US2186772A - Box-making machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 1940. s w 4 2,186,772

Box-MAKING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1940. c. STRAW BOX-MAKING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 9, 1940 I 2,186,772 I I BOX-MAKING MACHINE Glayton Straw, Henniker, N. 11., assignor to Kingsbury. & Davis Machine Company, Contoo- I cook, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire I Application April 13, 1938, Serial N9. 201,682 r I 13 Claims. This invention relates to box-making machines in general, and in particular comprises several improvements in the well-known Kings bury'8z Davis paper boxmachine of U, S. Letters I Patent No.w655,43, dated August '7, 1900; No. 728,086, dated May- 12, 1903; and No. 2,082,365, dated June 1, 1937, to which documents reference can be had for an understanding of the operation of all parts notvspecifically described t herein. In general, the present invention aims to improve the said machine in the way of speeding up the adjustment and operation of the box machine and to eliminate the waste of materials hitherto necessarily incident to getting in the size of the box being made. I I v I To these ends, theinvention comprises the novel stay feeding devices and the new box-size adjusting devices shown in the accompanying drawings and. set forth in the following descrip- 20, tion" and claims.

In the machines of the aforesaid prior patents,

the stay feeding, cutting and pressing, devices were driven through the stroke of, the presser I which pressed the glued end-portions of the folded box' against the form. This presser was in turn driven through a spring which yielded toallow for variations in the stroke-of the presser incident to changes in the thickness of thestock 30 forming the sides andends of the box Since the presser thus automatically varied'its length of stroke, and thislength of stroke determined the length of stay fed at each operation, the length. of stay which wouldbe delivered ,could onlybe ascertained and averaged by trialand 4 andstay material before a satisfactory adjust- .had to be adjusted iridependently', with the manipulation oi two adjusting nuts on I each presser, or a; total of eights'eparate nuts, in getting ,the' four stays of, each-box cut to} the desired length. vFurther, when the depth of i the box was changed, it was necessary to 1 run the machine without box blanks, make the adjust- I mentofeach stay feeder while running, and

I measure the-length ofstay thus clipped off-until the right length was found, .repeatingthis operation successively with the other three-stay feeders. Since the machine runs" at from70 to tity of stay material would inevitably'be, cut off the machine in proper adjustment after a change error during the operation of the machine upon ment could be obtained. Also, each'stayxfeeder,

120 cycles per minute, a relativelygreat quana.

and wasted bythe four stay feeders beforethe adjusting. was completed, to say nothing of the waste of time and effort involved in making the adjustment. Lastly; there was always the waste of the firstbox formed and stayed in the machine, because in order to wet the adhesive of the stay strip, the machine must be run one cycle II with no blank in it, to feed the stay past the moistening device, This meantv that the stroke given by the presser to the stay feeding slide'was too great, as there was neither form nor blank to stop the inward stroke of the presser and hence the length'ofstay'fed during the outward stroke of the presser in preparation for'receipt of the first blank wasconsiderably longer-than the vertical height of the corners of the box, so that the stays applied to the first box spoiled the looks of the bommaking it necessary to discard it.

' In accordancefwith the invention, the stay feed is rendered entirely independent of the stroke of the presser. Accordingly, it is possible to determine exactly, in advance, by reference-to a scale, the exact length of stay thatwillbe fed at each and every stroke, and thusto make the first exactlylike all the rest. Thus, all the customary waste of box blanks and stay material in adjust- I ing the machine is eliminated. Most important,

it makes it possible to adjust all four stay feeders simultaneously and identically, with 'a minimum of effort and loss of time; Further, through making thestay feed independent of the presser,

which latter retracts the knife which cuts off the stay, the full half-cycle of the machine during which the knife is retracted can be used for feeding the stay; heretofore only one-half of'the' back stroke of the presser o r one-quarter'cycleof machinecould be doubled without requiring an.

increase in the rate ofstay feedoverthatpreviously determined to .be the maximum possible"- speed, which maximum rate 'of stay-feed is one,

of the factors definitely limiting the speed of,

production obtainable in these machines.

