EP3191383A1

EP3191383A1 - Object orienting system

Info

Publication number: EP3191383A1
Application number: EP14799558.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Bonino; Aessandro GASPARINI
Original assignee: BONINO SpA con unico azionista
Current assignee: BONINO SpA con unico azionista
Priority date: 2014-09-10
Filing date: 2014-09-10
Publication date: 2017-07-19
Also published as: WO2016038634A8; WO2016038634A1

Abstract

A system (1) for orienting and singularizing objects (5) comprises a coarse loading station (2) with a warehouse container (3), a conveyor belt (6) for transporting the objects (5) from the warehouse container (3) in a supply concave area (7) of an orienting device (9), as well as a positioning conveyor (10) with two facing belts (17) that together define seats (18, 118) displaceable along a positioning path (19) from a withdrawing point (15) of the orienting device (9) up to a release point (20).

Description

"Object orienting system "

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention generally refers to systems and methods for arranging a plurality of objects having a substantially identical shape in sequence with a predetermined orientation, to the purpose of a controlled supply of such objects to subsequent processing steps. Particularly, the invention relates to a device for singularizing and orienting objects.

[0002] A typical example of use of the above-mentioned system is the orientation of the so-called thermoplastic preforms that are intended to be converted by blowing in plastic containers, for example, PET bottles for beverages, cosmetic products, or detergents. In such a case, in order to be able to be properly gripped by the star-shaped spacer wheel which is located at the inlet of the blowing module, all the preforms have to be of the same given and predetermined tridimensional orientation.

[0003] With exemplary reference to a typical preform with a e.g. substantially cylindrical blowable portion, a reference flange radially projecting with respect to the blowable portion, and an externally threaded opening portion (Fig. la, 10), such predetermined orientation can be achieved by a prior art system, illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0004] The known preform orienting system (Figs. 1, 1A) comprises a bin tilting device 101 suitable to receive bins 102 containing the preforms 103 in bulk and to dump the preforms 103 in bulk from the bins 102 into a hopper 104 (bulky supply) , a belt conveyor 105 so located as to withdraw the preforms 103 from the hopper 104 and to transport them in bulk to a supply zone 106 of a roller guide orienting device 107. The roller guide orienting device 107 comprises a pair of rollers 108, 108' that are parallel and spaced apart so as to be able to receive the preforms 103 with the flange 109 supported onto the two rollers 108, 108' and the blowable portion 110 hanging between the two rollers 108, 108' . The two rollers 108, 108' are rotated in an opposite direction to draw the preforms 103 to the desired position, and have such a length and an inclination as to ensure:

[0005] - the proper receiving and orienting of all the preforms 103, and

[0006] - the advancement of the preforms 103 properly hanging between the rollers 108, 108', by a gravitational sliding of the hanging preforms 103 in a longitudinal direction 111 of the rollers 108, 108' themselves (Fig. 1A) .

[0007] As it can be seen in Fig. 1, for the specific needs of inclination and length of the roller guide orienting device 107, the prior art system necessarily has a very large height (4...6 meters high are not uncommon) and also an undesirably great length or horizontal extent. In fact, the roller guide orienting device 107, in order to be able to properly operate (a counter-rotation function of the rollers, maintenance of the predetermined distance between the rollers, sliding of the preforms along the rollers), has to be extended in a substantially rectilinear manner.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved object orienting system so as to reduce the vertical and horizontal overall dimensions of the system for a given set of other boundary conditions.

[0009] These and other objects are achieved by an object orienting system according to claim 1, and by an object orienting method according to claim 10

[0010] The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments .

