CA1126707A - Mechanism for closing egg containers - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Rod-like tools mounted on gears so as to be swung together and apart by a reciprocating drive and running across a conveyor intermittently moving loaded egg containers, likewise oriented across the conveyor, are moved together to fold over the top corrugated strips of the upstanding sides of the egg container, as presented to the machine, by 90°, to bring these strips into abuttment.
Each corrugated strip is backed by a flat strip and one of the two has tabs which are folded over by 180° and adhesively bonded to the other flat strip. The folding over of the tabs is performed by a set of fingers that move between segments of the first-mentioned folding tools to raise the tabs at an oblique angle, after which push rods bend them over completely. During these operations adhesive is applied to the surfaces to be bonded so that the tabs will hold the container together after the first-mentioned folding tool and the finger and push-rod assembly are moved back out of the way of the transport path of the container so that the containers on the conveyor can proceed to the next station.

Description

~Z67~)7 This invention concerns a mechanism for mechanically closing egg containers in which eggs have been seated and of which the top members have not yet been folded do~n and secured. More particularly, the invention concerns machinery for closing egg containers of the kind made up of a number o corrugated strips of cardboard or similar sheet material in which the corrugations are of the size suitable for holding eggs, the several strips being joined one to another laterally: at the flat apex o~ eac:h corrugation, with a scored or indented! folding line being provided at each such joint, so that the strip assembly can first be folded up U-shape about the middle strip for seating the eggs and then the two strips at the top of the legs of the U can then be folded inward to provide the top of the egg container, forming a butt joint where they meet.
One form of such containers is provided with flat strips joined by adhesive to the bottoms of the corrugations~ These flat strips form smooth sides and top surfaces of the container, and in a particular variety of containers one of the flat strips which is folded over with its corrugated strip to make half of : the top hastabs extending outward (and downward before folding), which are intended to be bent completely over on top of both flat strips, bridging the butt joint between them, and cemented there in place to hold the cover closed. ..
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~Z6~C~7 ~he corru~ated strips joined at their apices across foldinq lines can be madc, as is known, r~m a single sheet by appro~riate slitting. ~ oumber of kinds of e~g containers utilizing such corr~gat~d strips are now kn~wn as, for example, those disclosed in U. S. Patent Nos.
3,955,744, 3,983,680, and 4,132,34~--the last-mentioned of which shows a structure particularly suited for handling in the machine of the present invention.

It has heretofore been difficult to close such egg containers mechanically after the eggs have been loaded into place therein. One difficulty in this regard is that only a short stretch of time is available for this operation because a relatively short cycle time lS provided, that being all that is needed for the operations at the preceding and following stations in an egg-packing line utilizing a sequence of mechanisms linked by a conveyor.
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Another problem exists in that only small forces may be applied because the eggs placed in the container are sensitive -to pressure. ~ -THE PRESENT INVENTION~
It is an object of the present invention to provide :
machinery for~mechanically closing filled egg containers in a short cycle in~ step with other operations of preliminary folding of the carton, loading in of the eggs, and so on, ln which forces are applled which will spare the contained eggs any exposure to sub~tantial press~lre.

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In general, the machine of the present invention provides means for conveying egg containers which have been folded into U-shape with the middle corrugation strip at the bottom of the U in a direction of transport which is perpendicular to the length of the strips and the containers. A pair of bending tolls is provided for bending or folding the terminal strips along the fold lines between the terminal strips and the intermediate strips towards and against each other.
Means is provided for simultaneously driving the tools in a direction intersecting the location of upstanding terminal corrugation strips of the containers prefolded in the U-shape when the container is on the conveyor at the location which is intermediate the rest position of the tools. The driving means causes the tools to move towards each other so as to fold the terminal strips of the container towards and against each other and thereafter to cause the tools to move out of the path of transport of the containers in order to allow another of the containers to be conveyed to the folding location. Further means is provided for fixing the adjacent terminal strips in the setup and closed position of the container by means of a flat strip joined to one of the terminal strips, the flat strip being provided with tabs extending away from the edge of the flat strip which is opposite to an edge thereof which is to be joined with a flat strip joined to the other of the terminal strips, mb/~ ~

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The invention is further described by way of illustrative example with reference to the annexed diagrammatic drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an unfolded egg container in the form in which it may be stacked for storage while awaiting usei Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the egg container of Fig. 1 after the outer corrugation strips have been folded upward about the middle strip;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view container filled with eggs and held in its closed condition by only one of its three tabs;

