US1985055A - Cleat supporting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1934.y H. PAxToN CLEAT SUPPORTING 4vMIEKHIANISM 'Filed June 1s, 1932 Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED sTATEs CLEAT SUPPORTING MECHANISM Hale Paxton, Redlands, Calif., assignor to Paxton Credit Corporation, Sanger, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 13, 1932, Serial No.- 816,934

s claims. (ci. 11o) v My invention relates to box lidding machines and is particularly useful in the nailing of lids onto crates.

Many crates which are used for shipping agricultural produce are provided with fabricated ends to which the lidof the crate is nailed after the crate is packed. These crate ends are not'as rigid as the solid ends commonly used in the making of boxes, and considerable diiliculty often results in nailing lids to such crates as the top cleats of such fabricated ends are not supported well enough to withstand the force required to nail on the lids.

It is an object of my invention to provide a mechanism for supporting fabricated crate ends while lids are being nailed on such crates by a lldding machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide a supporting mechanism which is actuated automatically by a lidding machine.

Further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a lidding machine having incorporated therewith a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion'of the machine shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the crate disposed therein being shown in section to more clearly disclose the parts thereof in relation to the parts of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the operation of the mechanism of my invention.

Referring particularly to the drawings, a lidd'ng machine 10, having associated therewith a' preferred embodiment of my invention, includes a frame 11, a crate supporting elevator 12, and a lid nailing mechanism 13. Y

The frame 11 includes a suitable base 1 6, vertical standards 17, transverse members 18, and forwardly extending brackets, 19 it being understood that only the right-hand portion of the machine 10 is shown in the drawings, and that the left side of the machine is identical with the right side.

The elevator l2 includes a hydraulic cylinder 25 which is adapted to raise vand lower a crate receiving platform 26. The platform 26 has rollers 27 mounted thereon upon which a crate 30` is adapted to be rolled. Automatic stops 31 are positioned at opposite ends of the platform 26 for the purpose of positioning the crate in longitudinal relation with the platform 26.

, The lid nailing mechanism 13 includes `a plurality of nail chucks35 which are secured to the brackets 19. Slidably received by each of the chucks 35 are nail drivers 36, the upper ends of which are securedz to bars 40. Opposite ends of 5 the bars 40 are secured to front and rear transverse bars 41 and 42, respectively. Suitably journaled in the side standards 17 is a shaft 45 having cranks 46 fixed upon opposite ends thereof. The shaft 45 is adapted to be given a. single revolution at the desire of the operator of the machine 10 by means of a motor and clutch (not shown). Slidable vertically within each of the standards 17 are cross-heads (not shown) which are adapted to be reciprocated vertically by pitmen 48, the lower ends of which are pivotally secured to the cranks 46 as shown. Opposite ends of the transverse bar 42 are secured to the upper ends of the cross-heads, and opposite ends of the bar 41 are braced by diagonal bars 49 which are pivotally'secured to the upper ends of the pitmen .48. The diagonal members 49 are centrally provided with pairs of apertured ears 50. the purpose of which will be made evident hereinafter.

When a packed crate has been received by the platform 26 and raised to its lid nailing position, as shown inFig; 1, one revolution of the shaft 45 'lowers and raises the bars 40, 41, 42, and 49 as a unit and the drivers 36 slide downwardly and upwardly within the chucks 35, thereby nailing a lid 55 t" the ends of the crate 36. I

