EP0149146A2 - Method for packing groups of goods in a folding box and a device for executing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Process for the packaging of groups of articles (6a) in a folding box, in which a group of articles (6a) combined into a packaging unit is placed onto an unfolded box blank (7b), and this box blank (7b) is folded round the group of articles (6a) and closed to form a box and is finally transported away, characterized in that a box blank (7b) is fed intermittently to a loading station (2), from a first direction, in that a group of articles (6a) is fed intermittently to this loading station (2) from a second feed direction opposite to the first direction and is placed on the box blank (7b), and in that the box blank (7b) loaded with the group of articles (6a) is removed from the loading station (2) in a third direction at least approximately perpendicular relative to the said first and second directions, the feed of the box blank (7a) and the feed of the group of articles (6a) being carried out by means of a common feed member (11).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for packaging product groups in a folding box, in which a product group assembled to form a packaging unit is placed on an unfolded box blank, this box blank is folded around the product group and closed to form a box and finally transported away. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for carrying out this method, which comprises a loading station, a magazine for box blanks, a grouping station for the groups of goods to be packaged and means for transporting the group of goods placed on the box blank.

When packing groups of goods, on the one hand a procedure is known in which the goods are inserted into a folding box which is open at the end and pre-shaped to form a sleeve, the folding box then being closed and transported, and on the other hand an alternative procedure in which the goods to be packaged are closed Product groups are formed, placed on a flat, non-glued folding box blank, after which this is shaped into a box around the product group, closed and transported away. Both of the aforementioned types of packaging can be carried out continuously or in cycles. It is obvious that a con In principle, in terms of working speed, an in-depth way of working is an advantage. On the other hand, with continuous packaging processes, complex equipment is required.

DE-PS 25 55 674 is cited as an example of a packaging process in which product groups are packaged in a prefabricated folding box that is open at the end. The method disclosed therein sees a grouping of individual containers, e.g. Bottles or glasses, which are grouped in a continuous inflow to form a plurality of longitudinal rows lying next to one another and then inserted as a whole into the open-ended box. It is not difficult to see from the cited document that a very complex device is required to ensure trouble-free operation in continuous operation.

An example of the second-mentioned method of working, in which the product groups to be packaged are placed on a subsequently cut and closed box blank, may be seen in DE-OS 27 54 283. This publication also works with a continuous movement of both the packaging elements and the product groups to be packed. A disadvantage here is that the required device is of complex construction, which is complex and thus expensive to manufacture.

In the context of the present invention, it is assumed that it should be possible, basically in time operation to achieve a high working speed, the equipment expenditure of a device operating in cyclic operation is known to be not only much simpler in construction and thus cheaper to manufacture, but also less susceptible to failure in continuous operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a method of the type described at the outset which enables a rapid and therefore efficient operation without the need for complicated and therefore expensive and therefore fault-prone apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned at the outset, with the aid of which groups of goods which have been put together can be placed quickly and easily in cycles on a prepared folding box blank, the latter subsequently being formed into a folding box, closed and transported away .

In a method of the type mentioned at the outset, the first-mentioned object of the invention is achieved in that a loading station is fed with a box cut from a first direction and also from a second feed direction running counter to the first direction and placed on the box cut, and that the box blank loaded with the product group is removed from the loading station in a third direction which is at least approximately perpendicular to said first and second directions, the feeding of the box blank and the The goods are supplied by a common feeder.

The clear assignment of the feed or discharge directions lying at an angle of essentially 90 degrees ensures that the mutual movements cannot interfere with one another. Furthermore, the diametrically opposite feed directions for the box blank and the product group, which run essentially along a line, can ensure that these feed movements can be carried out simultaneously and without problems by a common feed member.

If the box blank is fed in on a first level, which is preferably above a second level, in which the box blank loaded with the product group is removed, it can be ensured that the loading elements for blanks and product on the one hand and the organs for on the other hand, the folding and the removal of the loaded blanks can occur.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the box blanks are supplied from a magazine located to the side of the loading station and the goods are supplied from a grouping station located next to the loading station on the opposite side in one plane above the product running surface. In the sense of a rational way of working, it is advantageous if in a first work cycle After depositing the box blank at the loading station, a group of goods is recorded at the grouping station and, in a second work cycle while the group of goods is placed on the box blank, another box blank is recorded in the magazine. The box loaded with the product group can be transported away from the loading station immediately after the end of the second work cycle before the new start or simultaneously during the initial phase of the first work cycle.

