GB2190071A - A pack assembly machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Packs of flat-sheet like items consisting of a carrier having a flap secured thereto and one or more further items positioned on the carrier beneath the flap, such as a presentation pack of new issue stamps, are assembled by a machine comprising means 1, Figure 1, for advancing the carriers in turn to the assembly station 3, means 25 to lift the flap of each carrier and means 17 to position the one or more further items on the carrier by moving the items down onto the carrier in a direction towards the corner between the flap and the carrier, the flap lifting means 25 then being operative to return the flap to the carrier to cover the further items. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A pack assembly machine This invention relates to a pack assembly machine and is more particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with the provision of a machine for assembling stamp presentation packs. Such packs consist of a carrier card provided with one or more flaps oftransparent material normally covering one face of the carrier, the or each of which flaps is secured to the carrier at or near a longer edge, one or more stamps, usually new issue stamps, positioned loosely on the carrier underneath the or each flap, a folded brochure in which the carrier and stamps are placed and wrapper, usually of plastics material, enveloping the brochure with the carrier and stamps therein.

Hitherto, such packs have been assembled in such a waythatwhen the stamps are placed on the carrier card and the flap is closed, the stamps are somewhat loosely held thus making the completed pack relatively fragile to handle. This is undesirable as the maintaining ofthe position ofthe stamps is an important element in making the appearance ofthe completed pack attractive.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine that will assemble packs in such awaythatthe stamps are held within the packs more securelythan hitherto.

According to the present invention, a machine for assembling a packofflatsheet-like items consisting of a carrier having a flap secured to the carrier and normally in position against a face of the carrier and one or more further items positioned on the carrier beneath the flap, comprises an assembly station, means to advance the carriers in turn to the assembly station, means lift the flap of each carrier away from the carrier whilst the latter is at said station and means to position said one or more further items on said carrier by moving the items down onto the carrier in a direction towards the corner between the flap and the carrier, said flap lifting means then being operative to return the flap into its normal position on the carrier to coverthe one or more further items positioned thereon.

The positioning means may comprise a pick-up head for the one or more items which is pivotable between a carrying position and a delivery position.

The flap lifting means may comprise one or more pads to which suction may be applied and which are mounted for angular movement between flap engaging and flap lifted positions.

The carrier advancing means may incorporate means to displace the carrier between a normal conveying position and a raised position in which theflaplifting meansmayengagethecarrierflapand the pick-up head may deposit the one or more items on the carrier.

The or each pad of the flap lifting means may be linked to the pick-up head in such a mannerthatas the latter is swung from its carrying position to its delivery position, the pad is raised from aflap engaging position to its flap lifted position.

The pick-up head may include one or more pick-up pads to which a suction may be applied, the or each pad being mounted on a bay which is displaceable to include in a pick-up operation, rectilinear movement between an item engaging position and a withdrawn carrying position.

Piston and cylinder means may be employed to pivot and rectilinearly displace the head.

In orderthattheinvention may be more fully understood, one construction of machine in accordance with the invention and for use in assembling stamp presentation packs, will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view of a complete machine, Figure2showsa cross sectional view a conveyor bed forming part of the machine, Figure 3 shows an enlarged detailed view of a stamp pick-up and swing unit which cooperates with the conveyor, Figure4shows a side view of the unit, Figure 5shows a section taken along the line V-V in Figure 3, and Figure 6is a section taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1, the machine comprises a conveyor 1 capable of conveying stamp carriers dispensed from an auto-feed module 2 in opposite directions to pick-up and swing units 3 arranged in two groups on opposite sides ofthe module 2 and then to the appropriate one of two auto-stack modules 4.

Referring now to Figure 2, the conveyor comprises a frame 5 carrying rails 6 on which saddle assemblies 7 each being composed of saddle parts 7a and 7b, slide. Each saddle assembly incorporates projecting fingers 8 and the assemblies are linked and are connected to a reciprocatory drive. The fingers project through a respective one of a series of plattens 9 which is itself supported by three pillars 9a on a cross-head 10, the purpose of constructing each saddle assembly of two parts being of course to allowthecentral pillar 9a to project through the assembly. The cross-head 10 is supported by a lift cylinder 11 which is itself pivoted to the frame 5. To steady the cross-head, it is connected through slide mountings 12to a cross member l3oftheframe.