[0011] According to an aspect of the invention, an object orienting system comprises:

[0012] - a bin tilting station with a warehouse container for emptying bins containing the objects in bulk and the dumping of the objects in bulk into the warehouse container,

- a belt conveyor located to withdraw the objects from the warehouse container and to transport them in bulk in a supply concave area of an orienting and singularization unit of the system, characterized in that the orienting and singularization unit comprises:

A) an orienting device with:

- an orienting track so shaped as to receive the objects with a desired orientation and arranged one after another in a single row along the orienting track, said orienting track being extended along an orientation path which is in the shape of a ring closed about the supply concave area and having at least one dragging surface in contact with the objects received in the orienting track and displaceable along the orientation path to convey the objects received in the orienting track up to an outlet point in which the row of objects having the desired orientation is guided out from the orienting track at a withdrawing point of the orienting device,

- a small rotating plate forming a bottom of the supply concave area and rotatable so as to displace the objects by a centrifuge force from the supply concave area onto the orienting track,

B) a positioning conveyor with two facing belts that together define a sequence of one or more seats extended and displaceable along a positioning path from the withdrawing point of the orienting device, where the two belts are mutually brought nearer for an individual gripping of the objects in the individual seats, up to a release point in a desired position for a subsequent handling of the objects, where the two belts are moved away from one another for an individual release of the objects from the individual seats.

[0013] By virtue of the orienting device with an annular orienting track, it is possible to carry out the orientation of the objects without the need of either a large height difference or a high horizontal extent, and, therefore, with reduced overall dimensions with respect to the prior art systems.

[0014] Furthermore, by virtue of the positioning conveyor with opposite belts, it is possible to transport the oriented and singularized objects from the withdrawing point of the orienting device directly to the desired position for a subsequent processing step (for example, a blowing station in the case of preforms for manufacturing PET bottles) .

[0015] The opposite belts can follow paths that are curved about horizontal, vertical, or inclined axes, and, therefore, the positioning conveyor can reach any desired height without particular distance constraints from the orienting device and, similarly, the positioning conveyor can reach desired distances without particular height constraints .

[0016] This further concurs to a reduction of the overall dimensions and to a more flexible use of the spaces with respect to the prior art systems.

[0017] In order to better understand the invention and appreciate the advantages thereof, some embodiments thereof will be described herein below by way of non- limiting example, with reference to the figures, in which:

[0018] Fig. 1 illustrates a preform orienting system for manufacturing PET bottles of the prior art,

[0019] Fig. 1A shows a detail of a roller guide orienting device of the system in Fig. 1,

[0020] Fig. 2 is a schematized side view of a system for orienting and singularizing objects according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0021] Fig. 3 is a top view of the system in Fig. 2,

[0022] Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a belt conveyor of the orienting and singularizing system of Fig. 2,

[0023] Fig. 5 is a top view of the belt conveyor in Fig. 4 ,

[0024] Fig. 6 is a top view of a rotating orienting device of the orienting and singularizing system in Fig. 2,

[0025] Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view according to the cross-sectional plane VII-VII in Fig. 6, [0026] Fig. 8 shows an object withdrawing point of the orienting device in a view according to the arrow VIII in Fig. 6,

[0027] Fig. 9 illustrates a sequence of supply and orientation of an object in the orienting device of Fig. 7,

[0028] Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views of an orienting track of the orienting device in Fig. 7, with and without an object received in the orienting track, respectively,

[0029] Fig. 12 is a top view of a positioning conveyor of the orienting device in Fig. 6,

[0030] Figs. 13, 14, 15 are schematized views of a detail of the positioning conveyor in Fig. 12, according to three embodiments.

[0031] With reference to the figures, a system 1 for orienting objects 5 comprises a bin tilting station 2 (bulky loading station) with a warehouse container 3 for emptying bins 4 or other transport containers containing the objects 5 in bulk and the dumping of the objects 5 in bulk into the warehouse container 3.

[0032] The system 1 further comprises a belt conveyor 6 located to withdraw the objects 5 from the warehouse container 3 and to transport them in bulk to a supply concave area 7 of an orienting and singularization unit 8.

[0033] In this manner, the warehouse container 3 embodies a first coarse warehouse or buffer for receiving and arranging the objects 5 in bulk with a high capacity that allows a coarse filling (emptying operation of the bins 4) which is non-metered and non-synchronized with the operation of the orienting and singularization unit 8. Instead, the belt conveyor 6 ensures an approximately dosed provision (by the belt speed and the capacity of the belt blades) of the objects 5 in the supply concave area 7, which can thus have reduced dimensions and a capacity that is less than the capacity of the warehouse container 3.

[0034] The orienting and singularization unit 8 is composed of an orienting device 9 and a positioning conveyor 10.

