive roller 57 that runs in a vertical groove 56 made in the sliding block 48 which mounts the respective push plate 44 so as to drive the push plate mounting block in a radial direction.

The drive roller 54 is connected to an arm 58 attached to a pivot pin 60 attached to a toothed wheel 62 which imparts rotational motion on the arm 58 so as to drive the roller 57 and which is rotationally driven by suitable means 64 in such a way as to drive the push plate 44 inwards and outwards.

Means for supporting the pushing means are provided. These supporting means mount the radial guides 46 and consist of a mounting shaft 52, whose lower end 52' is fastened by screws 54 to one end of the radial guide rods 46 and from which the radial guide rods 46 project.

As shown in particular in Figure 2B, the shaft 52 mounting the radial guide rods 44 fits into and protrudes downwardly from the means for supporting the feed elements 30.

The means 52 that mounting the radial pushing means are connected to the means 33 that mount the feed means in such a way as to rotate with the latter (this feature not being shown in the accompanying drawings) .

Means (also not shown in the accompanying drawings) are provided for lowering and lifting the push plates. Thus, after the push plates, in the lowered position, have pushed the backs of the packages radially inwards to form a group, they can be lifted and moved back behind the next group of packages to be formed. For this purpose, they perform a backward movement in the raised position and, once they have reached the position behind the packages, they are lowered again, ready to push the packages inwards . Preferably, the means for lowering and lifting the push plates act by lowering and lifting the shaft 52 relative to the means mounting the feed elements 30.

On the means for supporting the packages, means 66 are provided for guiding and centring the packages as they move in a circle in the spaced apart configuration. These centring means consist of a raised edge 68 extending circumferentially around the grouping area and defining an inside surface 66 for contacting the heel end surface of the packages as they move in a circle round the grouping area. The opposite ends 68a, 68b of the raised edge 68 have a gap between them creating an inlet for the packages at the infeed end 24' of the means for supporting the packages.

According to a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, at least the first package to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is moved towards the central position ahead of the others in the group 'being formed.

More specifically, at least the push plate 44' corresponding to the first package 12a to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is moved radially inwards before the other push plates so that the radial position occupied by this first package 12a can be taken by the first package 12 'a of the next group to be formed.

This movement enables the first package 12 'a of the next group to be ready for grouping without interrupting the flow. Thus, grouping operations can be carried out at a faster rate to achieve higher output or, conversely, grouping can be carried out at a lower speed so as to reduce the risk of damaging the packages. This too improves performance and increases output compared to prior art since it prevents all the stops which, in prior art machines, are necessary to remove squashed and damaged packages .

For this purpose, the push plate 44' is mounted on a shaft 52a whose lower end 52 'a is fastened by screws 54' to the radial guide 46 of the push plate 44', the mounting shaft 52a extending into the cavity of the main mounting body 33 so that it is positioned on the inside of the shafts 52 of the other plates 44 that push the packages 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f.

In this way, although the mounting shaft of the push plate 44' which operates in advance of the others is fitted in such a way as to rotate with the mounting shafts of the other push plates (this feature not being shown in the accompanying drawings), its vertical movements are performed separately from those of the other shafts. Thus, this push plate is lowered independently of the others and, more specifically, in advance of the others, so that the corresponding package can be moved towards the centre before others. Means are provided for guiding the packages along the grouping path.

The means for guiding the packages along the grouping path consist of the same contact and feed surfaces and therefore consist of a plurality of elements 30 having a radial sliding surface 32 for one of the side walls of the package.

These guide means thus consist of a plate supported by the push plate guide means and having a lower portion 38 which contacts the packages and which, thanks to the short horizontal portion 40 of appropriate width, is offset with respect to the portion 36.

Means 70 for feeding the packages to the grouping station are also provided, these means being illustrated in particular in Figure 1. The feed means 70 convey the packages 12 to the grouping station in sequence at equidistant intervals from each other. These feed means consists of a straight conveyor belt 70 positioned next to and at the same level as means upstream of it (not illustrated in the drawings) for feeding and preparing the packages, and feed the packages 12 with continuous feed motion.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, means 80 are also provided for transferring the packages from the upstream feed means (not shown in the drawings) where the packages are wrapped to the feed means 70 which convey them to the grouping station, the transfer means being designed to position the packages with their longitudinal axes L placed transversely to the linear direction of feed indicated by the arrow A in Figure 4A.

The means for transferring the packages to the means 70 that feed them to the grouping station are therefore means which not only rotate the packages through a defined angle bit also shift them sideways.

As illustrated, the means for transferring the packages to the means that feed them to the grouping station simultaneously move the packages sideways and turn them through a defined angle. More specifically, the packages are turned through an angle of 90°.

Looking in more detail, the transfer means 80 comprise means for contacting and engaging the package and consisting of an L- shaped push plate 82 having a portion 82a that contacts the side of the package and a portion 82b that contacts the back of the package .