-To facilitate and speed up the width and length adjustments of the corner-blocksand other parts I which shape the box around the form, jackscrews are provided to impartmovementi'to these parts endwise of thebox-whilekeeping them in;

I parallelq relation, and the problem of keeping these jack-screws outof the path oftheuver tically reciprocating iorm I has been solved by using opposed right and left-hand threads on each screw, so that the screws not only retract or push inward the parts to be moved, but also themselves move outward to clear the form. This arrangement replaces the prior primitive method of using a mallet to pound the parts inward or outward, with no provision for keeping the parts in parallel relation. Means is provided to carry the stay-feeder driving devices along with the corner-blocks in thus adjusting the length-staying of the machine, so that such adjustment will not change the length of stay being fed unless otherwise adjusted. Adjustment of the corner-blocks to suit any desired Width of box is attained by screw'means without affecting the operation of the stay feeding devices.

Other aims of the invention, and their manner of attainment, are as will be'made plain hereinafter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the main parts of a Kingsbury 8; Davis quadruple stayer, showing the stay-feed driving mechanism and blank feeding devices of the invention in place thereon, with the stay-feeders themselves removed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. 1, with certain parts omitted, showing the driving mechanism for the stay-feeders and the sizeadjusting devices.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one stay-feeding device showing its connection with its actuating slide. i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the actuating slide of Fig. 3, showing the details of construction.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the stay feeding device of Fig. 3, showing the stay feeding rolls therein. i

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the stay feeding device alone of Fig. 3, showing the manner in which the supply of gummed stay material is supported and moistened.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 'l'l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable link motion which determines the length of the stays projected at each cycle of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. l.

The stay feeding devices, indicated generally at l in Figs. 3 and 5, are each mounted by means of its foot 3 upon one of the four corner-blocks 5 by means of a bolt 1' put through hole 9 in the horizontal portion of such foot. These corner-blocks 5 are made as usual, except in such particulars as have to do with their adjustable mounting as will be described hereinafter, and perform their usual function of holding the four sides of the box in bent-up relation about the form during the application of the stays to the corners of the box, and of guiding the stay pressers, not'shown, which reciprocate diagonally inward in slots [0 as heretofore to press the gummed stays into'adherence with the corners of the box. These corner-blocks are in fixed relation upon the machine except during the adjustment of their position, as heretofore.

Each stay feeder I has an angularly upstanding arm ll, Fig. 6, at the upper end of which is a stud l3 and guard 15, holding a roll I? of gummed stay strip which is led around an idler 19, over. a moistening roll 2| partially immersed in water in a small tank 23, thereafter reversing its direction of travelaround roll 25 to be nipped between driven feed roll 27 and a presser roll 29 on the end of an arm 30 pivoted at 3! on the stationary frame 33 of the stay feeder. A thumb lever 35 pivoted at 3'! on frame 33 has a hub on its extremity containing a spring-pressed plunger 'll the head of which presses down on arm 30 to press roll 29 and the stay strip yieldingly against the surface of the feed roll. To prevent gumming up of roll 29 with adhesive, wetting roll 2! has a groove around its surface centrally disposed in its strip-engaging lace, and presser roll 29 is made narrow enough to run on this unwetted central zone of the glued face of the stay strip.

