US1791104A

US1791104A - Means for filling and sealing cartons

Info

Publication number: US1791104A
Application number: US229823A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis R Muskat
Original assignee: TRIANGLE PACKAGING Co
Current assignee: TRIANGLE PACKAGING Co
Priority date: 1927-10-31
Filing date: 1927-10-31
Publication date: 1931-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1948-02-03

Description

5 SheetsqSheet 1 Inf L. R. MUSKAT IEANS FOR FILLING AND SEALING CARTONS Filed Oct. 31, 1927 u ,1 uw u @NAN s Mv uNN. u I MML wm NRJ Feb. 3, 1931.

Feb. 3, 1 931. L. R. MUsKAT MEANS FOR FILLING AND SEALING CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 31. 1927 Feb. 3, 1931.

Y. L, R. MUsKAT MEANS FOR FILLING AND SEALING GARTONS Filed Oct. 3l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet V3 ufen or Filed Oct. 31, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 (TP Tlelf.

v Il mmmylhfen 0T' 0m l? MMM Feb/3, 1931. L. R. MUSKAT MEANS FOR FILLING AND SALING CARTON$ Filed Oct. 3l. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 3, 1931vv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS R. MUSKAT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIANGLE PACKAGING COM- PANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINO 11C., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MEANS FOR FILLING AND SEALING CAR-TONS Application led October 31, 1927. Serial No. 229,823.

This invention relates to improvements in means for filling and sealing cartons and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means whereby eollapsed cartons may be set up, filled with the desired material and then sealed with speed and accuracy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for this purpose wherein operation is substantially continuous and wherein the freshly glued iaps of the botn toni ends of the set up cartons are held in proper superposed relation by the weight of the filling material after which the iaps of the open top ends are glued and folded into superposed relation, pressure thereafter being simultaneously imposed upon both ends of the filled carton until they set hard enough to remain sealed with no other agencies than the glue employed upon said iiaps.

These objects of the invention as well as others together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a View in side elevation of the preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention for filling and sealing cartons.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of the left hand end of the apparatus shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through that end of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of said Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through one end of the apparatus on an enlarged scale as taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail transverse vertical sectional detail views on an enlarged scale asrtaken on thelines 5*-5, 6--6, and 7 7 respectively of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a detail view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of a part of the apparatus at the right hand end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the apparatus as taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of that part of the apparatus by which glue is applied to one of the end flaps of the cartons and against which the operator engages said flaps to bring or fold them into superposed relation.

v Figs. 1l, l2 and 13 are det-ail views in perspective showing the various steps of applying glue to one end Hap, folding the same over upon two other folded over fiaps and then folding over the fourth flap respectively to close' the end of the carton.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the carton blanks in its collapsed condition.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the carton when expanded or opened into rectangular shape but before any of the flaps thereof have been turned in or glued.

The improved means is semi-automatic in its nature in that a part of the operations on the cartons are performed manually by the operators while other parts of the operations are performed by the apparatus. In general the invention contemplates the provision of cartons in their collapsed state ready for manipulation by the operator, the carton f being of the well known kind having a pair of side flaps and front and rear flaps at each end. The operator grasps one of these collapsed cartons and opens it into rectangular box form, at the same time folding inwardly the two side flaps and after applying glue to both sides of one of the remaining flaps,

this flap is engaged against a folder arm to bring it into superposed relation upon the folded over side flaps. Following this operation, the operator by a movement of the thumbs, folds the remaining or last flap inwardly into superposed engagement upon the glued flap and this closes one end of the carton. The closed end of the carton is placed face downward upon a moving belt which forms a part of the apparatus and this belt conveys it into a position beneath a weighing hopper to be filled, the carton being held against movement during the filling thereof. After being filled, the carton proceeds to the station of a second operator who picks up the filled carton and closes the flaps upon the previous open top end of the carton in the manner before mentioned. ln. this movement of the carton from the filler mechanism to the station of the second operator, the filling material imposes sufficient weight upon the closed bottom so that the glue sets sufficiently to permit handling by the second operator. closed the second operator places the carton in an upright position between the laps of.

coacting conveyor belts to be moved toward the discharge end of the apparatus.y These laps which move at the same speed and in the same direction are so spaced apart as to provide just enough pressure endwise on the filled and closed carton as to insure proper contact between the various flaps so vthat when the carton is discharged, the glue will have set to that degree permitting handling of the filled cartons without falling apart under the weight of the filler.

