GB1567499A

GB1567499A - Apparatus for tying a bundle of sheets with binding material

Info

Publication number: GB1567499A
Application number: GB7524/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: UNIVERSAL CORRUGATED BOX MACH; UNIVERSAL CORRUGATED BOX MACHINERY GmbH
Current assignee: UNIVERSAL CORRUGATED BOX MACH; UNIVERSAL CORRUGATED BOX MACHINERY GmbH
Priority date: 1976-10-18
Filing date: 1977-02-23
Publication date: 1980-05-14
Also published as: SE7613690L; IT1065661B; DE2646919A1; NL7614597A; FR2367661A1; ES456053A1

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR TYING A BUNDLE OF SHEETS WITH BINDING MATERIAL (71) We, UNIVERSAL CORRU GATED BOX MACHINERY GmbH, a German Company of Justus-Liebig-Strasse, D-6051 Ober-Roden, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to apparatus for tying a bundle of sheets, for example, car board cutouts.

In the production of boxes, particularly cartons, the conventional procedure comprises folding and glueing cutouts, usually of corrugated cardboard. From a folding unit they pass on in a flat folded state and are stacked into bundles in a stacking unit.

These bundles of flat folded, glued cutouts, which will form boxes when unfolded, must be tied up before being further transported.

For this purpose commercially available tying machines are used.

In a known tying process counted stacks of cutouts are tied by means of a tying machine installed separately from and near the outlet of the stacking unit. This arrangement however entails the disadvantage that an operator must take a bundle from the stacking unit and place it on a worktable of the tying machine with the aid of suitable transfer means. The exact alignment of the cutouts within each bundle is thus usually lost in the process, so that either bundles of badly aligned cutouts are tied up, or accurate alignment, which had already been achieved in the stacking unit and has been lost in the meantime, must be restored by some other means.

According to the invention we provide apparatus for stacking sheets into bundles and tying the bundles with binding material, including a stacker having an outlet track and a tying unit having a work table arranged to receive the bundles from the outlet track and separated from the end of the outlet track by a gap, there being to engage the upper surfaces of the bundles, a first guide above the outlet conveyor and a second guide above the work table with a space between the two said guides registering with the said gap so that in use the tying unit applies the binding material to the bundles through the said space and the said gap, the tying unit and the said end of the outlet track being displaceable relative to the stacker, along the path of movement of the bundles, so that the position of the gap is adjustable for bundles formed of sheets of different sizes.

The invention can thus provide an integrated construction unit, in which the apparatus for tying the stack directly adjoins the outlet of a unit for forming stacks. Each sheet of material within the bundle can therefore be made to retain its accurate alignment, without a manual operation being required. The outlet track of the stacking unit and the worktable of the tying unit are conveniently at the same level and nearly adjoin one another to form a gap therebetween. Above the outlet track and the work table are situated first and second guides respectively having a space therebetween registering with the said gap. The first and second guides engage and preferably apply pressure to the bundles so that the alignment of the bundles can be maintained during their movement on the outlet track and the work table. The gap and registering space enable the tying unit to lay the binding material around each bundle.

In order to ensure that the gap can be situated approximately in the central region of each bundle, irrespective of the size of the sheet, it is preferable for at least the outlet track to be telescopically adjustable to displace its said end. An adjustment of the outlet track and a displacement of the tying unit can thus alter the effective posi tion of the gap so that a bundle can be centrally placed over the gap for being tied with binding material. The desired adaptation to various sizes can thus be achieved. If desired, the respective guidebar can also be variable in length. This however is not indispensable, because it is only necessary that the bundle situated above the gap should be positioned at least partly beneath the guide bar.

