FI77424C - ANLAEGGNING FOER PACKNING AV BREVKUVERT. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for packaging paper products and printed matter, such as envelopes, from a production line into packaging boxes. At present, slow and difficult manual packaging methods are used. The present invention solves the problem by using a method by which the products are grouped into bundles of a desired size by means of a special bundling device (4), from which the bundles are transferred into boxes by means of a packaging device (5) moving between the bundling device and the box.

Description

77424

ENVELOPE FOR PACKING ENVELOPES - ANLÄGGNING FÖR PACK-NING AV BREVKUVERT

The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging envelopes in packing boxes, the apparatus comprising a feed wheel or the like for feeding envelopes one by one from the production line, and a movable transfer carriage to which the feed wheel feeds envelopes. vertically moving separation responses, and further comprising auxiliary responses for temporarily collecting envelopes during the previous bundle transfer step.

Packaging lines are already known in which a feed wheel at the end of an envelope production line feeds the envelopes to the receiving table in a vertical position, whereby the envelopes form a continuous row. Controlled by a counter device on the feed wheel, the separator device pushes, for example, every 50 envelopes above the others, according to which the packer working at the table counts the number of sheets he has inserted into the box from the table. After filling the box, the packer closes it and lifts it onto the transport pallet.

The disadvantage of such a manual packaging method is the very monotonous and heavy work of the packer. In addition, the problem is to get the desired number of envelopes into the box, because it is not possible for the packer to place the quantity in the box at one time, but has to process it in smaller batches. Thus, packaging forms a "bottleneck" on the production line and is also a relatively expensive work step in terms of labor costs.

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A further drawback is the inaccuracy of the number of pieces entering the box and the unevenness of the bundle in the box due to the method.

CH 607 979 discloses an apparatus for handling printed matter, which apparatus comprises a feed table for feeding the products one by one, a platform on which: the feed wheel feeds the products and on which the products can move forward, and a collecting response for the feed wheel fed products. In addition, the apparatus comprises vertically movable pneumatic separation responses, auxiliary responses, and a device • moving between said platform and the next step to move the products in the bundle from the platform to the next step. However, this equipment is not suitable for handling envelopes because, when the envelopes are bundled on a transfer carriage, they cannot be separated by a separation response without damage. This is because the separation response is forced from below through the bundle, which means that there is a high risk of damage to the products.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks and which considerably speeds up the whole: manufacturing and packaging process.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the auxiliary stops are pendulum-shaped at their upper ends.

The advantages of the automated equipment in this way compared to the previously known ones are the following: the packaging device makes the work inconvenient and cumbersome for humans, the calculation result is more accurate because the human factor is eliminated and the multiplier effect of the separator device is eliminated. In addition, the 77424 3 bundle in the box is neat and even. It can also be mentioned that the solution according to the invention enables more efficient use of the production line (full capacity) and the implementation of a fully automatic packaging line.

In the following, the invention will be explained in detail by means of an example of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a schematic top view of an apparatus according to the invention for packaging paper or printed products in packaging boxes.

Fig. 2 schematically shows the stepwise collection of the products in bundles and their transfer.

The packaging line, which is placed behind the product production line, consists of the following sub-assemblies: box-magazine 1, box conveyor 2, packaging station 3, receiving and grouping device 4, packaging device 5 and roller track 6.

The vertical box magazine 1 consists of a frame into which the boxes are stacked and a box feeder 7. The box conveyor 2 is located between the box magazine 1 and the packing station 3 and is preferably e.g. a belt conveyor. The packing station 3 comprises box identification, positioning, locking and ejection devices 8.

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The receiving and grouping device 4 comprises a table top 10 (Fig. 2), a transfer carriage 11 and various stops. Auxiliary stops 12 are attached to an axis above the table top. The auxiliary stops move pendulum-like with respect to their fixed mounting axis. The restorer of the movement is the spring.

The collecting stops 13 are fixedly mounted on the rear part of the transfer carriage 11. Attached to the transfer carriage 11 are also compressed air-operated vertically moving separating stops 14.

The transfer carriage 11 moves horizontally forward either at a reception rate corresponding to the product flow or at a faster transfer rate of the finished bundle. The return movement is also faster. The movement is effected, for example, by means of a ball screw driven by an electric motor. A clutch-brake combination and a flywheel have also been used in the power transmission, enabling the precise and fast-accelerating movements required by the system.

The packaging device 5 is, for example, a portal-type robot with two intermediate stops, with a vertical gripper designed to handle the bundles to be packed in the box as a whole, products of different sizes, and to be able to grip the bundle between the grouper's stops. The roller track 6 acts as an outlet conveyor for the packed box.

The operation of the packaging line is as follows: the empty packaging boxes are manually stacked in the box magazine 1. The feeder 7 pulls the lowest box from the stack to the stepped box conveyor 2. The conveyor 2 moves the boxes to the packaging station 3 where it is positioned and locked for packaging by actuators 8.

The feed wheels 9 at the end of the production line feed 5 77424 products (e.g. envelopes) one by one to the table 10 of the receiving and grouping device 4. The product bundle slowly starts to grow and rests against the collecting stops 13. The transfer carriage 11 advances by means of a ball screw with its guides parallel to the table at a speed corresponding to the product flow.

When a certain number of pieces placed in the counter becomes full, the separation responses 14 between the feed wheels 9 increase between the sheets, separating the full bundle from the ever-growing product bag. The transfer carriage 11 moves the full bundle with rapid movement away from the product stream to the intake point of the robot 5. At this point, the bundle is between the collection responses 13 and the separation responses 14. At the end of the collection responses 13 during the transfer phase, the auxiliary responses 12 descend behind the accumulating sheet stack during the collection of new sheets, temporarily continuing the collection.

The gripper of the packaging device or robot 5 opens and lands over the transfer carriage 11, picking up the finished product bundle between the stops 13 and 14. Next, the separation stops 14 descend below the table level 10 and the transfer carriage 11 returns. In this case, the auxiliary stops 12 rise and the collection of a new bundle continues against the collecting stops 13, whereby the transfer carriage 11 also starts the stepping movement again, etc.

The robot's 5 gripper grips the product bundle by squeezing it from the sides. The gripper moves above the box 3 of the packing station and descends inside the box. The gripper opens and rises, leaving the product bundle in the box. The robot 5 then returns to the receiving and grouping device 4 to wait for a new bundle.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS nn λ r> Λ 7 7 4 2 4 Apparatus for packing envelopes into packaging boxes comprising a feed wheel (9) or the like for feeding envelopes one by one from the production line and a movable transfer carriage (11) into which the feed wheel (9) feeds the envelopes and The end further away from the ridge forms a collecting stop (13) for the envelopes fed by the feed wheel, and to which the transfer carriage is further attached vertically movable separating stops (14), and further comprising auxiliary stops (12) for temporarily collecting the envelopes. that the auxiliary stops (12) are articulated at their upper ends.