[0035] The orienting device 9 comprises an orienting track 11 so shaped as to receive the objects 5 with a desired orientation and arranged one after another in a single row along the orienting track 11. The orienting track 11 is extended along an orientation path 12 in the form of a closed ring (but not necessarily circular, e.g. oval) about the supply concave area 7 and it has at least one dragging surface 13 in contact with the objects 5 received in the orienting track 11 and displaceable along the orientation path 12 to convey the objects 5 already received in the orienting track 11 up to an outlet point 14 in which the row of objects 5 with the desired orientation is guided out of the orienting track 11 and towards a withdrawing point 15.

[0036] The orienting device 9 further comprises a rotating plate 16 which forms a bottom of the supply concave area 7 and which rotates so as to displace the objects 5 by a centrifugal force from the supply concave area 7 onto the orienting track 11.

[0037] In this manner, the objects 5 that are transported in the supply concave area 7 are supplied on the orienting track 11 which receives them with the desired orientation and in a single row while they move forward around the supply concave area 7 towards the outlet point 14. Since the entire orientation process occurs along an annular path around the supply concave area 7 , the outlet point 14 of the objects that are oriented and aligned in a row, is in the immediate vicinity of the supply zone of the objects 5 in bulk.

[0038] The positioning conveyor 10 has two opposite belts 17, which together define A) a sequence of individual seats 18 (Fig. 13) or, B) a continuous seat, extended and displaceable along a positioning path 19 from the withdrawing point 15 of the orienting device 9 up to a release point 20 in a desired position for a subsequent handling of the objects.

[0039] In the withdrawing point 15, the two belts 17 are brought nearer to one another to individually grasp the objects 5 either in the individual seats 18 (Fig. 13) or in the continuous seat 118 (Figs. 14, 15) and, at the release point 20, the two belts 17 become mutually spaced apart to individually release the objects 5 from the individual seats 18 or from the continuous seat 118.

[0040] In this manner, after the orientation in a very compacted space, the objects 5 are transported to the desired position along a positioning path formed by a pair of flexible belts that individually hold each object 5, maintaining the orientation and the position thereof in the already formed row. Consequently, the positioning path 19 can be selected to be, optionally, more or less long, curved or tortuous, so as to bypass optional structural or plant barriers, or spaces which are kept clear for transport and communication routes.

[0041] By virtue of the orienting device 9 with an annular orienting track 11, it is possible to carry out the orientation of the objects 5 without the need neither of a high height difference nor of a high horizontal extent, and, therefore, with reduced overall dimensions with respect to the prior art systems.

[0042] Furthermore, by virtue of the positioning conveyor 10 with opposite belts 17, it is possible to transport the oriented and singularized objects 5 from the withdrawing point 15 of the orienting device 9 directly to the desired position for a subsequent processing step (for example, a blowing station in the case of preforms for manufacturing PET bottles), without taking into account gravitational effects, sliding frictions and relative height differences.

[0043] The opposite belts 17 can follow paths which are curved about horizontal, vertical, or inclined axes, and, therefore, the positioning conveyor can reach any desired height without particular constraints concerning the distance from the orienting device 9 and, similarly, any desired distance without particular height constraints.

[0044] This further concurs to a reduction of the overall dimensions and a more flexible use of the spaces with respect to the prior art systems.

Detailed description of the bin tilting station

[0045] In accordance with an embodiment, the bin tilting (or coarse loading) station 2 can comprise a tilting device 21 suitable to hook bins 4 and to turn them over on the warehouse container 3 to fill it with objects 5 in bulk.

Detailed description of the belt conveyor 6

[0046] The conveyor belt 6 comprises a conveyor belt 22 with a plurality of blades 23 projecting from the conveyor belt in a direction transversal to a longitudinal extent of the conveyor belt 22. The conveyor belt 22 extends across a portion of the warehouse container 3 (which can be shaped as a hopper) to withdraw the objects 5 from the warehouse container 3. The conveyor belt 22 can have an ascending length 24 suitable to lift the objects 5 from a bottom of the warehouse container 3 completely out of the latter, and a further length 25 to convey the objects into vicinity of the supply concave area 7.

[0047] At a free end 26 (of the further length 25) of the conveyor belt 22, the conveyor belt 6 can form a slide 27 for a guided fall of the objects 5 from the conveyor belt 22 into the supply concave area 7.

