US1297391A - Machine for box-making. - Google Patents

Description

L. I. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING. APPLICATION FILED JULY n, 1916.

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L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1916.

1,297,391. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

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L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H. 1916.

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L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'H. I916.

1,297,391. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

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LEON J. NELSON, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

MACHINE FOR BOX-MAKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed July 11, 1916. Serial No. 108,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON J. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Box-Making, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for ex pediting and facilitating the assembling of wooden boxes. It is the object of my invention to provid a simple and inexpensive mechanism for holding the parts of wooden boxes while the same are nailed together; to provide in such a machine means whereby band-iron reinforcing strips may be applied to the boxes simultaneously with the nailing thereof; to provide means for feeding the band-iron from reels thereof into proper position for nailing; to provide means for tightening the band-iron and holding the same preparatory to nailing; to provide means of adjustment whereby the machine may be quickly adapted for operation on different sizes of boxes; and to provide various other particular structures and combinations of parts which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a machine embodying my invention, portions of the table being broken away to show the underlying parts, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the machine, Fig. 1 is a partial plan and partial horizon tal section, showing in detail the structure of one of the end-clamps, Fig. 5 is a detail side view of a part of the band-iron feeding devices, Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the principal. movino elements of the machine, Fig. 7 is a detall view of the clamp mechanism showing the box-ends in position therein, Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the plane of the line 88 of Fig. 7, showing a box-end with one side-piece in place ready for nailing, Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the box in a more advanced stage of its assembling, and Fig. 10 is a detail vertical sectional view, showing an auxiliary roller device for reducing the friction of the band-iron when drawn around the corners of the box.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I provide a main frame having similar right and left side-portions which are connected bytransverse shafts so as to be adjustable in parallelism toward and away from each other. The left side-frame comprises vertical front and rear posts 11 and 12, an upper longitudinal beam 13 which connects the upper ends of the posts and extends out horizontally beyond the rear post 12, an intermediate longitudinal beam 1 1 which also extends out behind the post 12, and a lower longitudinal member 15 of which the ends are secured to the posts. The right side-frame comprises similar members which are designated by the same reference numerals, having prime indices added thereto. Said right and left side-frames are connected to each other transversely by four horizontal shafts 16, 17 18, and 19, which pass revolubly through openings in the upper and lower portions of the posts 11 and 12, being held in fixed transverse relation to said posts by collars 20secured on the ends of the shafts outside the posts, and sprocketwheels 21 secured thereon inside the posts. Said transverse shafts have screw-threaded portions which extend revolubly and slidably through openings in the posts 11 and 12 of the right side-frame, the threaded parts engaging internally-threaded flangeplates 22 which are secured on the outer sides of said posts concentrically with the transverse openings for the shafts. Through the shaft 16 and the collar 20 thereon'there is a radial opening, as shown, for the insertion of a rod or bar, by which said shaft may be turned, and when so turned the other shafts are similarly rotated through the medium of the sprocket-wheels 21 and an endless chain 23 which passes around and operativ'ely connects all of said wheels. By rotation of the transverse frame-shafts, as described, the right and left side-frames may be quickly and conveniently adjusted toward and away from each other, and'are rigidly held by said shafts in their adjusted parallel relations to each other.

