Apparatus for sorting objects

1. Apparatus for sorting objects conveyed by a conveying line, comprising:

a portion of conveying line ( 2 ) at which said objects ( 3 ) are sorted,

a plurality of gripping means ( 4 ) for gripping said objects ( 3 ) operating at said portion of conveying line ( 2 ), said gripping means ( 4 ) being suitable for picking up, on command, the objects present on the portion of conveying line ( 2 ), to transfer the objects on supports ( 5 ) in pre-chosen temporary waiting areas for forming stacks of homogeneous objects ( 3 );

lifting and conveying means ( 6 ) suitable for lifting, upon command, single objects or stacks of objects ( 3 ) resting on supports ( 5 ) in pre-chosen temporary waiting areas and transferring the objects to an evacuation line ( 7 ); wherein said gripping means ( 4 ) is of the suction cup type and is fitted to movement groups ( 40 , 41 ) of first and second suction cups ( 42 , 43 ), said movement groups ( 40 , 41 ) being movable and positionable on command along guides ( 44 , 45 ) that are transverse to the advancing motion of the objects ( 3 ) on the said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and are provided with members ( 46 , 47 ) that are suitable for moving vertically, upon command, the corresponding first and second suction cups ( 42 , 43 ).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping means ( 4 ) of the said plurality, distributed along said portion of conveying line ( 2 ), are drivable singularly or in groups in a synchronous manner depending on the dimensions of the objects ( 3 ) to be picked up and transferred.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping means ( 4 ) of said plurality operates above said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and that gripping said objects ( 3 ) that are present thereupon is performed by using the upper surfaces of the objects ( 3 ) themselves.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , characterised in that the said supports ( 5 ), which are suitable for defining said pre-chosen temporary waiting areas for stacks of homogeneous objects ( 3 ), are vertical elements that are uniformly spaced apart from one another according to the direction of the said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and the upper ends ( 50 ) of which are suitable for defining at least one supporting plane.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 , characterised in that the said upper ends ( 50 ) of said supports ( 5 ) define at least one supporting plane that is located below said portion of conveying line ( 2 ).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 , characterised in that the upper ends ( 50 ) of the supports ( 5 ) define at least one supporting plane that is located below said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and at a preset distance therefrom that defines a free space in a vertical direction that is the maximum useful height for permitting the objects or stacks of objects ( 3 ) to be sorted to be moved.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , characterised in that said lifting and conveying means ( 6 ) that is suitable, on command, for lifting single objects or stacks of objects ( 3 ) resting on supports ( 5 ) in pre-chosen temporary waiting areas and transferring the objects to an evacuation line ( 7 ) comprises a lifting device ( 60 ) provided with a plurality of conveying supports ( 61 ) positioned for being inserted between the supports ( 5 ) with the possibility of movement in relation thereto at least in a direction that is transverse to the motion direction of the said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and is movable in a vertical direction between a position below the supporting plane defined by the upper ends of the supports ( 5 ) and a position above the supporting plane; said lifting device ( 60 ) being commanded to translate upon command in a direction that is transverse to the motion direction of said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) and being connected to a carriage ( 62 ) that is constrained to translate in a direction parallel to the motion direction of said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) as far as said evacuation line ( 7 ).

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 , characterised in that the said evacuation line ( 7 ) has a motion direction parallel to the motion direction of the said carriage ( 61 ).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 , characterised in that the said evacuation line ( 7 ) consists of a parallel belt conveyor ( 17 ); it being provided for that the transverse distance between said belts ( 17 ) and the mutual positioning thereof enable said conveying supports ( 61 ) to be freely inserted into the direction of the conveying motion of said conveying supports ( 61 ).

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 , characterised in that it comprises on both sides of the said portion of conveying line ( 2 ) as far as said evacuation line ( 7 ) a plurality of supports ( 5 ), each of which defines pre-chosen temporary waiting areas for forming stacks of homogeneous objects ( 3 ).