Arranging flower bulbs at a pitch distance in a moving row of flower bulbs

Abstract

In the field of handling flower bulbs (10), a method of converting a continuous input flow of flower bulbs (10) moving in a row in which the flower bulbs (10) are arranged one after another to a continuous output flow of the flower bulbs (10) moving in a row in which the flower bulbs (10) are arranged at a pitch distance is provided. Creating the continuous output flow is done by means of at least one pair (20) of bulb separator components (21, 22) which are inserted between two adjacent flower bulbs (10) and which are operated to subsequently move the flower bulbs (10) apart. In the process, movement of a front bulb separator component (21) is accelerated relative to movement of a back bulb separator component (22). As an advantageous result, the input flow of the flower bulbs (10) is not hindered in any way.