GROUPING UNIT AND METHOD TO FORM A GROUP CONSISTING OF TWO WRAPS, EACH CONTAINING A GROUP OF SMOKING ARTICLES

A grouping unit (C) to form a group consisting of two wraps (3), each containing a group (14) of smoking articles; the grouping unit (C) has: four pockets (68, 69, 70, 71), each designed to house a respective wrap (3); two output stations (S8, S9); an input station (S7) arranged between the two output stations (S8, S9); an insertion device (72), which is designed to simultaneously insert two wraps (3) arranged at an input distance (I) from one another into a first pocket (68) and into a second pocket (69), which are, together, in the input station (S7), or into a third pocket (70) and into a fourth pocket (71), which are, together, in the input station (S7); an extraction device (73), which is designed to simultaneously extract two wraps (3) arranged at an output distance (O) from one another, which is smaller than the input distance (I), from the first pocket (68) and from the second pocket (69), which are, together, in a first output station (S8), or from the third pocket (70) and from the fourth pocket (71), which are, together, in a second output station (S9), which is opposite the first output station (S8) relative to the input station (S7); a first moving device (74), which is designed to move, along a moving direction (D1), the first pocket (68) and the second pocket (69) between the input station (S7) and the first output station (S8) and, simultaneously, is designed to move the third pocket (70) and the fourth pocket (71) between the second output station (S9) and the input station (S7). L'invention concerne une unité de groupage (C) pour former un groupe constitué de deux emballages (3) contenant chacun un groupe (14) d'articles à fumer; l'unité de groupage (C) comporte: quatre poches (68, 69, 70, 71), conçues chacune pour loger un emballage respectif (3); deux stations de sortie (S8, S9); une station d'entrée (S7) disposée entre les deux stations de sortie (S8, S9); un dispositif d'insertion (72), qui est conçu pour l'insertion simultanée de deux emballages (3) disposés à une distance d'entrée (I) l'un de l'autre dans une première poche (68) et dans une seconde poche (69), qui sont, conjointement, dans la station d'entrée (S7), ou dans une troisième poche (70) et dans une quatrième poche (71), qui sont, conjointement, dans la station d'entrée (S7); un dispositif d'extraction (73), qui est conçu pour extraire simultanément deux enveloppes (3) disposées à une distance de sortie (O) l'une de l'autre, qui est plus courte que la distance d'entrée (I)