GB2236274A - Assembling carton divisions - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assembling divisions for cartons, cases or the like from edge-slotted dividing sheets (A. B. Fig 1A) is disclosed. The apparatus includes guides 40, 46, which constrain transverse dividing sheets 13 fed from a hopper 12 to exit from the guides in a predetermined plane for engagement with the slots 70 of an array of axial dividing sheets 66 supported in guide channels. An indexing bar 175 mounted on a slidable carriage (168, Fig. 5) may be used to increment the dividing sheets 66 forwards beneath the guides 46 for insertion of further transverse sheets 13. The sheets 13 may be removed from the base of the hopper 12 by reciprocable suckers 38 and moved along the guides by a chain conveyor 20, 32 which cooperate with a pusher bar 60, the latter being relieved so as to clear the guides 46. <IMAGE>

Description

ASSEMBLING CARTON DIVISIONS This invention concerns improvements in apparatus and methods for assembling carton divisions.

In order to divide a case, carton or the like (hereinafter referred to as a 'carton') into a number of cells or compartments for the reception of individual items to be packaged, it is usual to provide within the carton an assembly of two or more sets of dividing sheets known as a division. The dividing sheets extend vertically within the carton and with two sets, intersect each other at right angles, the sheets being interengaged by means of slots extending from their centreline to their top or bottom edges respectively.

Apparatus is known for the automatic assembly of such divisions and which comprises a magazine holding a number of stacks of dividing sheets (known as "A" or machine-axial pieces). The "A" pieces are delivered simultaneously from the bottom of each stack to a belt conveyor running below.

Delivery is by means of sets of suction cups pivotable about axes longitudinal of the machine and which turn the "A" pieces so that they are supported upon the belt conveyor on one edge, with their slots uppermost. The "A" pieces are held in this position by pairs of vertical guides disposed above the conveyor surface.

Adjacent to the downstream end of the guides there is provided a first set of upright grooved rollers. A second set of such rollers is provided towards the downstream end of the belt conveyor. Circular section endless resilient bands (4 per "A" piece) are trained between these sets of rollers and are moved synchronously with the belt conveyor to form "A" piece conveying channels. The sets are adjustable transversely of the belt conveyor, such that the downstream spacing between the "A" piece conveying channels may be varied.

A second set of pairs of vertical guides is disposed above the downstream end of the belt conveyor for receiving "A" pieces delivered from between the endless bands. The pairs of vertical guides are transversely adjustable in unison with their associated upright rollers. In this way, the "A" pieces may be delivered to an assembly station in the correct transverse spacing for insertion of transversely extending dividing sheets or "B" pieces. Generally this spacing will be less than the stack spacing in the magazine and so the guide channels will converge in the downstream direction. :ie second vertical guides extend beyond the belt conveyor and the assembly station comprises a stationary surface level with the conveyor belt.

In the known division assembly apparatus a transverse gate mechanically synchronised with the magazine operation is intermittently advanced into the path of the conveyor at the assembly station to ensure that the sets of "A" pieces delivered to it are aligned and are held stationary during the initial phase of the assembly operation. The "B" pieces are delivered to the assembly station from above, at a location corresponding to the foremost slots in the "A" pieces when the latter are held by the gate. The "B" pieces are severed from coil stock, the severing operation also forming the "B" piece slots in the leading end of the remaining stock, for engagement with the slots of the "A" piece set. The severed "B" piece is projected freely from feeding means in order to effect such engagement.A pusher finger is then obliquely engaged with the following slots in the "A" pieces to index the next set of slots into position beneath the "B" piece feeder. In this way the remaining "B" pieces are successively inserted to complete the assembled division.

However, the above described division assembly machine suffers from a number of limitations. In particular, the "B" pieces cannot be placed into the "A" pieces with great accuracy, and thus there is a limit to the smallest division cell size which can be produced. This limit will be dependent amongst other things upon the stiffness of the material used to form the divisions and also on the height of the divisions to be produced, as well as being dependent on the frictional characteristics of the material and the "A" piece delivery system. With small cell sizes, the "B" pieces must be positioned to an accuracy of about half a millimetre, and for practical purposes the above described apparatus cannot be used to assemble divisions having a cell size less than 25 x 120 mm.

