US1733229A - Box wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1929. H. a. KLEINSMITH ET AL 1,733,229

BOX WRAPPING MACHINE Filed y 5 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet l ""Ti QiH 4 4 Oct. 29, 1929. H. B. KLElNSMlTH ET AL 1,733,229

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BOX WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 51. 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Oct{ 29, 1929- H. B. KLEINSMITH ET AL BOX 'WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 Patented Oct. 29, 1929" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQ HORACE B. KLEINSMITH, FRANK RODGERS NEELY, AND FRED 1V. DOLL, OF ALLEN- TOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO A, H. BALLIET CORPORATION, OF ALLEN- TOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA BOX-WRAPPING MACHINE Application filed May 31, 1927. Serial No. 195,535.

Our invention relates to mechanism for wrapping cigar boxes.

A purpose of our invention is to provide mechanism adapted to a more efficient, more easy and less expensive application of wraps to cigar boxes than has hitherto been possible.

A further purpose is to register the bottom of a cigar box with a design upon the outside of a glued box wrap while the wrap is on a belt conveyor to a wrapping machine and above a light beneath the conveyor. In order to avoid having the belt become gradually opaque to the light by reason of gradually accumulating glue from the glue machine we preferably isolate the section of conveyor above the light from the portion of the conveyor that receives the wrap from the glue machine.

A further purpose is to roll a glued wrap fastener to the bottom of a cigar box part way up one side of the box preparatory to placing the box upon the form of a wrapping machine for side wrapping and preferably while the wrap is still upon a belt conveyor to the wrapping machine.

A further purpose is to slit the turned-up ends of the long side portions of a wrap along the inside of the droplid ends by means of knives rigidly fastened to corner-lap plate holders, preferably slitting upwardly and simultaneously from the four corners before corner-lapping and before turning in the portions of the wrap projecting above the droplid ends.

A further purpose is to mount mechanism for slitting a wrap adjacent the droplid ends of a cigar box and mechanism for turning in the portion of a wrap in front of the drop lid end upon a corner-lap plate support.

A further purpose is to use a corner-lap plate and a cooperating spring to obtain sharp creases between the turned-in portions of the long sides above the droplid ends and he corner-laps thereof said creases extending upwardly and inwardly from the outer corners of the droplid ends.

A further purpose is to spring-press the tops of the side of a wrap along the top edges of the ends during corner-lapping.

A further purpose is to mount a side turnin member upon spring hinges adapting it to yield upwardly and spring-pressing it downwardly during the turn-in operation at the long sides.

A further purpose is to mount spring plungers at the ends of a side turn-in member, using the plungers to maintain the turnedup wrap pressed against the upwardly pro- "cc-ting droplid ends during the operation of cooperating end turn-in rolls over the droplid ends.

A further purpose is to make a roll turnin over the ends of a cigar box, preferably spring-pressing the roll downwardly upon individual hinges during turn in so as to a apt the roll to easy accommodation to variation in box form.

A further purpose is to roll down the turnin laps upon the inside of a box preferably making the rear roll operate to substantially the ends of the box, the end rolls operate from the front of the box to the rear roll and the front roll operate from one end roll to the other.

l/Ve spring-press the rolls outwardly so that they are pushed inward and resiliently press out-ward while they roll the turn-in laps down inside the box.

A further purpose is to expand the end portions of the turned down turn-in laps, that are above the sides of the box, outwardly against the ends of the box after the rolls have rolled downward, thus pressing the portions of the turn-in lap that cannot be reached by the rolls outwardly against the inside of the box. lVe support the outward pressure by external sresser blocks in order to avoid danger of rupturing the box.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

\Vhile our invention is well adapted to use with wrapping machines of widely variant type, we have elected to show it embodied upon a Stokes & Smith type of machine in that it is well adapted to this machine and makes unnecessary detailed description of many parts that are in themselves not part of our present invention. The embodiment shown is convenient and eflicient in operation and illustrates particularly well the principles involved.

Figures 1 and 2 are fragmentary top plan and front elevation views of conveyor mechanism embodying some portions of our invention.

Figure 3 is a broken perspective view of structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 and additional linkage for operating a roll shown also in the earlier figures and used for anton'iaticaily applying the wraps part way upon the backs of the boxes while still on the conveyor of the wrapping machine.

Figure at is a fragmentary side view illustrating the support of the roll shown in Fig ures 1 to 3.

Figure?) is a broken front elevation of a wrapping machine embodying our invention and showing a portion of the conveyor mechanism of Figures 1 and 2, the last section however of the conveyor being removed to disclose 1110Cl1t11l$l11 of the wrapping machine.

Figures 6 to 9 show the upper half of a split form that embodies important features of our invention, the views being respectively top plan, bottom plan and end and front elevations.

Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 show a modification of the structure illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 and are respectively top plan, bottom plan section on line 1212 of F igure 10 and front elevation of the modification.

Figure 141 is a perspective view of the bottom half of a split form used in cooperation with the structure shown in Figures 6 to 9 and with very slight modification with the structure shown in Figures 10 to 13.

Figures 15 and 16 are perspective views of slitting mechanism and mechanism for simultaneously corner-lapping and for effecting turn-in at the sides over the droplid ends. The figures illustrate important features of our invention.

