GB2189184A

GB2189184A - Box forming machine

Info

Publication number: GB2189184A
Application number: GB08628646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hilario Sanchez Perales
Original assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Current assignee: Boix Maquinaria SL
Priority date: 1986-04-17
Filing date: 1986-12-01
Publication date: 1987-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-01
Also published as: ES554110A0; ES8701604A1; GB2189184B; DE3641450A1; AR246041A1; GB8628646D0; FR2598116A1

Abstract

A Machine for making trays or boxes from three separate pieces comprising a store (1) for a supply of first cardboard blanks which make up the main body of the box and means (3) to transport the blanks past a gluing assembly (4) to a folding station where a vertically movable chuck (6) presses the first blank against forming devices (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) to fold it into the shape of the box. Additional second and third cardboard blanks (22) are fed from supply means (23) located on either side of the chuck (6), each of said additional blanks (22) being removed from its supply means (23) on the downstroke of the chuck by extractors (26) provided on legs (27) to press the lower edges of the blanks (22) into engagement with the first blank after which all three blanks are folded by the folding devices (13-18) into the finished box. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Box forming machine This invention relates to a box forming machine, and more particularly to a machine adapted to make a try using a plurality of separate pieces.

Machines for making open boxes from sheets of cardboard or a similar material are known. They usually fold the sections of the box which provide the longest sides and the front facings of the body of the box. Such machines, usually have a mechanical system for feeding the cardboard sheets; a system for impregnating certain pre-determined parts of each sheet with adhesive; a system for forming the body of the box which normally acts in conjunction with static and/or movable devices, which apply the turned sides of the tray to the core moulding machine. Once assembled, the box is deposited on a transporter which takes it to a cargo station or puts it in a stacking plant from which it can be transferred to the place of storage where it will remain until used.With this type of machine, assembly of the whole tray can be done without the need to use manpower but despite this, the tray obtained is still usually of excellent quality and of a high mechanical strength.

The machines just mentioned however are not capable of incorporating other independent complementary pieces to be joined to the walls of the box, to reinforce the corners thereof and provide a means of support so that several boxes can be stacked on top of each other to form a stack.

In some cases, machines have been designed to make boxes with false facings, but these have been quite complicated and their only purpose was to incorporate smooth sheets to be used as the facings. These boxes therefore were not suitable for use as stackable trays.

The invention is directed towards providing an improved machine which shapes the body of the box or tray completely, and also permanently incorporates therein other independent parts which are stuck onto the inside face of the opposite sides of the tray, for example onto the front facings by means of a quick setting adhesive.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved machine which makes a box or tray without the use of manpower., Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine which is not only capable of assembling the body of the box, but also of permenently incorporating other pieces in it which are independent of the base sheet, to reinforce it and form supports or rests in it, so that one box can be stacked on top of another to form a stable stack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for the purposes indicated, in which the body of the box is made using up all the materials.

According to the invention, there is provided a machine for making boxes or trays out of 3 separate pieces comprising a store for a supply of first blanks which make up the main body of the tray, means for removing individual first blanks from said store and transporting them to a shaping station past a glue applicator assembly where adhesive is applied, the shaping station including a tray forming member which is movable to press the first blank fed thereto against forming devices which fold it into the shape of the finished tray, supply means being provided on opposite sides of the movable member to store second and third blanks which, when folded and inserted in the first blank, reinforce the opposite sides or ends of the main tray, the movable core and each supply means being operable whereby for each stroke of the movable member in one direction, a second and third blank is removed from its respective supply means by the movable member and simultaneously pressed with the first blank to cooperate with folding devices which bend all three blanks into the required shape to form the finished tray with double walls at two of its opposite sides or ends.

According to a preferred embodiment, the machine includes a container which stores the main preformed sheets of cardboard from which the body of the tray is made, means which remove a sheet of cardboard from this container and deposit it between parallel adjustable guides, moving means which direct the sheet of cardboard removed from the container between said guides, means to apply adhesive to said sheet of cardboard during transfer, the machine also including a box shaping station where a chuck acts on said main sheet of cardboard which has adhesive applied to it and introduces it into means shaped to fold it to form the sides of the box, the machine additionally including storage means arranged on opposite sides of the shaping chuck for two extra sheets of cardboard or similar material which are removed, one from each storage means with each downward movement of the chuck, to shape and incorporate them into the body of the tray and join and permanently fixing them onto the inside of two of its opposite sides thereby forming a double wall.

Preferably, the preformed sheet of cardboard or similar material is removed from the storage container by means of a suction device which places it on the guides through which it is drawn by the moving mechanism.