The present invention aims to provide a division assembly method and apparatus in which the above problems are overcome or mitigated, and which in preferred form can be quickly set up to produce divisions of various different sizes.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for the assembly of divisions from first and second dividing sheets comprising providing a guide for said first dividing sheets from which they exit in a predetermined plane; supporting an array of said second dividing sheets transversely of the guide to align successive sets of slots therein with said exit plane, and feeding successive first dividing sheets through the guide to enter into the aligned slots.

Advantageously, each successive first dividing sheet is engaged by a transfer means which enters it into the guide, whereafter it is disengaged from the transfer means by a pusher, exiting it from the guide into the aligned slots.

Preferably, the transfer means engages each first dividing sheet at a first set of positions spaced transversely of the guide, and the pusher engages the sheet at a further set of such spaced positions.

The guide may comprise a number of transversely spaced strips ; ing parallel to the plane of movement of the first dividing sheets, and between which portions of the transfer means and of the pusher pass in order to engage the sheets.

The invention also provides apparatus for the assembly of divisions from first and second dividing sheets, comprising: a guide for said first dividing sheets from which they exit in a predetermined plane; supports for an array of said second dividing sheets arranged transversely of the guide such that in use the array may be supported with successive sets of slots therein disposed in said exit plane, and means for feeding successive first dividing sheets through the guide to enter into the aligned slots.

Advantageously, the means for feeding the first and second sheets comprises a transfer means which in use successively engages each first dividing sheet and enters it into the guide, and a pusher which in use successively engages each first dividing sheet entered into the guide, disengages it from the transfer means and pushes it out of the guide and into the aligned slots.

Preferably, engagement is at first and second positions, and the guide comprises transversely spaced strips, as above.

Indexing means may be provided above the supports operative to engage with a slot in each of the second dividing sheets, to index successive sets of aligned slots into the exit plane.

The supports for the second dividing sheets may comprise a set of transversely first fixed guide channels disposed above a first belt conveyor for cooperation therewith in guiding and holding on edge dividing sheets carried by the conveyor, the upstream ends of said guide channels being more widely spaced transversely of each other than their downstream ends, the downstream ends projecting in parallel beyond the conveyor to form an assembly station at which the second dividing sheets are formed into said array.

A further belt conveyor may be provided beneath the downstream ends of the guide channels, a gate may be provided adjacent to these downstream ends operative intermittently to arrest and longitudinally align the second dividing sheets to form successive said arrays, and a further gate may be provided between the belt conveyors operative to arrest further dividing sheets carried by the fist belt conveyor whilst a said array is at the assembly station.

Further preferred features of the present invention will be apparent from the claims and from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view, partially in section and with certain parts omitted for clarity, of apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 1A shows a division assembled from second dividing sheets or "A" pieces and first dividing sheets or "B" pieces marked "A" and "B" respectively; Fig. 2 is a partial view on arrow II in Fig. 1, partly in section, and with certain parts omitted for clarity; Fig. 3 is a part-sectional view showing the pusher in the form of a pusher bar, together with its actuating mechanism; Fig. 4 is a view on arrow IV in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of "A" piece guides and indexing means.

Referring to the drawings, the division assembly apparatus 10 comprises a transverse hopper 12 for the reception of stacked "B" pieces 13, the sheets being arranged horizontally with their slotted edges facing forwardly (to the left in Fig. 1). Hopper 12 comprises an adjustable rear wall 14 and a fixed front wall 16 provided with lower "B" piece retaining detents 18. Circulating beneath the hopper 12 in an anti-clockwise direction as seen, are four parallel synchronously driven chain conveyors 20. The conveyors 20 are trained around upper and lower sprocket sets 22, 24 and run upon guide tracks 26 having a horizontal rear section 28 and a downwardly curving front section 30. Attached to each chain conveyor are a number of transversely aligned "B" piece grippers 32 provided with forwardly facing B piece engaging slots 34.Beneath the hopper 12 there is arranged a vertically reciprocable transverse hollow bar 36 provided along its length with a number of suckers 38 projectable between the conveyor chains 20 to engage the lowermost "B" piece (the projected position being shown in the phantom lines 38a in Fig. 1).