Figure 17 is a broken detail showing a box upon, its form and operating mechanism, the position being that immediately following corner-lapping, the front roll, front brush and front corner-lap mechanism being removed to show the box.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the box, and operating mechanism. during turn-in, the box having moved down to its second position of rest leaving the upper form raised above the box.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevation of the structure of Figure 1.8 but taken after the upper form has moved down to lap down the inwardly projecting turn-in laps of the wrap into the box, the position being that of expanding the turned down laps against the droplid ends above the sides.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of one of the side turn-ins.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary end View illustrating the box passing between the front and rear brushes and rolls, while sweeping the wrap up the front and rear sides of the box.

Figure is fragmentary end elevation, part in section, showing a box and slitting, corner-lap, and droplid turn-in mechanisi'n, the position of the parts being the same as in Figure 1'4".

Figure 23 is an end section of mechanism shown in Figure 18, the position of parts being the same as in Figure 18.

Figure 24 is an end sectional view correspon ding to Figure 23, except that the upper form has moved down and is entering the box to lap down the turn-in laps of the wrap into the box.

Figure 25 is an end view in part section of Figure 19 showing the parts in the same position, which is that of pressing the four ends of the end turn-in laps against the inside of the droplid ends.

Figure 26 is a vertical section upon the line 26-26 of Figure 20 showing one of the side turn-ins.

Figure 27 is a perspective view of one of the end turn-ins.

Figure 28 is a vertical section taken upon the line 28-28 of Figure 27, but showing some structure omitted in Figure 27.

Figure 29 is a fragmentary perspective view of structure shown in Figure 19 illustrating mechanism applying the turned down turn-in laps to the droplid ends at and above the long sides.

Figures 30 to are broken perspective views illustrating successive phases of the wrap with respect to the box.

Figure 36 shows a top plan view of a convenient form of wrap before it has been ap plied to a box.

Figure 37 is a diagrammatic chart illustrating the preferred cycle of operations.

Figure 38 to are small scale views (partly diagrammatic) showing the box and principal operating parts at the principal positions of the cycle.

Figures 38, 39 and 40 show the preliminary roller pasting the back of a wrap part way up the rear side of the box before the box has been removed from the conveyer to be placed by hand upon the form of the wrapping machine, the views being respectively perspective and end and front elevations.

Figures 41, 42 and 43 are corresponding views showing the front and back rollers applying the long sides of the wrap to the box, the views being respectively perspective, sectional end elevation and rear elevation.

Figures 4: 1, 15 and 46 show the mechanism for slitting the side wraps at the droplid ends, lapping the ends and turning in the front and rear sides over the droplid ends, the views being respectively perspective and end and front elevations.

Figures 47, 48 and 49 show the operation of the lower rollers and brushes, the views being respectively perspective and end and front elevations.

Figures 50, 51 and 52 show the operation of the side and end turn-ins, the views being respectively a perspective view and front and end sectional elevations.

Figures 53, 54 and 55 are corresponding perspective, sectional end elevation and front elevation views and show the operation of the expandin mechanism and pressure blocks for applying the turn-in laps to the inside of the droplid ends at the sides.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all figures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawings General hag oat The general layout is shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5. Figures 1 to 3 show conveying mechanism which is normally operated by the mechanism feeding wraps to a glue machine, not shown, but that is preferably in turn controlled by or synchronized to the operation of the wrapping machine (Figure 5). The feed cylinder of a glue machine, for example, is suitably connected to make one rotation for each reciprocation of the box form on the wrapping machine, each of these latter reciprocations completing the wrapping cycle for one box. 7

Neither the glue machine nor its feed mechanism nor the operating control thereof from the wrapping machine is shown, not being in themselves part of the present invention which is directed to novel operations and mechanisms to be embodied partly in a conveyer and partly in a Wrapping machine at the delivery end of the conveyer. The illustrations of the conveyer and wrapping machine with which we show our invention embodied are intended as a conventional illustration for any conveyer and any wrapping machine to which our invention is adapted to be applied.

The conveyer and the registry and the rolling stations thereof The belt conveyer receives the wraps 71 from a suitable glue machine not shown and moves forward with intermittent steps that are of the same length and of a length that is predetermined and usuallyadjustable.

Each time that the box wrapping machine 72 completes its wrapping cycle a new wrap is delivered glue side up from the glue machine to the belt conveyer and the conveyer makes one of its forward movements advancing the wraps already on the conveyer toward the wrapping machine.

The successive wraps are thus spaced glue side up along the conveyer at uniform intervals between the glue and wrapping machines and come to rest successively at the same definite positions or stations between the two machines.

We register the bottom of the boxes to the glued surfaces of the successive wraps at one of these stations and at a later station roll the rearwardly projecting portions of the wraps part way up the backs of the boxes. For this purpose the belt must be relatively offset and desirably narrow.

Atthe registry station we support a transparent plate 73, preferably glass, beneath the belt of the conveyer and place a strong light 74 beneath the plate, the plate and light being both carried upon a frame structure 75, that is in turn carried by and preferably adjustable along side rails 76 of the conveyor.

The upper surface of the glass is even with the upper surface of the frame, the two surfaces presenting a firm horizontal support to the bottom of the belt conveyer so that the belt may present firmeven support to the successive wraps during the application of the boxes and the frame and glass should be high enough to insure a section of fiat belt over the whole surface of the glass.

