US1675278A - Egg-case filler and method of making filler - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1928.

A. B. SEGUR EGG CASE FILLER AND METHOD OF MAKING FILLER Filed Feb. 4, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B @rm June 26, 1928. 1,675,278

A. B. SEGUR EGG CASE FILLER AND METHOD OF MAKING FILLER Filed Feb. 4, 1924 s .sneets-Shee'r. 2

W i w Il [Ill Al I ifiw 2 Patented June 26, 1928.

" UNITED STATES PATENT, oFneE.

ASA B. sneun, or OAK IARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO :rI'rn-rAoK FILLER COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EGG-CASE FILLER AND METHOD OF MAKING FILLER.

Apphca-tion filed February My invention relates to egg case fillers, an object of my present invention being to provide a new and improved filler.

One of the features of my invention is an improved filler construction in which the strips making up the filler are more positively'locked together when the tiller is open ready for use, and also more positively locked when the fill-er is collapsed .or folded up, so as to prevent fanning and separation thereof.

Another feature of my invention is an improved construction of the filler whereby the breakage of eggs is reduced, that is, -a flange construction which reduces the shock from sud-den stoppage of the box in ship ping.

Another feature of my invention is an im proved method of assembling the strips for the egg case filler where a positive looking arrangement is used.

I also show herein an improved machine for carrying out in one way my improved method of process for making tillers, which is direetedmore particularly to the provi sion of mechanism which separates or displaces the strips during assembly so as to permit the use of a positive loelrconstruction. Thismachin-e is the subject of a eopending application, Serial Number 690,404; filed Feb. 4:, 1924.

' For a better understanding of my inventiou, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the preferred form of egg case filer of my invention;

Fig, '2 is a detail view of the transverse strip;

Fig. 3 is a detail viewof the intermediate longitudinal strips, the outside longitudinal strips differing from this. in being flanged as indicated in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show various steps during the assembling operations of the filler;

Fig. 7 shows a portion of a filler in the egg crate detailing more particularly the new shock absorbing construction; v

Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 7, showinga portion of the longitudinal strip and the end of one of the transverse strips;

Fig. '9 is a view similar to Fig.7, but showing how the improved construction 4, 1924;. Serial No. 690,403.

takes up the shock from the sudden stop;

longitudinal strip cooperative with the modified form of assembly strip of Fig. 11 to provide a more positive double hook locking arrangement [for the outside or flanged strips;

tion of the filler making machine; I p

' Fig. 13 is a view of a portion of Fig. 10, showing an operationot the flipper arm during the assembling of the filler;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through a pory.-

Fig. 14- shows the operationotthe flipper for assisting in the ejection of the assembled filler; and a Fig.15 is a left fa-ce view of Fig. 10 with the punch andknife removed and portions broken away to more clearly illustratethe assembling mechanism.

Reterringnow more in detail first to the ease filler, as shown in Figs. 1 to 9, and

the method of making the same, .I- provide longitudinal and transverse strips A and B,,

as shown in Figs. 8 and 2, which strips are assembled to provide the usual cellular egg ease filler. In the most desirable form of my invention, as shown in Fig. 1, I provide outer flanged strips A and'A which are out.

for assembling the same as strips A, but have the added feature of the flange formed and assembled to cooperate with the transverse strips B to act as a shock absorber to reduce the breakage of the eggs.

Now the difficulty heretofore has been in assembling the strips when provided with such a positive locking construction.

To overcome this I displace or shlitt lat- In the preferred form of locking construction used I provide first of all slotted erally portions of the strips during assem- Y portions in thetwo strips, which allow dis- I placementof the strips and permit complete pressing together and lockingithereof. In the one set of strips, as for example, longitndinal strips A, I provide aligned slots 15 16, preferably simply wide enough to clear the thickness of the other strips, and

aligned component slots 1718 in the other.

strips, as the transverse or assembly strips B. The outer ends of the slots, as 15 and 177,

tions.

have angular openings at 19 and 20, respectively, so as to provide a more ready registration and assembling of the strips as they are pressed toward each other, as indicated in Fig. 4:. In order to lock the strips together a hook or nose portion 21 is provided, which is adapted to enter the slot 16 and hook under the hook-stopor edge 22 when the strips are pressed together, as shown in Fig. 6.

