GB1049395A - Improvements in or relating to carton set-up machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,049,395. Carton erecting machines; magazine discharge. DIAMOND NATIONAL CORPORATION. July 19, 1963 [Dec. 6, 1962], No. 28697/63. Headings B8C and B8S. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons, e.g. egg boxes, the collapsed cartons are fed intermittently and successively from a magazine 18 to a preforming station 20 at which they are partially erected and then to a lock-up 22 station at which the cell structure is formed. The cartons C, Fig. 19 (not shown), are arranged in the magazine 18 with lid panel L lowermost and folded body structure B on top, a wedge element 48 fixed to two corner posts 40, 42 of the magazine causing the uppermost cartons C<SP>1</SP> to be canted to relieve the load on the lower cartons C<SP>11</SP>. A reciprocating carrier member 56 with carton engaging assemblies 58, 60, 62 feeds the cartons from the bottom of the stack and through the stations to an ejecting position 24. A roller 146 co-operates with a pivoted stop element 124, Figs. 20, 21 (not shown), which is spring biased downwards to ensure that only one carton is fed at a time. The nose 129 of the stop element will also prevent a partially erected carton moving backwards as the carrier member 56 moves backwards. The stop element 124 may be adjusted vertically in order to accommodate different thicknesses of collapsed cartons. As the carton C is fed from a magazine, a guide shoe 150, Fig. 23 (not shown), guides the leading edge of its lid L into a channel 204, Figs. 17, 18 (not shown), between angle members 32 and 152. Simultaneously the leading edge of the body portion B is guided by a shoe 158 behind a performing plate 160. The plate 160, pivotally connected to the guide 152 is moved from the position of Fig. 17 (not shown) to the position of Fig. 18 (not shown) in, which the carton body B is unfolded into a substantially rectangular tubular condition. An abutment plate 208, pivotally mounted on a fixed angle member 30 simultaneously moves from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position to assist in the unfolding. Also an abutment element 244, attached to a strap 240 on the magazine 18, displaceably engages an upwardly moving portion of the carton to ensure that unfolding occurs at the fold line FL<SP>111</SP>, Fig. 18 (not shown). A similar abutment element 248, supported on an angle bracket 246, has a similar action. After performing, the partially erected carton is transferred to the lock-up station 22. As the carton moves into this station an orientating plate 262, Fig. 12 (not shown), having an element 270 which substantially conforms to the configuration of one side of the erected carton, is pivoted down into the position shown by phantom lines, an element 272 engaging the leading end of the carton body to position it correctly. The lock-up members consist of a lock-up head 258, Figs. 7, 11 (not shown), comprising a substantially rectangular member 306, supported on pivoting arms 300, 302, with fixed abutment fingers 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, 320, 322, 339, and reciprocating fingers 336, 338, 340, 342 which engage and orientate transverse partition panel elements 324, 326, Fig. 26 (not shown), of the carton body. A spreader blade assembly 260 co-operates with the head 258, a spreader blade 420 engaging the panel LP, Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), of the carton at the fold line A and pushing it inwards against the lock-up head. Blade segments 422, see also Fig. 14 (not shown), having flanges 424 extending out of the plane of the blade, form the panel segments 426, 428, Fig. 26 (not shown), of the carton. As the spreader-head is withdrawn from the carton, it passes through an opening 412 in a member 250 thereby stripping the carton from the blade. The completely erected carton then passes to an ejector means 24, in which a pusher 436, oscillating in a direction perpendicular to the motion of the carton, removes the completed carton from the apparatus.