In some cases it is preferred that the bundles should be tied longitudinally. As an optional feature of the present invention there can thus be included a second work table and appertaining guide extending at right angles to the outlet track and said first guide respectively and means to pivot the tying unit so as to locate the unit in a working position relative to the second work table. Preferably there is also provided means to transfer bundles to the second work table. The tying unit can thus be adapted to be selectivwely pivoted above a second work table having an appertaining guide and a pusher can be provided to push a bundle onto the second work table. By this means the bundle is either transversely tied as described above, or, after being moved onto the second work table by means of the pusher and after the tying unit has been pivoted over the second worktable it is tied longitudinally.

A stacking unit for forming the sheets into bundles and suitable for use in the present invention is described herein and is described and claimed in our copending U.K.

patent application no. 7523/77 (serial no.

1567498).

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically in side elevation the essential constructional elements of the embodiment; Figure 2 shows the middle portion of the embodiment in a similar view to that of Figure 1. but on a larger scale; and Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, glued and folded cutouts for boxes pass in the conveying direction 1 from a folding unit (not shown) to a first table 2, on which they are conveyed upwards on an inclined path. For this purpose a driven belt 3 is provided which drives a number of idler rollers 4 which form a conveyor track for the cutouts. Above the row of idler rollers 4 is situated a plate 5 which is suspended on arms 6. The cutouts are therefore conveyed between the upper face of the row of idler rollers 4 and the lower face of the plate 5. The arms 6 are pivotally fastened to a part of the machine frame 7.

The cutouts travelling in a flow along the conveyor track are counted by a photoelectric cell 8. A pair of rollers 9 situated at the end of the conveyor track can be displaced a predetermined distance in a direction at right angles to the plane of the paper in Figure 1 under the control of an electromagnet (not shown). In the view shown in Figure 3 the corresponding direction is towards the right of the paper.

The continuously conveyed cutouts then pass onto the stack formed on a stacking table 10 (see also figure 2) whose height is adjustable. They are delivered against a stop 11. Opposite the stop 11 lies a plate 12 which performs an oscillating movement to bring the cutouts into accurately aligned contact against the stop 11. Lateral stops, including an adjustable stop 13 shown in Figure 3, are also provided. The distance between the stops is adjustable to the size of cutouts conveyed in each particular instance. When a predetermined number of cutouts has been stacked, the stacking table 10 has reached a lower level, in which its upper face is in the same plane as the upper face of a transfer table 14. A pusher 15 then pushes the counted and stacked bundle 16 of cutouts formed on the stacking table 10 at the bottom of the stack in the direction of the arrow 1, onto the transfer table 14.

Transferring one bundle 16 moves forwards, one width at a time, the other bundles previously transferred onto the transfer table 14.

The bundles 16 are held aligned by means of a guide bar 17 extending parallel to and above the transfer table 14. They thus arrive at a tying unit 18, which is adjustably slideable in the direction of the arrow 19 (Figure 1). The tying unit has a worktable 20 which is disposed at a distance from the end of the transfer table 14. Between the tables 14 and 20 a gap 21 is thus formed through which the tying unit 18 can tie a suitable band around the bundle 16 being tied, which is situated approximately centrally above this gap. Although not shown in the drawings a second guide bar, spaced from the guide bar 17, extends parallel to and above the worktable 20.

To allow each bundle 16 to be tied about its middle point, the tying unit 18 is slideable and its position adjustable in the direction of arrow 19. In order to permit this movement the transfer table is of telescopic construction to its end to be displaced. The position of the gap can thus be adjusted to suit the size of the sheets making up the bundle in order to allow binding material to be applied to a central portion at each bundle.

The mobility of the tying unit and the end of the transfer table 14 permit the dimension of the gap in the direction of path of movement of the bundles to be maintained constant. In the tying unit the upper face of each bundle containing the same number of cutouts lies at a constant height under the second guide bar. The bundles are under suitable pressure from the vertically adjustable guide bar 17, and second guide bar in the tying unit, so that the individual cutouts in the bundle cannot slip.

Contrary to the usual practice, it is expedient for the closure element of the tie to be disposed above the bundles. In addition, the tying unit may be mounted for rotation about a vertical axis through 90" so that the bundles can be tied longitudinally or transversely.