Feedroll 27 is rotated by means of a gear 43 fixed on its shaft 45, a pyramidal fluted knob 41 being fixed on the outward end of shaft "45 to permit of manual operation of the feed roll when desired. Gear 43 engages with a larger gear 49 forming the outer element of a Horton clutch or ratchet 5|, of which the inner driving element is fixed on a stub-shaft 53 on which is also fixed a pinion gear 55 meshing with a rack 5! fixed on a slide 59 working in ways 8! provided on the side of frame 33 and held in place by a flat portion of a gear housing 62 fixed to frame 33 by screws 63. As will be obvious, when slide 59 is moved lengthwise of frame 33 in a direction away from feed roll 21, shaft 53 will be rotated by the rack and pinion in a counterclockwise direction to drive gear 49, thereby imparting clockwise rotation to gear 43 of Fig. 5 and a corresponding stay-feeding rotation to feed roll 21; when slide 5! moves reversely, the rollers between parts 49 and 5|, of the Horton clutch release their grip, and no rotation of gear 49 takes place. All four stay feeders at the four corners of the box are made as described, except that two of them have their racks 57 located below pinions 55, so as to feed the stay strip during the stroke of slide 59 in the opposite direction to that described.

To actuate the slides 59 of the stay feeders, a driving slide 65 is mounted at each side of the machine for reciprocating movement in suitable slots in two blocks 61 (Figs. 2, 4 and 7) one of which is fixed on each of the four corner-blocks 5 by bolts put through holes 59 and H and through the corner-blocks. The top portion of each driving slot 55 is dove-tailed in section, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, to receive the correspondingly-shaped bottom portion of two camblocks 73 which are thus made slidable along the length of the driving slides without danger of escape therefrom, each block being split at one end as indicated at T5 and equipped with a cap screw Tl drawing together the sides of slot 15, to clamp the block securely to slide 65 after it has been given the proper position thereon, the top of the slit being held apart by a stud l9. I

On the cam block 13 is mounted a short section of cam-path 81, attached with capacity for angular adjustment by screws 83 put through slots 85- in lugs 81 at the sides of the cam-path. Each actuating slide 59 of the several stay feeders I is provided with a rectangular camfollower 853 which fits within cam-path 8| and which has a shank 9'! fixed to it and swiveling in a vertical bearing in slide 59. Thus, when the driving slide 85 is moved in one direction toward the left in Fig. 2, in the present instance, each cam-path 8i, normally standing at a 45 angle to the length of the driving slide, causes each actuating slide 59 of the stay feeder to move below-its pinion in the" other of these stay feeders,

imparts the same feeding direction of" rotation to the respective feed rolls 21 so that both feed their stay material simultaneously. under their respective guards 93 intoposition-t bepresse'd as heretofore by the corner-press'emintoadhesion with the sides of the box adjacent the corner being stayed and to be cut off bythe usual knife traveling with the presser at the properpoint to fit the height of the box sides. Reverse move-- ment of driving slides 65, to the rightin Fig. in the construction shown, merely moves the actuating-slides59 and rotates thedriving element of the Horton clutch reversely and idly in preparation for the nextfeedingstroke.

The adjustable mounting of cam-paths 8| on cam-block I3 is utilized only in first setting up the machine, or in correcting for wear in the course of long use or for errors in machining,

as its only function is to obtain the same length of stay feed in the case of all four stay feeders for a'given movement of driving slides 65; i.,eL, to equalize the feed of all stay feeders.

Once this equalization has been attained, the adjustment of the length of stay delivered and cutoff from each of the four stay feeders simultaneously, to suit the depth of box being made, is attained by varying the throw of the driving slide 65'. These slides are driven in uni-sonfrom a common rockshaft '95 at the left-hand side of the machine, mounted in bearings 91 on the machine frame. Each slide 65 is provided with a laterally-extending pin 99 working in a slot IiiI, in the end of ,an arm I03, Figs. 1' and 8, the hubof which is splined at 'I05 to the rockshaft with capacity for adjustment along such rockshaft without loss of .its angular relation thereto (to provide for width adjustment of, the machine) and held in operatively fixed position along such rockshaft by a cap screw I0I clamping the split hub tightly in placeon rockshaft Pin 99 "fits closely in slot IOI, to avoid lost motion. j