The slots 15 and 16 are provided with lateral extensions at their inside ends. This results in a great deal less tearing at the ends of the slots during the assembling op eration and seems to facilitate the operation of assembling.

It will be apparent that if it were attempted to simply push the two strips A and B together while retained in their fiat position,

as indicated in Fig. 4, the paper would simply crumple up or the hook 21 flatten or bend out of shape so that it would not enter slot 16 and lock. This might be avoided by providing plenty of clearance around all the hooks, as indicated at'18 of the central slot so that the wall section 23 between slots 15 and 16 would bend around the hook 21. But this would not provide a most effective lock or prevent fanning and separation of the strips.

Heretofore in the assembling of partitions or strips by automatic machine for the purpose of constructing fillers, the assembling to effect interlocking of the parts has depended upon the ability of one set of partitions to bend around a hook or look portion of the other partitions through a sufficient cutaway clearance to allow them to look when pressed together. However, in such prior constructions the interengaging slots and hook por tions of the strips or partitions have been such that suflicient clearance had to be allowed to permit assembling of the parts without destroying the interengaging hook por- Also the paper used varies with a variation in humidity, and varies in quality. Furthermore. the shape of the lock varied according to condition of the dies. The assembling of the fillers also differed with a difference in atmospheric conditions as by destroying the locking hooks or noses or interfering with the proper bending of the paper during the assembling. To overcome this difliculty to some extent, the slot and hook construct-ions heretofore used have been such and provided with such clearance that the partitions would not properly lock with the cell expanded for use, or would permit fanning and disengagement of the strips when collapsed.

To overcome these difficulties I have first of all provided slot constructions, preferably oppositely disposed and of such character that the slots on each strip grip the walls of the opposite strip in a vise-like manner when the filler is collapsed. This prevents the filler from being fanned out, that is the partitions pulled so as to give a diamond like appearance to the collapsed filler, and therefore practically prevents the filler from being pulled apart during the fanning. This might otherwise occur during the handling or opening of the filler when it is to he placed in the egg case.

As noted from assembly strip B in Fig. 2, the center slot 18' has the clearance around the hook 21 but the other slotsare preferably without the clearance so that the strips when assembled are sufficiently held by the straight slots and oppositely disposed hooks to prevent fanning and separation thereof. As previously stated, if it were attempted to push the two sets of partitions together while held flat or straight, as shown in Fi .4, the paper would crumple or the hook 21 %atten out or bend over, interfering with assembling of the strips and locking thereof.

In order to properly assemble the strips with such a positive locking and holding slot construction, this may be done by warping or displacing a portion of one strip (B) relative to the other so that the wall adjacent the locking hook of one strip (B) is moved to one side to permit the other strip (A) to be swung on a pivot from its upper end by the hook as it is descending and force its way over the hook into locking engagement by the rotary or pivotal movement of the suspend, ed strip A. The direction of this pivotal movement is indicatedby the arrows at bottom of strips A in Figs. 4 and 5.

loo

done shortly after the two strips are in mesh,

and in practice inconnection with the standard fillers the movement begins when the strips are overlapping approximately three eighths of an inch. The downward movement of B is of course continuing and the displaced portion of thestrip is moved to open the slot and sufficiently clear hook 21 to permit longitudinal strip A'to be pushed laterally by the down coming hook 21 until the hook is beneath the hook-stop, 22. The strip B then is free to spring back or be forced back into place and the parts are looked as indicated in Fig. 6. In the assembly operation I preferably block the sides of the longitudinal strips at the top so as to suspend them, you might'say, and permit a rotation or swinging movement with the pivot point at the top where blocked, and the bottom free to swing sufliciently to per- All tit]

mit the hook to freely pass the intermediate ments-38 in Fig. 4, and which will be more particularly pointed out in connection with the machine.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the hooks 21 in the slots 18 are oppositely disposed, thus assisting in preventing separation of the strips. With the hooks oppositely disposed I do not find it necessary to warp or move laterally all of thesectious intermediate the slots, but only some of them, and that by moving the sections'marked X an assembly may be readily accomplished. That is, counting from the left in 2, the first, third, sixth and eighth sections.

