US2136533A - Machine for forming ribbed strips - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1938. R. E. WOODBURN MACHINE FOR FORMING RIBBED STRIPS Filed Dec. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR RALPH E. WOODIBURN W/AZLW WM ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1938. R. E. WOODBURN 2,136,533

MACHINE FOR FORMING RIBBED STRIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1937 'FIG.4.'

INVENTOR Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFMJE MACHINE. FOR FORMING RIBBED STRIPS Application December 27, 1937, Serial No. 181,914

6 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of trays or spacers for use in packages and cartons for dividing the space therein into a multiplicity of separate compartments. More specifically, the invention relates to the manufacture of such trays to be placed in boxes for soft gelatin capsules so as to hold the latter from contact with each other. However, the same mechanism may be employed. for manufacturing other trays designed for different purposes.

In the present state of the art, capsule trays have been formed from strips of paper or other thin sheet material which are folded to form. a series of spaced transversely and upwardly extending ribs. These ribs are then slitted or notched to receive slitted or notched longitudinally extending strips which when engaged therewith divide the tray into a series of cells. It is the object of the present invention to obtain a mechanism which will rapidly and accurately form the ribbed strip and will also slit or notch the same to be ready for engagement with the longitudinally extending strips. To this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the trays forming the product of the machine, showing certain of the longitudinal strips in place and one strip detached;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mold in which the strips are fashioned;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine for forming the strips;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 5 is a cross section thereof;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a slightly modified construction.

Trays which are formed of paper or other 40 substantially non-extensible material must be fashioned Without any drawing or stretching action. Where, however, a series of ribs are to be formed on a continuous strip, the simultaneous fashioning of the same with dies is impossible. This is for the reason that the length of the flat strip from which the tray is formed must be equal to the length of the completed tray plus twice the height of all of the ribs. A single cell including a pair of ribs can be readily formed by pressing the sheet into a mold, but a plurality of cells cannot be simultaneously formed in this manner without rupturing of the material. With my invention this difiiculty is overcome by the successive formation of the cells and ribs starting. at one. end of the blank and progressing toerably formed of sheet metal or other thin strip I material inserted in grooves in the bottom portion B and opposite side portions C. These strips are also notched at E to provide clearance for severing blades, as hereinafter described. F is a bed or table on which the mold tray A is placed, and G is a frame extending up from this table and supporting the forming dies. These forming dies H are vertically slidably mounted in the frame G to be in alignment with the cells between the strips D of the mold tray A. Normally the dies H are sufliciently raised above the table F to permit of the insertion of the mold tray with the paper strip resting thereon. The dies are then successively depressed starting from one end of the strip, and each operation will draw the paper longitudinally to provide the necessary length for both the bottom and the side ribs of the cell. After the first cell is formed, the material for the succeeding cells will be drawn toward the first and the length of the blank is sumcient for the entire series.

After the depression of the last plunger die and while all are still in engagement with the mold tray A, the folded ribs are slitted in alignment'with the slots E in the strips D. This is accomplished by slitting blades I which are normally located in slots H in the dies H aligned with the slots E in the strips D. Thus, while the paper is still held by engagement of the dies H with the trays A, the blades I are moved through the slots E thereby slitting the paper ribs.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for the successive operations of the dies H and the slitting blades I. As shown, the dies H are vertically slidably mounted between longitudinally extending frame bars J on opposite sides thereof and guides K at opposite ends of the series, the adjacent dies being in contact with each other. Beneath the opposite frame bars J are cam members L mounted on a sliding member L, said cam members embracing downwardly projecting portions of the dies H. The cam members are provided with longitudinally extending slots L which receive lugs or pins M projecting from each of the dies I-I, thereby holding the dies in raised position in the normal position of the slide L'.

At one end of the slot L is an obliquely inclined extension slot L which in turn connects with the horizontally extending extension slot L The arrangement is such that when the slide L is moved forward from its normal position the pins M will be successively forced downward through the obliquely inclined slots L which movement will carry downward the die member H pressing the same into the cell between the transverse strips D of the mold A. The slot L will then receive the pins to hold each die in its lowered position until the entire series is depressed. A reverse movement of the slide L will then successively raise the dies until the whole series clears the mold tray A. The slide may be moved by any actuating means, such as a lever N at one end of the frame and a pair of links 0 connecting said lever with the slide.