The wraps preferably carry a heavy printed line 77 for registry aroundthe bottom edges of the boxes and as they successively come to rest glue side up over the glass, the lines 77 are made visible by the light and used by an operator who places the boxes so that the outer edges of the bottom register with the lines 77.

It is old to register a box upon a glued wrap while the wrap is lying upon a glass plate with a light beneath the plate, Hitherto however this has been done after the wrap hasbeen removed from its belt conveyer and we avoid a removal from the conveyer by passing the conveyer over the glass making the light sufficiently strong to shine through the material of the conveyer and making the conveyer of material that'will permit this. lVe have found that a strong light will satisfactorily shine through a conveyer of canvas or like material if the conveyer is reasonably free from glue, but that such material usually becomes gradually opaque to the light if it becomes coated with glue.

The conveyer shown comprises three sections connected to operate as a unit, connected by sprockets 7 8 and chains 79. The first section 80 receives the successive wraps from a glue machine not shown. In practice we have found that the belt 80 becomes gradually coated with glue by reason of glue dropping from wrap stripping mechanism at the glue machine and that this glue coating makes the conveyer become gradually opaque. It can be cleaned at intervals by wire brushes so as to be fully operative for registration over the light but we have found it more desirable to register upon a belt 81 which is free from glue.

This is accomplished by making the conveyer in sections, the belts of adjoining sections passing over horizontal parallel rolls 83 and 83 that keep the adjoining belts 80 and 81 from touching yet are sutl'iciently close to avoid danger of any of the wraps failing to pass from section to section.

The second belt 81 receives the wraps from the first and brings them successively to rest over the light and registry plate 73 where an operator places the boxes upon the glued surfaces of the successive wraps in registry with the illumined bottom edge lines 77.

Succeeding forward movements of the conveyers bring the box and wrap to rest on the third belt 81 (the narrowest belt) at a roll 8% :t'or rolling the rearwardly extending portion 85 of the wrap part way up the bottom of the box.

The light can be placed under the main belt, but with some sacrifices in clearness as indicated.

In order to support the wrap between belts we show a tape which runs with the series of bolts i. e. over all of them.

In the position upon belt 81 the box and r wrap are supported from material bodily movment under the rolling action by supporting members 86 and 86 respectively above and in front of the box at the rolling station. The purpose of this preliminary rolling is to prevent the back of the wrap from hanging down and possibly catching upon the top of the block of the wrapping machine, when the operator places the box upon the form for wrap ping as explained later.

The roll ea is carried by a combined guide and bearing 87 having bearing brackets 87 extending upwardly from a horizontal supporting member 87. The latter member is ad apted to slide up and down on the horizontally spaced vertical rods 88 each time a box and wrap are brought to position in front of the roll 84.

The bearing brackets 87 are pivoted at 89 to opposite ends or the supporting member 87 and are spring-pressed at 90 toward the box, to an extent limited by screw stops 91 on the member 87. These stops are used for setting the initial alinement or the roll. Until the box comes to rest the roll is lower than the bottom line of the wrap and box.

The guide rods 88 depend from a bracket 92 rigidly fastened to the side of the wrapping machine 79 and desirably extended laterally to support the adjacent end of the intermediate section of the conveyer.

The sup iorting member 87 is preferably linked to reciprocate under the action of a rocking member 93 of the wrapping machine, that sinmltaneously effects the rear corner lapping of a box in the wrapping machine.

In Figure 3 the rocking lever 98 of the wrapping machine reciprocates a rearwardly extending link 94 to reciprocate the cornerlap mechanism, and at the same time reciprocates the rearwardly extending link 95, rocker member 96, forwardly extending link 97 and bell crank 98 to reciprocate the roll supporting member 87.

The rocker members 98, 96 and 98 turn respectively in fixed bearings 99, 100 and 101, fastened to the wrapping machine.

The operating connection from the roll 8% to the rocker shaft operating the rear corner laps is particularly advantageous in that it places the operating linkage entirely out of the way of an operator in front 01 the wrapping machine and at the same time obtains proper synchronism between the reciproca tions of the roll 8% and the wrapping machine. The shaft portion of the rocker 93 is rocked by a T member 102 pivoted at 103 and having an operating connection with. a cam groove 10% around a drum 105 of the wrapping machine (Figure 5).

It will be noted that the belt 81 is narrow enough and so placed with respect to the rear line of the box as to permit the roll 8% to roll up the back of the box. Registering at a position earlier than that at which the rollingup takes places requires an extra operator but permits more rapid operation.

The members 86 and 86 that support the box from moving during the initial rolling are chamfered at 106 and 107 respectively to permit easy entrance of the successive boxes. The member 86 is carried upon suitable brackets 108.