[0048] The conveyor belt 22 is actuatable by an electric motor 51 connected by a driving mechanism to a return pulley of the conveyor belt 22.

[0049] In an embodiment, the warehouse container 3 and the conveyor belt 6 are mounted on a common first support platform 28, which is preferably provided with, e.g. four, support rollers 52 to facilitate the transport and positioning thereof. The support rollers 52 can be height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the first support platform 28. Detailed description of the orienting device 9

[0050] In an embodiment (Figs. 6, 7, 8) the orienting device 9 comprises a support structure 29 preferably provided with, e.g. four, support rollers 31 to facilitate the transport and positioning thereof, the support rollers 31 can be height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the orienting device 9.

[0051] A stationary outer peripheral wall 30 is connected to the support structure 29, which wall 30 forms a stationary surface 32 of the orienting track 11 (preferably circular) and defining the orienting track 11 on a radially outer side. The stationary surface 32 is interrupted only at the outlet point 14 to allow the row of objects 5 moving away from the orienting track 11.

[0052] The dragging surface 13 is formed in a ring 33 extending along an outer circumference of the small rotating plate 16. The ring 33 forms a radially inner surface 34 which defines, together with the small rotating plate 16, the supply concave area 7 to collect the loose objects 5 to be oriented. The rotating plate 16 is inclined and rotatable (about an inclined axis) by a first motor 35 to supply the objects 5 from the supply concave area 7 on the orienting track 11 and the ring 33 is rotatable (about a vertical axis) by a second motor 36 to move the dragging surface 13 along the orientation path 12 (also being preferably circular) .

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the objects 5 to be oriented and to be put in a row have the typical form of the preforms for blowing plastic bottles, i.e., with a cylindrical elongated portion 37 and a flange 38 radially projecting with respect to the cylindrical elongated portion 37 and, possibly, a externally threaded opening portion 39 formed on the side of the flange 38 opposite the cylindrical elongated portion 37 and shorter and lighter than the elongated portion 37.

[0054] In this case, the dragging surface 13 and the stationary surface 32 of the orienting track 11 define: - a slot 40 extending along the orientation path 12 (preferably circular) and top towards down (preferably in an at least approximately vertical direction) and having a constant width (in the case of an annular circular orienting track 11, the width is meant as measured in a radial direction, while the surfaces 13, 32 extend in a circumferential direction of the circle) that is larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical elongated portion 37 and lesser than an outer diameter of the flange 38 of the objects 5, so as to be able to receive the elongated portion 37 of the objects 5,

two non-vertical, preferably horizontal, support surfaces 41, 42, extending on both sides along the slot 40 so as to form a support for the flange 38, so that the objects 5 are hanging in the slot 40 with the elongated portion 37 oriented downwardly.

[0055] A collecting channel 43 is formed from the outlet point 14 to the withdrawing point 15, which has a system of guide surfaces 44 so shaped as to receive the objects 5 in the outlet point 14 of the orienting track 11 and to guide all the objects 5 received in a single row and with the same orientation from the outlet point 14 to the withdrawing point 15. The movement of the dragging surface 13 of the orienting track 11 provides for pushing and "gathering" the row of objects 5 in mutual contact in the collecting channel 43.

[0056] This ensures that, while gripping the objects 5 by the individual seats 18 of the positioning conveyor 10, each individual seat 18 is filled with an object 5 and there are no empty individual seats 18, which could adversely affect the carrying out of the subsequent handling of the objects 5.

Detailed description of the positioning conveyor 10

[0057] In an embodiment, the positioning conveyor 10 defines a rectilinear positioning path. In alternative embodiments, the positioning conveyor 10 defines a positioning path with one or more lengths that are curved about a vertical axis and/or with one or more lengths that are curved about a horizontal axis. This can be easily obtained by virtue of the fact that the opposite belts 17 are flexible and that the objects 5 are individually grasped in an undroppable manner either in the individual seats 18 (Fig. 13) or the continuous seat 118 (Figs. 14, 15) .

[0058] The opposite belts 17 can comprise tapes, belts, chains, or combinations thereof, so as to form a flexible elongated structure.

