US2166946A - Wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

y 5, 1939. c. 'M. EBE-RUNG 2,166,946

WRAFPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 mm an E5 M- EBERL INE' INVENTVOR ATTORNEY July 25, 1939.

c. M. EBERLING WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mama s M EBERL/NE.

I NVENTOR BY a A I ATTORNEY c. M. EBERLING ,9 6

WRAPPING MACHINE I July 25, 1939.

5 Sheets-Shee t 3 Filed Sept. 17, 1937 ('HflRLE-S M- EBERL/NG INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 25, 1939- c. M. EBERLING 2,166,946

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1937 j 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F'IG- 4 INVENTOR BY WQLQ. I

ATTORNEY y 25, 1939. c. M. EBERL-ING 2,166,946

' WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1937 5 Shets-Sheerl 5 FIE-5 7.75.

INVENTOR [HHRLES H. BERLl/VE YXMI, L.

ATTORNEY Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRAPPING MACHINE Charles M. Eberling, Cleveland, Ohio Application September 1'7, 193?, Serial No. 164,300

12 Claims.

This invention relates in general to wrapping machines for merchandise and more particularly to semiautomatic wrapping machines for wrapping merchandise such as coal, paper etc., which 5 machines permit of holding a cover when wrapped around the goods until the operator has securely fastened the cover by gummed tape or similar means.

It is the general object of the present invention l to provide a wrapping machine of the type re- .ferred to adapted to form a package by successively folding a piece of material lengthwise around merchandise, tucking and creasing the ends of the tube formed by folding the cover in 15 the manner described, and folding and creasing the bottom portion of the tucked ends of the cover so as to permit of the cover being securely fastened by gummed tape applied to the top of the package, then carried around its tucked ends and 20 finally secured to the bottom face of the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrapping machine of the type referred to embodying a vertically shiftable wrapping table, and means coupled with said table and actuated by shifting same for successively wrapping cover material lengthwise around merchandise, tucking the ends of the thus formed tube, creasing the ends of the tube at its bottom, folding same upwardly and holding the cover thus wrapped 30 around merchandise until the operator has applied gummed tape to the seams and securely fastened the cover around the merchandise.

In addition, the invention has other marked improvements and superiorities which radically 35 distinguish it from presently known structures. These improvements or superior characteristics embodying certain novel features of construction are clearly set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of the invention is here- 410 inafter shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wrapping machine according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the left side of the wrapping machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 through 8 are diagrammatic views of the 50 wrapping machine showing the position of the table and wrapping and tucking element during successive steps of a wrapping operation, thus Fig. 5 shows the machine when wrapping paper is placed on the wrapping table and the good 55 to be wrapped are placed on t paper,

Fig. 6 shows the machine having the paper m git'udinally folded around the goods by means of hinged folding members secured to opposite ends of the wrapping table.

Fig. 7 shows the machine having its tucking ,6 members inwardly shifted so as to tuck in the ends of the tube formed by wrapping the paper around the goods, and

Fig. 8 shows the machine having its bottom crease and folding members in raised position 10 after these members have formed a bottom crease and folded upwardly the tucked ends of the tube referred to above.

Referring now in detail to the exemplified form of the wrapping machine shown in the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a substantially rectangularly shaped frame structure embodying spaced front angle iron posts 3, 3' and spaced rear angle iron posts 4, 4'. The posts 3, 3 support two inwardly faced channels 5 and 6 superposed in spaced relation and connected to the flanges l, l of said posts by means of short bolts 8, and posts 4, 4' support two inwardly faced channels 9 and I0 similarly superposed to each other and connected to the flanges II, II of the posts 4, 4' by means of. short bolts l2. The channels 5 and 9 and the channels 6 and I0 respectively are rigidly connected with each other by pairs of upper and lower cross bars 14 and 15, the upper cross bars I4 being secured to the lower flanges l6, I6 of channels 5 and 9 by means of bolts [8, the lower cross bars 15 being secured to the lower flanges ll, ll of channels 6 and I0 by means of bolts l9. Cross bars l4 and I5 serve to guide a vertically shiftable, substantially rectangularly shaped wrapping table 20, the central area of which is reduced in width by cut out portions 21 for a purpose later to be described. This wrapping table is mounted at its four corners on vertically slidable front and rear rods 22, 22', each of which is guided in bores 23 of cross bars l4 and IS. The rods 22, 22' have their upper ends threadedly engaged with the table 20 and carry and support two symmetrically arranged, substantially U-shaped brackets 24, the outwardly extended arms 25 of which are each provided with two spaced bores 26, 21, bore 25 being utilized to sleeve arm 25 upon the respective rods 22, 22', and bore 21 for guiding bottom folding members 28, as will be later described. Brackets 24 are forced upwardly into engagement with the bottom face of table 29 by means of nut members 29, threaded upon, the upper ends of. said rods and engaged with the lower faces of the arms 25, as can readily be seen from inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings.