Movement of the bar 36 from its projected position back to its lower rest position will pull the lowermost "B" piece past the retaining detents 18 to lie on the chain conveyors 20. Circulation of the chain conveyors 20 brings the transversely aligned grippers 32 into engagement with the rear edge of this "B" piece, which is thus firmly held and conveyed squarely of the apparatus 10.

The apparatus also includes side guides and hopper side walls (not shown) which maintain the correct transverse alignment of the "B" pieces. Above each chain conveyor is provided a curved upper guide plate 40, the forward ends 42 of which terminate somewhat short of the lower ends of the conveyor guide track lower sections 30. Spaced slightly forwardly of the vertical run of the chain conveyors 20 are a number of spring steel guide strips 46 mounted between transverse frame members 48 and 50 shown in section in Figure 1. The guide strips 46 are interdigitated with the ends 42 of the upper guide plates 40 and thus lie between, but forwardly offset from, the chain conveyors 20. Further pairs of outboard guide strips 46 are provided, one on either side of the outermost chain conveyors 20.

The general arrangement of the conveyor guide tracks 26, frame member 48, chains 20, "B" piece grippers 32 and guide strips 46 can also be seen from Fig. 2, which is a partial view on arrow II in Fig. 1, wherein the upper guide plates 40, have been omitted.

"B" pieces will therefore initially be held against the chain conveyors 20 by the upper guide plates 40, as they are carried forwardly and downwardly, and then will be engaged by the guide strips 46, ensuring that they are accurately delivered to the insertion station.

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of the pusher bar and its actuating mechanism, these components being omitted from Figs. 1 and 2. For mounting the pusher bar, there is provided a crosshead 52 slidable on vertical guide posts 54 by means of linear bearings 56. The guide posts are themselves rigidly mounted upon a part of the machine frame 58.The lower edge of pusher bar 60 is provided with transverse slots 62 to clear the guide strip 46 bottom mountings 47 (Fig. 1) in its fully lowered position, such that its "B" piece engaging surface 68 can be brought level with the upper edges 64 of the "A" pieces 66 held at the insertion station, to push the "B" pieces fully into the aligned "A" piece slots 70 (see Figs. 1 and 1A). The pusher bar 60 is also recessed at 72 to clear the locus of the "B" piece grippers 32 along the vertical run of the chain conveyors 20, and at 74 to clear the guide strips 46 (Fig. 1) when deployed in its "B" piece engaging position, as explained below.

The pusher bar 60 is mounted for limited pivotal movement upon the crosshead 52 at either end by mounting forks 76, tongues 78 and pivot pins 80. During most of its operating stroke, the pusher bar 60 is biassed in the anticlockwise direction as shown in Fig. 4 by a pair of springs 82, such that it is deployed into a position wherein the guide strips 46 enter into the relieved portions 74 and 62 and the "B" piece engaging surfaces 68 can make contact with the upper edge of any "B" pieces in their path, to disengage them from the grippers 32 on the chain conveyors 20 and push them fully home into the aligned slots 70 of the "A" pieces 66 at the insertion station.However, in a rest position at the upper end of the pusher bar stroke, a cam surface 84 (Fig. 4) provided on the pusher bar is engaged by a vertically adjustable roller 86, to swing the pusher bar clear of the path of the chain conveyors, permitting unhindered passage of "B" pieces.

The crosshead 58 and pusher bar 60 are moved upon the guide posts 54 by means of an oscillating crankshaft 88, cranks 90, connecting rod 92 and linkage 94. With each stroke of the pusher bar 60, the cranks 90 and connecting rod 92 are oscillated between an upper limit position to one side of the crankshaft 88 and linkage 94, through bottom dead centre, to an alternative limiting position on the other side thereof. Fig. 4 shows the cranks 90 and connecting rod 92 in their right hand upper limit position.

The operating speed of the pusher bar 60 is arranged to be greater than that of the chain conveyors 20 such that "B" pieces can be carried past the pusher bar 60 in its rest position, the pusher bar can then be accelerated to "catch up" with the "B" piece and engage its rear edge, removing it from the grippers 32, and feeding it along the guide strips 46 into the aligned "A" piece slots 70. The mechanical characteristics of the pusher bar oscillating mechanism are such that rapid acceleration can be obtained at the beginning of the stroke, with the pusher bar speed decreasing smoothly to zero as the "B" piece approaches the bottom of the "A" piece slots.

