FR2694267A1 - Arrangement for applying a gummed strip for closing crates. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for applying a gummed strip to a crate. The arrangement is of the type comprising at least one upper gummed strip applicator module (3) for bonding the upper box flaps, which comprises a device for unwinding a reel (15) of gummed strip, a transport path for the boxes. (10), a path for conveying the unwound strip into the transport path of the boxes, a device (29) for cutting the strip and a device (30) for moistening the strip (20). The arrangement is characterized in that the means for unwinding and conveying the strip comprise means (42) for gripping the strip (20) in said path for conveying and transporting the latter over a predetermined distance. along a rectilinear path until the front end of the strip reaches a predetermined position in the transport path (25) of the boxes (10) in which this end can come into application against the upper part of the front face (AV) of the body (10), and release of the strip when the latter has reached this position, and means for unwinding the strip from said reel (15) during the forward movement of the body , after the application of said front end of the strip on the front face (AV) of the body. The invention can be used for applying gummed strips to boxes of parallelepiped shape.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement for applying a gummed strip to a

  box including parallelepipedic shape comprising at least at the top collapsible flaps in a closed position of the body and held in this position by gluing the strip in a U-shaped configuration, on the upper face of the body and the upper parts of the faces front and rear thereof, of the type comprising an unwinding device of a gummed tape reel, a transport path crates provided with a portion of application of the tape, a routing path of the tape unrolled until in the transport path of the boxes, a device for cutting the band at lengths

  necessary for the U-shaped configuration and a damping device for the tape.

  Arrangements of this type, which are known, have the major disadvantage that their structure is complex, largely due to the use of motors and guide rollers for the unwinding and routing of

the band.

  The present invention aims to propose an arrangement which

  overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of known arrangements.

  To achieve this object, the arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the means for unwinding and conveying the tape comprise means for gripping the web in said transport path and for conveying it over a distance. predetermined along a rectilinear trajectory until the front end of the strip reaches a predetermined position in the transport path of the boxes in which this end can come into application against the upper part of the front face of the body , and release of the strip when it has reached this position, and means for unwinding the strip of said coil, by traction, during the forward movement of the boxes, after the application of said end

  before the tape on the front of the crate.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the means for gripping, transporting and releasing the band comprise a clamp

  mounted on a displacement device according to a rectilinear movement of

  and forth, such as a pneumatic cylinder.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the unwinding device comprises means for adjusting the tensile force of the strip during its unwinding of the coil, which comprise a pivoting lever carrying at one end a friction brake pad the support of the coil during the rotation thereof, and at its other end a member such as a return roller, on which said strip passes during its transport to the transport path of the boxes so as to rotate the lever in the direction of a reduction of the friction braking effect, against a force of

  lever in its braking position.

  According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the arrangement comprises a device for applying the gummed strip on the front and top faces of a box, which comprises a roller arranged in the way of routing the boxes on the side. opposite the arrival side thereof, with respect to the gummed strip end extending in this way, and is mounted at the end of a two-armed lever whose other end is connected to a spring lever return in the position of application of the band

against the front of the boxes.

  According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the arrangement comprises a device for applying the band gummed against the rear face of a box, which comprises a lever with two arms, carrying at one end a roll mounted so that to be applied against the back side of a

  body by a force produced by the movement of advancement of this body.

  The invention will be better understood and other purposes, features, details

  and benefits of it will become clearer during the description

  explanatory text which will follow with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings given by way of example only, illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: FIG. 1 is a side view of an arrangement for applying a gummed strip according to FIG. present invention; Figure 2 is a front view along the line II-II of Figure 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the upper part of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1; FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of the applicator device of the band erased against the rear face of the boxes, according to the present invention. invention, which show this device in two different positions; Figure 6 is a side view, in section, of the cutting device, according to the present invention, of the gummed strip, which is mounted in the lower part of the arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 is a top view of the cutting device according to Figure 6; and

  FIG. 8 is a view from above of detail VIII of FIG. 6.

  As can be seen from FIG. 1, the arrangement according to the invention for applying a gummed strip to boxes of particular parallelepipedal shape of the type called American corrugated boxes essentially comprises a vertical mast 1 implanted in a base 2 and on which are

  mounted an upper applicator module 3 and a lower application module 4.