Referring now in detail to the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings: 1 indicates as a whole the elongated horizon# tally disposed frame of the apparatus which consists of a pair of front and rear, parallel angle bars 2 and 3 respectively, mounted upon the top ends of longitudinally spaced,

upright standards

4, 5 and 6 respectively. 1n this instance the vertical ianges of the angle bars face downwardly and the horizontal flanges thereof face forwardly and rearwardly respectively as best shown in lhg. 4.

On the frame thus described are mounted two conveyors 7 and 8 respectively, each in be referred to as the discharge conveyor,

the latter travelling at a slower rate than the former.

The conveyor belt 7 is trained about

pulleys

9 and 10 respectively, each fixed to transverse shafts 11 and 12 respectively at the feed end of the apparatus, said shafts eachbeing journalledin pairs of brackets 13 and 14 respectively depending from the angle bars 2 and 3. Associated wit-h the brackets 13-13 is a suitable mechanism arranged on the frame and including hand screws 15 by which the brackets 13-13 may be adjusted longitudinally of the frame to impart the desired tautness to this belt.

The conveyor 8 is also trained about

pulleys

16 and 17 respectively, the pulley 16 being arranged near the pulley 10 beforementhe discharge end of the frame.

After both ends of the carton arev tioned and the pulley 17 being arranged at Said pulleys 16 4and 17` are mounted on

transverse shafts

18 and 19 respectively, journalled in pairs of

brackets

20 and 21 respectively, depending from the under side ofthe angle bars 2 and 3 before mentioned. As before stated this conveyor belt is a substantially long one and its bottom lap passes over pulleys 22 and 22a arranged near the standard 5 and supported from the angle bars 2 and 3. Associated with these pulleys is a tension pulley 23 under which said bottom lap passes so that the desired tautness in said conveyor belt is maintained.

Near the discharge end of the apparatus on the rear side thereof is a gear reduction casing 24 which includes top, bottom and intermediate transversely extending

shafts

25, 26 and 27 respectively. The intermediate shaft 27 is journalled in brackets 28 depending from the angle bars 2 and 3 while the top and

bottom shafts

25 and 26 are ournalled in the gear casing which is supported from the frame in any suitable manner. The shaft 25 carries a sprocket 29 on that side of the casing adjacent the frame while the shaft 26 carries a pulley 3() on that side of the casing opposite the frame and on the shaft 27 near the rear angle bar 3 is a bevel pinion 31. The pulley 30 is driven by a belt 32 from a motor 33 arranged on the floor or support adjacent the standard 6 while a chain 34 operatively connects the sprocket 29 with another sprocket 35 on the pulley shaft 19.

36 indicates a longitudinally extending shaft located to the rear of the frame, said shaft being journalled in brackets 37 depending from the rear angle bar 3. On one end of said shaft is secured a bevel pinion 36a meshing with the bevel pinion 3l on the transverse shaft 27 while the other end of said shaft extends toward and beyondl the standard 4. A transverse shaft 38 arranged at a point between the pulley shaft 18 and the standard 5 is operatively driven (by means not shown) from the longitudinal shaft 36 and said shaft operatively drives the pulley shaft 14 through a speed increasing means 39 which includes suitable chains and sprockets as best indicated in Fig. 1. The arrangement for the conveyors above described is such that'the conveyor belt 7 is driven at a speed faster than that of the conveyor 8. Arranged in the plane of the top laps of the conveyors 7 and 8 to bridgethe gap or space between the

pulleys

10 and 16 are transverse rods 40 over which cartons may move in the transfer thereof from one conveyor to the other as will later appear.

