GB2233954A

GB2233954A - Machines for packing sets of articles

Info

Publication number: GB2233954A
Application number: GB9015585A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mario Gambetti
Original assignee: Baumer SRL
Current assignee: Baumer SRL
Priority date: 1989-07-19
Filing date: 1990-07-16
Publication date: 1991-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-16
Also published as: DE4023025A1; IT8903559A0; FR2649953B1; GB9015585D0; FR2649953A1; GB2233954B; ES2025895A6; IT1233320B

Abstract

In a machine for continuously packing sets of articles in boxes or cartons, a box blank with panels forming the front, bottom, rear and top sections of the box is wrapped around the set of articles, the panels having associated flaps for closing the ends of the box. At a feed station for the blanks, a reciprocating platform 6 accelerates the set of articles from a first horizontal feed conveyor into engagement with the blank and toward further transport means C3, C4 and (C5) for completion of folding and bonding of the blank around the set of articles. The blank is fed into the feed station in a direction transverse to the direction of article advance into a plate 7 with the bottom and rear panels horizontal and the front and top panels vertically upstanding. <IMAGE>

Description

1 MACHINES FOR PACKING SETS OF ARTICLES The present invention relates to

machines tor packing sets of articles, particularly cans and bottles, in boxes or cartons.

In particular, the invention relates to the type of machine designed to pack sets of articles in boxes or cartons by wrapping around each of them a rough-shaped part or blank of stiff corrugated cardboard having preformed panels for the top, bottom, front and rear sections of the box or carton. The blank includes a flap for interconnecting the rear panel with the top or bottom panel, and additional flaps for closing the opposite ends of the box or carton, the flaps of the top and bottom panels being folded over and bonded to the flaps of the front and rear panels at each end. Machines of this type, trom a technological point of view, can be sub- divided into two categories, one of them operating intermittently and the other continuously, the operations of wrapping the blank around the package being in the former case eftected with the package mainly stationary, while in the latter case all the wrapping operations are carried out with the package in motion.

One example of an intermittently operating machine is described in US Patent 3,482,372. This machine essentially consists of a platform mounted on a frame and performing alternating movements between an upper and lower position: means for positioning a box blank over and adjacent to the upper part of the platform; a bin for the supply of the set of containers to be wrapped, the bin being mounted on the frame above the upper position of the platform and having selectively operable release means to enable a set ot containers to drop trom the bin onto a blank on the plattorm; continuous operating means tor alternately moving i 2 the platform between the upper and lower positions; and sensing means for sensing the presence of a box blank between the bin and the platform and the presence of a set of containers in the bin, the release means being actuated in response to an output from the sensing means when the platform occupies its upper position.

These intermittently operating machines, while giving extremely good results from the point of view of the quality of the products, have a limited output rate which is practically impossible to improve, i.e. the machines operate at a maximum speed Which, in the specific product sector concerned, is regarded as a first speed, so that these machines are known as "first-speed machines" or 15.1 speed No.I machines".

To overcome the output limitations of this type of machine and to enable a greater number of boxes or cartons to be produced in a given time, US Patent 3,323,275 proposes a continuously operating machine in which the respective movements of the kinematic components are co-ordinated in such a way as to ensure an accurate distribution of the time phases and association between the functions, thus eliminating idle periods and allocating to each operating element movement and stoppage times strictly necessary to ensure the completion of the respective operations.

The machine disclosed in US Patent 3,323,275 is designed to box a pack of articles by wrapping them in a stiff cardboard blank having preformed panels tor the top, bottom, front and rear of the package and associated flaps on both ends of all the panels, the bottom pane', being equipped with an additional flap serving to connect it to the rear panel.

1 3 The pack of articles is fed forward over a substantially longitudinal horizontal path whi ie the blank is ted in trom one side i.e. transverse to the said path, while at the same time that part of the blank which includes the tront and bottom panels is folded downwards in a substantially vertical plane in front of the advancing pack. During the feeding of the blank, adhesive is applied to a bottom marginal part of the rear panel. The advance of the pack continues into the corner defined by the folded blank and the flaps at both ends of the rear panel are folded downwards while at the same time the bottom panel is folded substantially upwards into engagement with the advancing pack, the flaps at both ends of the bottom panel being at the same time folded downwards. Thetlao by which the bottom panel is connected to the rear panel is folded upwards, and the rear panel is folded downwards against the pack and against the said connecting flap. Then, while the package continues to advance, the qummed portion of the rear panel is fixed to the connecting flap by applying pressure to the rear panel. The tlaps at both ends of the front panel and then folded inwards onto the advancing package; adhesive is applied to the internal surfaces of the end f 1 aps ot the top and bottom pane 1 s and the f 1 aps folded inwards onto the end flaps already folded inwards while continuing to advance the package with pressure being exerted on its rear portion and both its extremities.