Tliereis another feature to my filler previously referred to, and that is the shock absorbing construction for reducing breakage. p r

'I-Ieretofore fillers have been constructed with flanged strips as A and A but the flanges were so constructed and held as to interfere with a most effective shock absorbing operation. In my improved construction, as more clearly illustrated in Figs- 7 to 9; the transverse strip B is cut away at 24 to clear the flange A, which flange is formed so as to bend beneath the flat or separator 25, as shown in Fig. 7. With the filler in the crate and loaded, as shown in Fig. 7, the crate is positioned for shipping, as in thefreightcar, with the flange of A in the direction of Should there be a sudden stoppage, naturally the tendency is to carry the loaded fillers toward the end wall of the crate. The

result is that theflange of A gradually takes up the shock of stopping.) bending from point 26 until the corner of the flane e abuts the stop 27. as shown in Fig. 9. This flange prevents the tips of the assembly strips B from coming into sudden contact with the walls of the box and crush ng them.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a moditied form of lock for use in preferably locking the outer or flanged strips A only. In using this lock, an L-shaped lock-stop is used instead ofa T, and a second hook as at 21 to engage a cooperating slotshown n B of Fig. 11. By the use of this double hook lock. it is more d -fiicultto separate the outer and more exposed flanged. strip A from the strips B.

movement.

,B asstated.

Incarrying out my improved method in the manufacture and assembling of the im proved filler, I'preferably employ a machine as shown'in a copen-ding application for'cell case machines, Serial Niimber 584,087; modifiedso as to make theproperperforation: in the strips and assemble them. V I

In Figs. 12 to 15 I have shown the modified portions of this machine. Generally stated the machine is arranged to cut and assemble strips from continuous rolls of strawboard. using one 1-011 which is slitted and flanged to provide the longitudlnal strips A,"and a second roll'to provide the d transverse or assembly strips In this machine the sheet is fed between slitting rollers to form'longitudinalEstrips A which are fed forwardly through intermittently operated feed rollers 27 passing between the we blades of the shears 28 which are operated to sever thez'fillers as they are completed. The 'slots 151'6 are cut in thestrips A by suitable punch mechanism and these strips as they are fed: along" are stopped momentarily. as each set of. slots 1516reaches a position beneath the assembly strip B, so as to permit the assembly strip to be forced down over strips A. 'The'strips B have their slots pierced by the punch 29asthe' sheet moves downwardly, [the transverse strips being severed by the cooperating knife blades 3031 constructed fro double plates so as to cut a clearance 24 at each end of the transverse strips to receive the flange. The stationary blade 31 extends across the machine and i's notched at. points 31 at eachstrip A, A A so asto set beneaththe tops of strips whereby the vassembly strip ispositively severed at a point ;not above the tops of the strips 'A. :An

auxiliary knife 31 has its-cutting edge set above the cutting edge of 31 to cooperate with the auxiliary blade 80 of the swingingknife to clear the corners'24: of strips As previously stated, I haveprovided a positive interlocking construction and in order to assemble the strips preferably transversely move or Wrap portions of the strips out of the plane of the sheet, and to this end have provided mechanism including a flipper device C adapted to engage portions of the transverse or assembly strip as it is descending over the longitudinal strips. This flipper C comprises a pivotally mounted shaft 32 having fingers '33, 3 1. 35 and 36 extending upwardly between or alongside the longitudinal strips A. Normally. when the assembly strip starts to-dcscend. these fingers are back in the position indicated inFig. 13.