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of an "A" piece guiding arrangement according to the second aspect of the present invention. Fig. 5 in conjunction with Fig. 1 also illustrates details of the "A" piece indexing means. The guiding arrangement comprises an upstream wide belt conveyor 110 and a downstream narrow belt conveyor 112. Disposed above the upstream end of the wide belt conveyor 110 are a series of 3 upper guide channel adjustment shafts 130-132 and 4 lower guide channel adjustment shafts 126-129. These shafts are mounted in side bearings 114, 116 and centre bearings 118, 120 respectively. Each shaft is individually rotatable by means of a handle 124 transferable between the different shaft ends 123. Each shaft 124 is provided with locking means (not shown) and a revolution counter 122.

Between the bearings 116, 120 and 114, 118 respectively the shafts are provided with a threaded section. The threads on either side of the centre bearings 118, 120 are of opposite hand and each carry a drive nut assembly 134. The drive nut assemblies are each connected to a respective guide support beam 140 by long brackets 136 in the case of upper adjustment shafts and shorter brackets 138 in the case of lower adjustment shafts, the lengths of the brackets being such that all support beams 140 lie in a single horizontal plane.

The upstream guide channel adjustment shafts 126-132 are drivingly linked to a corresponding set of seven downstream guide channel adjustment shafts 142-148, similarly disposed on two levels. The drive linkage comprises two sets of seven sprocket 150, 152 and chain 154 arrangements, one set on either side of the apparatus. The downstream guide channel adjustment shafts are likewise connected to the support beams 140, each support beam thus being suspended from linked upstream and downstream adjustment shafts.

Rotation of a linked pair of adjustment shafts by means of handle 124 will cause lateral movement of the associated drive nut assemblies 134 along their threaded sections, adjusting the spacing of the corresponding pair of support beams symmetrically about the longitudinal centreline of the apparatus.

Rigidly suspended from each support beam 140 by hangers 156 there are provided a pair of "A" piece side guides.

These take the form of elongate metal strips suspended face-to-face with a narrow vertical gap therebetween through which the "A" pieces are guided.

It is to be noted that in some applications asymmetrical adjustment of the "A" piece spacing may be required, in which case each side of the "A" piece guiding arrangement can be provided with independently rotatable adjustment shafts.

The support beams 140 and "A" piece guides 158 are both arranged to converge in the downstream direction above the wide belt conveyor 110, but run in parallel above the narrow belt conveyor 112, to form the insertion station. The upstream ends of the support beams 140 each carry a support bracket 160 in which are mounted a pair of upright grooved rollers 162, around which are trained the circular section endless resilient bands of a conventional "A" piece delivery apparatus, known in the art.

Sets of "A" pieces are delivered to the upstream ends of the side guides 158, in approximate longitudinal synchronisation, in the conventional manner. They are carried along the convergent sections of the side guides 158 upon the wide belt conveyor 110, which is driven continuously. They are transferred to the narrow belt conveyor 112, where they enter the insertion station and strike a transverse gate 164 (Fig. 1). In this manner they are accurately aligned in the longitudinal direction, with their foremost slots in registration with the gap formed between the guide strips 46 and the chain conveyors 20, for the reception of "B" pieces. Arrival of the "A" pieces at the gate 164 also halts the narrow belt conveyor 112 and moves a gate (not shown) into a "stop" position between the conveyor 112 and the wide belt conveyor 110.The "B" piece insertion cycle is then initiated, with the leading "B" piece being inserted in the "A" piece slots 70. The gate 164 is then raised by means of actuator 166 and the next set of "A" piece slots are indexed into position at the insertion station as described below.

The "A" piece indexing means comprises a reciprocable carriage 168 (Fig. 5) slidable in tracks 170. Mounted upon the forward end of carriage 168 is a shaft 172 capable of limited axial rotation. Shaft 172 carries a pair of arms 174 upon which is mounted a cross member 173. Cross member 173 mounts an "A" piece indexing bar 175 (Fig 1) having a downwardly depending slot engaging limb 176 which in a rest position is held raised clear of the "A" piece path.