While it is being moved, injectors apply adhesive to the sheet in predetermined places and it then goes to the forming staton where the reciprocating chuck or core additionally draws the two complementary sheets of cardboard from the separate store thereof as it descends to form a double wall in the box or tray at opposite sides thereof.

In the preferred embodiment, this drawing out of the additional sheets is carried out by extractors on the supports for the reciprocating core. The extactors preferably protrude by a distant equivalent to the thickness of the cardboard and can be regulated according to height, to pull a side or a front facing, whichever is the case, past forming cones which shape the dihedral angle that forms the corner supports of the tray. These sheets travel with the core during its downward movement to shape the main part of the box and its corresponding sides whose components are stuck by the pressure brough to bear by rollers and presses which are mounted on an adjustable support. The adjustment can be provided by lead screws or any other system which makes quick changes of dimensions possible, depending on the different formats of boxes to be made.

The two supply means or storage containers on either side of the chuck for the complementary sheets of cardboard are an important feature of the present invention.

Desirably, the core or chuck that shapes the tray is provided with mechanical means to take out of the aforementioned storage containers, one of the additional sheets which is to be incorporated in the tray, simultaneously and during each displacement in a downard direction.

In a preferred embodiment, forming cones, suitably four in all, are provided on which the end sectors of the additional sheets of cardboard are made to shift, with adequate pressure, producing double deflections at their ends to form the walls of each of two dihedrals and provide reinforcers and supports in the corners of the tray on which another tray can rest when it is put on top to form a stack.

Conveniently, a pair of pressure devices are provided. These may be rollers which exercise pressure on the opposite sides of the main body of the tray which are impregnated with adhesive to attach them to the appropriate additional sheets of cardboard, both the sides and sheets being pressed together against the corresponding sides of the core former of the box to obtain a perfect joint of these sheets with the sides of the box to which they are joined.

Preferably, the machine includes four folding devices which act on the end flaps of the side which is reinforced, normally the front facings, deflecting them orthogonally to join and stick them to the outside of the nearest side.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a machine of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a cardboard tray which can be made by the machine of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows a part of the machine of Fig. 1 and Figure 4 shows various parts of the machine of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a container 1 for the storage of the predetermined cardboard base sheets that will form the main part of the tray. A mechanism 2 with sucker discs removes the sheet contained in the container 1 and a mechanism 3 transports them to another part of the machine 5, 6 where they are folded and shaped into the finished tray.

Glue injector equipment 4 is situated before the shaping part 5, 6 of the machine and the injectors are positioned so as to apply strips of glue onto each sheet of cardboard which is transported past them.

The moulding or shaping part of the machine comprises a vertically reciprocable core 6 which pushes a base blank sheet of cardboard on its downwards cycle, between vertically arranged guides causing the sides of the blank to turn up through 90" to form the sides and ends of the tray.

It is the forming and shaping part of the machine that differs from known machines.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a base sheet, shown by way of example only, from which a tray with double end walls can be made when joined with other complementary sheets of cardboard. This tray can be used to pack and transport perishable goods. It should be noted that by suitably changing the folding and shaping parts of the machine, other types of tray of similar characteristics can be made which either in the front facings or the in the longest sides, two additional separate sheets of cardboard with their end doubly deflected can be added, shaping two walls of each of two dihedrals.

Fig. 3 shows two storage containers 23, 24 for the individual preformed cardboard blanks which are joined onto the inside of the box to two of its opposite sides (in the tray illustrated in Fig. 2, they form the double walls at each end of the box). Extractors are arranged on the opposite sides of the moulding core to take an individual sheet of cardboard out of each storage container on each operating cycle. Folding devices are provided to produce a double deflection of the end regions of the individual blank sheets of cardboard thereby creating the two faces of the dihedral which forms each of two corner brackets 28 in the tray so that one tray can rest on another to form a stack. Pressure rollers are also provided which act on the two opposite sides of the moulding core pressing between both sides of the box and the respective cardboard sheets, which are joined, sticking the said sheets to the said sides by means of adhesive applied previously to the sides of the box by the adhesive injectors. Finally, folders are also provided to act on the previous glued end lugs (in the facings of the tray in the illustration) turning them through 90" to apply them, pressing them firmly against the outside of the longest sides of the tray, so that when the applied adhesive acts which is normally fast drying, they stick firmly to the longest sides of the tray.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, it can be seen that the cardboard blanks from which the body of the tray is made and stored in container 1 whose base is open and feeds the vertically stacked sheets of cardboard horizontally. This open base includes lugs (not shown) which are suitable for keeping the base sheets of cardboard along the edges in perfect condition so that they can be picked up individually by the air gripper device 2.