There are two co-operating pairs of table supporting rods, each embodying a front rod 22 and a rear rod 22, and these pairs are coupled with corresponding short rectangular bars 32, 32', arranged parallel to and below the upper cross bars I4 to limit the upward movement of the bars 32, 32'. Bars 32, 32' are vertically perforated as at 33 and have one front and rear rod 22, 22 respectively of each pair of the supporting rods ex tended through the perforations 33 and, in addition, are pinned to said rods by means of pins 34. Short bars 32, 32' which thus are coupled with table 28 and move jointly therewith are c'onnected to an o-peratinglever 35, spaced links36 being used for this purpose. These links are hinged with their upper endstc a bolt 3'l'sleeved through central bores 38 in the oppositely arranged bars 32, 32' and held in proper position by means of nut members 39, and thelinks are hinged with their lower ends to a bolt 48, extended through central. bores 4| in parallel arms 42 of the operating lever 35; which bolt is held in place by'nut members 43. A plurality of tubular spacing-members 44 and. 45 on bolts 31 and 40 respectively prevent lateral .movement of links 36 and insure proper working relation between all parts. l 7

Operating lever 35is pivotediat its rear end to the flanges 46 of a short channel 41, which channel is securedv tolower rearchannel. 6 by means of bolts 48. Thus a bolt 49, having" nut members 56, is pivotally secured to the flanges 46 of channel 41. The front end of lever 35 has the two parallel arms 42 bridged and interconnected by a U-shaped metal piece, preferably welded to said arms, so as to form a foot pedal 35. A plurality of inclined tension springs 5|, 52, connected to bolt 40 and the upper flanges 53 of channels 5 and 9, yieldingly force lever 35 upwardly so that bars 32, 32, rods 22, 22 and table 20 are yieldingly forced upwardly and that bars 32,. 32 rest against cross bars M, which cross bars thus stop further upward movement of said bars.

Folrcib-le downward movement of operating lever 35 by an operator effects downwardmovement of table 26', rods 22, 22' and short bars 32, 32, which downward movement induces folding and tucking operations .of folding and tucking mechanism presently described. The folding mechanism is connected to table '29 and embodies two oppositely arranged folding members 54, 54, pivotally secured to ears 55 integrally formed at the four corners of table 20. These folding members each consist of. an angular base member 56, secured at its lower edge to a shaft 51, head screws 58 being used for this purpose, which shaft 51 is pivotallymounted in the respective cars 55. The base member 56 has adjustably secured thereto a front plate 59 and yieldingly secured thereto a forwardly extended top plate 66, which latter plate is yieldingly forced into engagement with the edge of front plate 59 and the flange 6! of base member 56 by means of a spring 69 seated against the top of plate 66 and a headed screw 62 threadedly connected with the flange 6| of base member 56. Base member 56 carries centrally thereof at its rear wall a cam member'63 rigidly secured to said base member, which cam member is provided with a cut out portion 84 for shaft 51. The described folding members 54, 54 co-operate with roller members 65, 65, which roller members are adjustably seated upon the upper flanges 53 of the respective upper channels 5 and 9 and rigidly secured thereto by bolts 61, extended through slots 68 in said roller members. The cam members 63 are adjusted to effect slight advance movement of one of. the folding members 54, 54' with respect to the other of said members, so as to insure during folding operation proper overlapping of the ends of the paper wrapper.

