Clipping module drive device and method for moving a clipping module

The present invention relates to a drive device and a method for reversibly linearly moving a clipping module (200) of a clipping machine, the clipping machine comprises a filling tube (310) through which a filling material is fed in a filling direction into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging stored on the filling tube (310), between a release position and a discharge position, thereby passing at least two further intermediate positions. The drive device (100) comprises a piston/cylinder assembly (120, 130, 140) including a first piston (122) fixedly adjusted to a framework (W) of the clipping machine and a housing (110) including a first cylinder portion (124) in which the first piston (122) is arranged, the housing (110) is reversibly movable relative to the first piston (122), a second piston (132) coaxially aligned to the first piston (122) and reversibly movable in a second cylinder portion (134) arranged in the housing (110) and a third piston (142) coaxially aligned to the first piston (122) and reversibly movable in a third cylinder portion (144) arranged in the housing (110). The drive device (100) further comprises four variable cylinder volumes (127, 128, 138, 148), a first cylinder volume (127) between the first piston (122) and the first cylinder portion (124), a second cylinder volume (128) between the first and the second piston (122, 132), a third cylinder volume (138) between the second and the third piston (132, 142) and a fourth cylinder volume (148) between the third piston (142) and the third cylinder portion (144), wherein each cylinder volume (127, 128, 138, 148) is coupled to a pressure source for being varied in order to reversibly move the clipping module (200) coupled to the housing (110), between the release position and the discharge position.