The front ends of the upper frame- members 13 and 13 fit into rectangular recesses made in the inner sides of the front posts 11 and 11, and at the bottoms of said recesses there are supported the front ends of the track-bars 24: and 24. Said track-bars extend parallel with and in spaced relation to the lower edges of the respective members 13 and 13', and also extend in past the planes of the inner sides of said members. In the use of the machine the box-ends X are placed in vertical position with the lower edges thereof resting upon the track- bars 24 and 24, the front edges engaging the posts, and the outer sides engaging the inner sides of the members 13 and 13". The boxends are held in the described position by means of two sets of clamping devices, constructed as follows: On the front sides of the posts 11 and 11, near the upper ends thereof, are secured angular hinge-plates 25, best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7. To'the front ends of said hinge-plates clamp- blocks 26 and 26 are pivotally connected so as to be swingable in a horizontal plane between the positions shown by full and dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7. For each of said clamp-blocks there is a bolt 27 which extends through an opening in the block near the hinged end thereof and passes through a transverse opening in the adjacent portion of the respective post. Coil-springs 28 are disposed around said bolts within the outer parts of I the transverse openings in the posts, said springs engaging adjusting-nuts 29 on the adjacent ends of the bolts, as shown in Fig. 4. Said springs 28 hold the clamp-blocks normally at the positions shown by full lines in the several figures and at said positions the sides of the rearward portions of the blocks will engage the box-ends X and press them firmly against the adjacent inner sides of the frame- members 13 and 13, as shown in Fig. 7. For releasing the clampblocks, there are provided cords or flexible members 30 and 30 of which the ends are connected with the respective blocks, said cords extending across the front of the machine to pulleys 31 and 31 mounted re: spectively on the posts 11 and 11, and thence diagonally downward to connect with the front end of the foot-lever 32. The rearward end of the foot-lever 32 is secured to a pedestal-bearing 33 which is pivotally and slid'ably mounted on the frame-shaft 18, as shown. To the central portion of the footlever there is pivotally connected a bar 34 which extends upwardly therefrom and has the upper end thereof pivotally connected with an arm 35 secured on the central part of a horizontal shaft 36, the end-portions of said shaft being rotatably mounted in the intermediate frame- members 14 and 14. Near the frame-member 14 there is secured on said shaft 36 an arm 37,- similar to the arm 35, but. extending upwardly or substantially at right angles to said arm 35. Both of the arms 35 and 37 are secured to the shaft-by means of set-screws 38 so that the positions thereof may be adjusted as desired, and each has a plurality of openings therein so that the associated connecting-rods may be pivoted thereon at different radial distances from the center of the shaft 36. To the arm 37 there is connected the front end of a connecting-rod or bar 39 which extends rearwardly to an arm 40 secured on a trans- Verse shaft 41. Said shaft is supported rotatably in diagonal notches formed in the upper edges of the portions of the intermediate frame-members 14. and 14 which extend beyond the rear frame-posts 12 and 12'. Both the bar 39 and arm 40 have a plurality of transverse openings therein, as shown, so that they may be pivotally connected in various relations by means of the pivot-bolt 42. An arm 43 is secured adjustably on the portion of the shaft "41 intermediate the frame-members 14 and 14', by means of a set-screw 44 passing through the hub-portion of said arm. In said hub-poltion of the arm there is secured the end of a rod 45 which extends forwardly from the shaft and has a weight 46 securedadjustably thereon by means of a set-screw 47. Said weight tends to turn the shaft 41 so as to move the arms 40 and 43 forwardly, and said movement of the arm 40is communicated through the bar 39 to the arm 37and shaft 36, tending to turn said shaft 36 so as to raise the arm 35, bar 34 and foot-lever 32 upwardly. The foot-lever is thus held normally in the raised position, at which the springs 28 are permitted to move the clamp- blocks 26 and 26 so as to clamp laterally the box-ends X. To the upper end of the arm 43 there is pivotally connected a bar 48 which extends forwardly therefrom and at the front end fits pivotally upon a turn-buckle 49. Said turnbuckle forms the central rearward connecting-member between the sides of a sliding clamp-frame which is movable horizontally upon the track- bars 24 and 24, being adapted to engage the rearward edges ofthe boxends X to press the same forwardly against the posts 11 and 11'. Said sliding clampframe comprises two side- bars 50 and 50 which rest upon. the respective track-bars,

and threaded cross-rods 51 and 51, of which the outer ends are secured to the side-bars, while the inner portions are connected to each other adjustably by means of the turnbuckle 49 and a like turnbuckle 52, the former being between the rearward pair of the rods andthe latter joining the front pair of the rods 51, 51. When the foot-leveris depressed the shaft 41 is turned; seats to move the arm 43, the bar 48 and the sliding clamp-frame rearwardly, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that the box-ends are disengaged and released by said clampframe simultaneously with the releasing movement of the clamp- blocks 26 and 26, which is also caused by depression of the foot-lever. 7

On the end portions of the shaft 36, outside the frame- mcmbers 14, 14, there are revolubly mounted reels 53, 53', for coils or rolls of band-iron, said reels being held in position longitudinally of the shaft and the shaft held transversely of the frame by collars 5a, 54 secured to the shaft by setscrews, as shown. Each of the reels has on the outer peripheral portion thereof a series of radially and laterally extending bars 55 adapted to project forward adjacent to the outer sides of the front frame-posts 11 and 11 so as to be conveniently reached by the foot of the operator or workman standing in front of the machine. From the reels the band-iron strips B are extended forward and pass around flanged wheels 56 which are mounted revolubly in openings made through the lower portions of the front posts, as shown. From the wheels 56 the strips B are extended up through guides 57 secured on the posts in transverse alinement with the box-ends X held by the clamping devices. Means are provided for turning the reels, to feed or uncoil therefrom portions of the band-iron, at each downward movement of the foot-lever, as follows: On the lower longitudinal frame-members l5 and 15 there is slidably mounted a frame comprising side- bars 58 and 58 having fixedly secured thereto the ends of transversely extending threaded rods 59 and 59, of which the adjacent ends are adjustably connected to each other by turnbuckles 60 and 61, the structure of the frame thus being substantially the same as that of the sliding clamp-frame before described. A coil spring 62 has one end thereof connected with the front turnbuckle 61 and the other end connected with a loop or eye formed on the pedestal-bearing 33, and said spring normally holds the sliding frame against stops provided at the rearward ends of the trackmembers 15, 15'. To the rear turnbuckle 60 there are pivotally connected the front ends of bars 63, and the rear ends of said bars are similarly connected with the forked lower end of an arm 64 which is slidably and pivotally supported on the cross-shaft 17. The arm 64 is operatively connected with the footlever by means of a cord or flexible member 65 extending forwardly from the arm, over a small pulley 66, and thence downwardly to the foot-lever. The pulley 66 is carried on the lower end of a swinging arm 67 mounted pivotally and slidably on the cross-shaft 16. By the described connection, depression of the footlever causes a forward movement of the sliding frame. On the side- bars 58, 58 of said frame there are pivotally mounted pawls 68, 68', the ends of which are adapted to engage suitable ratchet-teeth 69 formed on the adjacent peripheral portions of the reels 53, 53, and thus actuate the reels at each forward movement of the sliding frame.