Associated with the adjacent ends of the conveyors 7 and 8 respectively is a longitudinally extending carton guide indicated as a whole at 41 in Figs. 1 and 2. This guide com- `plane of the standard 4 and extend over the space with the rods 40 between the adjacent conveyor ends and a suitable distance beyond the same and their purpose is to guide the cartons in a definite path as they travel upon said conveyors.

45 indicates a longitudinally extending cani shaft arranged a suitable distance above and to the rear of the rear angle bar 3. This shaft is suitably journalled at its ends in

brackets

46 and 47 respectively fixed to said angle bar. Also journalled in said brackets in a plane above and forwardly of and para-L lel with the cam shaft is a rock shaft 48. The cam shaft is driven by suitable sprocket and chain arrangement 49 from the shaft 36 before mentioned and spaced longitudinally on 51 and said shaft 45 is a plurality of cams 5() 52 respectively.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the bracket 46 is provided with an upright extension 53 in which a vertically reciprocating rod 54 has a guided bearing. Secured to said rod is a collar 55 operatively connected by a link 56 to one end or arm of a rocking lever 57 which is pivoted to the extension 53 as at 58 in said figure. The other end or arm of the lever 57 is connected to the top end of a connecting rod 59 which carries a yoke 60 at its bottom end. In said yoke is an elongated slot 61 through which the cam shaft 45 extends to guide the yoke in its movement and below said slot isjournalled a roller 62 engageable by the cam 50.

On the top end of the reciprocating rod 54 is secured a horizontally disposed substantially V shaped member 55a, one leg 56'f1 of which overhangs and is arranged in a plane between the planes of the carton guide bars 42 and 43 respectively as best shown in Fig. 2. Depending from said leg are two vertically disposed rods 57a57a which carry a horizontally disposed flat bar-like presser foot 58a the purpose of which is to lightly hold a set up, open top ended carton down upon the conveyor 7. It is apparent that through 'the mechanism described a vertical reciprocation is imparted to said presser foot.

59a indicates a bell crank lever fixed to the rock shaft 48 in the vicinity of the plane of the cam 51. One arm 60a of said lever adjustably carries a roller 61a to be engaged by said caln 51 while the other arm 62a of said lever carries a brake shoe 62b adjustable in der the action of the cam 51 the brake shoe moves toward and away from the rear side of the cartons on the conveyor 7 between the carton guide bars and holds them against movement under the action of the conveyor. Associated with the cam 52 is a second bell. crank lever 63 having a short arm 64 carrying a'roller 65 to be engaged by the cam 52 and a long arm 66 having an extension 67 projecting toward the cartons on the conveyor 7. This lever is so positioned with respect to the discharge spout 68 of an automatic material weighing and discharging apparatus 69 indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, that in the swinging movement of said lever the extension will swing into the path of movement of the cartons to stop one under the spout 68 to be filled with material and so soon as said carton is filled, said extension is withdrawn to permit the filled carton to pass on or move with the conveyor after which said lever again swings to bring said extension into a position to stop the next carton under the spout for filling and so on.

Arranged above the discharge end of the lconveyor 8 is an associated conveyor 70 in the form of an endless belt. This conveyor is trained about rollers 71-72 mounted on transverse shafts 7 3 and 74 respectively. Said shafts are j ournalled in brackets 75-76 respectively, having a longitudinally adjustable connection with the ends of a pair of longitudinally extending angle bars 77 whereby the desired tautness of this conveyor' may be maintained. Said pair of angle bars are attached. to inverted U shaped yokes 78 each having an upright screw threaded post 7 9 extending through a suitable sleeve 8O in the top cross member 81 of an inverted U shaped standard 82 that straddles the conveyor 70, the upright legs 83-83 of said standards rising trom the angle bars 2 and 3 of the apparatus frame. On the top end of each post 79 is a hand wheel by which the conveyor 70 as a whole may be moved away from or toward the conveyor 8 whereby the spacing between the top lap of said conveyor 8 and the bottom lap of the conveyor 70 which move in the same direction, at the same speed may be adjusted to a nicety. Preferably the horizontal flanges of the angle bars 77-77 which face outwardly are notched out as best shown in Fig. 9 to have a guiding bearing engagement with the inner surfaces of the legs 88 of the standards 82.