To solve the inventive task mentioned in the second place, the device of the type mentioned is characterized in that the magazine for the box blanks and the grouping station are arranged diametrically opposite one another on both sides of the loading station at least approximately along a first line and that the means for transporting the extend the group of goods placed on the box blank at least approximately perpendicular to said first line.

With such a device, a particularly efficient way of working can be achieved if a displaceable transport member is provided which extends along the first line and which is equipped on the one hand with means for gripping a box blank from the magazine and on the other hand with means for gripping a product group from the grouping station. In a preferred embodiment of the device, the transport member can be arranged between two by a longitudinally displaceably mounted on rails, driven by a drive member Movable carriage end positions are formed. This makes it possible for the device to work simultaneously in cycles, for example by removing a further box blank from the magazine while a product group removed from the grouping station is being placed on a box blank previously removed from the magazine and deposited at the loading station. During the next cycle, the carriage moves to its other end position, in which the previously cut box blank is deposited at the loading station and, at the same time, another group of goods is recorded at the grouping station. Before the carriage is returned to this other end position, or simultaneously with it, the box blank loaded with the product group is removed from the loading station, the deformation into a folding box and the closing of the same then taking place.

Further preferred embodiments of the device are characterized in the dependent claims dependent on claim 6.

• Fig. 1 Eine perspektivische, schematische Ansicht der gegenseitigen Zuordnung der einzelnen Stationen,
• Fig. 1a ein Blockschema davon,
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung während eines ersten Arbeitstaktes,
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung während eines zweiten Arbeitstaktes,
• Fig. 4 eine schematische Teilansicht einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform des Greiforganes für die Erfassung von Warengruppen, und
• Fig. 5a-5c schematische Seitenansichten des Schachtelzuschnitt-Magazins während verschiedener Phasen des Arbeitsablaufes.

The method according to the invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In detail show:

• 1 is a perspective, schematic view of the mutual assignment of the individual stations,
• 1a is a block diagram thereof,
• 2 shows a schematic side view of the device during a first working cycle,
• 3 shows a schematic side view of the device during a second working cycle,
• Fig. 4 is a schematic partial view of a modified embodiment of the gripping member for the detection of product groups, and
• 5a-5c are schematic side views of the box blank magazine during various phases of the workflow.

The mutual association of the individual stations of the device with one another can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 1a. At a central point is a loading station 2, at which the product group to be packaged, in the present example a plurality of bottles 6, is placed on a prepared folding box blank 7. On one side next to the loading station 2 there is a folding box blank magazine 1 in which there is a stack with a plurality of folding box blanks 7a to be processed. On the other side of the loading station 2 there is a grouping station 3, in which individual goods to be packaged, in the present case individual bottles 6, are combined to form a product group. The The manner in which individual goods are fed to the grouping station 3 and the grouping procedure are not the subject of the present invention; this can be done in any suitable manner and will not be discussed further in the context of this description.

The loading station 2 is followed by a pressing station 4, in which the formation of the folding box is completed by folding the prepared box blanks 7 on the transport path from the loading station 2 to the pressing station 4, gluing them and closing them in the pressing station 4 in order to be sealed with a subsequent transport member to be removed from the device. The manner in which the box blanks 7 are shaped and closed to form a folding box 8 around the goods 6 is known in the prior art, so that there is no need to go into this at this point.