The purposeofthe liftcylinder 11 isto raisethe platten 9 to present a carrier on the conveyor to a pick up and swing unit 3 as will be described. To assist in withdrawing a carrierfrom the head, the platten incorporates suction nozzles.

Referring nowto Figure 3 and 4, each pick-up and swing unit 3 consists of a pick-up and swing head 14 pivotally mounted on a yoke 15. The yoke which has two projecting arms 16, is positioned so that the arms are at a short distance above the conveyor 1 to enable the head 1 4to cooperate with the conveyor as will be explained. In more detail, the head 14consists ofanumberof pick-up pads 17which are each mounted on a common bar 18which is carried on slides 19 projecting from a head base 20. Suction may be applied to the pads 17. The base is pivoted to the yokelS at 21, see also Figures 5 and 6.

A pneumatic cylinder 22 is connected between the bar 18 and base 20 to move the pads rectilinearly between the retracted position shown towards and away from a position of cooperation with a stamp cassette 23 where the pads may each engage a respective stamp. The cassette is mounted on brackets 23a secured to the arms 16.

The purpose of pivoting the base 20 to the yoke 15 isto enable the pads 17to be swung between their position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and a position in which they are level with a lower face plate 1 6a ofthe yoke in which position they are capable of positioning the stamps on a carrier presented by the appropriate platten 9 ofthe conveyor. Access to the platten is th rough a window in the face plate. To achieve this swinging movement, a further cylinder 24 is connected between the base 20 and the yoke 15.

The pick-up and swing head 14 also includes flap lifting means in the form ofthree lift pads 25to which suction may also be applied, two of which are positioned at opposite ends of the head, and a third centrally. One ofthe pads is shown in Figure 4. The pads 25 are mounted on a bar 26 extending across the width ofthe head from which at each end a shaped plate 27 projects. As shown each plate has two ends. Atone end, each plate is linked by a link 28 to the yoke 15 and at the other end the plate is linked by an adjustable link 29 to the base 20.

The action ofthe linkage of the pad carrying bar 26 to the yoke 15 on the one hand and to the base 20 on the other, is that on the head 14 being swung between the above retracted and stamp positioning positions, the pads 25 are raised from a position in which they may engage the flap of a carrier presented to the face plate 1 6a into a position in which they liftthe flap well clear of the pick-up pads as the latter move into their stamp delivery positions.

The pads 25 also operate through the abovementioned window in the face plate 16a. Here it should be mentioned that the orientation of the carriers on the conveyor is such thatthe joint between the flap and the carrier is to the right hand edge as would be seen in Figure 4. More precisely when the carrier is raised to the face plate ofthe head, the joint lies directly below the pivot axis of the links 28.

Lastly, a buffer 30 is provided to prevent the head 5 from moving into a potentially dangerous position should a failure of airsuppliesto the cylinders 22 and 24 occur.

In operation ofthe machine, assumethatthe head 14 is in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and that the cassette 23 is loaded with stamps. A carrier is dispensed by the auto4eed module 2 onto the conveyor and is fed in one of the two available directions between two sets offingers 8to a position directly below a pick up and swing unit 3 when it will be positioned immediately above a platten 9. In the meantime the cylinder 22 has been operated to engage the pick-up pads 17 with the stamps in the cassette compartments and a vacuum applied to the pads 17 to enable them to pick-up the stamps on retraction ofthe cylinder 22 which also takes place.