Drive means are provided for imparting on the push plate 82 a movement that includes rotational motion, forward translational motion that follows the straight-line movement of the package feed means, caused by the longitudinal feed of the longitudinally mobile block on which it is supported, and backward translational motion such as to move the contact back behind the next package to be transferred, this backward motion also causing the push plate 82 to rotate about its longitudinal support block.

The transfer means are such that the packages are transferred and fed continuously. Each package 12, which is conveyed along the line in an appropriate seat that accommodates it, is carried to the height of the corresponding belt 70 on which it must be placed, thanks to a lifting action imparted by the mobile bottom of the seat. The lifting action of this mobile bottom is suitably synchronised with the movements of the push plates 82 that transfer the packages and of the equipment that feeds them so that the push plates come into contact with the packages 12 only when they have to be transferred to the belt 70. In practice, the packages are kept in a position such as not to interfere with the path of the push plates 82 when the latter are moving back to the position where they start pushing the next package 12 onto the belt 70.

The means for driving the means for contacting and engaging the packages comprise a revolving body 84 for supporting the means 84 for contacting and engaging the packages and a supporting block

86 for the contact and engagement means which rotatably supports the body 84 that supports the contact and engagement means.

The revolving body is carried by a pin 88 which extends downwardly and which is rotatably supported by the block 86 and, at the end of it which is inserted in the block 86, mounts a toothed drive wheel 90 driven by a central toothed wheel 92.

This toothed wheel 90 is in turn rotationally driven in opposite angular directions through a pin 94, that is eccentrically connected to the central toothed wheel 92 and moved backwards and forwards alternately through a rod 96 which is in turn connected to a crank lever 98 driven in oscillating fashion by suitable control means (not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings) .

The supporting block 84 moves along a path consisting of a forward section and a return section.

As illustrated, the supporting block 84 mounts a pair of longitudinally spaced shaped push plates 82 for each row of packages 12 fed.

More specifically, the block 84 mounts four shaped push plates and their related supporting and drive means.

The central drive wheel 92 simultaneously drives the four toothed wheels 90 for respective shaped push plates 82 located at the corner of the rectangular block 86.

The device according to the present invention operates as follows. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the packages are conveyed by the feed means 70 onto the fixed plate 24, where they are delivered to the rotational feed means 32 which cause the packages to move in a circle on the plate 24, sliding on the latter' s top surface. Figure 4B shows the first and second packages 12a and 12b being delivered to the respective feed elements 32.

At this stage, the push plates 44' and 44 are in the raised position at a height above package and are moving radially outwards to a position behind the packages.

In Figures 4C to 4E, infeed continues with the third, fourth, fifth and sixth packages 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f of the group being conveyed onto the fixed plate 24, where they are delivered to the rotational feed means 32 which cause the packages to move in a circle on the plate 24. At this stage, the push plates 44' and 44 have reached their outermost, radial positions where they are spaced apart behind the packages but still in the raised position. As mentioned above, at least the push plate 44' corresponding to the first package 12a to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is advantageously made to move radially inwards before the other push plates so .that the radial position occupied by this first package 12a can be taken by the first package 12 'a of the next group to be formed, as illustrated in Figure 4F. At this point, the push plate 44' moves down so that it can push the package 12a from the back. The other push plates 44 begin moving down after a defined delay time relative to the lowering of the push plate 44'. Thus, the group forming procedure is faster and more efficient, and is completed by the radial pushing action of the other push plates 44 which move the other packages onto the inner plate 26 from they can be removed from the grouping unit, as shown in Figure 4G.

Preferably, all the packages must reach the closely grouped configuration simultaneously. Therefore, the radial movement of the push plate 44', which has been advanced, must be slowed down to allow the other push plates to catch up with it so that all the packages simultaneously reach the closely grouped configuration shown in Figure 4G. During the last stage, the packages are grouped together by a radial positioning movement that puts the packages in a closely grouped configuration while they continue following a circular feed motion.

In this way, it is possible to create a group of packages without appreciably slowing down package feed. More specifically, the invention makes it possible to form one group of packages and, at the same time, continue feeding the packages continuously towards the grouping unit. This means improved performance: that is to say, machines whose output is comparable to that of prior machine but which are more delicate on the product, with lower risk of damaging the packages. According to another aspect, the grouping means might be driven in such manner that, if one of the packages in a group is rejected - that is to say, removed from the feed line - because it is incorrectly wrapped or damaged, the grouping means can be slowed down or even stopped to wait for another package to arrive and complete the group being formed, since the packages on the feed line move continuously and are fed to the grouping means one after the other without interruption. This would prevent incomplete groups of packages from being formed.

It will be understood that the invention can be adapted and varied in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. A method for forming groups (G) of packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) of a pasty product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions to be packed in cartons or boxes, in a machine for making these wrapped pasty product packages; each package (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) having a first side wall (14), a second side wall (16) and a rear wall or heel end (20), and where the packages are placed close together in a group (G) with the side walls (14, 16) of each package (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) touching the side walls of the adjacent packages; the method being characterised in that it comprises a step of arranging the packages in a spaced apart configuration where they are distributed around the grouping area and each package is separated from the others by a certain space, and a step of moving the packages into contact with each other to form the required group of packages .