As the transverse strip moves downwardly the flipper arms of C are movedforwardly by means of the link mechanism- 3.? con- 'nected to the end of the, flipper shaft 32, until these fingers engage and move the pertions X forwardly. These portions X are moved to sufficiently clear the books 21 to permit the longitudinal sections A to be swung clear of the hook 21 so that the hook can engage under the locking slot 22. This lateral movement of strips A is a pivotal one, swingingfrom the point of suspension at the top and to this end blocks 38 are placed alongside each longitudinal strip as indicated at only the center strip A of Fig. 15 and by the dotted lines in Fig. 12. These blocks 38 stop back of the blades of the shears 28, but in order to support the tops of the strips at a point closer to the line of assembly, I provide fingers as 39 which reach over the shears 28 as indicated in Fig. 12.

These fingers are not needed at every point but only as indicated in Fig.1?) by the dotted lines of 39. As the two sets of strips are being forced together, the slots in the assembly set are separated by the flipper fingers as stated and also this causes the slots in the other set to separate as already described, permittnig an easier assembly of the strips.

In actual practice, and in connection with the regular commercial fillers, I secure a suitable operation by having the flipper fingers start forward with the transverse strip down a quarter of an inch, stop when the strip is down three-eighths of an inch, staying there until the strip is down one and three-eighths of an inch, then starting back and crossing the assembly line as. the strip is down one and one-half of an inch. The strips are from two and one-fourth to two and fivesixteenths inches wide. The transverse or assembly strip, of course, continues its movement downwardly until fully assembled and after the hooks 21 snap into the locking slot the strainon the longitudinal strips is released, thereby permit-ting the portions X of the transverse strip. to move back into their normal plane. they having been held over by the longitudinal strips after having been once moved out of alignment by the flipper fingers. During the downward travel of the assembly, strip B, the portions inter mediate the moved portions X sometimes curl toward the front or back, but in order to keep them in vertical position I provide guides in the form ofv thin strips 40 and 41 secured to the front and back of the flipper shaft between which the ends enter as the strin moves downwardlv to full assembly.

The assembling having been completed, the cutter knives 30-31.cut off the transverse strip and thefiller is then moved forward the distance of one cell for the next assembling operation.

During this longitudinal feeding movement after the assembling, due to clogging of the parts or other reasons,the cell sometimes sticks and a free feeding by the rollers 27 is not effected. To assist this feeding and prevent sticking I cause a second operation of the flipper fingers, as indiqated in 14. That is, during the long tudinal feeding of the filler and before the feed of one section is completed, another operation of the flipper fingers is effected, as indicated.

. What I claim as-new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A cellular filler comprising interlocking longitudinal and transverse partition strips to form cells, the locks for said stripslbeing formed of separated transversely; aligned straight slots andan intermediatewallportion in one strip, and separated transversely aligned straight slots in the other strip hav-,

being positioned to engage the end of one i of the other straight slots to lock the strips,

when assembled, the said hook. containing slots. having a lateral. extension of the slot at .theend thereof. r

2. A cellular filler comprising interlocking longitudnal and transverse. partition strips to form the cells, the lock construction for said strips being formed of a transverse slot arrangement in the first strip substantially of the thickness of the otherstrip so, as to closely embrace it when assembled and a hook-stop, and a transverse parallel sided slot arrangementin said other strip. substantially of the thickness of the first strip so as to closely embrace it when assembled and with a lock hook disposed intermediate of said latter slot disposed to engage the hookstop. said latter slot continuing around the hook as of a width substantially of the thickness of the engaged strip, each of said lock 'hook strips including seven slots the outerones of which, have the hooks facing towards the end of the strip, the next two slots, from each end having facing hooks,

arated by flat spacer members, each filler comprising vertically walled cells formed by the interlocking of partitions extending transversely of the container from one side wall to the other and;other partitions extending longitudinally of the container and terminating short of both end walls. one' of the vertical partitions at eachend of the filler being bent upon itself to afford a flange extending below and clear of theflat spacer and resting upon the longitudinal clear of the two extensions of the next lower partitions and projecting beyond the tips of filler causing said extensions to flex the said 10 the latter to present a free edge towards the two partitions to gradually take up the shock adjacent end container wall, the transverse of sudden starting or stopping of travel of, partition to which each of the said flange the container. extensions is adjoined being transversely In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe flexible, each flat spacer member being free of my name this 12th day of January, 1924. interlock with the fillers spaced thereby and ASA B. SEGUR.

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