[0059] In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 13, such flexible elongated structure is divided into single segments 45 which are mutually connected and each forming a half-cavity 46, so that the two half-cavities 46 of two opposite or facing segments 45, respectively, form one of the individual seats 18.

[0060] In the embodiments illustrated in the Figs. 14 and 15, the inner surfaces, which are mutually facing, of the two opposite belts 17 are made of an elastically yieldable material, for example, in rubber, and/or knurled so as to be able to elastically "pinch" or clamp the objects by elastic deformation (of the inner surfaces) of the belts 17 themselves. To this aim, the distance between the two opposite belts 17 is less than the gripping diameter of the objects and the elastic portions which form the inner surfaces, i.e. the continuous seat 118, elastically compress or deflect when an object is interposed therebetween. The implementation of the inner surfaces (continuous seat 118) by means of profiling in the form of a comb or in the form of a brush is particularly advantageous for gripping the objects.

[0061] Therefore, in the case of the preforms, it is possible to pinch the objects at the cylindrical elongated portion 37, avoiding their mutual impact along the path, moreover in the curves, descents and ascents. Furthermore, the objects can be transported, in a targeted and selectable manner, by a predetermined pitch (Fig. 13) or by a variable pitch (Figs. 14, 15) as a function of the flow of oriented objects upstream.

[0062] During the transport of the objects of the preform type, the flange 38 thereof can remain free, to facilitate quality checks, for example by using video cameras .

[0063] The belts 17 are supported by a system of pulleys or deflectors 47, which are, for example, toothed, mounted on a third support platform 48 and actuatable by an electric motor 49, also mounted on the third support platform 48.

[0064] Also the third support platform 48 can comprise a plurality of, e.g. four, support rollers 50 to facilitate the transport and positioning thereof. The support rollers 50 can be height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the third support platform 48.

[0065] Of course, to the system for orienting and singularizing objects according to the present invention, those skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent, specific needs, will be able to make further modifications and variations, all anyhow falling within the protection scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A system (1) for orienting and singularizing objects (5) comprising:

- a coarse loading station (2) with a warehouse container (3) to receive the objects (5) in bulk,

- an orienting and singularization unit (8),

- a conveyor (6) located so as to withdraw the objects (5) from the warehouse container (3) and to transport them in bulk to a supply concave area (7) of an orienting and singularization unit (8) of the system (1),

characterized in that the orienting and singularization unit (8) comprises:

A) an orienting device (9) with:

- an orienting track (11) so shaped as to receive the objects (5) having a desired orientation and being arranged one after another in a single row along the orienting track (11), said orienting track (11) being extended along an orientation path (12) in the form of a closed ring that extends around the supply concave area (7) and that has at least one dragging surface (13) in contact with the objects (5) received in the orienting track (11) and displaceable along the orientation path (12) to convey the objects (5) received in the orienting track (11) up to an outlet point (14) in which the row of objects (5) with the desired orientation is guided out of the orienting track (11) to a withdrawing point (15) of the orienting device (9),

- a rotating plate (16) forming a bottom of the supply concave area (7) and rotatable so as to displace the objects (5) by a centrifugal force from the supply concave area (7) onto the orienting track (11),

B) a positioning conveyor (10) with two facing belts (17) that together define one or more seats (18,118) that are displaceable along a positioning path (19) from the withdrawing point (15) of the orienting device (9), where the two belts (17) are brought mutually nearer for an individual gripping of the objects (5) in the seats (118,18), up to a release point (20) where the two facing belts (17) are moved away from one another for an individual release of the objects (5) from the seats (118, 18) .

2. The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the orienting device (9) comprises:

- a stationary outer peripheral wall (30) which forms a stationary surface (32) of the orienting track (11) and defines the orienting track (11) on a radially outer side, said stationary surface (32) being interrupted at the outlet point (14) to allow the row of objects (5) moving away from the orienting track (11) .

- a ring (33) extending along an outer circumference of the rotating plate (16), wherein said ring (33) forms the dragging surface (13), and a radially inner surface (34) defining, together with the small rotating plate (16) , the supply concave area (7) ,

wherein the rotating plate (16) is inclined and actuatable in rotation to supply the objects (5) from the supply concave area (7) onto the orienting track (11), and the ring (33) is actuatable in rotation to move the dragging surface (13) along the orientation path (12) .