Features of the invention shown on tiheet 1 (Figures 1 to 1) include mechanism for facilitating registration of the boxes upon the wraps while they are still on a belt conveyer from the glue machine, a construction protecting the conveyor from becoming gradually opaque at the registry station from glue from the glue machine by the use of a sectional conveyor, automatic mechanism for apalying the wraps part way up the backs of the oxes before they are to be transferred by operators to the wrapping machine and the operation 01 the roll, by which the wraps are applied, from the rocker lever which operates the corner-lap movement at the wrapping machine, preferably using the rocker furthest away from the operator in order to be least in the way of the operator.

lVmppa'ng machine The wrapping machine with which our invention is embodied is shown in Figure 5 which is a broken elevation partly in section and with many parts removed from the operators side of the machine. The eonveyer sec tion 81 of Figures 1, 2 and 3, at which the wrap is given a preliminary rolling up the back of the box, is not shown because it would extend across and partially hide the operating mechanism of the wrapping machine. The delivery station 109 of Figures 1 and 2 of the conveyer (not shown in Figure 5), is preferably in front of the vertically reciproeating box form of the wrapping machine.

In the wrapping machine a driving pulley 111 mounted upon a shaft 112 is driven continuously in any suitable way and has clutch connection at113 with a sleeve 114 surrounding the drive shaft and carrying a worm 115 in continuous mesh with the worm gear 116 shown upon the lower end of the cam shaft 117. i

All of the wrapping movements of the machine are operated through the medium of cams upon this cam shaft which also controls the feed of wraps to the glue machine as al ready explained, and reciprocates the roll 84 for fastening the wraps part way up the boxes before delivery from the conveyor. The machine shown is of well-known type and is adapted to operate upon paper boxes as well as upon cigar boxes.

A split form 110 is mounted with a lower portion 118 carried upon a plunger 119 and an upper portion 120 carried upon a plunger 121. Both of these plungers adapted to reciprocate vertically being guided in a suitable stationary guide portion 122 of the frame of the machine. The plunger 119 carrying the lower form is positioned. vertically by a cam groove 123 around a drum 124 upon the upper end of the cam shaft, by means of roller 125 upon a rocking lever 126 and link 127 between the lever 126 and the plunger. The lever 126 is pivoted at 128 in a suitable fixed bearing 129.

The plunger 121 carrying the upper form comprises vertical rods 130 which slide through perforations in a flange 131 at the lower end of the plunger 119, are suitably guided in the stationary frame structure and are connected together at the top by a head 132. A tension spring 133 between the head and an anchor 134 upon the lower plunger spring-presses the plungers to bring the upper forms together, so that vertical reciproca tion of the plunger carrying the lower form will effect a corresponding vertical reciprocation of the other plunger as long as this other plunger is free to move.

Vertical stripper rods 135 are adjustably mounted upon a lower yoke member 136 which is carried upon the lower ends of vertically slidable rods 137 guided at 133 and 139 to vertical movement only. The stripper rods have universal adjustment and are set to operate vertically in and out of suitable vertical perforations 140 in the upper and lower portions of the split form.

The rods 137 are connected at the top by an upper yoke 141 and vertically positioned by a cam 142 around the drum 124 in cooperation with roller 143, rocker lever 144 and link 145 between the lower yoke 136 and the rocker lever 144.

The head 132 connecting the rods 130 that support the upper form 120 carries a downwardly extending and vertically adjustable stop rod 146.

The lower end of this rod 146 engages the top of lever 144 at one portion of the downward movement of the plunger 119 carrying he lower form, thereby causing separation of the upper and lower forms against the action of the spring 133. The upper form thus moves in response to any movement of the lever 144 and therefore with the strippers 135 when the stop rod 146 and lever 144 are in engagement and at other times moves in response to the vertical movements of the lower form.

The box 147 having a wrap 71 fastened to its bottom and turned part way up the back of the box to prevent its catching upon the block 148 of the wrapping machine is applied to the form while the two portions are together, an operator pushing the box upwardly so that the form fits the inside of the box. After this has been done an operator starts the down ward movement of the form at a treadle 149 which permits clutch engagement at 113 starting rotation of the cam shaft 117 and the cycle of wrapping operations.

The block 148 being a well known standard part of the wrapping machine is shown in fragment only. When the form is in its upper and receiving position the block is sufficiently beneath the form to be out of the way when putting a box on the form. The block is resiiiently pressed upwardly toward its upper position by a spring 150 and presents an upper face registering with the bottom of the box during the successive wrapping operations, tightly pressing the wrap to the bottom of the box throughout these operations, moving down as the form moves down and subsequently rising as the form rises until the block again reaches its upper position where it comes against a suitable stop and ceases to follow the form upwardly the form contin' uing upwardly after the wrapping cycle has been completed to its receiving position.

In its downward travel with box and wrap in place the form brings'the bottom of the box sharply against the block 148 pushing the block downwardly ahead of it against the action of the spring 150, and carries the box between the front and rear brushes 151 and then between the front and rear rolls 152, which sweep and roll the front and rear projections of the wrap up the front and rear sides of the box. The form and box then come to rest, both portions of the box form being inside the box and filling the box.

hen the box has come to rest the cornerlap mechanism moves in from front and rear respectively lapping over the projecting ends of the turned up sides across the ends of the box, after which the form and box again travel downward between end brushes 153 and between end rollers 154 which sweep and roll up the'end portions of the wrap over the ends oi? the box (only one end brush and one end roll being shown in the illustration to come to rest again somewhat below the end rolls tor the turn-in operation.

Before the box form comes thus to rest preparatory to the tur.nin operation the upper portion of the form has separated from the lower portion by reason of engagement between the stop rod 146 and the top of the lever 1 1 1 so that when the boxes have come to rest the second time preparatory to turn-in the upper form is out oi? the way above the box.