The details of the mode of operation of the movable support in the region of the stack table 10 will be explained more fully below with particular reference to Figures 2 and 3. Two endless driven chains 26 are mounted respectively upstream and downstream with respect to the conveying direction 1 of the stack table 10 and perpendicular to the direction 1. Blocks 27 having pointed front ends are mounted in rows along the chains, each row of such blocks 27 (the length of the row corresponding approximately to the width of a stack 16) being followed by chain links not provided with such blocks, and these links being in turn followed by a similar row provided with blocks, and so on. This is illustrated in Figure 3. The two chains are driven in synchronism by means of a motor 28, a drive shaft 29, and a belt drive 30 together with a gear 31. The row of blocks 27 and the row of chain links not provided with blocks are disposed in the same positions on each of the two chains 26. The chains are driven in the direction of the arrow 32. Figures 2 and 3 show a position of the chains in which a row of blocks is situated in the path of fall of the cutouts, so that the lowermost cutout previously displaced laterally by means of the pair of rollers 9, and the cutouts subsequently delivered rest on the blocks 27. In the initial position of the chains 26 the foremost block of each row of blocks is situated just in front of the edge of the stack so that the cutout which has been laterally displaced falls onto this pair of blocks. The two chains are then driven very rapidly and in synchronism in the direction of the arrow 32, to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 so that the stack continues to be formed above the blocks which now support it.

Above the stack is situated a pressing down means, which consists of a driven belt 33 urging the cutouts to the stop 11 in the direction of the arrow 34. The lower run of the belt 33, which engages the top of the stack, is inclined upwardly towards the incoming cutouts, so as to form a mouth to receive them. The belt 33 is driven by means of another belt 25, which in turn is driven by a drive shaft 36.

The mode of operation of the machine described above is as follows. The glued and folded cutouts which will subsequently be formed into boxes when unfolded, are delivered from a folding unit onto the conveyor track 2 in the direction of the arrow 1 and are counted by the photoelectric cell 8. The photoelectric cell 8 transmits pulses to an adjustable addition counter.

When the number of cutouts preset on this counter has been transported through the pair of rollers 9 and the phosoelectric cell 8, the counter transmits a reset pulse. This pulse has the effect of causing the pair of rollers 9 to perform a lateral movement.

The next cutout is thereby moved laterally and, in the stack being formed, each lowermost cutout of a new bundle therefore projects laterally.

The stack is built up on the stack table 10, which is adapted to move vertically up and down. As new cutouts are delivered from above, the stack table is moved proportionally downwards. The new cutouts arriving on the stack are guided to the stop 11, which is adjustable to correspond to the size of cutout being processed. The uppermost sheet is pressed down by the pressing down means 33. The presser means also fulfils the function of pre-aligning the cutout. The actual alignment is effected in the usual manner, for which purpose the stacked cutouts are pressed against the stop 11 by the plate 12 performing an oscillating movement.

The lower part of the stack must now be ejected as an aligned, counted bundle. This bundle is separated from the remainder of the stack by the insertion of the blocks 27.

The distance between the chains 26 is slightly greater than the size of the stack, so that the stack can be moved downwards unhindered between the chains. When the stacking table is lowered together with the stack, the predetermined laterally projecting cutout is supported in each case on the first block of each row of blocks on the chains 26. The stacking table is moved somewhat lower, so that a space is formed between the projecting cutout and the stack moving downwards. The cutouts are of suitable rigidity to permit this, but some flexibility is not excluded. The chains now start to move and thus insert the blocks pointed ends first, into the space. In order to ensure that the blocks will not pull any of the cutouts in the direction in which they move, lateral control stops 13 are provided on the opposite side of the stack. After the blocks have been wound in, the upper part of the stack rests entirely on the blocks, while the lower part is separated for ejection. The pusher 15 pushes the bundle out in direction 1 onto the transfer table 14 adja cent the stack table, and then immediately returns to its starting position. The stack table rises again to a height corresponding to the height of the bundle released, and the chains move on a length corresponding to the length of a row of blocks. Because of the previously mentioned stops 13 the upper part of the stack is stripped off the blocks and slides onto the stack table. The next cycle can then commence.

