FIELD: packaging industry.
SUBSTANCE: folding unit is intended for producing folded packages of pourable food products from sealed packs. Unit comprises movable conveying means which feed said packs along a forming path and output said folded packages at an output station and folding means cooperating with each said pack to perform at least one folding operation on said pack, also includes at least one pair of shells which are integrally movable along said forming path and are movable relative to each other along direction (C), transversal to said forming path. Shells of each pair are settable along said direction (C) at least in a fully closed position in which they exert a pressure onto a corresponding pack, so as to at least complete a folding operation onto corresponding pack, and an open position in which they are detached from corresponding said folded package. Conveying means comprise at least one supporting member, a top branch along which said supporting member is arranged below said pack, and a bottom branch defining said output station and along which said folded package is arranged below said supporting member, and shells are arranged in said open position at least at said output station, so as to release said corresponding folded package under gravity action. Method of producing folded packages is carried out by means of said unit.
EFFECT: higher efficiency and simplification.
14 cl, 15 dwg