Upon insertion of the first "B" piece into the leading "A" piece slots, arms 174 are rotated downwardly to engage the limb 176 into the next set of "A" piece slots, and the carriage 168 is slid forward to bring these slots into registration beneath the "B" piece insertion means. The arms 174 are then rotated upwards about the shaft 172, into their rest position (as shown in Fig. 1) and the carriage is slid backwards ready for engagement of the next "A" piece slots. Meanwhile the "B" piece insertion cycle commences again. The indexing and "B" piece insertion cycles are repeated until all slots in the "A" pieces have been filled The gate upstream of the narrow belt conveyor 112 can then be opened, the conveyor 112 started to move the completed division clear of the insertion station and the gate 164 closed, ready for the assembly of the next division.

Advantageously all stages of the division assembly cycle proceed under computer or microprocessor control, with correct operation and positioning of moving parts being governed by limit switches or other sensors, to ensure accurate and consistent operation of the apparatus. The above described embodiment is capable of producing divisions up to 0.5m x 0.5m in size, comprising up to 14 "A" pieces and 20 "B" pieces. It is capable of producing cell sizes of only 21 x 23mm. It is also capable of producing divisions only 40mm high, whereas machines of the prior art were limited to a minimum height of approximately 100mm since they had no way of keeping hold of "B" pieces of lesser height during their insertion into the "A" piece slots.

Claims (14)

1. A method for the assembly of divisions from first and second dividing sheets comprising providing a guide for said first dividing sheets from which they exit in a predetermined plane; supporting an array of said second dividing sheets transversely of the guide to align successive sets of slots therein with said exit plane, and feeding successive first dividing sheets through the guide to enter into the aligned slots.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each successive first dividing sheet is engaged by a transfer means which enters it into the guide, whereafter it is disengaged from the transfer means by a pusher, exiting it from the guide into the aligned slots.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the transfer means engages the trailing edge of each first dividing sheet at a first set of positions spaced transversely of the guide, and the pusher engages the sheet at a further set of such spaced positions.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the guide comprises a number of transversely spaced strips lying parallel to the plane of movement of the first dividing sheets, and between which portions of the transfer means and of the pusher pass in order to engage the sheets.

5. A method for the assembly of divisions from dividing sheets, substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the drawings.

6. Apparatus for the assembly of divisions from first and second dividing sheets, comprising: a guide for said first dividing sheets from which they exit in a predetermined plane; supports for an array of said second dividing sheets arranged transversely of the guide such that in use the array may be supported with successive sets of slots therein disposed in said exit plane, and means for feeding successive first dividing sheets through the guide to enter into the aligned slots.

7. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the means for feeding the first dividing sheets comprises a transfer means which in use successively engages each first dividing sheet and enters it into the guide, and a pusher which in use successively engages each first dividing sheet entered into the guide, disengages it from the transfer means and pushes it out of the guide and into the aligned slots.

8. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein in use the transfer means engages the trailing edge of each first dividing sheet at a first set of positions spaced transversely of the guide, and the pusher engages the sheet at a further set of such spaced positions.

9. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in claims 7 or 8 wherein the guide comprises a number of transversely spaced strips lying parallel to the plane of movement of the first dividing sheets, and between which portions of the transfer means and of the pusher pass in use in order to engage the sheets.

10. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7-9 wherein the second dividing sheets are held in a hopper for successive engagement by the transfer means.

11. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6-10, wherein the supports for the second dividing sheets comprise a set of transversely adjustably fixed guide channels disposed above a first belt conveyor for cooperation therewith in guiding and holding on edge dividing sheets carried by the conveyor, the upstream ends of said guide channels being more widely spaced transversely of each other than their downstream ends, the downstream ends projecting in parallel beyond the conveyor to form an assembly station at which the second dividing sheets are formed into said array.

12. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a further belt conveyor is provided beneath said downstream ends of the guide channels, a gate is provided adjacent to said downstream ends and is operative intermittently to arrest and longitudinally align the second dividing sheets to form successive said arrays, and a further gate is provided between the belt conveyors operative to arrest further dividing sheets carried by the first belt conveyor whilst a said array is at the assembly station.

13. Division assembly apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6-12, wherein indexing means are provided above the supports and operative to engage with a slot in each of the second dividing sheets, to index successive sets of aligned slots into the exit plane.

14. Apparatus for assembling divisions from dividing sheets substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.