  The upper module is variable in height on the mast 1 by means of a rack and pinion assembly 6 and pinion 7 can be driven by a crank 8 In Figure 1 there is also shown a box 10 which moves horizontally on a motor conveyor device 11 This conveyor device

  is also worn by the mast 1 To complete the general description, the

  reference 12 indicates the electrical cabinet of the arrangement according to the invention.

  Each gummed tape applicator module 3, 4 comprises

  substantially the same devices that stand out clearly in Figure 3.

  Thus, it can be seen that the module 3 comprises a support device 14 for a gummed tape reel 15, generally made of paper. The reel with its support, made in the form of two flanges 16 (FIG. 1), is free to rotate around a web horizontal fixed axis 17 The strip of paper 20 which is unwound from the reel passes on a guide and return roller 21 which is part of a brake device 22 and through a vertical guide channel formed between two vertical plates 23, 24 in the transport path of the boxes 10 moved by the conveyor device 11, delimited at the top by a substantially horizontal upper wall 26 and at the bottom by a floor at the conveyor 11 The module 3 further comprises a transfer device 28 of the strip unwound towards the transport path 25 of the boxes 10, a strip cutter 29 and a damping device 30 of the strip, located just above the ceiling wall 26 To ensure application of the band gummed to the boxes 10 in a U-shaped configuration, that is to say against the upper part of the front face AV and the upper face FS, on the one hand, a body and against the part high of the AR rear face of a box, the module is equipped with two

  Applicator devices bearing references 32 and 33, respectively.

  The following describes in more detail the various devices of the module

  superior 3, which also equips the lower module 4.

  The braking device 22 comprises a lever with two arms 35 which is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 36 implanted in a fixed support structure 37. An end of this lever carries a braking pad 38 which comes into frictional application on the slice surface of one of the flanges 16 of the gummed tape reel 15 The other end carries the guide roller and return roller of the strip 20 A return spring 39 is provided which serves to recall the lever 22 in its braking position, the strip 20 passing over the roller 21 so that a pulling force Fl on the strip 20 spreads the pad

  braking device 38 of the coil flange 16.

  The device for transferring the tape to the transport path 25 of the boxes essentially comprises an advantageously pneumatic cylinder 41 whose rod executes a rectilinear movement back and forth. The piston rod of the jack carries a gripper device 42 which is provided with of a fixed jaw 43 and a movable jaw 44, disposed on either side of the gummed strip 20 to be able to grip it. The travel of the movable jaw is a few millimeters. The guide plates 23 and 24 are provided with vertical slots 45 (FIG. 2) allowing these jaws to move vertically in translation The gripper device 42 is adapted to grip the strip in its upper position shown in FIG. 3 by solid lines and moves the strip thus grasped to position indicated in broken lines In this position the clip device releases the band and returns to its original position of grip The length of this course is t chosen in such a way that the free end indicated at 46 of the gummed strip is transferred from the cutting level a of the strip to the level b of application of the strip against the face

  before AV crates 10, inside the transport path of this.

  The cutting device 29 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a movable blade 47 and a fixed counterblade 49, the aforesaid level being the cutting level of the two blades. by a horizontal rectilinear movement in the direction of the arrow F 3, for example under the effect of a pneumatic cylinder 50 Of course the movement can be

  controlled by any other appropriate drive means.

  Tape 29 includes springs 51 whose function is to pressurize the blade 47 on the counterblade 49 to provide a scissor effect. The movable blade 47 and the fixed counterblade 49 are respectively associated with the impression jaws 52. and 53 whose function is to print imprints in the band such as vertical grooves which deform the band

  slightly and thus give it a better rigidity in the vertical direction.

  The moistening device 30 of the gummed face of the strip may be made in any suitable manner and may comprise, for example, a piece of foam 54 with a low coefficient of friction and with a high capillarity and arranged with

  in order to come into contact with the gummed face of the band when

  The back portion of the foam piece can be immersed in a tray 55 filled with water. An electronic or mechanical float device, generally referred to as 56, is provided to ensure the constant level of water in the container. tank 55 The water is maintained in temperature by a resistance and an appropriate regulation The damping could also be realized,

  alternatively, by mist sprayed water or steam.

