Lanfranchi’s New unscrambler/orientator for feeding non symmetrical and unstable bottles into filling lines.

LANFRANCHI of Italy, have developed a duo block and super block puck feeder machine for bottling lines with frequent and continuous changeover operations and for bottles with unusual and unstable geometry, that can only be conveyed in special containers called ‘pucks’.

The puck feeder is also available with an optional orientator (Super Block version) for when a bottle has to be orientated to a particular position for subsequent labelling, capping or packing.

The pucks are loaded into the machine by a special worm screw feeder, which allows the pucks to enter only if bottles are present, thereby eliminating the need for a bottle recycling system. The bottles are conveyed from the unscrambler by a vacuum star wheel, complete with a control device and a reject system that prevents possible overturned bottles from reaching the puck feeder.

The bottles are then conveyed from the vacuum star wheel by pneumatic pincers that allow the bottles to be precisely inserted inside the pucks. The puck insertion is so precise that pucks can be made with little clearance, facilitating the process of filling, capping and labeling as the bottle remains in a secure position in the puck.

The puck feeder system has a speed from 2,000 pucks/hour to 30,000 pucks/hour for bottles from 100ml to 1000ml.