'lurn-in members now move inwardly and a gain outwardly over the respective sides and ends to turn the upwardly projecting ends of the wraps in over the top of the box, the reciprocation of the turn-ins being effected by a rocker lever 155, linked at 156 to a sleeve member 1-57 having four radially extended arms 158, one upon each side 01 the box, each arm carrying a vertiral rod. 159 connected by a suitable link 160 to a bell crank 161 for reciprocating the turn-in mechanism (Figures 5, 18, 19, 2 1 and After the turn-in operation has been completed the upper form moves down into the box to turn the inwardly projecting ends of the wrap down into the box.

The box form carrying the wrapped box then moves up, the upper and lower terms being together and inside the box, until at one point of the lip-stroke the bottom of the box is engaged by the downwardly directed lower ends of the stripper rods. These rods are usually stationary during stripping, the forms moving up as a unit while the box is held back and pushed off by the stationary rods on to the felt covered block which has followed the forms up to its initial position and then stopped while the forms are still travelimz; upwardly. Normally the box is stripped from the forms alter the felt block has again reached its initial position with the bottom of the box at this position during); the stripping process. After the stripping is complete the strippers move up out of th way and a springejector flies over and knocks .xhe box away from the machine.

The procedure at the wrapping machine of Figure 5 is old, as thus far described, as applied to paper boxes. The wrappingmachine pm'tion of our invention is intended partieularly to apply to cigar box wrapping and is. directed to mechanism mounted. upon the corner-lap plate holders to effect turn-in and slitting! oi the droplid ends simulta neously with the corner-lapping. It is also directed to a novel form of turn-in members, to mechanism upon the upper form for effecting); the turn-down of the wrap into the box after the operation of the turn-ins, and also to cooperating mechanism upon the upper form and upon the presser block holders tor eli'ective turn-down at the droplid ends of the box. above the en ges of the front and rear sides. In the prior art presser members upon each side of the box move in against the box when the upper form has moved down into the box to turn the inwardly projecting ends of the wrap down into the box, their function being to press the sides inwardly upon the turned down wrap portions while the latter are held out by the upper form.

\Ve normally dispense with these pressers of the prior art, finding them usually unnecessary when wrapping cigar boxes, but find some moving portions of the old pressers aii'ord convenient mountings for novel constructions cooperating with new expanding mechanism of the upper form, as mentioned above and described later.

Zower form: (Figures 5, 14, 1'7, 18, 25, 2,4

and

The lower form 118 fits the inside of the box and against the bottom of the box and remains in place against the bottom of the box from the time that the box and wrap have beenput on the form by an operator until the box is removed by the strippers. lit is carried upon a spur 163 which is received in suitable recess in the plunger 119 being held to place in any suitable way as by a set screw 16%. This spur is usually of circular section. The spur is provided with av flange or plate 165 at its lower end by which it is fastened securely to the lower form, the .t'orm being usually wood. The form is perforated at 1 10 to pass the stripper rods and is suitably recessed at 166 to provide clearance for parts of the upper form.

The upper corners and edges of" the form are chamfered oil at 167 to e'tl'ect a more easy disengagement from the turned down port-ions of the wrap during stripping and to lessen any danger of the turned down portions oi. the wrap being displaced from the inside of the box during stripping tearing loose.

Upper form Modifications of the upper form are shown respectively in Figures 6 to 9 and Figures 10 to 13. It is perforated at 168 to pass the supporting spur 163 of the lower form and comprises a metal plate 16.), roller mechanism 170 and expansion mechanism 171.

The plate 169 is fastened by screws 172 to the lower end plate 173 of the plunger 121 and overlaps the tops of the long; sides of the box between the droplid ends. Lough tudinally it is suitably somewhat shorter than the distance between the droplid ends 174': of the box and carries the end expansion members 175 on its upper side that preferably hook over the ends of the plate at 176 ant. are spaced so that their outer edges before expansion lie somewhat baclr ot the droplid ends of the boxes.

The ends of the plate 169 and the hook portions 176 of the expansion members are normally sufficiently back from the droplid ends to be out of the way of slitting knives 225 (described later) that we mount upon the corner-lap plate holders. These knives move in between the droplip ends and the members 176 to upwardly slit the up-turned long side flaps at the droplid ends preparatory to corner lapping and turning-in the long side flaps at the droplid ends.

The four roller members, one for each side, are carried upon the lower side of the plate and are spring-pressed outward toward po sitions beyond the inside lines of the box, being forced back somewhat against the action of their respective springs whenever a box is put to place over the form. They assist in supporting the inside of the box during the turning up of the sides and ends of the wrap and subsequently serve to roll down the turn-in portions of the wrap into the box.

The rollers conveniently comprise sections of rubber tubing 177 over metal rods 178 that turn in suitably spaced bearings 179 springpressed outwardly to the desired positions.

In the construction shown in Figures 6 to 9 these bearings comprise inclined rocker members 180 pivotally supported at 181 upon metal corner members 182 fastened to the lower side of the plate 169. Each corner member gives bearing support for two of the rocker members and is perforated at 150 to pass the strippers.