The machine described in US Patent 3,323,275 comprises a first conveyor serving to feed the package torward over a longitudinal horizontal path: means tor teedinq the blank transverse to the end of the first conveyor and for foloinq vertically downwards that part of the blank which includes the f ront and bottom panels so that it w 1 1 1 engage the advancing package at the said end of the conveyor, the teed means also comprising means for applying adhesive to a part 4 of the rear panel; a second conveyor serving to support the advancing package as it is thrust away by the first conveyor; means Positioned between the two conveyors and serving to fold the bottom panel upwards into engagement with the base of the package as this latter moves from the first to the second conveyor; controlled folding bars positioned under the second conveyor and movable upwards for folding upwards, at the rear of the package, the flap connecting the rear panel and the bottom panel-, an overhanging conveyor with folding bars, one folding bar for folding the rear panel downwards onto the advancing package to produce an adhesive bond with the connecting f lao and to maintain pressure thereon while the package continues to advance away from the second conveyor: and means supported at the sides of the feed path and serving to told the end flaps of the front and rear panels inwardly while applying adhesive thereto and then to fold the end flaps of the top and bottom panel s i nwards over the al ready f ol ded end f I aos as the package moves along and away from the second conveyor onto a third conveyor of the type having thrust bars which can be engaged on the front and on the rear of the package to maintain pressure on the adhesive bond between the rear panel and the bottom panel.

The assembly consisting of the folding bars positioned under the second conveyor, and the overhanging conveyor with folding bars, as described in the US Patent 3,323.275 represents a fairly complex and thus costly constructions. Moreover. it is one which is liable to detract from the stability of the package in the course ot its transfer Trom the first to the second conveyor. the second oeinq necessarily spaced some distance from the first owing to the fact that between the two conveyors are provided the means tor folding the bottom panel upwards into engagement with the base of the pacKage as the latter moves trom the first to the second conveyor. The fact is that an assembly of this kind consists essentially of an actuator: an overhanging conveyor actuated by the actuator and having a thrust bar which can engage the rear panel of the blank with the package on the first conveyor in order to fold the rear panel down towards the package; a second conveyor actuated by the actuator and including a high-speed belt serving to advance the package as it moves away from the first conveyor; a cam path; chains with thrust bars.

including a first thrust bar which can be engaged by the package which is in readiness to be fed forwards by the high-speed belt in order to position it on the second conveyor, and also having a second folding and thrust bar following and controlled by the cam path, in order to be extended into engagement with and to fold the connecting flap internally on the rear of the package and then to be disengaged from the flap, the overhanging thrust bar being operable while the package is on the second conveyor to close the rear panel against the connection fiap and maintain pressure on them while the package is moving away from the second conveyor onto the third conveyor.

With a continuous boxing machine designed according to the aforementioned US Patent 3,323,375, the output rate is increased over that obtainable with the intermittent machines, but it is obvious that owing to the complex mechanical structure of the assembly for folding the panels of the blank around the moving package, the output rate can never be satisfactorily increased. Since the masses of the folding units operating in alternation, and particularly of those for folding the connecting flap upwards, are increased, this reduces the speed per unit and therefore the overall speed.

in the specitic technological sector ot mactiines tor 1 I 6 packing sets of articles, particularly cans and bottles, in boxes or cartons, continuous boxinq machines are also known as cited in the preamble to US Patent 4,631,895. These machines are designed to overcome some at the structural limitations of the machine described in US Patent 3,323,215 to obtain a higher output per unit of time, for folding the front panel and the top panel upwards, the latter being equipped with a flap for connection with the rear panel of the corresponding blank, and also for folding the front and the bottom panel downwards, this latter being equipped with the aforementioned connection flap, as provided tar the machine describmd in the US Patent 3,323,275.

As cited under the prior art in the preamble to the aforementioned US Patent 4,631,895. these knownboxing machines suffer from certain difficulties at the station at which the individual blanks have to be inserted under the individual packs of articles to be wrapped. This station is normally situated at the end of a chain conveyor with transverse thrust bars, and the flat blank taken from the magazine of blanks is moved by thrust devices along a path transverse to the path over which the packs are fed.