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that at least the first package (12a) to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is moved towards the central position ahead of the others in the group being formed so that the position occupied by it can be taken by the first package (12 'a) in the next group to be formed when the latter reaches the starting position on the grouping means . 3. The method according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the packages are grouped while following a circular feed motion accompanied by a radial positioning movement that puts the packages in a closely grouped configuration. 4. A device for forming groups (G) of packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) of a pasty product, in particular, wrapped processed cheese portions to be packed in cartons or boxes, in a machine for making these wrapped pasty product packages; each package (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) having a first side wall (14), a second side wall (16) and a rear wall or heel end (20), and where the packages are placed close together in a group (G) with the side walls (14, 16) of each package (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) touching the side walls of the adjacent packages; the device comprising means for arranging the packages in a spaced apart configuration where they are distributed around the grouping area and each package is separated from the others by a certain space, and means for moving the packages into contact with each other to form the required group of packages.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the means for grouping the packages comprise means (24, 26) for supporting the packages, means for feeding the packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) along a path for arranging the packages in the spaced apart configuration, and means (42) for moving the packages from a spaced apart configuration to a closely grouped configuration; means (70) being provided for feeding the packages to the grouping means .

6. The device according to claim 5, characterised in that the supporting means comprise means (24), consisting of a circular plate, on the periphery of which the packages are made to slide and which are designed to support the packages in the spaced apart configuration and have an infeed end (24') for receiving the packages in succession at predetermined intervals from each other. 7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the feed means comprise a plurality of elements (30) having a radial sliding contact surface (32) for the side wall (14) of the respective packages (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) , and means for driving these feed means. 8. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 5 to

7. characterised in that the feed means consist of means for pushing the packages of processed cheese radially from an outer position where they are not closely grouped to an inner position where they are close together on the central supporting plate. 9. The device according to claim 8, characterised in that the pushing means comprise a plurality of plates (44) that push the packages from the back.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterised in that the push plates are slidably mounted on respective radial guides (46) , means being provided for driving the push plates from an outer position to an inner grouped position.

11. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 6 to 10, characterised in that the means (33) for supporting the feed means consist of a body (33) which is hollow to permit the passage of the means that mounting the radial push plates (44). 12. The device according to claim 11, characterised in that the means for mounting the pushing means have a lower end (52') which is connected to the radial guide rods (46) and which protrudes downwardly from the means that support the feed elements (30) .

13. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 5 to 12, characterised in that, on the supporting means, means (66) are provided for guiding and centring the packages as they move in a circle in the spaced apart configuration, said centring means consisting of a raised edge (68) extending circumferentially around the grouping area and defining an inside surface (66) for contacting the heel end surface of the packages as they move in a circle round the grouping area.

14. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 5 to 13, characterised in that the radial pushing means (44) are mounted on vertically mobile equipment that moves from a lowered position for radially feeding the packages and place them in contact with each other, and a raised position where it moves back to a position behind the packages when these are still in the spaced apart configuration.

15. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 7 to 14, characterised in that at least the push plate (44') corresponding to the first package (12a) to reach the supporting means of the grouping station is mounted on a shaft (52a) whose lower end (5 'a) is fastened to the radial guide (46) of the push plate (44'), and which extends into the cavity of the main mounting body (33) so that it is positioned on the inside of the shafts (52) of the other plates (44) that push the packages (12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f) , in such a way that the vertical movements of the push plate (44') are independent of the those of the other push plates, and so that the radial position occupied by this first package (12a) can be taken by the first package (12'a) of the next group to be formed.

16. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 5 to 15, characterised in that it comprises means for guiding the packages along the grouping path.

17. The device according to claim 16, characterised in that the means for guiding the packages along the grouping path consist of the contact and feed surfaces .

18. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 4 to

17, characterised in that, during the grouping operation, the packages are made to follow a circular feed motion and a simultaneous radial positioning movement that puts them in a closely grouped configuration.

19. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 4 to

18, characterised in that, during the grouping operation, the packages are made to move continuously. 20. The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 4 to 19 or according to the preamble to claim 4, characterised in that it comprises means (80) for transferring the packages to feed means (70) which convey them to the grouping station, these transfer means being designed to position the packages with their longitudinal axes placed transversely to the linear direction of feed.

21. The device according to claim 20, characterised in that the means for transferring the packages to the means that feed them to the grouping station are means that move the packages sideways. 22. The device according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that the means for transferring the packages to the means that feed them to the grouping station are means that rotate the packages through a defined angle.

23. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 20 to 22, characterised in that the transfer means (80) transfer each package while it is moving along the feed path.

24. Use of the device according to any of the foregoing claims, in particular in a machine for wrapping a pasty, liquid or semi- liquid food product, and in particular, for wrapping processed cheese.