Produktdreher und -positionierer

Abstract

An apparatus (160) for severing a continuous web of material into discrete pieces and re-orienting the discrete pieces is described. The apparatus comprises: a vertically oriented rotatable anvil drum (32); a vertically oriented rotatable knife roll (30) positioned adjacent the anvil drum which in combination with the anvil drum is operable to cut the continuous web of material into the discrete pieces (20); and a rotatable unit (50) positioned adjacent the anvil drum which carries a series of rotatably and pivotally mounted vacuum pucks (40). The pucks are arranged and adapted to: (i) move from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation and then back to their vertical orientation whilst being rotated by the rotatable unit (50), (ii) acquire the discrete pieces from the anvil drum at an acquisition point when they are vertically orientated, (iii) rotate and pivot having acquired the discrete pieces to transition from their vertical orientation to their horizontal orientation whilst being rotated by the rotatable unit (50), (iv) deposit the discrete pieces whilst in their horizontal orientation at a deposition point, and (v) pivot back from their horizontal orientation at the deposition point to their original vertical orientation upon returning to the acquisition point.