Before the bottom and rear panels of the blank are inserted under the relevant pack, another part at the same blank, i.e. the front panel and the top panel (this latter being equipped with the relevant flap for connection with the rear panel) is folded upwards through an angle of 900, so that the vertically folded part at the blank closes the front side of the package in the direction in which it is being fed torward. Needless to say, under these conditions, the horizontal Dart of the blank, i.e. the bottom and rear panel, projects rearwards from the base at the pack with the panel which subsequently, after being folded upwards, has to close the rear side at the package, whi le the vertical part of the blank projects upwards from i v i 7 the pack with the panel, which subsequently, after being folded downwards to the rear, has to close the top side of the package. On the two open sides of the package, the blank, as soon as it has been inserted underneath the latter, has flaps projecting from the package which, after subsequent folding, have to close the open sides of the pack. Under these circumstances, the vertical part of the blank, in the phase in which its horizontal part is inserted underneath the package, causes interference with the thrust bars of the conveyors and, to be more exact, with the lateral chains supporting the said bars so that the insertion of the blank in the direction transverse to the feed path must be effected at the end of the chain conveyor, where this latter is deflected upwards, in order to avoid the said interference. Furthermore, the horizontal part of the blank, Particulariy its rear projection, i.e. the rear panel, requires a considerable increase in the pitch between the thrust bars of the chain conveyor, in order to avoid subsequent interference between the blanks successively inserted underneath the advancing packages. It is clear that this latter factor in particular limits the output of these known boxing machines.

To remove this productivity restriction, US Patent 4,631,895 proposes a reduction in the pitch between the packages of articles and the temporary and partial superimposition of the blanks during insertion. In other words, the commencement of the insertion of a blank over the horizontal rear panel of a preceding blank, the free space between the thrust bar of the preceding package and the tront ot the subsequent package being used tor this operation. Accordingly. the boxing machine disclosed in US Patent 4,631,8905, is characterised by the tact that, in the position corresponding to the station tor the insertion 1 1 8 of blanks, the packs or sets of articles are thrust along the feed path by transverse bars supported in an overhanging position by conveyor chains positioned on one side only of the feed path, while at the insertion station a slideway for the packs or sets of articles is provided which can be raised and lowered. By the side of the slideway, on the side opposite to the conveyor chains, a lateral guide is positioned at a lower level than the slideway, while farther up, as viewed in the package feed direction, a lateral presser device is provided for depressing the corresponding lateral flap of the horizontal part of the blanks in order to introduce it underneath the lateral guide. The plane of insertion of the blank in the direction transverse to the feed path is situated at a higher level than the lateral guide and at a 'lower level than the slideway in its raised state.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for packing a set of articles in a box, the machine comprising first conveyor means for continuously conveying sets of articles step by step to a packaging station along a horizontal feed Path, second conveyer spaced from the first conveyor means for conveyinc; partially wrapped articles away from the said station. means for feeding a box blank transversely into the said station with preformed top and front panels of the blank in a substantially vertical plane and preformed bottom and rear panels in a substantially horizontal plane, a support member reciprocating back and forth in a generally horizontal plane for supporting the set of articles at the end of the said feed path and accelerating the set of articles toward the second conveyor means and into engaqement with the front panel of the blank, means for transferring the set of articles on to the second conveyor, means for thereatter tolding the rear panel of the blank upwardly at the rear of 9 the set and for folding the top panel of the blank downwardly over the top of the set, and means for folding and adhesively bonding an additional end flai:) OT the tor) panel against the rear panel of the blank.

The accelerating support member is preferably reciprocated horizontally and is coplanar with the longitudinal horizontal path over which the articles to be packed are fed. Underneath the accelerating platform, a fixed supporting plate is provided which extends from the downstream end of the feed path as tar as the second conveyor, with which the plate is substantially coplanar.

Additional folding and thrust elements associated with the second conveyor fold the rear panel of the blank adjacent to the rear face of the package being wrapped, and advance the set of articles, thus partially wrapped, between pairs of front locating elements and thrust elements controlled by a third transport means.