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rw/b~ 4 _ - ~ , . , :: .. : ::. : , , - ~., , Z67~17 Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section of the machine of the invention in the position thereof preceding the bend-ing over of the two top strips;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a major portion of the machine of Fig. 4 showing its position of the bending over of the two top strips;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the bending tools of the machine of Figs. 4 and 5;
Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in section, of a bend-ing-over apparatus for one of the tabs of the container, showing a sliding carriage mount; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the machine of the preceding Figures showing the folding over devices as well as the folding tools shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
In order that the machine of the present invention may be understood, it is first necessary to describe a typical egg container of the kind to be closed by the particular machine illustrated.
As shown in Fig. 1, the container is made, basically, of two parts joined together, namely, a corrugated strip 2 and a flat strip 3. Both strips 2 and 3 are preferably made of cardboard, or material similar to cardboard, of a ~hickness of about 0.5mm, which may be indented and printed. The flat region 4 of the bottoms of the corrugations is, in each case, firmly joined- by an adhesive to the flat strip 3.

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- ~26~7 setween the flat strip 3 and the two oblique surfaces 19 of each corrugation of the corrugation strip 2, there is provided a cavity 14. The wavelength ~i.e., the spacing from one corru~ation mid-bottom to the next) corresponds to the center-to-center spacing of the eggs, and preferably amounts to about 4.5 cm.
Both the corru~ation strip 2 and the flat strip 3 are slitted by parallel and longitudinally directed cuts 6, those in the flat strip 3 completely separating that strip into adjacent narrow substrips, while the slits in the corrugation strip 2 terminate just below the flat corrugation tops (apices) 5. This construction produces five adjacent corrugation strips 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 running parallel to each other, which are joined together only at the corrugation apices 5 at places where indented -or scored folding lines 13 are provided (as shown in Fig. 2, but omitted in Fig. 1 to avoid confusion with the slits 6).
The middle corrugation strip 8 is narrower than the neighboring corrugation strips 7 and 9 arranged on one side and the other of the middle strip. The two outer corrugation strips 10 and 11, which may be referred to as the "terminal"
strips to avoid confusion with the outer and end portions of the completed container, are about one-half the width of the strip 8. The total of their widths approximates the width of the middle corrugation 8.
In a first step of the setting up of the container,~which can conveniently be performed by known machinery being no part of the present invention which is, therefore, not shown, ;rc:YY~

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the corru~tion strips 7 ~nd 9 ~r~ t~er)t ur~ about the fold-ing lines 13 running parallcl to the len~tl~ dimension of the container at the boundaries of the corrugation strip 8 where it is joined to the strips 7 ..nd 8. This forms a structure of more or less U-shaped cross-section,as shown in Fig. 2. This partialsetting up of the container is produced on an intermittently driven conveyer belt,upon which the containers remain until they are closed by the machinery of the present invention that i5 described below.

The direction of transport T (~ Fi~. 4) is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the container. In the A partly set upcontainer shown in Fig. ~, the eggs 18 ~s~ in Fig.
; are loaded into the corrugation valleys 15. Thereafter, the two narrow "terminal" corrugation strips 10 and 11 are ; 15 folded around corresponding `foldinc1 lines 13, by about 90 relative to the strips 7 and 9 to which they are attached, this being performed by the mechanism ~escribed below, so that finally a container is produced es~entially as shown in Fig. 3. The eggs 18 are, thus, held on four sides and surrounded by the corrugation strips 7-11. The surrounding air, nevertheless, has access to the eggs, which is of significance for storing eggs and keepins them fresh. Since the corrugations are somewhat elastic, the eggs packed in such a container are protected against mechanical shock.

In order to hold the container together after filling and closing, a number of tabs 21, for exampie three in the illustrated case, are provided at least on one of the terminal or outer corrugation strips which form~ part of the top of the container. These tabs 21 are stamped out of the material . . , - :, , . . . . : . :: .
.. . : ,. : .-~L~Z67~7 of adjac~nt wi~r f]at fitrip 7~ which is cemcnted to the adjacent corrugdtion ~trip 7~- this stampin~ bein~ part of the slitting operc-ltion thilt sc?pal-atcs the 1at stri~s, which may be regarded as a devi~tion of the slit in question.