When lever 35 is shifted table 20 moves downwardly, so that cam mebers 63 engage rollers 69 on roller members 65, 65 and force the folding members 54, 54' inwardly, thus folding paper, previously placed on table 23, around the merchandise previously placed on thepaper. During this operation front plates 59 position the merchandise and top plates 69 yieldingly draw the paper tightly around the mechandise and shape the paper to a tube encircling the mechandise.

The thus formed tube is then tucked in at its opposite ends by means of a tucking mechanism, which mechanism embodies two oppositely arranged pairs of tucking members 36 arranged adjacent to the sides of table 20,.each of the tucking members 66 consists of a rounded tucking shoe 'lfland a. supporting rod H, having its upper end 72 rectangularly' offset and secured to the shoe by means of headed screws 73. The supporting rods H extend into bores 14 of shafts 15, T5 and are rigidly held in place by means of set screws 16; The shafts 15', T5 are arranged parallel to each other and pivotally mounted in bores 11, ll, symmetrically arranged in short bars 32, 32, and carry at their exposed left side rectangular cam members 18, 18,, secured to shafts 15, i5 by means. of screws 19, Cam members 18, 18, which arefsymmetrically arranged with respect to each other, co-operate with roller members 80, which roller members are hingedly connected to the flanges of vthe'angular posts 3 and 4 by means of bolts 81 and held in properly adjusted position by adjustable, slottedisupporting brackets 82, which brackets are secured to said flanges by means of bolts 83. The described hinged mountingof the roller members 80, 80, which mounting permits of free upward movement of the roller members and limits their downward; move-; ment, effects inward swinging of the tucking members 66, when the table 29 and short bars 32, 32 are moved downwardly, so that cam members 18, l8v engage rollers 84 of thero'ller members 80, 86f.v Inward swinging of the tucking.v members 66 with shock-like action of these members isv prevented by." a shock absorbing mechanism 85 mounted on and supported by a bracket plate 36, which: plate is rigidlyattached to the short bar 32 by means of headed screws 81. Thus bracket plate 86 mounts short rod 88, the threaded lower end 89 of which is extended through a bore 90 in said plate and rigidly secured thereto by means of nut members 9!, 9|. The upper portion 92 of rod 85 is angularly offset. and supports in a bore 93 a horizontally arranged threaded. rod 94, extended through bore .93'and rigidly secured to portion 92 by means of nuts 95. The free ends of rod 94 carry spring supporting members 96, each of which members has sleeved thereon and secured thereto a compression spring member 91.

Tucking members 66-are arranged to swingin their rest positions, when-table 20 andlbar 32 are 75 sufficiently lowered so as to effect release of cam members 18, 18 from the respective rollers 84 of roller members 80,

Tuckingmembers 66 are released to permit of a bottom fold and crease being made on the tucked ends of the wrapper. Such fold is made by the bottom folding members 28, arranged at opposite sides of table 20 adjacent to the four corners thereof. These folding members each consist of a substantially rectangular block 98, the upper face 99 of which is aligned with the face of table 20. Each block 98 has rigidly secured thereto a downwardly extending rod I00 slidably confined in the bore 21 of the respective U-shaped bracket 24 and corresponding bores in bracket plate 06 and a bracket WI. The U-shaped brackets 24 support the blocks 98 and hold same in alignment with the table 20 during downward movement of said table until the lower ends I02 of rods I00, which rods are shorter than the table supporting rods 22, 22', contact with brackets I03, I03, seated upon and rigidly secured to lower cross bars I5. Further downward movement of table 20 in the manner previously described effects rela tive movement of bottom folding members 28 with respect to table 20 as downward movement of the bottom folding members is arrested, and this relative movement of the bottom folding members with respect to the table results in a bottom fold and crease at the four'corners of the wrapper, it being understood that the wrapper is rigidly held in wrapped condition by top folding members 54, 54, and permit the operator to seal the wrapper as will be later described.