Thelength of each stay fed and cut is accurately controlled by varying the throw of'rock shaft 95 in the following manner: rockshaft 95' ispr'ovided atits end with an arm-I09, Figs fi. and 9, secured thereon against rotation by key III and oscillating within a casing II3 bolted rigidly to the "side of themachine. In the end of arm I09 is fixed apin I I5, on which swivels a square block II'I, closely fitting withina slot I I19 in a link I2I pivotally connected at its righthand end at I23 to a connecting rod I25 terminating at its lower end in a strap I2I encircling an eccentric I29 fixed on cam-shaft I3I which centric with cam-shaft I3I.' This reduced por 1 tion of shank I33 is provided with a bushing I31 having a flange within the slotted front plate of casing II3; a square portion fitting slidably and non-.rotatably. within slot I35, and outside of this a cylindrical portion on' which is freely rotatable a pinion I39 having fixed thereto a hand-crank I4I, the bushing finally terminating in an exteriorly threaded end to whichis. applied a hand-nut'I43. The reduced end of shank I33 integral with slotted link H9 is bored axially and radially to provide an oil passage lubricating the bearing surface of this shank against the interior of bushing I3'I as the shank oscillates constantly within the stationary bushing during the operation of the machine. The outward end of this oil passage is threaded, and acap screw I45 having an oil-cup I41 and communicating central oil passage are applied thereto, the cap screw holding in place a washerI-IS which prevents hand-nut I43 from being backed off far enough to let the oscillating link I2I move inward into engagement with arm I09.

Thus, shank I33 of slotted link I2I forms the fulcrum about which such slotted link oscillates when its right-hand end is lifted and lowered by connecting rod I25 and eccentric'IZS. The amplitude of movement of rockshaft 95, and hence thestroke of driving slides 65*and the consequent extent of simultaneous feed of the four stay strips, is determined by the position of the axis of pin II5 along slot II9. When the axis of pin H5 is put in line with theaxis of shank 133 about which slotted link I2I oscillates,obviously the movement of link I2I by con- 'necting rod I will cause no arcuate movement of arm- I 09 and correspondingly no rocking of rockshaft 95 and nofeed of the stay strips; but I as th'eaxis of oscillation of link I 2I is moved out of line with pin I I5 and along the slot I 35 stay fed being thus in exact and fixed ratio to the spaced. relation between the axis of pin H5 and the axis of shank I33, a'pointer I5I held on the'square'portion of bushing I3'I outside the casing can be made to read on a scale I53, Fig. 2, on top of such casing in terms of the length of stay delivered and cut off simultane: ously through each of the four stay feeders at each cycle of the machine.

To adjust this stated spaced relation, the axis of shank I33 is moved along slot I35 in thelcasing through manual rotation of' pinion I39 by crank in the casing towardthe left, theportion of the MI, this pinion engaging with a rack I55 fixed;

on the casing just below slot I35. When the proper adjustment has been attained, the set,

ting is maintained by tightening hand-nut I43. This locks the rack gear I39 against rotation by clamping it against the shoulder terminating the squared portion of the bushing which fits-the slot I35 and keeps-it from rotating therein, while the rack engaging with the pinion prevents rela tive motion; of the shank and bushing along the slot.

By this means, the length of stay fed and cut off at each machine cycle' can be adjusted and predetermined with the utmost accuracy without making it possible to set the fourstay feeders Special provision is made to facilitate: the adjustment. of the width and length settings of the machine in changing, it over to make a different size of box, without losing control of the stay feeding devices. Thus, each. of. the blocks 61 which are fixed on the corner-blocks 5 and in which the driving slides 65ers guided, is provided with an adjustment plate I51 fixed thereon by screws I59 and having a horizontal. key-hole slot IISVI formed therein withinwhich the reduced shank of shouldered clamping screws 11 oscillates as the, driving, slides G5 are operated. Clamping screw ll, is provided with a shoulder I63 in such spaced relation to plate I51 that this clamping screw cannot be backed out sufliciently to free cam-blocks 13 for adjusting movement along driving slides65 except whenshoulder I53 is in axial alignment with the circular hole at the big end of key-hole slot IEI. Thus, cam- I blocks 13 are eitherclamped to slides 65 or held immovable with respect to corner-blocks 5, at all times.-