The mechanism 3 transports the sheets of cardboard from which the body of the tray is made to the forming station 5. During their run, these sheets slide between guides under the glue injection equipment 4 which applies strips of glue to them strategically distributed onto whatever parts of the sheet of cardboard is desired.

The base sheets of cardboard removed individually from the container 1 by the sucking discs 2 and fed past the gluer 4 to the folding station 5 are phase locked by mechanical means and end up at the folding station 5 perfectly centred, underneath the core mould 6 which moves alternately up and down in a straight line acting on the central section of the sheet of cardboard during its downward movement to form the base 7 and force it into the vertical guides 8 to make the longest sides 9, 10 of the body of the tray turn up by 90". The shortest sides or facings 11, 12 are turned upwards when parallel rollers 13, 14 are applied.

Finally, four folding devices 15, 16, 17, 18 act on the corner tabs 19, 20 (see Fig. 2) to bend them on the ends of the facings 11, 12 joining them to the outside of the respective longest sides 9, 10 of the tray. These tabs 19, 20 have strips of glue on them which have still not reacted so they stick to the tray sides when applied thereto.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it can be seen that the inside of the tray also has, joined to the inside of its ends 11, 12, independent sheets of cardboard 21, 22 which are firmly stuck to the former with the adhesive applied when the main sheet passed under the gluer 4. These sheets 21, 22 are the same as each other and are stored in respective containers having a sloped base 23, 24, said containers being located on opposite sides of the moulding core 6. The containers are open at their top and the stored sheets of cardboard 21, 22 are higher than the sides of the containers so that extractors 26, 27 (see Fig. 4) installed in such a way that they can be adjusted on arms 28 that guide the moulding core 6 can act on the first sheet 25.

It will be understood that when the core 6 which forms the body of the box descends, the lower stepped end of each extractor 26, 27 will engage with a respective upper edge of the first sheet 25 of cardboard making it descent perpendicularly, joined to the opposite side of the core 6 until the lower edge comes to a halt against section 7 of the other cardboard blank which forms the base of the tray.

The delivery side of the containers 23, 24 that feed the sheets of cardboard 21, 22 is open and its vertical edges have devices (not shown) to retain the sheets 21, 22 until they are extracted. Corresponding to this arrangement, the edge of the sloped base of each of the aforementioned containers 23, 24, has a gap to permit the release of the first sheet of cardboard 25 on each downward movement of the core 6.

The sheets of cardboard 21, 22 shown in Fig. 2 each have a pair of double bends in them at both ends to form the two walls of a dihedral 28, 29 in each corner of the box.

The first dihedral 28 is situated between the end wall 11, 12 and the nearest long side wall 9, 10 and the second dihedral 29 is joined to the inside of the nearest side wall 9 or 10 to which it is stuck with adhesive applied to this side, one step below the gluing device 4.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it can be seen that the double bends 28, 29 of the secondary cardboard sheets, are produced on delivery from the corresponding storage containers 23, 24 since the extractors 26, 27 (see Figs. 3 and 4) push them downwards, pushing obliquely on one of its sides, against the opposite wall of the core 6 while the opposite side rubs vigourously against the forming cones 30, 31, whose edges produce the broken line slits in the cardboard which outline the two sides 28, 29 of the dihedral that is located in each corner of the tray.

At this stage in their formation, the secondary sheets continue their descent together with the main sheets of cardboard so that by menas of the rollers 13, 14, the end walls 11, 12 impregnated with adhesive are raised, and joined to said sheets 21, 22 to which they are firmly stuck forming a double wall therewith.

The extractors 26, 27 which take a sheet 21, 22 out of a respective storage container 23, 24 with each operation are installed and adjustable on the arms 28 (see Fig. 4) which support the core 6 making it possible to select their position and thereby ensure safe pick up of sheets of a predetermined height every time.

Each work cycle of the machine practically ends with the performance of the four mechanical folders 15, 16, 17, 18. Each of these, when it shifts, acts on one of the tabs 19, 20 which are impregnated with adhesive, so they bend in the respective ends of the end walls 11, 12 forcing them to join and stick firmly to the outside of the longest sides 9, 10 and the process of making the tray or open box is complete.