In the accompanying drawings, by way of example only:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view in perspective, tore-shortened of a boxing machine embodying the Present invention:

Fig. 2 shows, again by a schematic diagram in perspective, fore-shortened longitudinally, but on a larger scale, Part of the boxing machine illustrated in Fiq. 1. some of the parts having been removed and others shown in section in order to render still further components visible; Figs. 3-10 are schematic diagrams showing the senuence of operations in Figs. 1 and 2 when wrapping the blanV around the set of articles; and Figs. 3A-10A are perspective views of the blank in each of the operations shown in Figs. 3-10.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a machine tor sequentially packing sets of articles GA, particularly cans, bottles and simi lar containers, in boxes, wrapping each set of articles GA or package in a rough-shaped part or blank F of stiff corrugated cardboard with preformed panels, see Figs. 3A- 10A, for the front PA, the bottom PF, the rear PP, and the top of the package P, and flaps PAS-PAD, PFS-PFD, PPS-PPD, PSS-PSD, at each lateral edge of the four panels PA, PF, PP, PS, in order to close the ends of the package in such a way that the f laps PSS-PSD and PFS-PFD of the ton panel PS and bottom panel PF can be closed and adhesively bonded to the flaps PAS-PAD, PPS-PPD of the front panel PA and rear panel PP. It will be seen that the machine as shown schematically in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises, from the upper to the lower end and supported by a base E, a conveyor Cl with a horizontal conveyor belt 1 and overhead fixed vertical elements 2 serving to guide the rows ot articles to be grouped; an overhead thrust conveyor C2 equipped with lateral chains 3 bearing eaually spaced thrust bars 4 (see Fig. 2) and supported above the conveyor Cl by lateral shoulders 5, extending forwards beyond the conveyor Cl to a feed station ST for the individual blanKs F: an apparatus A of a known type for tranversely feeding successive individual blanks F into the feed station with respective front and top panels PA and PS folded vertically upwards, the panel PS having a flap LC for connection to the rear panel PP, as indicated in Figs. 1, 3-3A and 4-4A; a conveyor C3 below the teed station SI, a conveyor C4 as an extension to the said C3, and a conveyor C5 occupying an overhead position in relation to the conveyor C4.

Between the downstream end of the conveyor Cl, and the conveyor C3, i.e. in the zone of the feed station S], there i s a p l attorm 6 movab) e to and t ro, hori zonta 1 1 y 1 n the same plane as the conveying movement of the horizontal belt 1 of the conveyor Cl, while just below the platform 6 is a fixed plate 7 supported by the base B and extending from the downstream end of the horizontal belt conveyor Cl to the upstream end of the conveyor C3 with which it is substantially coplanar. The plate 7 has two lateral end extensions 7a and 7b which extend either side of the conveyor C3 approximately to the upstream end of the conveyor C4. The platform 6 is fitted with a lateral support tab 6a (Fig. 2) on which are mounted a number of blocks 8 slidanle on a horizontal suDoort bar 9 rig-vd - ly is supported in its turn by support elements 10 borne in an overhanging position by the lateral shoulder 5. To one of the said sliding blocks 8, and more specifically to the rear sliding block as viewed in the direction in which the package is fed forward, the end of a rod 12 is affixed by a Pivot at the point marked 11, the other end of the said rod being pivoted at 13 to a link of a chain 14 passing in a closed ring around chain wheels 15, one of which is drive from a motor (not shown) by means of a chain 16, resulting in a crank mechanism designed to impart to the atorementioned platform 6 a horizontal reciprocating movement for reasons which wi 1 1 become clear in due course.

The conveyor C3 is of the type with multiple chains 17 wound parallel in a closed ring on corresponding chain wheels 18 and 19, the links of the chain 17 beinp equipped with elements 20 designed to form the transport plane with an anti-friction surface, and is provided with folding and thrust control devices 21 evenly soaced apart and serving to fold upwards the rear panel PP adjacently to the rear face of the package of articles GA, as shown in particular j 12 in Figs. 6 and 6a. Above the conveyor C3, again shown in Figs. 6 and 6a, and supported by the base B of the machine, is a transverse bar 22, for folding downwards, on the upper face of the package to be wrapped, the top panel PS 5 equipped with the flap LC.

The conveyor C4, situated downstream of the conveyor C3 and the overhead transverse folding bar 22, is likewise of the type with multiple chains 23, placed parallel in a closed ring around corresponding chain wheels, of which only the.' upstream ones are shown in the drawings and marked 24, being keyed onto the shaft 25 on which are keyec the aforementioned wheels 19 of the conveyor C3, laterally and outside the said wheels 19. Yhe chains 23 are eQuipped with pairs of front locating ano rear thrust control elements marked 26 and 27 (see Figs. 2 and 3-10).