The transfer table 14 preferably has an upper face consisting of a smooth metal sheet. The further treatment of the ejected bundle has already been explained above.

The tying unit 18 is of conventional kind, and need not be described.

Examples of manufacturers of tying units are the following firms: Ampag GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 50 11 80, 5000 Cologne 50, Germany Legamatic SNC C-O INTECMA, Corso di Porta Vittoria 18, I - 20122 Milan, Italy, O. Siebeck OHG, Verpackungsmaschinen, Postfach 60, 6930 Ebersbach, Germany Signode Austrowaren, Verpackung und Beschriftung, Postfach 16, Johannesgasse 23, A - 1015 Vienna, Austria.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for stacking sheets into bundles and tying the bundles with binding material, including a stacker having an outlet track and a tying unit having a work table arranged to receive the bundles from the outlet track and separated from the end of the outlet track by a gap, there being, to engage the upper surfaces of the bundles a first guide above the outlet track and a second guide above the work table with a space between the two said guides registering with the said gap so that in use the tying unit applies the binding material to the bundles through the said space and the said gap, the tying unit and the said end of the outlet track being displaceable relative to the stacker, along the path of movement of the bundles, so that the position of the gap is adjustable for bundles formed of sheets of different sizes.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the outlet track is telescopically adjustable to displace its said end.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein an adjustment of the outlet track and a displacement of the tying unit alter the effective position of the gap so that a bundle can be centrally placed over the gap when being tied.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the dimension of the gap in the direction of the path of movement of the bundles is constant.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first guide is adjustable along the path of movement of the bundles.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and the second guides apply pressure to the upper surfaces of the bundles.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and second guides are vertically adjustable.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including a second work table and appertaining guide extending at right angles to the outlet track and said first guide respectively and means to pivot the tying unit so as to locate the unit in a working position relative to the second work table.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 including means to transfer bundles to the second work table.

10. A bundle of sheets whenever stacked and tied by apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A bundle of glued and folded cardboard cutouts whenever stacked and tied by apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 for stacking sheets into bundles and tying the bundles with binding material substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cent the stack table, and then immediately returns to its starting position. The stack table rises again to a height corresponding to the height of the bundle released, and the chains move on a length corresponding to the length of a row of blocks. Because of the previously mentioned stops 13 the upper part of the stack is stripped off the blocks and slides onto the stack table. The next cycle can then commence. The transfer table 14 preferably has an upper face consisting of a smooth metal sheet. The further treatment of the ejected bundle has already been explained above. The tying unit 18 is of conventional kind, and need not be described. Examples of manufacturers of tying units are the following firms: Ampag GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach 50 11 80, 5000 Cologne 50, Germany Legamatic SNC C-O INTECMA, Corso di Porta Vittoria 18, I - 20122 Milan, Italy, O. Siebeck OHG, Verpackungsmaschinen, Postfach 60, 6930 Ebersbach, Germany Signode Austrowaren, Verpackung und Beschriftung, Postfach 16, Johannesgasse 23, A - 1015 Vienna, Austria. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for stacking sheets into bundles and tying the bundles with binding material, including a stacker having an outlet track and a tying unit having a work table arranged to receive the bundles from the outlet track and separated from the end of the outlet track by a gap, there being, to engage the upper surfaces of the bundles a first guide above the outlet track and a second guide above the work table with a space between the two said guides registering with the said gap so that in use the tying unit applies the binding material to the bundles through the said space and the said gap, the tying unit and the said end of the outlet track being displaceable relative to the stacker, along the path of movement of the bundles, so that the position of the gap is adjustable for bundles formed of sheets of different sizes.