-It should be noted that the improved machine of the present invention just described is directed to the production of an open box or tray with very precise characteristics. It is however reiterated that this box has been de scribed and illustrated only as a non-limitative example, to aid understanding of those specific arrangements which comprise the improvements the machine offers. Therefore, the tray does not form any part of the present invention since with said machine, various types of box can be formed in which comple mentary sheets of cardboard can be introduced which are applied either to the front facings as in the case described, or to the longest sides in which they form a double wall.

This same machine is likewise capable of assembling open boxes without adding the small complementary partitions that make the double wall in some of its sides.

Claims

1. A machine for making boxes or trays out of 3 separate pieces comprising a store for a supply of first blanks which make up the main body of the tray, means for removing individual first blanks from said store and transporting them to a shaping station past a glue applicator assembly where adhesive is applied, the shaping station including a tray forming member which is movable to press the first blank fed thereto against forming devices which fold it into the shape of the finished tray, supply means being provided on opposite sides of the removable member to store second and third blanks which, when folded and inserted in the first blank, reinforce opposite sides or ends of the main tray, the movable core and each supply means being operable whereby for each stroke of the movable member in one direction, a second and third blank is removed from its respective supply means by the movable member and simultaneously pressed with the first blank to cooperate with folding devices which bend all three blanks into the required shape to form the finished tray with double walls at two of its opposite side or ends.

2. A machine for making trays or boxes out of three separate pieces comprising a container which stores the main preformed sheets of cardboard from which the body of the tray is made, means which remove a sheet of cardboard from this container and deposit it between parallel adjustable guides, moving means which direct the sheet of cardboard removed from the container between said guides, means to apply adhesive to said sheet of cardboard during transfer, the machine also including a box shaping station where a chuck acts on said main sheet of cardboard which has adhesive applied to it and introduces it into means shaped to fold it to form the sides of the box, the machine additionally including storage means arranged on opposite sides of the shaping chuck for two extra sheets of cardboard or similar material which are re moved one from each storage means with each downward movement of the chuck, to shape and incorporate them into the body of the tray and join and permanently fixing them onto the inside of two of its opposite sides thereby forming a double wall.

3. The machine of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the storage means on either side of the chuck includes adjustment means adapted to make it possible to regulate the width thereof so that said storage means can be readily adapted to handle sheets of cardboard of the required dimensions.

4. The machine of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the side of each storage means facing the chuck is open.

5. The machine of any one of claims 2-4 wherein each storage means has a cut-out in its base that extends between its two longest sides coplanar with its open front end, each sheet of cardboard nearest to the chuck being delivered through this slot when it is engaged by extractor devices on the chuck.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the chuck moves up and down and is suspended between four arms, each of which has one of said extractor devices thereon which projects therefrom to engage with the upper edge of the first sheet of cardboard in the respective storage means and force it out of the slot in the base thereof and place it between the chuck and the opposite side of the body of the box.

7. The machine of claim 6 wherein, because the extractor units are provided on the support-arms of the chuck, it is possible to regulate its position and adapt it, in each case, to the height of the sheets of cardboard contained in the corresponding storage means.

8. The machine of any one of claims 2-7 wherein two pairs of truncated rollers are provided over which the additional sheets of cardboard can slide to produce two reciprocally parallel slots at the ends which form the two sides of a dihedral.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the additional sheets of cardboard are pressed firmly against the drum heads by the chuck to produce two lines of slots at each end which define the sides of the two dihedrals.

10. The machine of any of claims 2-9 comprising at least one pair of loose rollers located beyond the drum heads against which the base sheet of cardboard is pressed by the moulding chuck to cause deflection of the box facings turning them 90" upwards from the base thereof.

11. The machine of any of claims 5-10 wherein when the moulding chuck with its extractors descends, it pushes the additional sheets of cardboard downwardly until their lower edges engage the base sheet of cardboard that forms the body of the box.

12. The machine of claim 10 or claim 11 wherein when the chuck descends, it simultaneously pulls the body of the box and the two additional sheets of cardboard which are incorporated into it, pressing them against the inside of the sticky sides of the tray, which in turn are pressed against said rollers.

13. The machine of any one of claims 2-12 wherein the chuck engages with a folding device having four parts which are moved alternatively to act on the end extremities of each facing, impregnated with adhesive, creasing them and pressing them to the outside of the corresponding nearest sides.

14. The machine of claims 5-13 wherein the storage means for the additional sheets, the extractors, the drum heads for slotting, the pressure rollers and the different folding devices are mounted in adjustable supports provided with mechanical means to allow their position to be adjusted to suit the format of box or tray to be made.

15. A machine for making boxes or trays out of three separate pieces substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.