The conveyor C5 overhanging the conveyor C4 is likewise of the type having multiple chains 28, passing parallel and in a closed ring over chain wheels 29, of which only one series of rear wheels may be seen in F1q. 2. These wheels for rear chains 29 are keyed onto a shaft 30, e.g. actuated by the motorised shaft 25 via a motor transmission device of the known type, indicated schematically by way of an example at 31, again shown in the said Fig. 2.

The said chains are eauipped with controlled front locating elements 32 for the package being wrappea and bars 33 for foldincl downwards the flans LC for connection to the pre- gummed rear panel PP, and with thrust elements for moving the said package towards the means, not shown, for foldincl, at the opposite ends of the package, the f laps PSSPS1) and PFS-PFD of the upper and base panels PS and PP over the pre-tolded and pre-gummed f laps PASPAD and PPSPPD in the nown manner 9 (see Figs. 1-7A to 9-9A) of the opposite ends S 13 of the front and rear panels PA and PP and finally between the vertical conveying and reintorcement belts 34 for the wrapping or boxing of the package (see Figs. 1, 2 and 10, lOA).

The articles to be packed in boxes are fed in longitudinal and transverse rows by the conveyor belt 1 of the conveyor Cl until they reach the conveyor C2, which, by means of its thrust bars 4, evenly spaced apart at a reduced pitch by comparison with that in already known machines, successively sub-divides the sets of articles GA, thrusting them on to the platform 6 in its extreme retracted Dosition. At the same time. at the station ST and underneath the platform 6, a blank F is fed onto the fixed support plate 7, the panels PA and PS of the blank F being folded upwards (see Figs. 1, 3A and 4A). At tnis point the platform 6, actuated by the cranK mechanism 11. 12, 13, 14, 15, accelerates the set of articles GA first of a! 1 towards the front panel PA of the blank F, as shown in Figs. 3, 3A, then continuing up to the front panel as shown in Figs. 4, 4A, and finally, with the assistance of the corresponding thrust bar 4 of the conveyor C2, causing the gradual advance of the assembly consisting of the set of articles GA and the blank F onto the conveyor C3. The lateral flaps PAS-PAS and PPS-PPI) of the blank F are then folded inwardly and upwardly respectively, as shown in Figs. 5, 5A, While the folding bar 22 folds the top panel PS downwards and the rear panel PP is folded upwards by the folding and thrust devices 21 of the conveyor C3.

Under the thrust of the corresoondinq foldinq and thrust device 21 of the conveyor C3, and before the top panel PS leaves the folding bar 22, the tront of tne Paceagp- ot articles half-wrapped by the blank F is brought into contact with the locating elements 26 ana 32 ot the 14 co.nveyors C4 and C5 respectively, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 7A, while the thrust elements 27 of the conveyor C4 feed the package forward l n such a way as to keep the front and rear faces of the package in contact with the respective locating elements whI le the f laps PAS-PAD and PPS- PPD of the respective panels PA and PP are completely folded against the package as shown in Figs. 7 and 7A.

As the package of articles advances on the conveyor C4 with the front and rear panels PA and PP held at the bottom between the front locating element 26 and the thrust elements 27 of the conveyor C4 and held at the top by the locating elements 32 of the conveyor C5, adhesive is applied to the upper part of the external tace of the rear panel PP of the blank F by a gumming device 35 (Fig. 7). and the folding bar 33 of the conveyor C5 then folds the flap LC downwards against the gummed part of the rear panel PP, as shown in Figs. 8, 8A and 9, SA. At the same time, gum 38, 39 is sprayed onto the flaps PAS-PAD and PPS-PPD of the front and rear panels PA and PP by upper and lower gumming devices 36, 37, and the flaps PSS-PS1) and PFS-PFD of the upper and lower panels PS and PF are then folded over the gummed flaps as shown in Figs. 10 and 10A.

In practice it has been tound that the illustrated continuous boxing machine ensures high operating speeds with an output of boxed packets per unit of time considerably above that provided by the machines normally used for this purpose. Moreover, the boxed package is of high nualitY due to the continuous control of each element of the box throughout the entire packaging orocess.