As a further means of controlling movement of the reels a brake device therefor is provided, as follows: On the rearward sides of the posts 11 and 11, slightly above the members 14 and 14', there are guide-pins 70 on which are slidably mounted horizontal transversely extending bars 71 and 71 pro vided at their outer ends with blocks or shoes 72 and 72' adapted to bear, respectively, upon the periphery of the outer plates or flanges of the reels 53 and 53. The bars 71 and 71 are connected to each other by a center-bar 73, the ends of which overlap and are slidably connected with the inner end portions of the brake-bars, as shown in Fig. 1. To the center-bar 7 3 there is secured a curved arm 74 which extends upwardly and forwardly therefrom and carries at its end a block or head 75 which may be engaged by the knee or leg of the operator to push the brake-bars rearwardly upon the guide-pins 70 and thus press the shoes 72 and 72 against the reels and retard movement thereof.

The upper ends of the posts 11, 11, 12 and 12 are recessed at their outer sides to form ledges on which are supported the inner edges of tables 76 and 76. Said tables extend out horizontally from the sides of the machine, and the outer ends thereof are supported by suitable legs 77, hinged thereto as shown in Fig. 3. On the rearward portions of the frame- members 13 and 13 there is carried a table or platform 78, as shown. The tables 76, 7 6' and 78 form convenient means for supporting the boxmaterials, so that the same are in easy reach of the workman or operator of the machine.

In the use of the machine, the workman stands or sits at the front of the same, and the foot-lever 32, the head 75 of the brake device, and the foot-bars 55 of the band-iron reels, are all operated, as required, by suitable movements of his legs and feet, leaving the hands free for the assembling and nailing of the box-materials. In commencing the making of a box, the workman first depresses the foot-lever to move the clamp devices to release position, and then, taking a box-end X in each hand, inserts the same in proper position at each side of the machine, after which he releases the foot-lever so that the two box-ends are clamped and held by the blocks 26 and 26 and the ends of the side- bars 50 and 50 of the sliding clampframe. The depression of the foot-lever feeds out or causes a certain amount of slack in the strips B, so that the ends thereof may be easily pulled up and turned over the upper edges of the box-ends near the front cornersthereof, after which said ends of the strips are nailed to the box-ends as shown in Fig. 7. The foot-lever is then again depressed to release the clamp devices and rotate the reels to feed out a further portion of the band-iron strips, and the box-ends with the strips attached thereto are turned over rearwardly to a position such as shown in Fig. 8, at which those edges of the boxends are uppermost which werc at the front in the first-described position thereof. The first side-piece Y of the box is then placed with the ends thereof resting upon the upper edges of the box-end beneath the strips 13, as shown in Fig. 8, after which the foot-bars 55 of the reels are pushed downwardly and move the reels so as to rewind thereon a portion of the strips B, thus taking up the slack therein and causing the upper portions thereof to be drawn tightly down across the ends of the side-piece Y. Nails are then driven through the strips 13 and the endportions of the side-piece Y into the boxends, thus securing together simultaneously said box-ends, side-piece and band-iron reinforcing-strips. After said nailing operation is completed the foot-lever is again depressed, the partially assembled box given another rearward quarter-turn, the same clamped in such position, the second sidepiece Y placed in position beneath the reinforcing strip, the latter drawn tght, and the parts nailed together as before. The operation of placing and securing the third sidepiece Y is essentially a repetition of the foregoing, and is represented in Fig. 9 just prior to the tightening down of the reinforcing-strip preparatory to nailing the same. After the nailing of the third side-piece, a sufficient length of the reinforcing-strips is drawn from the reels to reach across the fourth side or cover of the box, and the strips are then cut off above the upper guides 57 and the completed box removed from the machine. After the filling of the box and the placing of the cover thereon, the remaining unattached parts of the reinforcing strips are drawn across the ends of the cover and nailed down simultaneouslywith the nailing of the cover. To facilitate the turning of the box between the several nailing operations thereon, the central upper portions of the frame members 13 and 13' are cut away between the front and rear frame posts, as shown.

