To provide a method and an apparatus for supplying packs by dropping one pack at a time out of stacked packs certainly at high speed.
Lower nails 5 receive and support the edge of the lowest pack of the stacked packs 2 from below. Upper nails 4 are inserted between the edge of the lowest pack and that of the second lowest pack to receive and support the edge of the second lowest pack from below to cause the lower nails 5 to release support of the edge of the lowest pack. Then, a helical feed screw 11, which is disposed with an erected rotary shaft 12 at an engaging position to the edge of the lowest pack, is rotated around the rotary shaft 12 to feed the edge of the lowest pack along a helical groove 13 of the helical feed screw 11 to drop the lowest pack. The dropping pack is received by an engaging member 21, which is rotated around a pivot 22 to supply the pack below. The above operation is repeated to supply one pack at a time from the lowest pack of the stacked packs 2.
GOTO KAZUHIKO