As shown in Fi~. 3, thc~ tabs 21 stick out away from the flat strip 10~. The length of thesc tclbs 21 is greater than the width of the strip ~OA, preferabl~ ~bout twice as long as that width, and are provided with an indented folding line 26 at the root of the tab running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the container, about which the tab can be bent back and bonded to the fl~t strip llA which is adjacent across the butt joint 22. The ~abs 21, bent over as shown in 21a and Fig. 3, thus stretch across the butt joint 22 and, by means of a adhesive, hold the set-up enclosed container together. l`he tabs 21 may be m~(le in,egral either with the flat strip lOA or the flat strip llA. As shown in the illustrated case, in Fig. 3, after the stamping out of the tabs 21 as integral parts of the strip lO,corresponding openings 20 remain in the flat strip 7A that is cemented to the corrugation strip 7.

In order that tlle places at whicll the corrugation strip 2 is adhesively joined to the f]at strip 3 (Fig. 1 should not be weakened, the opcnings 20 are in each case provided opposite one of the corrugation apices 5. After the bending over of the two outer or terminal corrugation strips 10 and 11, along with th~il flat strips lOA and llA, the tabs 21 lie in the planc? o- the two flat strips lOA and llA.

~26'~7 THE MAcl~INE 01' THE rRE:S~:NT INVEt~rlolJ:
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Figs. 4-8 d~cribe a nlcchanism for closing an egg container in accordance with thc p~cscnt invention. ~s can be seen from Figs. 4 and 5, the two terminal strips 10 and 11 of an egg container standing up in the form shown in ~ig. 2, but filled with eggs, on a ccnveyor belt 50, are arranged to be simultaneously folded over about the folding lines 13, respectively, by toolmembers 23, 24.
These tools 23, 24 are fastened on each end to a spur gear of an engaged pair of spur gears 27, 28, which provide for equal and opposite motion of the too~ 23 and 24.

Shafts 40 an~ 41, which are the axles of the wheels 27, 28 are so disposed that the iln~inary lines r and s running from the shaft centers to the folding lines 13 1' meet at approximately a right angle.

The axle shafts 40 and 41 run at right angles to the transport direction T of the container and the supporting conveyor 50. As the gears 27 and 28 are rotated by a drive 25 in the direction of the arrows C and D,

2~ they come to lie against the two upper corrugation strip units 10 and 11, then bend these over the fold lines 13 at an angle of about 90, sothe corrugation strips 10 and 11 in their final position lie against each other to form a butt joint as shown in Fig. 5. In this position, the gears 27 and 28 stop and dwell, as do also, of course, the folding tools 23 and 24. The rotation of the gears 27 and 28 and thereby of the longitudinal bending tools 23 and 24 is produced by a pneumatic or hydraulic reciprocating drive " 25 which is connected to one of the gears, in the illustrated 67~
ca~e to the gear 27 shown in ~ig. 4, by a c~nn~cting rod 16.

After the gears stop, the tabs 21 are b~nt up so that they can thereafter be folded over about their ~olding line~
26 IFig. 3). For this purpose, finger 35 that is shiftable forward and back is provided for each of t~e tabs 21 of a container. These fingers are mounted as shown in Fig. 7 on a shiftable sliding carriage 33 for displacement in either direction of the double arrow F. This carriage 33 rides on guide rods 34 or equivalent guide rails and can be ; 10 moved by a hydraulic or pneumatic piston drive unit 36, so that after the container has been put in the position shown in Fig. 5, the fingers 35 can be pushed forward and thereby brought to lie under the ta~s 21. After the simultaneous pushing forward of the fingers mounted on the carriage 33, the tabs 21 extending from the flat strip lOA
take an oblique position at an angle of about 30 to 50 prescribed by the oblique surface 31 of the finger, as is shown in Fig. 8.
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In order that the tabs 21 may then be completely bent over the butt joint 22 of the two flat strips lOA and llA, a push-rod 37 which is movable back and forth is provided for each finger 35 and is connected with a reciprocating drive 38. In the supply of compressed air or of oil under pressure, the push-rods 37 can be moved in the direction of the arrow E (Fig. 7) so as to engage the tabs 21 already bent up by the fingers 35 and then fol~ the~ over so far that the tabs 21 are brought to lie against the top of the flat strip llA.