To facilitate the tightening of the reinforcing strips, and prevent damaging the corners of the box during the tightening operation, it is sometimes desirable to employ the auxiliary anti-friction device shown in Fig. 10, comprising a plate 79 adapted to fit upon a corner of the box, and having thereon lugs 80 between which a small roller 81 is revolubly mounted. In the use of said roller device, the same is placed on the corner of the box beneath the strip B before the same is tightened, and during the tightening operation the strip is'drawn over the roller instead of passingaround the sharp corner of the box. The roller device is removed from beneath the reinforcing-strip after the latter has been nailed at a point adjacent to the end of the upper part of the plate 79.

The operations required for adjusting. the

machine to accommodate different sizes of boxes will be obvious. By suitable variation of the connections between the ends of the bar 39 and arms 37 and 40, and between the bar 34 and arm 35 the travel of the sliding clamp-frame may be made great enough to compensate the difference between the width and height of any particular size of box. A further adjustment for boxes of different heights and widths is afiorded by placing the shaft 411 in different ones of the notches in the members 14 and 1 1.- For boxes of different lengths the width of the main frame is varied by the described rotation of the threaded cross-shafts 1G, 17, 18 and 19; the sliding clamp-frame is widened or narrowed by rotating the turnbuckles 19 and 52; the lower sliding frame is similarly varied in width by rotation of the turnbuckles 60 and 61; the arms 35- and 13 are secured on the shafts 36 and 41 at positions central between the sides of the main frame; the foot-lever bearing 33, the arm 64 and arm 67 are slid along the shafts 18, 17 and 16 to a like central position; and the set-collars 54 are changed to suitable positions on the shaft 36.

It may be here noted that the length of the band-iron strips fed off the reels may be varied to some extent by varying the rate at which the foot-lever is depressed, a rapid movement thereof causing greater rotation of the reels than a slow movement. The brake device for the reels may also be employed to check or stop movement thereof and prevent the feeding therefrom of too great a length of the reinforcing-strips at any one time.

It will be apparent that by the use of the machine, boxes may be assembled very rapid'ly and easily, as the workman constantly has the use of both hands for taking the box-parts from the tables 76, 76 and 78,

and for nailing the parts together after they I claim and desire to secure by Letters Paltent is:

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination; a frame having parallel sideportions and transversely extending connecting means ther'eloetween variable to move said side-portions toward and away from each other; box-end supporting and clamping devices carried on each of said frame side-portions; band-iron supporting, feedmg, gmding and tensioning means carried on each OfSZLlCl frame side-portions; means for actuating said clamping devices to release box-ends held thereby; and means connecting said actuating means and the bandiron feeding means so that the latter is actuated simultaneously with the release of the clamping means.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with two frame-portions each carrying box-end supporting and clamping means; and band-iron supporting, feeding, guiding and tensioning means; of transverse connecting members extending between said frame-portions and variable to retain the same fixedly in adj'usted parallel relation to each other, and a single controlling member movable to actuate the clamping means to release position and also actuate the band-iron feeding means.

8. In a machine of the class described, a main frame having normally fixed transversely adjustable side-portions; each sideportion having parts forming a support and abutment for the lower edge, the front edge and one side of a rectangular vertically-disposed box-end; said supports and albutments being adapted to sustain the box-ends in parallel transversely-alined relation to each other, a clamp-block connected pivotally with each side-portion of the frame and extending past the front abutment to engage and to press the respective box-end toward the side abutment therefor, a clampframe slidable longitudinally of the frame to engage the box-ends and to press them toward the front abutments therefor, means for moving said clamp-blocks and for moving said clamp-frame to engaging position, and a foot-lever connected with said clampblocks and clamp-frame and movable to actuate both to a release position.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with releasable clamping means for holding two box-ends in parallel transversely spaced and alined relation to each other, of revolubly mounted reels, coils of band-iron reinforcing-strips carried on said reels, means for guiding strips from the reels to points alined with the edges of boxends in the clamping means, and means for revolving said reels to wind parts of the band-iron strips thereon and place under tension the parts of said strips adjoining the edges of the box-ends.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with releasable clamping means for holding two box-ends in parallel transversely spaced and alined relation to each other, of revolubly mounted reels, coils of band-iron reinforcing-strips carried on said reels, means for guiding strips from the reels to points alined with the edges of boxends in the clamping means, feeding means for revolving the reels to feed strips there from, means for revolving the reels to rewind parts of the strips thereon and place under tension the parts of said strips adjoining the edges of the box-ends, and a single actuating member for moving the clamping means to release the box-ends and simultaneously moving the feeding means to unwind strips therefrom.

LEON J. NELSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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