In first setting up the machine, the screws 11 are thus backed out into suchcircular holes, and

- the machine is turned over to bring driving slides 55 at the extreme left-hand end of their stroke as viewed in 2,- small marks I65 being provided to be visible out from under casings I61 guarding the movement of arms I03, so as to indicate such extreme position. Link I2I of the stroke-varying device is racked back by handle IM to its extreme left-hand position, pointer I5l standing at the end of the scale which indicates full stroke. With the extreme or starting position for the movement of each cam-block I3 and its cam-path 8! thus established with respect to block 51 and thereby with respect to its stay feeder I and in particular with respect to the actuating slide 59 thereof having the cam-follower 89, it-will be seen that each actuating slide 59 of the four stay feeders is kept at the starting position of its stroke during the entire time that the screws 11 are loosened to permit spreading or narrowing of the machine. When these screws are again tightened, the actuation of driving slide 65 will thus impart an equal feeding stroketo each stay feeder, and assure that camfollower 89 will work within its proper scope in cam-path 8!. H g

In widening the machine, it is necessary to shift the position of-arms m3 lengthwise of rockshaft 95. To effect this easilyv and accurately, casings l6! are bolted onto the end of each sidetable I69 ofthe machine, on which are mounted corner-blocks 5, and which are movable widthwise of the machine. Each casing N51 has protruding lips between which the hub of one arm I03 fits rather closely. Thus, when clamping screws I91 are released, and side tables I69 moved in or out to provide for a change in the size of the box being made, arms I B3 will be carried along shaft Q5 and along their splines I95 without loss of alignment with their connected driving slides 65.; After such adjustment, clamping screws ID! are again set up to prevent the slightest lost motion at this point arising to vary the length-ofthe-stavfed.

Knob 41 for manual feed of the stay material provides for-wetting" the glue on this material before the machine is started, the pyramidal shape shortening the machine to; enable it to make boxes of different lengths compriseadiusting screws I13, Fig. 2', each. having both a righthand and. a left-hand thread. One of these threads engages within a vertical extension on a bracket I11 extending outwardly from the center frame I15 at each end of the machine. The other thread on each screw I13 is threaded into a. block 119 fixed at midlength to the under side oi each of the two cross-bars I8I which are received in freely sliding but closely-fitting relation in slots I83 in the four corner-blocks 5, which are mounted for endwise sliding adjustment on side-tables I69 by means of slots I85 and bolts I81. When these screws I13 are rotated by a wrench applied to the squared outer ends thereof, after loosening corner-blocks 5 on sidetables I69, the screws will pull outwardly on the pair of corner-blocks at each end of the machine, to lengthen the form-receiving central aperture within the machine, and at the same time the screws themselves will back out of the machine by reason of their reverse threads so as not to enter the path of the form; yet these screws will not protrude far enough beyond the ends of the machine to be in the way of the operator in his working around the machine. Thus the reverse threads on the screws make possible the use of screw -adjustment means permitting the necessary extremes of length-adjustment of the machine without interfering either with the passage of the form or creating an inconvenience or hazard to the operator. The width-adjusting devices remain as heretofore, comprising singlethread screws I 89 operated by hand-wheels I9I sliding the side-tables I59 in or out on transverse tracks on center-frame I15.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departure from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is:

1. In a box-making machine, in combination. box-forming devices, presser devices, a stay feeding device, a drive-shaft, means causing the drive-shaft to drive the forming and pressure devices, and intermediate driving connections between the stay-feeding device and the driveshaft including manually. adjustable means for varying the scope of the driving impulse transmitted to the stay-feeding device from the driveshaft, independent of the time and scope of oneraticn of the presser devices.

