GB337690A - Improvements in apparatus for filling cartons and other packages - Google Patents

Abstract

337,690. Hartmann, C. W. Jan. 22, 1930. Packeting granular materials in cartons.-In a machine for filling cartons with granular or like material, an endless conveyer band passes diametrically through the circular part of a series of carriers by which the cartons are removed from the conveyer, presented to filling devices and delivered back on to the same conveyer. Blanks to form the carton are fed from a stack 1 to a support 2, glue is applied by a roller 3, and the blank is engaged by a former 4 and folded into a carton in successive stages during the rotation of the turret 5. The end flaps of the carton may be as described in Specification 288,734, [CLass 18, Boxes &c.], having two narrow side flaps folded down on two end flaps, the flaps being united by a lining so that a substantially air-tight closure is obtained. The carton 16 is stripped from the former and arrives upon a conveyer 6 with the open end upwards, being fed to the left in Fig. 1 by prongs 15 which move forwards the distance between alternate prongs at each intermittent movement. Thus at each'movement two empty cartons are fed on to two of four supporting frames 30, Figs.. 1 and 7, mounted to rotate about a post 24 forked at 23 to accommodate the prongs 15. The post 24 rotates through a right angle, and by the action of a stationary cam 37 on rollers 35 on the frames 30, the cartons are raised to embrace the nozzles 25<a> of hoppers 25 associated with the frames. The hoppers are automatically filled from a main hopper 32 and discharge their contents when the cartons have been raised into engagement with the nozzles. Each hopper is formed as a cylindrical chamber 41, Fig. 8, inside a square section wall 42, so that four vertical air vents 40 are provided to allow the escape of the air when the material enters the carton. The verticalmovements of the frames 30 are utilized to operate devices for opening and closing the lower ends of the hoppers, and the upper ends are aligned with apertures in the cover plate 39 when the lower ends are closed. The cover plate may make an air-tight fit 44 with the hopper ring 29, a suction pipe being arranged to assist in the release of the air. During the filling operation, the prongs 15 advance and carry away two previously filled cartons, at the same time leaving two 'empty ones on the frames in the path of the conveyer. In a modified form, illustrated in Figs. 4 - - 6 (not shown), the frames 30 are moved through 60‹ at each rotation, and the prongs 15 move only a distance between two successive prongs so as to place an empty carton and remove a filled one at each movement, or may move a distance between three prongs to effect a double replacement. In another form, illustrated in Fig. 11 (not shown), two pairs of cartons are picked up at each pause of the frames, and are moved beneath two pairs of weighing machines, the conveyer moving a distance between five successive prongs at each step. After being filled, the cartons are led past gumming devices 19, and closing devices, to delivery bands 21, 22. A number of machines constructed according to the invention may be arranged to be operated by common driving and synchronizing mechanism.