It is essential, as can be seen from FIG. 1 a, that the grouping station 3 on the one hand and the box blank magazine 1 on the other hand are arranged next to the loading station 2, in such a way that the magazine 1 and the grouping station 3 are diametrically opposite one another. Thus, the feed direction of box blanks 7a from the magazine 1 to the loading station 2 runs along the same straight line, but in the opposite direction to the supply of product groups, for example consisting of bottles 6, from the grouping station 3 to the loading station 2. The further processing or the removal of the with the product group loaded folding box blank 7 takes place in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the two feed directions mentioned.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the device according to the invention. The loading station is again generally designated 2, the box blank magazine generally 1 and the grouping station generally 3. In the context of this arrangement, a traverse 9 is provided which extends across these three stations and which is provided with guide rails 10. A carriage or carriage 11 can be moved along these guide rails 10, specifically between a first end position A, as can be seen in FIG. 2, and a second end position B, which is shown in FIG. The carriage or carriage 11 is connected to drive elements, not shown, which can be of an electromotive, pneumatic or hydraulic type and which move the carriage 11 between the first end position A and the second end position B under the influence of a control device, also not shown. The end position A is selected such that the carriage 11 is essentially above the loading station 2, while in the second end position B it assumes a position which is essentially above the grouping station 3.

The carriage 11 is equipped on the one hand with means for gripping a box blank 7a from the magazine 1 and on the other hand with means for gripping a product group 6a from the grouping station 3. The means for a carton blank _E rgreifung 7a comprise a vacuum gripper element 12 with means of a parallelogram-shaped linkage 13 is pivotally attached to the slide 11. The connection between linkage 13 and slide 11 takes place at pivot points 14 on the slide 11. Actuating elements, not shown in more detail, pivot the linkage 13 about the pivot points 14, so that the vacuum gripper elements can be varied in terms of their height. The mode of operation of these means described above for gripping a box cut 7a from the magazine 1 will be discussed in more detail below.

Furthermore, means for gripping a product group 6a from the grouping station 3 are provided on the carriage 11. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, these can be formed by a plurality of gripper tulips 16 arranged in a grid-like manner on a support frame 15, which are designed in a suitable manner for gripping the bottles 6 shown as examples. The support frame 15 is attached to the slide 11, which can be displaced in the vertical direction, and a height adjustment of the frame 15 relative to the slide 11 can take place under the influence of the aforementioned control device, not shown, by means of suitable drive elements 17 of an electromotive, hydraulic or pneumatic type. As will be explained further below, the means for grasping a product group can also be designed differently.

In summary, it is essential for the time being that the carriage 11 on the one hand carries gripper elements for receiving the folding box blanks 7a, these gripper elements 12 being at a distance of the central axis of the carriage 11 are arranged, and further that the carriage 11 is provided with means for receiving a product group which is arranged so as to be substantially displaceable in the vertical direction along the central axis of the carriage 11.

2 shows the device in a first position. The carriage 11 is in position A, in which the means for gripping the product group 6a are located above the center of the loading station 2. It goes without saying that the approach now described relates to a state at a specific point in time during the proceeding process.

A box blank 7b, which has been removed from the stack 7, is located in the loading station 2 and is held there by suction members 18 arranged on its surface. The carriage 11 is positioned above the loading station 2 and the gripping means attached to it are in the process of placing a group of bottles 6, gripped by their gripping tulips 16, on the box blank 7b. This is done by lowering the frame 15, which carries the gripper tulips 16. At the same time, the gripper element 12, which is pivotably mounted on the linkage 13, is located above the uppermost box blank 7a of the magazine 1 and is lowered in this position in order to grasp the box blank 7a located at the top. In the meantime, ie after the product group 6a has been placed on the box blank 7b in the loading station 2, this box blank 7b together with that on top of it lying product group 6a transported, in the direction of the pressing station 4, where the box is shaped and glued or closed.

After the box blank 7a lying on top of the stack has been gripped by the gripper element 12 and lifted off the stack, and after the product group 6a has been placed on the box blank 7b lying at the loading station 2, the carriage 11 is moved under the effect of the above mentioned drive elements moved to its other end position, ie to position B above grouping station 3. This situation is shown in FIG.