67~7 ~ efore the bending over of the tabs 21, an adhesive is sprayed through a nozzle 17 either on what is to become the inner side of the tabs 21, or else on the surfaces of the strip llA
that are to be covered by the tabs. Thus, after the complete bending over of the tabs 21 about the folding lines 26, adhesive bonds are produced which hold the container together in the set-up position shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3 only one of the tabs 21A
is shown folded over for better understanding of 'che illustration, but in actuality, of course, all tabs 21 are simultaneously folded over by 180 so that they extend over the butt joint 22 which they secure.
In order that the fingers 35, on the one hand, and the tool 23 should not mutually interfere in their movements, the rod which constitutes the tool 23 is not made continuous but is, in-stead, interrupted where the fingers 35 are present, as shown in Fig. 6, so that it consists of a number of aligned segments. The support of the individual rod segments is provided by a second parallel rod 29 supported on the gears 27 running from one gear to the other, carrying cross-member supports 30 between which the fingers 35 with their push-rods 37 can be introduced and perform their operations. The fingers-35 and tool 23 thus provide means for fixing adjacent terminal strips in the set up and closed position of the container.
The complete assembly of the mechanism of Fig~ 7 is seated by means of the base plate 43 in the machine frame 44 shown in Figi-8.:
After the tabs 21 are folded over and bonded by adhesive to to the strip llA, the two folding tools 23 and 24 mounted on the gears 27, 28 are swung back again by the reciprocating drive 25 to their initial position. In this ~ jrc:~

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movement~ the gcars 27 and 28 ar~ ro~atcd ~n the revcrse direction, which is to say directions opposite those of the arrows C and D, and at thc s~lmc timc the push~rods 37, the fingers 35 and the sliding carriage 33, as well as the holding tools 23 and 24 arc moved out of the path of transport of the container. Thcn the already closed container will be carried forward in the cycle of intermittent movement of the conveyor in the direction of the arrow T, at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of the container, after which it will be pushed out of the ,assembly line and off the conveyor Although the invention has bcen described with ^~
reference to a particular illustrative example, it will be : ~ understood that modifications and variations are possible ; 15 within the inventive concept.
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Claims (5)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A machine for mechanically closing egg containers made of foldable sheet materials having folding lines, after eggs have been inserted in the container, for use with egg containers of the kind having a plurality of corrugation strips for nesting eggs between apices thereof in a linear array, each of said corrugation strips being joined to a flat strip at the bottom of the corrugations and connected, laterally of the egg array, to each other at their said apices across folding lines extending to the length of said container allowing adjacent corrugation strips to envelop eggs deposited in the bottoms of the corrugations of the middle corrugation strip, there being in addition to said middle strip, two intermediate strips adjacent thereto and two terminal strips resepctively adjacent to said intermediate strips, the terminal strips each having about half the width of said middle strip and being intended to be bended or folded around towards each other and joined together edge-to-edge above the contained eggs to close said container, said machine comprising:
means for conveying egg containers folded into U-shape, with the said middle corrugation strip at the bottom of the U, in a direction of transport perpendicular to the length of said strips and of said containers;
a pair of bending tools for bending or folding the terminal strips along said fold lines towards and against each other;

means for simultaneously driving said tools in a direction intersecting the location of upstanding terminal corrugation strips of said container prefolded in said U-shape, when the container is on said conveyer at the location which is intermediate of the rest position of said tools, so as to cause said tools by moving towards each other to fold said terminal strips of the container towards and against each other and thereafter to cause said tools to move out of the path of transport of said containers in order to allow another of said containers to be conveyed to said location; and means for fixing said adjacent terminal strips in the set up and closed position of the container by means of a flat strip joined to one of said terminal strips, said flat strip being provided with tabs extending away from the edge of said flat strip which is opposite to an edge thereof which is to be joined with a flat strip joined to the other of said terminal strips.

2. A machine for closing egg containers as defined in claim 1, in which said machine includes means for folding said tabs up and back over said flat strip in which they are rooted, so as to overlie also the flat strip which is adjacent thereto as the result of the operation of said tools and driving means to bridge a butt joint between said adjacent flat strips.

3. A machine for closing egg containers as defined in claim 2, in which said up-and-over folding means comprise fingers arranged to grip under said tabs in order to fold said tabs up and also comprise push rods movably independent of said fingers for folding over said tabs into their final positions.

4. A machine fox closing egg containers as defined in claim 3, in which said fingers and push rods are mounted on a carriage movable back and forth in a straight line, and means are provided for moving said carriage back and forth in a predetermined sequence of movements.

5. A machine for closing egg containers as defined in claim 2, in which nozzles are arranged above the surface of the strips which is to be covered by the tabs for spraying an adhesive on either said surface or said tabs for securing said strip and tabs together.