  The applicator device 32 of the gummed strip essentially comprises an applicator roll 55 which is mounted at the height of the level b inside the box passageway 10 on the end of a double-arm lever 56. capable of pivoting about an axis 57 and at the other end of which acts a return spring 57 This spring 57 has the function of pivoting the lever 56 in the direction of the arrow F 4 so as to ensure

  applying pressure of the roller 55 against the walls of the boxes 10.

  The applicator device 33 of the strip against the rear faces AR of the boxes essentially comprises, as is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, a first lever with two arms 60 which is pivotally mounted about an axis 62 and carries its end extending inside the passageway 25 of the boxes 10 a roller 63 arranged so that the front faces of the boxes abut against this roller during their forward movement The pivot axis 62 is located at The applicator device 33 comprises a second lever with two arms 65 which is pivotally mounted about a fixed axis 66 situated above the wall 26 and which comprises an arm The end of this arm carries an applicator roll 67 which is capable of being applied against the rear wall AR of the boxes 10, as shown in FIG. 5, but occupies no the position shown in Figure 4, just outside this transport path 25 The two free ends of the two levers 61 and 65 are interconnected by a spring 68 and the lever 61 is associated with a spring 69 of this lever in his position in

  which its roller 63 is inside the passageway 25 (Figure 4).

  The operation of the arrangement according to the present invention will be described below. To put the arrangement in the operating state, first unwind one end of the strip 20 and then unwind the strip by pulling it while passing the strip over the return roller 21 until the front end of the band reaches the level a, in front of the counterblade 49 of the band cutter 29 The transport device 28 of the band ensures the transport of the front end from the level a to the level _, the paper then passing in front of the moistening device 30 During its transfer, the band is pinched between the fixed and movable jaws 43 and 44 of the clamp device 42 This device is moved under the effect of the pneumatic cylinder 28 to the position indicated in a broken line When the clamp reaches this position and the end of the moistened gummed strip is at level b in front of the applicator roll 55, the clamp opens and is brought back by the linear actuator 28 to its position d origin o el However, the clip could be closed again to use the latter as a means to ensure a non-return effect of the band. It is obvious that the transfer of the band by means of the actuator 28 can be controlled according to When such a box is advanced by the conveyor device 11 in the direction of the arrow F 5, the front face of the box abuts against the roller 55 so that the portion of the band lying in the passageway of the boxes is applied against the front face by the roller on which acts the spring 58 Continuing the race, the roller 55 while fading ensures a pressure application of the band also on the upper face of the box, then returns to the position shown in Figure 3, under the effect of its return spring 58 During the forward movement of the body, the front of it has also abuts against the roller 63 and repels the one against the spring 68 The roller 67 is held on the upper face of the box and can come into application against the rear face after the passage of the box, as shown in Figure 5, and this always under the The roll 67 can thus apply the rear portion of the strip against the rear face of the box, this strip having been cut to the appropriate length by the notch device 29 It should be noted that the unwinding of the strip of the coil 15 is effected under the effect of the forward movement of the body, the front portion of the strip being glued on it While unwinding the coil 15, the strip is maintained under a controlled voltage at the In fact, the lever 35 of this device, by its pivoting is under the effect of the traction force Fl, or under the effect of its return spring 39 in its braking position of the movement. of rotation of the coil, ensures a functi onment

"balanced".

  The structure and operation of the upper applicator device 3 has just been described above. As described above, the lower module 3 has the same structure and functions in the same way so that a predetermined length of band can be simultaneously applied. Erased on the upper and lower parts of the boxes As shown in Figure 1, the lower applicator module 4 is offset relative to the upper module 3, in the direction of advancement of the boxes 10 This allows to apply

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  strips gummed at the top and bottom of boxes of a relatively low height, without the rollers of the applicator devices of the upper modules

  and lower interfere with each other.

