APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING PIPES MADE OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL TO A BELLING MACHINE

Described is an apparatus (1) for distributing sequences (S) of pipes made of thermoplastic material, comprising at least a first (P, P1), a second (P, P2) and a third pipe (P, P3), at least partly of different lengths, to a belling machine (2), with said apparatus (1), configured for distributing one pipe (P) at a time of the sequence (S) of pipes, characterised in that it comprises:- a conveyor (3) for distributing pipes made of thermoplastic material, defining a path (4) for conveying the pipes (P);- at least one sensor (5) for detecting pipes, designed to detect the presence of pipes (P) in a predetermined zone of said conveyor (3);- a control and operating unit (6), connected to the sensor (5) for receiving a signal of the presence of pipes in the predetermined zone and at the distribution conveyor (3) for actuating it on the basis of the signal of the presence of pipes, the control unit (6) being configured to actuate the distribution conveyor (3), on the basis of the signal of the presence of pipes, so as to move the conveyor (3) at a different speed for different pipes (P) of each sequence (S), said speeds all being greater than the speed (Vext) of arrival, that is, of extrusion, of said pipes at the conveyor (3) and being equal for same pipes (P) of different sequences (S), that is to say, for pipes having a same order of arrival and length of different sequences (S).