The driving means for the conveyor 70 is best shown in Fig. 8 and is of the following construction. Swingably mounted on one end of the pulley shaft 19 of the conveyor 8 is an arm 84 which carries at its free end a stub shaft 85. On the rear end of this stub shaft is lfixed a gear 86 which meshes with a gear 87 on the pulley shaft 19. Adjacent the gear 86 is a sprocket Wheel 88. On the front end of said stub shaft is j ournalled the bottom end of a connecting rod 89 the top end of which is journalled on the pulley shaft 84 of the conveyor 70. n said pulley shaft is :fixed a sprocket 90 driven by a chain 91 from the sprocket 88. This arrangement is such that it drives the conveyor one to one with respect to the conveyor 8 irrespective of the vertical spacing or adjustment thereof between said conveyors. i

Associated with the apparatus thus far described 1 provide two glue or other adhesive feeding means indicated at 92 and 93 respectively as best shown in Fig. l and as said means do not form an essential feature of the present invention and as they are both alike they will only be described generally and like parts will bear similar reference numerals. Preferably one of said means is positioned at the extreme feed end of the apparatus and the other is positioned in advance of the conveyor 70, and both at the rear side of the frame 1.

Each glue feedingr means comprises a bracket 94 (see Fig. 4) secured to the angle bars 2 and 3 and an upright rear extension 95. Fixed tothe front face of this extension is a glue pot or container 96 and arranged transversely of said extension is ashaft 97. On the front end of said shaft is a roller 98 of substantially large diameter so arranged that its bottom portion runs in the glue in said box. O11 the rear end of this shaft is fixed a spur gear 99 `and a bevel p inion 100 respectively. On the top end of said extension 95 is a saddle 101 capable of a rocking tilting adjustment about a horizontal shaft 102 arranged at a right angle to and above the shaft 97. In this saddle is journalled a shaft 103 arranged parallel with and above the shaft 97 and on the front end of said shaft 103 is fixed a roller 104 having a peripheral engagement with the roller 98. On the rear end of this shaft is fixed a pinion 105 meshing with the gear 99. The extension 95 includes a rearwardly oset arm 106 in which is journalled a longitudinally extending stub shaft 107 and on one end thereof is a bevel pinion 108 meshing with the pinion 100 and on the other end thereof is a pulley 109 driven by a belt 110 from another pulley 111 on the shaft 36.

On one end of the glue box is adjustably mounted a blade 112 by which the amount of glue picked up by the roller 98 may be regulated. On the front face of the glue box is a cam shaped arm 113 which provides a guide for the introduction of one of the carton flaps between the glue rolls 98 and 104 respectively. Made integral with this arm is a horizontally disposed rod like extension 114 against which the glued carton flap is manually pressed to fold it over upon other flaps of the carton as will later appear.

The carton is best illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 respectively Where it is indicated as tremor a Whole by the numeral 115. .It comprises a tubular body composed of front and rear wall-

s

116 and 117 respectively and side walls 118-118 and each wall has a flap 116a-117a and 118e respectively at both ends. r1`he flaps 116e and 117e are each of an area approximating the plan area of thel carton While the iaps 118a approximate about one half of said area. rThe cartons in their collapsed form (as shown in Fig. 14) are placed in a posit-ion convenient for an operator whose station is approximately in front of the first glue applying means 92, the station of the second operator being in front of the glue applying means 93.