Claims (10)

  1 Arrangement for applying a gummed strip to a box, in particular of parallelepipedal shape, comprising, at least at the top, foldable flaps in a closed position of the box and retained in this position by bonding the strip in a U-shaped configuration, on the upper face of the body and the upper parts of the front and rear faces thereof, of the type comprising at least one upper gummed tape applicator module for gluing the upper body flaps, which comprises an unwinding device of a gummed tape reel, a crate conveyance path provided with a web application portion, a tape routing path unwound into the crate transport path, a device for cutting the web at lengths necessary for the U-shaped configuration and a damping device of the strip, characterized in that the means for unwinding and conveying the strip comprise means for pr grasping (42) the web (20) in said transport path and conveying it along a predetermined distance along a rectilinear path until the front end of the web reaches a predetermined position _) in the transport path (25) of the boxes (10) in which this end can come into application against the upper part of the front face (AV) of the body (10), and loosening of the band when the latter ci has reached this position, and means of unwinding the band of said coil (15) during the forward movement of the body, after the application of   said front end of the band on the front (AV) of the body.   2 Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for gripping, transporting and releasing (42), the band (10) comprise a clamp having a fixed jaw (43) and a movable jaw (44), mounted on a movement device (28) of the clamp, in a movement   rectilinear back and forth, such as a pneumatic cylinder.   3 Arrangement according to rune of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the   device unwinding the strip (20) comprises means (22) for adjusting the tensile force of the strip during its unwinding of the spool (15), which comprises a pivoting lever (35) carrying at one end a skid Friction brake (38) of the support of the coil during the rotation thereof, and at its other end a member (21), such as a return roller, on which said strip (20) passes during the routing it to the transport path (25) of the boxes (10), so as to rotate the lever (36) in the direction of a reduction of the friction brake force during the unwinding of the strip, 'against   the force of a return means (39) of the lever in its braking position.   Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in   it comprises an application device (32) for the gummed strip (20) on the front and upper faces of a box, which comprises a roller (55) arranged in the delivery path (25) of the boxes (10). ), on the opposite side to the inlet side thereof, with respect to the end (46) of the gummed strip extending in this way, and mounted at the end of a lever (56) with two arms whose other end is connected to a return spring (58) of the lever in the rest position.   Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in   it comprises an applicator device (33) of the gummed strip (20) against the rear face (AR) of a box (10), which comprises a lever (65) with two arms carrying at one end a roller (67) and is mounted so that this roller is applied against the rear face (AR) of a box by a force produced by   the movement of the body.   6 Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the applicator device (33) comprises a second lever (61) with two arms, which is pivotally mounted about a fixed axis (62) and carries at one end a roller (63) disposed so as to be in the transport path (25) of the boxes (10), the ends of the two free arms of the two levers (65 and 60) being interconnected by a spring (68), and in that the two levers are arranged in such a way that the pivoting of the lever (61) under the effect of the forward movement of a box (10) produces said application force of the roll   (67) against the back of the crates.   Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized   the tape cutter (29) comprises a movable blade (47) and a fixed counterblade (49) held in position relative to each other by springs (51), the movable blade (47) being movable by a driving means such as a pneumatic cylinder (50).   8 Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the movable blades (47) and fixed (49) are associated with finger jaws (52) and (53) adapted to print in the strip (20) stiffening impressions in its longitudinal direction.   Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in   the moistening device (30) of the gummed face of the strip (20) comprises a foam part (54) with a low coefficient of friction and high capillarity, the rear portion of which is immersed in a container (55) filled with water, a device (56) which can be provided for maintaining a constant level of water in the tray (55).   Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized   in that it comprises, in addition to the module (3) for applying a stretch of band gummed on the upper face of a box (10) and the upper part of the front and rear faces thereof, a applicator module (4) of a strip section gummed against the underside of a box and the lower parts of the front and rear faces thereof, the lower applicator module (4) having substantially the   same structure as the upper applicator module (3).   Arrangement according to Claim 10, characterized in that the applicator (3) and lower (4) modules are mounted on a vertical mast of   support (1), the upper module being adjustable in height.   Arrangement according to Claim 11, characterized in that the lower applicator module (4) is offset relative to the upper applicator module (3) in the direction of movement of the boxes (10), so that the applicator devices (32, 33) of the two upper and lower modules are offset, with respect to each other, in the direction of movement of the boxes, to allow the application of the gummed strips on crates of a height relatively weak.