2. In a box-making machine, in combination. box-forming devices, presser devices, a stayfeeding device disposed obliquely .of the bot: being formed and at one corner thereof, a slide reciprocating parallel to one side of the box. a cam and cam-follower intermediate the slide and the stay-feeder actuating the latter upon reciprocation of the slide, a drive-shaft, means drivin the presser devices from such drive-shaft. and means independent of the presser devices and the said driving means therefor transmitting actuation from the drive-shaft to the slide.

3. In a box-making machine, in combination. a stay-feeder comprising feed-rolls, a slide, and rack and pinion connections between the slide and the feed-rolls to rotate the latter when the slide is moved, asecond slide, cain-and-follower connectionsbetween the two slides whereby the first is actuated to rotate the rolls when. the:

second-is moved, a drive-shaft, and direct connections between the drive-shaft and the second slide for actuating the latter.

4. In a box-making machine, in combination,

four stay-feeders each serving one corner of the box being made, a single oscillating element driving element with such lever with capacity for varying the point of such connection along the length of such lever.

6. Driving means for the four stay-feeding devices of a box-making machine including, in combination, a drive-shaft, a single connecting rod driven by such shaft, a single lever vibrated by I the connecting'rcd, arms in driving connection ciprocation of the form.

with the stay-feeding devices, and driving connections between these arms and the lever shiitable to vary the throw of the arms and thus to vary equally and in unison the amplitude of actuation of all four stay-feeders and the length of stay fed at each actuation thereof.

7. In a box-making machine, in combination, a stay-feeder, cam means actuating the same, a movable element actuating the cam means, and connections between the cam means and-the movable element providing for shift of the cam means incident to change of the latter*s position on the machine for boxes of different sizes, a reciprocating form, box-forming devices shiftable on the machine to provide for the making of boxes of different sizes, and means in connection with the box-forming devices causing shift of the cam means with respect to its actuating element with retention of the time relationship between the cams. actuation of the stay-feeder and the re- 8. In a box-making machine, in combination, a stay-feeder, a slide, cam means on the slide actuating the stay-feeder, devices forming? a corner of the box, movable on the machine to provide for making different sizes of boxes, and carrying the stay'ieeder, and means alternatively fixing the means to the slide or to the corner-forming devices, to keep the cam means in definite relation to the stay-feeder regardless of the position of the latter on the machine.

9. In a box-making machine, in combination,

devices forming a corner of the box adjustably positioned on the machine, a stay-feeder carried by such devices, cam means actuating the stayfeeder, a driven slide, and a clamping screw alternatively fixing the cam means to the slide when tightened and holding the cam means against movement relative tothe corner-forming devices when loosened.

10. A staydeeder for box-making machines having-in combination a feed roll, means pressing the stay into feeding engagement therewith, ratchet-clutch driving the feed roll, a pinion driving one element of the ratchet-clutch, a rack. driving the pinion, a member moving obliquely to the rack, a cam carried by such member engaging a part on the rack, and means for reciprocating the said obliquely-related member to reciprocate the rack.

11. In a box-making machine, in combination,

7 a plurality of devices forming the corners of the box adjustably positioned for movement width- Wise and lengthwise of the machine to provide for the making of boxes of different sizes, means engaging at least two of such corner-forming devices to prevent change of their angular relation to each other, and a screw having right-hand and left-hand threads respectively engaged with such means and with a fixed part on'the machine to move such means and thereby the associated corner-forming devices simultaneously inwardly and outwardly of the machine.

12. In a box-making machine, in combination, a plurality of devices forming the corners of the box adjustably positioned for movement widthwise and lengthwise of the machine to provide for the making of boxes of different sizes, means engaging a pair of such devices to move eluding means for varying the scope of the driving impulse transmitted to the stay-feeding device from the drive-shaf, independent of the time and scope of operation of the presser devices CLAYTON STRAW.

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