3. The system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the orienting device (9) comprises a support structure (29) with a plurality of support rollers (31) that are height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the orienting device (9) .

4. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said objects (5) have a cylindrical elongated portion (37) and a flange (38) radially projecting with respect to the cylindrical elongated portion (37) ,

wherein the orienting track (11) defines:

- a circular slot (40) extending along the orientation path (12) and top down and having a radial width that is constant and larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical elongated portion (37) and less than an outer diameter of the flange (38) of the objects (5), so as to be able to receive only the elongated portion (37) of the obj ects (5 ) ,

- two non-vertical support surfaces (41, 42), preferably horizontal, extending on both sides along the slot (40) and implementing a support for the flange (38), so that the objects (5) are hanging in the slot (40) with the elongated portion (37) oriented downwardly.

5. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a collecting channel (43) is formed from the outlet point (14) to the withdrawing point (15) which has a system of guide surfaces (44) so shaped as to receive the objects (5) in a single row and with the same orientation, wherein the movement of the dragging surface (13) of the orienting track (11) pushes the row of objects (5) into mutual contact in the collecting channel (43) .

6. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the belts (17) are selected from the group consisting in tapes, belts, chains, or combinations thereof, and form a flexible elongated structure divided into single segments (45) which are mutually connected and each forming a half-cavity (46) , wherein the two half-cavities (46) of two facing segments (45), respectively, form one of the individual seats (18), respectively.

7. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein inner surfaces, which are mutually facing, of the two opposite belts (17) are made of an elastically yieldable material, for example in rubber, so as to be able to pinch the objects by elastic deformation of the belts (17) themselves.

8. The system (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the inner surfaces of the two opposite belts (17) form said seat (118) as a continuous seat and have a profiling in the form of a comb.

9. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the positioning conveyor (10) is mounted on a third support platform (48) having a plurality of support rollers (50) that are height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the third support platform (48) .

10. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor (6) is a conveyor belt and comprises a bladed conveyor belt (22) having:

- a length extending across a portion of the warehouse container (3) to withdraw the objects (5) from the warehouse container (3) ,

- an ascending length (24) suitable to lift the objects (5) out of the warehouse container (3),

- a further length (25) to convey the objects (5) up to near the supply concave area (7) ,

wherein the conveyor belt (6) forms a slide (27) at a free end (26) of the conveyor belt (22) for a guided fall of the objects (5) from the conveyor belt (22) in the supply concave area (7) .

11. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the warehouse container (3) and the conveyor (6) are mounted on a common first support platform (28), said first support platform (28) having support rollers (52) that are height adjustable and lockable to adjust and lock the horizontal and vertical position of the support points of the first support platform (28) .

12. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bulky loading station (2) comprises a tilting device (21) suitable to hook bins (4) and to turn them over on the warehouse container (3) to fill it with said objects (5) in bulk.

13. The system (1) having the characteristics of all the preceding claims.

14. An assembly (8) of apparatuses for orienting and singularizing objects, comprising:

A) an orienting device (9) with: - an orienting track (11) so shaped as to receive the objects (5) with a desired orientation and arranged one after another in a single row along the orienting track (11), said orienting track (11) being extended along an orientation path (12) in the form of a closed ring extending about the supply concave area (7), and having at least one dragging surface (13) in contact with the objects (5) received in the orienting track (11) and displaceable along the orientation path (12) to convey the objects (5) received in the orienting track (11) up to an outlet point (14), wherein the row of objects (5) with the desired orientation is guided out of the orienting track (11) at a withdrawing point (15) of the orienting device (9),

- a rotating plate (16) forming a bottom of the supply concave area (7) and rotatable so as to displace the objects (5) by centrifugal force from the supply concave area (7) onto the orienting track (11),

B) a positioning conveyor (10) with two facing belts (17) that together define one or more seats (18, 118) displaceable along a positioning path (19) from the withdrawing point (15) of the orienting device (9), where the two belts (17) are brought mutually approximated for an individual gripping of the objects (5) in the seats (118, 18), up to a release point (20) where the two facing belts (17) are moved away from each other for an individual release of the objects (5) from the seats (118, 18) .