Bolted to each of the brackets 19 are downwardly extending angle brackets 60, the central pair of these brackets having lid supporting fingers 61 mounted thereon. Secured to under faces of the brackets are lid presser and positioner bars 62 which are provided with pairs of depending ears 63. Swingably mounted between the pairs of ears 63 are links 65, the lower ends of these links receiving opposite ends of shafts 66. Stop pins 67 are provided on the inner' faces of the links 65 adjacent the lower ends thereof, and stop lugs 68 extend from the upper ends of thel links4 65, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Pivotally mounted on the shafts 66 are clea supporting members '70, one of which is clearly baches 'u are cieatanvus '15 and forks fzs. Piv- 55 -stantially vertical otally mounted on the Operation Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown therein the operation of the mechanism of my invention in connection with the nailing of the lid 55 onto the crate 30, it being noted that the crate has fabricated ends 95 which consist of top and bottom cleats 96 and 97 and side cleats 98, with relatively thin slats 99 nailed to the cleats 96 and 97. With the crate v30 and the lid 55 pressed firmly against the nail chucks 35, as shown in Fig. l, the shaft 45 is caused to rotate and the cranks 46 and pitmen 48 draw the nailing mechanism 13 downwardly. As the diagonal bars 49 move downwardly with the nailing mechanism the rods 85 which are connected to these diagonal bars allow the crate end supporting members and the links 65 to gravitate to the position in which these are shown in Fig. 3, it being noted that the links 65 are held in a subposition by contact of the lugs 68 with the under side of the usher bars 61. When the links 65 arein this position the cleat members 70 are positioned dire'ctly below the top cleats 96 of the crate 30. Further downward movement of' the rods 85 causes the members 70 to rotate about the shafts 66, and the anvils are brought into contact with the under side of the cleats 96, as shown in Fig. 3. Any further downward movement of the rods increases the compression of the springs 93 and the anvils 75 are brought into firm supporting relation with the cleats 96 at opposite ends of the crate.

When the springs 93 are compressed the force exerted by the anvils 75 against the cleats 96 is equal to or greater than the force required to nail on the lid 55. Thus, very little orv no strain 50' is exerted on the crate ends 95 during the, nailf ing operation. After the lid 55 is nailed to the crate 30, the nailing mechanism 13 returns to its uppermost position and the rods 85 lift the crate end supporting members 70 to the position shown in Fig. 2. While the members 70 are being lifted, rotation of these members about the shafts 66 is prevented by contact of the iingers 72 with the pins 67 on the links 65.

What I claim is:

1. In 'a lidding machine, the combination of: a frame; a table on said frame for supporting crates having built up ends, each of which ends has an upper cross-cleat; a superstructure on said frame over said table; vertically reciprocable nailing means on said superstructure; lid supporting means on said superstructure; means to cause relative vertical table and said superstructure to permit the nailing of said lid to said crate ends;` and cleat 4movement between said' supporting levers fulcrumed on opposite sides of said superstructure, the outer ends of said levers being connected to said reciprocable nailing means, and the inner ends thereof being adapted to swing upward into supporting relation with said cross-cleats as said nailing means moves downward. f

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said levers are yieldably urged into supporting relation with said cleats by said nailing means.

3. In a lidding machine for lidding crates having built-up ends with upper cross-cleats for receiving the nails for securing lids to said crates, the combination of: a frame; a mounted on said frame, said frame extending above said table; lid end engagingmeans and nail driving means mounted on said lframe and disposedl over said table, there being a horizontal path free of obstruction and disposed in alignment with the longitudinal axis of a crate properly positioned on said table for commencing a .lidding operation, said path being utilized for delivering packed crates successively onto said table for lidding these crates; means for causing relative vertical movement between said nailing table and said lid end engaging means, after a crate has been properly positioned on said table, to press the ends of the iid onto said crate end cleats; means for vertically reciprocating said nail driving means to nail said lid to said cleats; cleat supports disposed out of said path; and means for shifting said supports beneath said nailing table cleats to support the latter during the nailing of said lid to said cleats. Y

4. A combination` as in claim 3 in which said cleat support shifting means is automatically actuated during each lidding operation by said reciprocating means.

5. A combination as in claim 3 in which said lid end engaging means is rigidly mounted on said frame, said relative movement means elevates said .table to press said lid on said crate, and said cleat supports are mounted on said lid end engaging means over said table.

6. A combination as in claim 3 in which said cleat supports are pivotallymounted on said lid engaging means and swing inwardly and up- .wardly into cleat supporting positions.

ceiving the nails for securing said lid thereto, the Y combination of: a frame; a nailing table mounted on said frame; nailing means mounted on said rame over said table; cleat supports vpivotally mounted on said frame on horizontal axes adjacent said cleats and above' cleat supporting faces of said supports; and means for rotating said supports t'o swing said faces beneath and upward into supporting engagement with said cleats.

8. A combination as in claim 7 in which outward extending arms are provided on said cleat supports reciprocating means for, actuating said nailing means; and means yieldably connecting said reciprocating means tosaid arms so as to rotate said supports into cleat supporting positions during the operation of said nailing means.

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