The described wrapping machine preferably embodies adjustable paper stop means to effect proper positioning of the paper prior to wrapping operations, which means consists of oblongly shaped sheet metal plates I04 adjustably secured to the sides of the blocks 98 at one side of the wrapping machine, machine screws I04 being used for such purpose. In addition, the wrapping machine is equipped with automatically removable merchandise positioning means I05 adapted to effect proper location of the merchandise to be wrapped on the folder previously placed on table 20. These merchandise positioning means embody an elongated plate I01 held in upright position at the end of table 20 by means of two rods I08, which rods are adjustably secured to a horizontally arranged rotatable shaft I09. Shaft I09 is mounted in brackets IIO, secured to the uprights 3 and 4 at the left side of the machine, headed screws I I I being used for this purpose. A short lever shaft I I2 threadedly connected with the central portion of shaft I09 is utilized for automatically shifting the merchandise positioning means out of reach of the tucking device, so as to prevent interference with proper wrapping operations. This shaft II2 co-operates with a hook-shaped rod II3 adjustably secured to the extended front end of bracket plate 86, which rod engages with its hooked end II4 the lever arm H2 and, when vertically shifted with bracket plate 86, effects rotation of shaft I09 and therewith lifting of plate I01 on an are away from table 20. A second lever arm II5 close to one end'of shaft I09 effects stopping of the rotation of shaft I09, when said lever arm I I5 engages the side wall or flange of post 4.

In operation, a piece of wrapping paper is laid on table 20 and merchandise is placed on the paper, both paper and merchandise being properly positioned by use of the paper and the merchandise positioning means. The machine is now ready for wrapping operation, which operation is effected by forcing foot pedal 35 downwardly. The downward movement of the pedal effects a downward shifting of table 20, cross bars 32, 32, and blocks 98, and, as first step of the wrapping operation inward movement of folding members 54, 54 due to the rolling engagement of their cam members 63 with the rollers 69 of the roller members 65, 65'. In this folding operation folding member 54' is shifted slightly ahead of the other folding member, so as to effect proper overlapping of the ends of the paper wrapped around the merchandise.

At the end of the folding operation or somewhat earlier rectangular cam members 18, I8 engage with rollers 84 of roller members 80, 80 and effect inward tilting of the tucking members 66 against the springs 91 and therewith tucking in of the ends of the previously formed paper tube just adjacent to the merchandise within same tube. Further downward movement of the foot pedal 35' causes release of the tucking members 66, which are forced back to their rest position by the action of the springs, and then effects arresting of the downward movement of blocks 98, when ends I02 of their supporting rods I00 engage the brackets I03, I03, It is of course to be understood, that table 20 and short bars 32,32 continue their downward movement while blocks 98 are at a stillstand and that this action effects relative movement between table 20 and the blocks 98 and therewith folding and creasing action on the bottom corners of the tucked tube. At this time the foot pedal 35 is stopped and held in position so that the operator can readily apply a strip of gummed tape to the thus formed package and secure the paper in proper position around the merchandise while such paper is held properly wrapped around the merchandise. The gummed tape is first applied to the top of the package, then carried around the sides thereof by gliding action of the hands of the operators around the sides of the package and finally stuck to the bottom of the package, a procedure permitted by the central cut out portion 2! in table 20, which cut out portions form slots permitting the fastening of the tape to the bottom of the package by sliding the hands in said slots under the package. c

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a shiftable frame Vertically slidably mounted within said first frame, sup porting and wrapping mechanism carried by and secured to said shiftable frame, creasing and bottom folding members vertically slidably mounted in said shiftable frame, means on said stationary frame for actuating said supporting and wrapping mechanism when said shiftable frame is moved downwardly in said stationary frame, and means on said stationary frame for arresting vertical downward movement of said creasing and bottom folding members when said shiftable frame is in predetermined position and moved further downwardly.

2. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a shiftable frame, vertically slidably mounted within said first frame, supporting and wrapping mechanism including a substantially rectangular table carried by and rigidly secured to said shiftable frame, creasing and bottom folding means vertically slidably mounted in said shiftable frame and arranged adjacent to the'four corners of said table and means on said stationary frame for actuating said supporting and wrapping mechanism on said. shiftable frame when the latter'frame is shifted downwardly, said means. including stopping means for stopping the downwardmovement of said creasing and bottom folding means when said shiftable frame is in predetermined position with respect to said first frame.

3. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a shiftable frame, vertically slidably mounted in said stationary frame, tucking lever meansincluding cam means pivotally supported on said shiftable frame, lever means on. said stationary frame co-operating with said cam means of said tucking lever means for actuating the tucking means when said slidable frame moves downwardly, and means on said shiftable frame yieldingly counteracting the tucking operation. of said tucking lever means, said lever means being pivotally connected to said, stationary frame and including stopping means prohibiting downward movement of said lever means and permitting free upward movement of said lever means for preventing actuation of said tucking lever means when said shiftable frame moves upwardly.

4. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a second frame, vertically shiftably supported in said stationary frame, folding andtucking' mechanism pivotally supported by said shiftable frame, creasing and bottom folding mechanism vertically slidably supported on said shiftable frame, and means on said stationary frame for actuating said folding and tucking mechanism in timed relation during each downward movement of said shiftable frame in said stationary frame and stopping further downward movement of said creasing and bottom folding mechanism in a predetermined position of said shiftable frame when said latter frame is shifted further downwardly.

5. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a shiftable frame vertically slidably supported in said stationary frame, folding and tucking means hingedly connected to said slidable frame, roller means attached to said stationary frame for actuating said folding and tucking means in timed relation when said slidable frame is moving downwardly with respect to said stationary frame, creasing and bottom folding means slidably mounted in said shiftable frame embodying vertical slide rods, and means on said stationary frame co-operating with said slide rods in stopping downward movement of said creasing and bottom folding means when said shiftable frame is in predetermined position and then shifted further downwardly.

6. A semi-automatic wrapping machine as described in claim '7, wherein said wrapping table is provided with slots of substantial depth in its opposite side walls, and wherein said table is supported at its four corners by said vertical slide rods.

7. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, having superposed perforated horizontally arranged connecting and guiding members, a slidable frame including a substantially rectangular wrapping table and a tucking member supporting means rigidly connected to said table by elongated vertical rods slidably guided in said connecting and guiding members, spring means yieldingly suspending, said slidable frame from said stationary frame and means pivotally connected with said stationary frame and linked to said slidable frame for effecting vertical downward movement of said shiftable frame against the force of said spring means.

8. A semi-automatic wrapping machine as described in claim '7, wherein said slidable frame mounts vertically slidable creasing and bottom folding members arranged adjacent to the four corners of said table and wherein said stationary frame includes means adapted to stop downward movement of said creasing and bottom folding members when said members are in a predetermined position with respect to said stationary frame.

9. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a slidable frame vertically shiftably mounted in said stationary frame, folding and tucking mechanism supported by said slidably mounted frame, means hingedly connected to said stationary'frame for properly positioning goods to be wrapped with respect to said folding and tucking mechanism and co-operating means on said stationary frame and slidable frame adapted to automatically swing said positioning means out of reach of said folding and tucking mechanism when said slidable frame moves downwardly.

10. A semi-automatic wrapping machine as described in claim 9, wherein said positioning means is supported on a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted at one side of the machine, and wherein means are provided on saidslidable frame adapted to effect rotation of said shaft and therewith shifting of said positioning means when said frame is shifted downwardly 11. In a semi-automatic wrapping machine a stationary frame, a frame structure vertically shiftably supported by said stationary frame, wrapping mechanism carried by said slidable frame structure, and. means on said stationary frame adapted to actuate the wrapping mechanism carried by said slidable frame structure when said structure is shifted downwardly, said frame structure including a supporting table arranged at its upper end, and said wrapping mechwanism embodying folding mechanism hingedto said table, tucking lever means mounted to swing in vertical planes adjacent to the opposite sides of said table, and bottom'folding means arranged adjacent to the sides'of said table and slidably mounted on said frame structure forindependent vertical movement.

12. A semi-automatic wrapping machine as de-' scribed in claim 11, wherein said vertically shiftable frame structure is yieldably held in predetermined position, wherein said. bottom folding means are supported in predetermined position with respect to said table of the frame structure, and wherein means are provided on said stationary frame for vertically shifting said bottom folding means by further downward movement of said frame structure when said structure has reached a predetermined position.

CHARLES M. EBERLING.

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