There are thus two rocker members upon each side of the form, supporting the roll of that side, and extending diagonally upward from the pivots 181 to the roll and shown with diagonally inwardly extending arms 183 to tension springs 184 that are stretched between the inner ends of the arms and suitable cross bar anchors 185 above the plate, which is shown with perforations 186 to pass the springs.

The outward movement of the rockers is limited by suitable stops which may comprise suitable lugs upon the corner members 182 in position to engage the inwardly extending arms of the rocker members when the rolls are in their'desired outer positions.

Mounting the bearings of the rolls upon rocker members that extend diagonal ly downward beneath the plate 169 gives an upper form that is relatively thick in a downward direction beneath the plate 169.

This is not at all disadvantageous when the form is used with full depth cigar boxes. \"Vhen wrapping half depth boxes however it is desirable to have a shallower form and in this event we may extend the rocker members diagonally upward to pivot supports above the plate or as illustrated in Figures 10 to 13 mount the bearings upon horizontal plunger rods 188 operating in a suitably shallow guiding member 189 and spring-pressed outward at 190 to suitable screw stops 191. Most of the expansion mechanism above the plate 169 is not shown in Figures 10 to 13 which are intended to illustrate merely the plunger type of support for the rolls beneath the plate.

Normally the rocker type of roll support is preferable to the plunger type in that the rockers wear better than the plungers.

The distance between the outside surfaces of rolls upon opposite sides of the box is normally greater than the corresponding inside dimension of the box so that when the form is inserted in a box the rolls are deflected inwardly against the action of the respective springs.

The rolls at the back of the box are desirably provided with end sections 192 that extend outwardly to fit against the ends of the box. This is particularly desirable when a form of wrap is used that is cut away at an intermediate portion 193, Figure 36. This recessed wrap leaves an uncovered space on the back of the box for a hinge member and leaves relatively short turn-in sections 19 1 adjacent the ends.

In view of the shortness of these wrap sections to be turned down inside the box at the back it becomes increasingly important that the turning down operation should be such as to insure close contact bet-ween these portions and the inside surface of the box; otherwise they are likely to come loose. The turn down portion 195 of the Wrap at the front of the box is normally the full length of the box and it is of relatively lesser importance to obtain perfect contact between the inside front of the box and the wrap adjacent the respective front corners than at the short sections 194 at the back corners. As it is de sirable to roll to place the turned down portions 196 of the wrap on the ends of the box we prefer 'to make the end rolls extend forwardly at 197 to the front line of the box and for this reason the end sections 198 of the roll for the front of the box are shown shorter than "the corresponding sections 192 of the back roll and end sulliciently inward from the end lines of the box to pass the end rolls at 197.

The expanding mechanism 171 above the plate 169 functions with cooperating external mechanism to press the turned down wrap into the droplid corners of the box. These corners are inside the droplid ends 17 1 and above the front and rear sides of the box and the expanding mechanism about to be de scribed has greatly improved the finish and commercial appearance of the wrapped box.

Expansion members 175 adapted to relative expansion and contraction are mounted on the opposite ends of the plate 169. They are spring-retracted at 199 toward relative contract-ion, are turned down at 176 over the edge of the plate 169 to provide bearing engagement to the bottom of the droplid corners and are adapted to be relatively expanded by the operation of bell crank rockers 200.

The levers 200 are pivoted at 201 to the plate and have one arm pivotally connected at 202 to a cross similar link 203 that is connected at its ends by links 20 i and 205 to spaced portions of the expansion member. The other arm of the lever is provided with a forwardly projecting lug 206 near the middle of the front of the box. These levers are counterparts as best seen in Figure 6. The extension is ell'ected by engagement between a presser member 207 Figures 19, 23 and 25 and the lugs 206, the force of expansion being supported upon the outside of the box by felt covered blocks 20S operated by the same mechanism which operates the turnins, see Figures 5, 18 and 19.

The expansion members are suitably limited to rectilinear movements, each member being shown slotted toward opposite ends at 205) to pass guiding posts 210 mounted in the plate.

The mechanism for pushing the lugs 206 and for supporting the expansion force against the inside of the droplid ends at the opposite sides of the box is described later in greater detail. The rolls and expansion mechanism of the upper form are all new and very useful in making the wrapping more effective and of better appearance.

The rolls and expansion mechanism are shown in Figures 5, 15, 16 and 22. They are associated with corner-lap mechanism of the prior art, and comprises additions to the former corner-lap units. There are four of these units 211 one at each corner of the box for corner lapping and for slitting and turning in the long sides at the droplid end. The units are adj ustably mounted upon the corner-lap plate holder bars 212 of the prior art which operate respectively in front and back of the box, Figin'e 5.

The bars 212 are rigidly fastened to blocks 213 each of which ties together the inner ends of longitudinally slidable outwardly extending horizontal rods 21% and 215. These rods are connected to a common yoke near their outer ends, which in turn has suitable link connection 9-1 to rocker members 93 (Figr 3 i and 5), which are in turn linked to the rocker 102 operated by the cam 104. This mechanism for moving the mounts of the units 211 need not be shown in detail, being well-known mechanism of the type of machine illustrated.