The box blank 7b gripped by the gripper element 12 is placed on the now free loading station 2 and held there by means of the suction elements 18. This is done by pivoting the linkage 13 about the pivot points 14 from the position shown in dashed lines to the position shown in solid lines. At the same time, the gripper tulips 16 carried by the frame 15 are lowered into position 16a in order to pick up the goods prepared at the grouping station, for example bottles 6. In a next step, on the one hand the linkage 13 with the gripping member 12 is pivoted back into its at least approximately horizontal position, leaving the box blank 7b deposited at the loading station 2, and on the other hand the support frame 15 with the gripper tulips 16 and the goods 6 picked up by them is raised somewhat . Now the carriage or carriage 11 can be moved back to position A above the loading station 2; the goods 6 are through Lowering of the supporting frame 15 onto the box blank 7b is placed at the loading station 2 and the linkage 13 carrying the gripper 12 is lowered somewhat in order to accommodate the next box blank 7a lying on top of the stack.

The entire device is thus again in the starting position, as shown in FIG. 2, and the entire working cycle, as described above, begins again. Of course, the product group 6a placed on the box blank 7b is transported together with the box blank 7b from the loading station 2 to the pressing station as soon as the gripper tulips 16 have detached from the goods 6 in order to make room at the loading station 2 for a new box blank 7b to be put down.

The gripping member 12 on the linkage 13 as well as the suction members 18 can be formed by suction cups of known construction; as soon as the box blank 7b deposited by the gripping member 12 at the loading station 2 is in its intended position, the vacuum is passed from the suction cup 12 through a valve arranged in the vacuum line onto the suction cups 18.

As can be seen from the above description, by moving the carriage or slide 11 from position A according to FIG. 2 to position B according to FIG. 3, a box blank 7a is removed from the stack and placed on the loading station 2. When the carriage or carriage 11 returns from position B to position A, one is supported by the support frame 15 or the gripper tulips 16 attached to it are transported from the grouping station 3 to the loading station 2. In the end position of the carriage according to FIG. 2, a box blank 7a is simultaneously picked up from the stack and the product group 6a placed on the previously stored box blank 7b. In the end position according to FIG. 3, on the other hand, a previously cut box blank 7b is simultaneously placed on the loading station 2, and a larger group of goods is picked up by the gripper tulips 1E. Each movement stroke of the carriage or carriage 11 is therefore used on the one hand for the transport of the box blank and on the other hand for the transport of the product group to be packed. As a result, there is no idle stroke of the carriage or slide 11, and the dead times in the end positions A or B are also used to pick up or put down a box blank and to pick up or put down a product group.

The geometrical arrangement of the device allows optimal use of the available space and the available base area, in that the distance 19 between the central axis of the magazine 1 and the central axis of the loading station 2 is somewhat larger than the distance 20 between the central axis of the loading station 2 and that of the grouping station 3. This enlargement of the distance 19 compared to the distance 20 is due to the fact that during the lowering of the box blank 7b from the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 to the position shown in solid lines on the surface of the loading station 2, there is a horizontal shift the measure 21 takes place. This difference between the distances 19 and 20 is desirable, however, since the width 22 of a box blank 7a corresponding to a specific product formation with the width 26 must be greater by the length of the required side closing flaps of the box blank.

The height 23 of the stack of the box blanks 7a located in the magazine 1 is greater than the height 25 of the surface of the grouping station 3 as well as that of the loading station 2 due to the selected geometric arrangement by the height dimension 24. After in packaging plants the working height of the upstream systems and conveyor belts is preferably between 100 and 140 cm above the floor, the greater height 23 of the stack in magazine 1 results in a correspondingly larger number of available box blanks 7a, which in turn is desirable in the interest of increased refill intervals for loading the magazine.

The fact that the linkage 13, which is designed in the form of a parallelogram and is pivotably suspended, works in an approximately horizontal position when the box blank 7a is picked up from the stack in the magazine 1 (see FIG. 2), which has the advantage that the height dimension 23 of the stack and so that the position of the uppermost blank 7a can vary within certain limits without the precision of the positioning of the blank 7b in the loading station 2 suffering. Obviously, the horizontal offset of the blank 7b is a cosine function of an angle of 0 degrees and is therefore only a fraction of the tolerance for the Height dimension 23. This enables a simple concept of the magazine, so that it can be refilled within the device without interrupting the workflow. This will be explained in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 5a to 5c.