In carrying out the improved method, the first operator picks up a collapsed carton and opens it into tubular form by pressing upon the side edges thereof. During this opening up of the collapsed carton, the operator, with the index fingers of both hands, folds the side flaps 118a-118a at one end of the carton in toward each other and at the same time places the lower flaps 116a or 117e on the bottom side of the carton upon the guide 113 and moves it therealong so that said flap passes between the glue rolls 98 and 104 of the first glue applying means 92 so as to have a coating or film of glue applied to both sides thereof as best shown in Fig. 11.

After passing said flap between the glue rolls; the carton is manually moved over (or lengthwise) of the extension 114and at the same time an endwise movement of the carton toward the extension will cause said fiap to be folded over into engagement with the already folded over side flaps 118a-118a as best shown in Fig. 12. With the thumbs of the hands; the operator folds the other flap 116m or 117e over upon the glued flap as shown in Fig. 13 to complete the folding of the various iaps to close this end of the box. The operator then places the closed end of the carton down upon the conveyor and guides it in between the carton guides 41-42 with the liaps of the now open top end standing upright. This insertion of the carton between said guides is made of course when the presser foot 58EL is elevated or in its uppermost position. `Thereafter other cartons are operated upon in the same manner by the operator. After one carton has been inlso serted in the guide as described with the top end flaps standing upright as before mentioned, the presser foot moves down far enough to exert a gentle endwise pressure on the top edges of said flaps of the carton so that the glued flaps (on the bottom of the empty open top end of the carton) are gently urged against the conveyor 7 and will not open up under their natural tendency and thus cause separation between the freshly glued flaps.

The first carton then moves in the guide until it is arrested by the extension 67 as before described wherein the open end carton is positioned beneath the filling spout 68 of the Weighing apparatus 69 when said spout automatically discharges the desired amount of material into the open end of the carton. During this filling ol the carton. the next carton is also arrested by the brake shoe 62 at a position spaced from the carton being filled as best shown in Fig. 2 so that said carton being filled is in t'act isolated from and in no way is disturbed by succeeding cartons. l

After the first carton has been filled the extension or stop (i7 is retracted to release the filled carton which then travels with the conveyor until it engages upon the rods 40 bridging the space between the conveyors 7 and 8 respectively. after which the second or next carton moves into position beneath the spout to be filled therefrom. In the movement of the first filled carton, toward the gap bridging rods, the weight of the contained filling material is sufficient to hold the glued flaps until they set sufficiently to permit further hand operations to which they must be subjected.

When the open ended. filled carton passes the ends of the guides, the second operator grasps said carton and feeds the extended flaps to the second glue applying means 93 just as described in connection with the first means 92 so that both ends of the carton are closed and sealed. The second operator then places the carton in an upright position back upon the conveyor S which carries it under the conveyor 70 so that the flaps are held closed with a Igentle pressure to permit setting of the glued flaps. The speed of the conveyors S and 70 together With the length thereof is such as to permit a good setting of the glued flaps so that When said filled and scaled cartons are discharged by said oonveyors they will amply withstand such further handling thereof as is necessary without coming apart. Other cartons are operated upon in the same manner so that While the method is substantially continuous it is semi-automatic and a great number of cartons may be operated upon in but a minimum of time. Y

Vhile in describing my invention, I have referred in detail to the form and arrangement of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered as by Way of illustration only so that I do not Wish to be limited th-ereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein a movable support, means adjacent one end thereof for applying glue to the flaps at one end of the carton so that they may be folded into superposed relation to close said end of the carton, means acting upon the flaps on the open end of the carton for gently urging it down upon said support, means for lling the carton through its open end While on said moving support, a second means for applying glue to the fiaps at the open end of the lle carton so that said fiaps may be folded to close said end, and means associated With the other end of said moving support for applying pressure to both ends of th'e carton While on said support to set the glued and folded fiaps thereof.