These units 211 are adjustable to different positions along the bars 212 in order to accommodate the units to boxes of different In the prior art the corner-lap plates 216 are removably fastened at 217 to a hinge member 21.8 that is pivotally mounted upon a pintle post 220 on a bracket member 221 and is spring-pressed at 222 to a suitable stop upon the bracket to maintain the desired alinement for resilient corner-lapping. The bracket member 221 carries the unit and is preferably adjustable along the bar 212.

We make the pintle post 220 rigid with the bracket 221, extend it above the hinge memher, and rigidly fasten an arm 223 upon the extended portion 224- of the post and. in alinement with the box ends.

Upon the inside of the arm we mount a slitting knife 225 having an upwardly directed cutting edge alined to slit the upturned portions of the long sides adjacent the droplid ends when the units move inward preparatory to corner lapping. The point 22? of the knife is alined with the box corner between the droplid end and long side. On top of the arm we fasten a presser spring 228 shown held to place by a screw 229. This spring aiined with a box end and curves around the forward end of the arm 22?) extending back under the arm at 0. They serve as turn-in members for the portions f the turned up long sides that are at the droplid enc s.

The knife preferably extends sufficiently ahead of the rward edge 231 of the cornen lap plate and beyond the spring 228 to effect the slitting before corner lapping and spring turnin operators.

The corner-lap plate preferably upwardly overlaps the lower portion of the spring and he arm 223, which may, if desired, serve as the stop to limit the closing movement of the lap plate and to determine its initial alinement.

The units 211 at opposite ends of the bars 212 are opposite counterparts and, therefore, are not interchangeable upon the same bar although the units on one bar are interchangeable with the units on the other provided that the right-hand unit of one bar is made the left-hand unit of the other and vice versa.

The slitting operation takes place prefer ably before the corner-lapping, the points of the two knives striking the turned up long side laps at the inside corners of the droplid ends.

As soon as the slitting is complete, or optionally somewhat before this time, the corner-lap plates lap over the projecting ends of the wrap and the presser springs turn in the upwardly projecting portions of the wraps at the droplid ends down on to the droplid ends.

The turn-in of the short sections above the droplid ends and the corner-lapping at the ends is preferably simultaneous, the corner-lap plates desirably closing against the outer sides of the presser springs as well as engaging the faces of the box. As a result there is a sharp crease 232 made hetween the corner-lap ends and the, turn-in section abovet'he droplid ends. This crease is best seen in Figure 32 which shows a fragment ofbox and partially folded Wrap after the slitting, corner-lap and droplid end turn-in mechanism has moved in, the Enechanism itself not being shown in this gure;

, Structurally the new features added to the corner-lap mechanism of the prior art include the slitting knife, droplid end turnin spring and supporting arm all rigidly fastened to the bracket member 221, preferably fastened upon the extended end of the pintle 220 which is then rigidly fastened to the bracket.

The units move in to the corners of the box from front and rear while the box is temporarily at rest, slitting, turning in over the droplid ends and corner lapping on the way in. The lower form then carries the box down while the units 211 are still at their inward position, the lap plates 216 wipingup the laps of the wrap as the box 'moves down between the end brushes 153 T urn-ins.

With the box at rest and the upper form out of the way above the box, the side turnins move in and out at the sides and the end turn-ins in and out at the ends to turnin the upwardly projecting portions of the wrap over the sides and ends of the box.

In the prior art these turn-ins have been rigid plates mounted to move together in and out across the tops of the sides but'appreciably above the box edges so to carry the paper in as distinguished from pressing the paper down against the fiat edges.

We have found it advantageous to mount the turn-in plates upon spring hinges to be deflected upwardly slightly during the turnin operation and also find it more desirable to roll the paper in as at the ends, as compared with the wiping movement of the plate used for the long sides because of the limited height available there.

Our long side turn-ins are best seen in Figures 20, 23, 25 and 26. lVe hinge the turn-in plate upon a plate holder 234 using spring hinges 235 that normally press the turn-in plate to its seat 236 on the holder.

The holder fits upon a block 237 guided to rectilinear movement by horizontal supporting rods 238 and operated (Figure 5) from the cam groove239, roller 240, rocker 155, central sleeve 157, vertical'arm 159., link 160, rocker 161 and link- 241. It is desirably fastened to the block by a single screw 242.

The holder 234 is'an' integral member interlocking with its supporting block 237 and vertically recessed at each end at 236 to form flat seats for outwardly projecting portions 243 of the turn-in plate; The plate clears the intermediate portion 244 of the holder and is of length'to fit between the droplid ends of the box. I

We mount spring. plungers 245 at the ends of the plate. These plungers present faces 246" against the ends of the droplid ends during the turn-in operation of the plate 233, firmly'holding the turned up portions of the wrap to pl'aceagainst these ends until the turn-in operation is over, which preventsloosening of the wrap at these ends as the turn-in is withdrawn and insures"per' fect gluing contact at these small end'surfaces.

Guide rods 247 of the plungers' operate in casings 248 that may be integral with holder 284 or fastened to it as'a't 249K The plungers are spring-pressed forwardly" at 250 to present the forward faces 246 oft he plungers to the forward edge 251' of the turn-in plate except when pressed back during the turn-in.

The novel features upon the long side turnins include spring hingin-g the turn-in plate to its holder so that the plate is deflected upwardly against spring action during the turn-in operation, and mounting spring plungers at the ends of the plate to hold the wrap firmly to place over the droplid ends during the turn in operation.