4 shows a modified exemplary embodiment of the means for grasping a product group 6a. A frame 28 is attached to the carriage or carriage 11 and is equipped with two pivotably mounted gripper arms 29. An actuator 27 has a longitudinally adjustable, externally toothed actuator 30 which is connected to correspondingly toothed drive members 31 for the gripping arms 29. A displacement of the actuator 30 upwards causes the gripping arms 29 to be pivoted against the product group 6a and to grip them in a clamping manner. To release the product group 6a on the loading station 2, the actuating member 27 is moved in the opposite direction; The product group 6a arrives at the box blank 7b and the gripping arms 29 are swung out into the dash-dotted line. This embodiment is particularly suitable for essentially cubic, block-like goods which are combined to form a goods group 6a, which overall also has a substantially cubic shape.

5a to 5c, the magazine 1 is shown in a schematic side view. The stack of folding box blanks 7a lies on a pallet 33 which is carried by a lifting table 34. The lifting table 34 and thus the entire stack is height adjustable by means not shown. In general, the drive of the lifting table 34 is periodically adjusted in the sense of an increase in order to ensure that the uppermost box blank 7a of the stack lies approximately at a uniform height. As already mentioned, the absolutely precise altitude is not particularly critical, since the geometry of the linkage 13 is designed in such a way that at most a very slight error can occur when the box blank is placed at the loading station 2.

In the area of the upper end of supports 32 and thus in the area of the upper end position of the lifting table 34, retaining members 35 are attached, which bear against the side surfaces of the stack with pretension. The retaining members 35 are pivotally suspended and can assume a first end position according to FIGS. 5a and 5c, in which they protrude into the movement path of the stack of box blanks 7a, and a second end position according to FIG. 5b, in which they rest against the side surface of the stack .

In the situation according to FIG. 5 a, a pallet 33 loaded with a fresh stack has just been placed on the lifting table 34. Before the device is started up, the lifting table is raised slightly so that the uppermost box blank 7a is in the predetermined removal position. After progressive removal of the stack, the lifting table 34 is raised successively; an intermediate position is shown in FIG. 5b. This ensures that the uppermost box blank 7a is always at least approximately in the ideal removal position. The Restraint members 35 do not perform any actual function during this process, but lie against the side of the stack. When the stack is almost emptied, ie when the lifting table has almost reached its uppermost end position, the retaining members 35 pivot out, since the bottom edge of the stack has passed the height of the retaining members 35. This situation is shown in Fig. 5c.

Because the base area of the box blanks 7a is larger than the pallet 33 or the lifting table 34, end regions of the stack also protrude and can be gripped by the retaining members 35 and thus supported. However, this enables the lifting table 34 together with the pallet 35 to be moved into its lower end position while the device continues to work, thus removing the remaining box blanks 7a carried by the retaining members 35. At the same time, a new stack of box blanks 7a can be inserted into the magazine and placed on the lifting table 34. The lifting table is then raised until the top box blank 7a of the new stack lies against the bottom box blank of the processed stack. As the working method progresses, the support function is then taken over again by the lifting table, so that the restraining members 35 are relieved and lie again against the side surface of the refilled, gradually raised stack.

• - Es werden nur wenige Bewegungsorgane benötigt, da ein gemeinsamer, alternierender Transport von Schachtelzuschnitt und Warengruppen erfolgt.
• - Die Endposition der Bewegungsorgane lassen sich mechanisch definieren, sodass eine hohe Präzision in der Arbeitsweise gewährleistet ist.
• - Es lässt sich ein hoher Automatisierungsgrad durch verminderte Handhabung von Verpackungsmaterial erreichen. Schachtelzuschnitte können bereits im Kartonnagebetrieb maschinengerecht gestapelt vorbereitet werden.
• - Durch die hohe Magazinkapazität, in der Grössenordnung von 600 Schachtelzuschnitten, lassen sich lange Nachfüllintervalle realisieren.
• - Das zu verpackende Produkt wird schonend behandelt, da der Transportweg desselben verhältnismässig kurz ist und da das Produkt während des Transportes durch geeignete Greiforgane zuverlässig festgehalten wird.
• - Die gesamte Vorrichtung hat nur einen geringen Platzbedarf.