Nowthe cylinder 11 is operated. This lifts the carrier clear of the conveying system and holds the carrier firm lv against the face plate 16a which causes the pads 25to engage the flap of the carrier. Avacuum is also applied to the pads 25. On completion ofthe return stroke ofthe pads 17 and the operating stroke ofthe cylinder 11,the cylinder 24 is operated to swing these pads into a position in which they position the stamps on the carrier and as has been explained, this movement of the head base 20 causes the pick-up pads 25 to lift up the flap to admit the pads 17 into the wedge opening between the flap and the carrier. On the cylinder 24 being completely extended, the stamps are fully positioned in the corner between the flap and carrier.The vacuum to the pads 25 is now released to allow the flap partially to return to its normal position and in doing so it grips the lower edges ofthe stamps. The vacuum to the pads 17 is then removed to release the stamps and the cylinder 24 reversed to return the pads 17 and 25 to their positions shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1 shows more than one pick-up and place unit on each side of the feed module 2,this being to caterfor carriers with more than one flaps in which case the delivery positions of adjacent heads will be staggered. At the same time therefore, as the above described platten 9 has raised the carriertothe head 14, a new carrier is destacked from a central cassette incorporated in the module 2. Whilst the stamps are being inserted into the raised carrierthe conveyor system is driven in the opposite direction thereby positioning the new carrier under the first unit 3 on the other side of the machine. This carrier is then lifted clear of the conveying system on its platten and a second new carrier destacked. By this time the first carrier will have received its stamps, and the pads 17 and 25 returned to their Figure 4 positions.Avacuum is now applied to the platten 9 which is then retracted, the vacuum holding the carrierto the platten. Thus the carrier is lowered back on to the conveying system between a fresh set offingers which restrain the carrier. When the carrier is back on the track the conveyor system moves forward in the original direction carrying thefilled carriertothe next unit3 on the machine, and positioning the second new carrier under the head 14. Whilst the carriers are being advanced the next sets of stamps will be picked up from their respective cassettes.

It will be seen that the machine described serves to position the stamps on the carriers swiftly and efficiently. This is particularly attributed to the angular movementthatthe pads 17 of each head 20 execute in positioning the stamps. In fact the final position of the stamps on a carrier is infinitely adjustable by means of a setting screw.

Although shown with four pick-up and place units, the machine is readily extendible by means of further units which are simply placed side-by-side. Lastly, additional modules may be added to place a folded brochure on the filled carriers and to perform a wrapping function.

Also the machine may if desired comprise a single pick-up and swing unit, an auto-stack module, conveyor and single auto-feed module.

Claims (9)

1. A machine for assembling a packofflat sheet-like items consisting of a carrier having a flap secured to the carrier and normally in position against a face of the carrier and one or morefurther items positioned on the carrier beneath the flap, comprising an assembly station, means to advance the carriers in turn to the assembly station, means to lift the flap of each carrier away from the carrier whilst the latter is at said station and means to position said one or morefurtheritems on said carrier by moving the items down onto the carrier in a direction towards the corner between the flap and the carrier, said flap lifting means then being operative to return the flap into its normal position on the carrierto coverthe one or more further items positioned thereon.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises a pick-up head forthe one or more items which is pivotable between a carrying position and a delivery position.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the flap lifting means comprises one oi more pads to which suction may be applied and which are mounted for angular movement between flap engaging and flap lifted positions.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1,2or3, wherein the carrier advancing means incorporates meansto displacethecarrierbetweena normal conveying position and a raised position in which the flap lifting means is engageable with the carrier flap and the positioning means may deposit the one or more items on the carrier.

5. A machine as claimed in claims 2 and 3 or claim 4 as appendantto claims 2 and 3, wherein the or each pad of the flap lifting means is linked to the pick-up head in such a manner that as the latter is swung from its carrying position to its delivery position, the pad is raised from a flap engaging position to its flap lifted position.

6. Amachineasclaimed inclaim2orany dependent claim thereof, wherein the pick-up head includes one or more pick-up pads to which a suction may be applied, the or each pad being mounted on a bay which is displaceableto include in a pick-up operation, rectilinear movement between an item engaging position and a withdrawn position being said carrying position.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein piston and cylinder means are employed to pivot and rectilinearly displace the head.

8. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a single conveyor constituting said advancing means cooperates with a numberof assembly stations to position more than one row of said further items on a single carrier.

9. A machine for assembling a pack of flat-sheet like items substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.