The endturn-ins are best seen in Figures 27, 28, 18 and 19, and each comprises a roll 252 having end journals 253 support-ed in bearing members 254 that are pivoted at 255 to the opposite endsof aturn-in holder 256. The bearings are individually pressed to pin seats 25? of the holder by fiat springs'258 fastened to the holder, the roll 252be'ing deflected upwardly slightly during the turn-in, against the springs 258'.

The advantage of having the bearings thus relatively movable vertically lies in that they exactly accomn'iodate theroll' to the top of the box irrespective of any small variations of initial alinement between the tops of the boxes and the roll.

The spring plungers 245 at the'ends of the side turn-ins cooperate with the end turn-ins to hold the small portion of paper previously cut so that it will not be disturbed by the end turn-ins in order thus to secure exact folding on top of the droplid ends-and to'a-lesser extent cooperate-with the side turn' ins for perfect wrapping adjacent the slits at the droplid ends.

The end'tur'n-in holder fits upon-a-block 259 generally'similar to the blocks 237 3 of the long side turn-ins, carries horizontal supporting and guiding rods 260 and is operated from the central sleeve 157, vertical arm 159, link 160 rocker 261 and a lin; 262 to the block 259 (Figures 5, 18 and 19) similar to the rocker 161 and link 2 11 of the long side turnins.

Novel features in the end turn-ins include the use of a roll to effect turn-in, spring hinging the turn-in member to its holder, and making the opposite ends of the end turn-in members relatively vertically movable for accommodation to variant box alinements.

After the turn-in operations have been completed the turnin members move back out of the way and the upper form now in position above the box descends into the box to effect turning down the inwardly projecting ends of the wrap on to the inside surface of the box.

The rolls (Figures 7 to 9) mounted along the sides of the forms upon the bottom of the plate 169 normally project slightly beyond the inside lines of the box and are forced inwardly as the rolls enter the box resiliently pressing the inwardly projecting ends of the wrap against the inside surfaces of the box.

The expansion members 17 5 upon the top of the plate 169, shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9, are provided with slightly projecting end portions 176 as already described, adapted to be pushed outwardly into the droplid corners above the long sides by pressing the lugs 206 presented by the rocker members 200.

\Ve effect this expansion by engagement between the projecting end 263 of a presser or push member 207, (Figures 19, 23 and 25), and the lugs 206 of the rocker members 200.

As the ends of the expansion members engage the inner surfaces of the droplid ends felt covered supporting blocks 208 (Figures 18, 19, 53 and more in and engage the outside of the box at the respective droplid ends opposite to the engaging ends of the expansion members in order to support the pressure exerted by the expansion members upon the inside.

Both the push member 207 operating the expansion members and the supporting blocks 208 externally supporting the outward expansion pressure as well as all four turnins are operated by the vertical reciprocation of the central sleeve 157 throughthe operz tion of the rocking lever 155 and cam 239 (Figure The push member (Figures 23 and 25) is operated by the reciprocation of a vertical rod opposite one of the long sides of the box, this rod being one of the rods 159 rigidly supported by the arms 158 of the central sleeve 157, and operating as already described.

. l lm lnno' side turn-ins (Fi ures 20. Q?) and gether by the head 237 carrying the long side turn-in and having a knuckle connection 265 with the link 2 11 to the bell crank 161 (already described) rocked. by the vertical reciprocation of the central sleeve 157 (Figure 5 The push member 207 is mounted upon a vertical arm 266 that is supported between a pair of horizontally spaced and longitudinally slidable rods 267, of which only one is visible in the figures.

The inner ends of these rods rigidly e0n nect with a block 26 that presents on its outer side a cam lug 269 against a cam 270 upon the hub of the rocker member 161.

The rods 260 are spring-pressed at 271 to position away from the box to maintain engagement between the cooperating cam members 269 and 270.

During the turn-in operation the vertical rods 159 move upwardly from an intermediate position and then downwardly to a low position. During the upward movement the long side turn-ins 272 and short side turn-ins 273 move inwardly over the respective sides of the box to effect the turn-in, and during the downward movement of the rod 159 the turn-ins move back out of the way.

. t the beginning of this downward movement the upper form 120 then suspended above the box and above the turn-ins, moves down. on to the rolls of the end turn-ins, and moves quickly into the box under the action of gravity and of the spring 133 when these rolls move out from under, the inwardly projecting ends of the wrap being rolled downwardly against the inside surface of the box during this entry of the upper form into the box.

The end rolls resiliently press the end turnin flaps down upon the tops of the droplid ends while rolling inwardly. They roll in- \vardly somewhat beyond the inner edges of the droplid ends and springing downwardly when they pass the inner edges crease the wrap along the resp ctive inner edges. This creasing is preferably greatly accentu ated by the descent of the upper form, the end rolls on the bottom of the upper form at this time coming down and stopping against the turn-in rolls which are then pressed downward by the weight of the upper form as well as by their own downwardly pressed springs.

The downward movement of the rod 159 continues beyond that requisite to move the turn-ins back to their initial position and during this continued downward movement engagements between the cooperating cam surfaces 269 and 270 forces the block 268 inwardly toward the box, thereby moving the

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