Q. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein a movable support, means adjacent one end thereof for applying glue to the flaps at one end of the carton so that they may be folded into superposed relation to close said end of the carton, means acting upon the flaps on the open top end of the carton for gently urging the carton down upon said support, means for filling the carton through its open end While on said moving support, a second means for applying glue to the fiaps at the open end of the filled carton so that said'flaps may be folded to close said end, and a movable endless belt associated with the other end of the movable support for applying pressure to both ends of the carton While on said support to set the glued and folded flaps thereof.

3. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein a movable support, means adjacent one end thereof for applying glue to the fiaps at one end of the carton so that they may be folded into superposed relation to close said end of the carton, means acting upon the edges of the fiaps on the open end of the carton for gently urging the carton down upon said support, means for filling the carton through its open end While on said moving support, a second means for applying glue to the flaps at the open end of the filled carton so that said fiaps may be folded to close said end, a movable endless belt associated With the other end of the movable support for applying pressure to both ends of the carton While on said support to set the glued fiaps of the carton ends and means for adjusting the distance between said conveyor and belt.

4. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein a movable support, means adjacent one end thereof for applying glue to the flaps at one end of the carton so that they may be folded into superposed relation to close said end of the carton, means acting upon the edges of the fiaps on the open end of said carton for gently urging the carton down upon said support, means for filling the carton through the open end thereof, means for automatically stopping said carton While on said support under said filling means, a second means for applying glue to the {iaps at the open end of the filled carton so that said flaps may be folded to close said end and means associated with the other end of said moving support for applying pressure to both ends of the. carton While on said support to set the glued and folded flaps thereof.

5. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein a plurality of endless conveyors arranged end to end and with one running faster than the other, means adjacent the faster conveyor for applying glue to the fiaps at one end of the carton so that they may be folded into superposed relation -to close said end of the carton, means engaging thel flaps on the open end of the carton for urging the same down gently upon said support, means also assocated With said `faster conveyor for filling the carton, means for arresting said carton While on said conveyor under said filling means and then re leasing the same when filled, means bridging the space between the adjacent ends of the conveyors, a second means for gluing the fiaps at the open end of the filled carton so that they may be folded over into superposed relation and means also associated with said second conveyor for applying pressure to both ends of the carton While on said second 'conveyorfor setting the glued and folded flaps thereof.

6. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination With a movable support, means by Which glue may be applied to the fiaps at one end of a carton, means associated With said support for filling a carton through the open end thereof, means for guiding said carton While on said conveyor y into a position beneath said filling means,

means associated with one end of said carton guiding means and acting upon the upright flaps on the open end of the carton for gently urging it down upon said support before said carton reaches said filling means, and means for arrestin said carton under said filling means, and or releasing it after it is filled.

7 In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination With a movable supportL means by which glue may be applied to the flaps 'at one end of a carton, means associated With said Support for filling a carton through the open end thereof, means for guiding said carton While on said conveyor into a position beneathsaid filling means,

means associated with' one end of said carton guiding means and actin upon the up*- right fiaps on the open end o the carton for gently urging it doWn upon said support before said carton reaches said filling means, means for arresting said carton under said filling means and for releasing it after it is filled and means for arresting a second carton in said guiding means at a point spaced from the one being lled.

8. In an apparatus of the'kind described, the combination with a movable support, means by which glue may be applied to the flaps at one end of a carton, means associated with said conveyor for filling a carton through the open end thereof, means for guiding said carton While on said conveyor into a position beneath said filling means, a vertically reciprocating member for engaging the open top end of said carton before it reaches said filling means to press the closed end against said support, and means for arresting the carton under said filling means and for releasing it after it is filled.

9. In an apparatus of the kind described, a frame, a movable conveyor thereon, a carton guide disposed above the conveyor, a shaft arranged parallel With said conveyor, means adapted to be moved into the path of said carton to stop it at a predetermined point, means vertically reciprocating toward and away from said conveyor at one end of said guide to engage the carton from above to hold it against the conveyor and means operated from the shaft for actuating said carton stopping means and said vertically reciprocating means in timed relation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of October, 1927.

LOUIS R. MUSKAT.