With the method or the device described above, a whole series of advantages can be achieved, among other:

• - Only a few movement organs are required, since a common, alternating transport of box blanks and product groups takes place.
• - The end position of the movement organs can be defined mechanically, so that a high level of precision is guaranteed.
• - A high degree of automation can be achieved through reduced handling of packaging material. Box blanks can be prepared and stacked in a machine-compatible manner in the carton operation.
• - Due to the high magazine capacity, in the order of 600 box cuts, long refill intervals can be achieved.
• - The product to be packaged is handled with care because the transport route is relatively short and because the product is reliably held by suitable gripping elements during transport.
• - The entire device takes up little space.

Claims (14)

1. A method for packaging product groups (6a) in a folding box, in which a product group (6a) assembled to form a packaging unit is placed on an unfolded box blank (7b), this box blank (7b) is folded around the product group (6a) and into one Box is closed and finally transported away, characterized in that a box blank (7b) is fed to a loading station (2) in cycles from a first direction, that this loading station (2) is cyclically fed a product group (6a.) From a second feeding direction opposite to the first direction ) is fed and placed on the box blank (7b), and the box blank (7b) loaded with the product group (6a) is removed from the loading station (2) in a third direction at least approximately perpendicular to the first and second directions mentioned, the supply of the box blank (7a) and the supply of the product group (6a) by a common feed member (11). 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the box blank (7b) is fed in a first level, which is preferably above a second level, in which the box blank (7b) loaded with the product group (6a) is removed. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the supply of the box blanks (6a) from a magazine located to the side next to the loading station (2) and the supply of the product group (6a) from one next to the loading station ( ₂ ) on the gene-opposite side of the grouping station (3). 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that in a first work cycle while depositing the box blank (7a) at the loading station (2) detects a product group (6a) in the grouping station (3) and that in a second work cycle while hanging up of the product group (6a), another box blank (7a) is recorded in the magazine (1) on the box blank (7b). 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the box loaded with the product group (6a) immediately after the end of the second work cycle, before the fresh start or during the initial phase of the first work cycle, in the said third direction from the loading station (2) is transported away. 6. Device for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, with a loading station (2), a magazine (1) for box blanks (7a), a grouping station (3) and with means for removing the group of goods placed on the box blank (6a) , characterized in that the magazine (1) for the box blanks (7a) and the group The pier station (3) is arranged diametrically opposite one another on both sides of the loading station ( ₂ ) at least approximately along a first line, and that the means for removing the goods group (6a) placed on or into the box extend at least approximately perpendicularly to the first line mentioned . 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that a displaceable transport member (11) extending along the first line is provided, which on the one hand has means (12, 13) for gripping a box blank (7b) from the magazine (1) and on the other hand, it is equipped with means (15, 16, 17 or 27-30) for grasping a product group (6a) from the grouping station (3). 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the transport member is formed by a carriage or carriage (11) which is mounted on rails (10) and is longitudinally displaceable, driven by a drive member and movable between two end positions (A, B). 9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the means for gripping a box blank (7a) comprise a suction device (12) which is adjustable in height by means of a parallelogram-like linkage (13) mounted on the transport member (11). 10. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the means for grasping a product group (6a) a lower Gripping member (15, 16, 29) with a plurality of grippers (16) arranged in a grid-like manner to the right of the direction of movement of the carriage or carriage (11). 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the gripping member comprises at least one pair of oppositely arranged, pivotably mounted gripping arms (29). 12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance (19) between the center of the loading station (2) and the center of the box blank magazine (1) is greater than the distance (20) between the center of the loading station ( 2) and the center of the grouping station (3). 13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box blank magazine (1) comprises a lifting table (34) on which the individual box blanks (7a) are stacked and corresponding to the decreasing height of the box blank stack movable upwards is driven. 14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the bearing surface of the lifting table (34) is less than the area of a box blank (7a), and that in the region of the upper end position of the lifting table (34) arranged on both sides of the stack against the side surfaces of the A stack of restraining members (35) are provided, which, when passed over by the last box blank (7a) into a Swing out the retention position in which they lie in the path of movement of the box blanks (7a) in such a way that when the lifting table (34) is withdrawn, the remaining stack of box blanks (7a) is supported.

Images