The slitting blades 1, as shown, are mounted in a vertically slidable frame P which latter is of inverted U-shape embracing the end guides K between the frame members J. The blades I are secured at their opposite ends to the downwardly extending portions P of this frame and are located in the slots H in the dies H. The slots H are of sufiicient length to permit the depression of the dies I-I without interference with the blades I. However, after all of the dies have been depressed, the frame P is moved downward by suitable means, such as a lever Q. This will move all of the blades I into the slots E in the cross strips D, thereby slitting the paper folded over these strips. If desired, this slitting may be effected by a different movement of the blades, such as shown in the modified construction, Figure 6. In this the blades I are moved longitudinally of the series or transversely of the folded paper rib preferably by cranks U located at the opposite ends thereof; one of which is actuated by a lever V. The blades I have a series of inclined sharpened edges I which when the cranks U are rotated through substantially will swing downward and longitudinally so as to cut through the slots in the cross strips D and the folded paper ribs thereon. It will be understood that these blades are normally raised so as to clear the space for insertion of the paper blank.

With the construction as described, the complete operation is as follows. The mold A has a paper blank R placed thereon between the side ribs C and resting upon the cross strips D. It is then placed on the table and positioned to be in registration with the dies. The lever N is next operated to successively depress the dies, as previously explained, thereby successively forming the cells and ribs in the paper blank. Finally, the lever Q is depressed forcing the blades I into the slots E of the strip D and slitting the ribs folded upon said strips. Suitable means such as springs S and T will respectively return the slide L and frame P to normal position, after which the mold may be removed and the formed paper strip S having the folded ribs S detached therefrom. To complete the tray notched strips S are engaged with the aligned slits S in the folded ribs S this being preferably done before detachment from the mold. The slits S extend substantially onehalf the depth of the folded ribs and the notches or slits S in the strips S are of a length to embrace the unslitted portions of the ribs. Thus, the ribs may be quickly placed in position and will form a cellular tray.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a mold having a series of spaced cross bars, a series of plunger dies respectively registering with the spaces between cross bars and normally separated therefrom for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, said plunger dies and cross bars having registering slots therein extending longitudinally of the series, means for successively actuating said plunger dies to press portions of the blank successively into the spaces between cross bars thereby drawing the blank longitudinally and folding portions thereof over said cross bars, and means for moving a severing blade through the registering slots in said plunger dies and cross bars to slit the folded portions of the blank.

2. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, a mold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, a frame extending above said table, a series of plunger dies vertically slidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spaces between said cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, said cross bars and plungers having registering slots therein extending longitudinally of the series, a cutter blade normally located in the slots in said plunger dies above said mold, means for successively depressing said plungers to press portions of the blank successively into the spaces between cross bars thereby drawing the blank longitudinally and folding portions of the same over said bars, and means for subsequently moving said cutter blade into the slots in said cross bar to slit the folded portions of said blank.

3. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, a mold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, a frame extending above said table, a series of plunger dies vertically slidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spaces between cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, and a cam mounted on said frame to be movable thereon longitudinally of the series of plungers and having engagement with the latter to successively press the same into the spaces between cross bars of the mold.

4. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, a mold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, a frame extending above said table, a series of plunger dies vertically slidably mounted insaid frame to register respectively with the spaces between cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebe- I tween, a slide on said frame embracing said series of plungers and movable longitudinally thereof, cams on the opposite sides of said slide having engagement with each of said plungers and fashioned to successively depress the same into the spaces between cross bars of the mold, and means for actuating said slide.

5. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, a mold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, a frame extending above said table, a series of plunger dies vertically slidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spaces between cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, said plungers and cross bars having registering slots therein extending longitudinally of the series, cutter blades normally located in the slots in said plunger dies above said mold and blank, a slide on said frame embracing said plunger dies and movable longitudinally thereof, cams on the opposite sides of said slide having engagement with each of said plunger dies and fashioned to successively depress the same in the movement of said slide thereby pressing said blank into the spaces between cross bars and folding portions over said bars, and means operable subsequently ,to the depression of said plunger dies for moving said cutter blades into the slots in said cross 10 bars to slit the folded portions of said blank.

6. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising a series of thin cross bars with wider spaces therebetween, a series of plunger dies respectively registering with said spaces and normally separated from said bars for the insertion therebetween of a blank to be formed, and means for successively actuating said plunger dies to press each blank into the registering space, folding a portion over one of said thin cross bars and drawing the required length of material about the wider plunger die.

RALPH E. WOODBURN.

Images