A 1

Claims

CLAIM5

1. A machine for packinq a set of articles in a box, the machine comprising first conveyor means for continuously conveying sets of articles step by step to a packaging station along a horizontal feed path, second conveyor means spaced from the first conveyor means for conveying partially wrapped articles away from the said station, means for feeding a box blank transversely into the said station with preformed top and front panels of the blank in a substantially vertical plane and preformed bottom and rear panels in a substantially horizontal plane, a support member reciprocating back and forth in a generally horizontal plane for supporting the set of articles at the end of the said feed path and accelerating the set of articles toward the second conveyor means and into engagement with the front panel of the blank, means for thereafter folding the rear panel of the blank upwardly at the rear of the set and for folding the top panel of the blank downwardly over the top of the set, and means for folding and adhesively bonding an additional end flap of the top panel against the rear panel of the blank.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which the reciprocating support member comprises a platform disposed in the plane of the said horizontal feed path.

3. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising a fixed support member vertically spaced just below the said platform, the fixed member extending from the downstream end of the f i rst conveyor to the upstream end of the second conveyer and lying in the same horizontal plane as the second conveyor.

4. A machine according to any one of the claims 1-3 in which the reciprocating support member is driven by a crank 1 f 16 mechanism, the member having associated blocks slidable along a rod in response to operation of the crank mechanism.

5. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the top, front, bottom and rear panels of the blank each include opposed lateral flaps for closing the ends of the box.

6. A machine according to claim 5 in which the first conveyor means includes spaced overhead thrust bars for sequentially urging the sets of articles along the feed path.

7. A machine according to claim 5 or claim 6 in which the second conveyor means has associated folding elements and thrust devices for effecting the said folding of the rear panel and for thrusting the set of articles toward a third conveyor means.

8. A machine according to claim 7 further comprising folding means disposed overhead the second and third conveying means for effecting the said folding of the top panel.

9. A machine according to claim 8 further comprising overhead endless chain devices having spaced means for locating the front of the successive sets of articles on the second and third conveyor means and folding bars for folding the said additional end flap of the top panel against a portion of the rear panel to which adhesive has been applied.

10. A machine according to claim 9 in which the endless chain devices are provided with spaced means for thrusting 1 17 the sets of articles toward means for folding the lateral flaps of the top and bottom panels over portions of the corresponding lateral flaps of the front and rear panels to which adhesive has been applied.

10. A machine for packing sets of articles substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A machine for packing sets of articles, particularly cans, bottles and similar containers, in boxes, the machines being of the type operating continuously and serving to wrap around each set of articles or each package a rough-shaped part or blank with panels dimensioned for the front or foremost part of the package, the base, the rear part and the upper part, the latter panel being equipped with a flap for the production of the envelope or box for the package by attaching it with an adhesive to the rear panel, and flaps at each lateral extremity of the four panels for the purpose of closing the opposite lateral extremities or heads of the said package, in such a way that the flaps of the upper and base panels can be closed by affixing them with an adhesive over the flaps of the front and rear panels, the said machines essentially comprising first transport means with thrust bars for feeding forward step by step a succession of packages by continuously advancing them over a longitudinal path and means for transverse and longitudinally feeding, from the side, in phase with the said first thrust bar feed device for each package, a corresponding rough-shaped part or blank in the downstream end zone of the said longitudinal horizontal path and for folding that part of the said blank which includes the front and upper panels with the relevant constructional flap upwards in a substantially vertical plane with the base panel underneath the corresponding 18 package in motion, in order to contact the said front panel and to approach second transport means, and characterised by the fact that between the said downstream extremity of the longitudinal path and the said second transport means an accelerating platform is provided which is' movable horizontally to and fro, that the second transport means are of the type having folding elements and thrust devices controlled for the purpose of folding the rear panel adjacent to the rear face of the package and causing the latter to advance on third transport means between controlled pairs of front locating elements and rear thrust elements, and that in the overhanging position of the second and third transport means folding means are provided, from the upstream end to the downstream end, for folding the upper panel downwards on the upper face of the package and chain devices with controlled front locating means for the package and with bars for folding downwards the flap for connection to the pre-gummed rear panel and with means for thrusting the package towards the means by which, at the opposite ends of the package, the flaps of the upper and base panels are folded over the pre-gummed flaps of the opposite ends of the front and rear panels.

Published 1991 at 7be Patent Ollice. State House. 66/71 High Holborn. London WCIR47'P. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwnifelinfach. Cross Keys. Newport. NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Rent