METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEPARATING AND TRANSFERRING PELLETS

A pellet column is formed in a metering duct. The lowermost pellet is located in a connection point where an outlet duct is connected to the metering duct and leads transversely away therefrom. A first duct, which opens into the metering duct via a first duct mouth above the connection point, is impinged with negative pressure, wherein a pellet is suctioned onto the first duct mouth and is fixed thereto. This pellet acts as a block for the pellets thereabove. A second duct, which opens into the connection point via a second duct mouth, is impinged with positive pressure, wherein the pellet at the connection point is pneumatically ejected via the outlet duct and supplied to a container. After the ejection of the lowermost pellet, the negative pressure in the first duct is switched off such that the pellet held at the first duct mouth advances toward the connection point.