US2241942A - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

May i3, wl.

s. HBERCH PACKAGING MACINE Filed May 25. 195s May i3, 194k, s.- H.- BERGH PACKAGING Mmmm Filed may 25. :1.938

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` @Hamm-r May E3, w, s. HBERCH PACKAGING MACHINE `Filed Mayes,i 195e 6 Sheets-Shea# 3 'Afro/wir May 13, 3941.`

s. H. @Ence-1 PACKAGING MACHINE 6 Shams-Sheet 5 Filed May 25, 1938 IIJ May 39 394i, s. HBERCH 22419942 i PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1.938 hestsuSheat 6 Patented May 13, 19.41

' PACKAGING MACHINE Samuel ll. Berch, Beverly Bills, Calif., assignor to Arden Farms, Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Maryland Application May 25, 1938, Serial No. 210,037

8 Claims.v (Cl. 93-3) This invention relates to apparatus for packing and sealing products in cartons, and particularly pertains to a packaging machine.

In the sealing of products, such as ice cream,

cheese, and the like, in cardboard packages, such for example as the carton disclosed in my copending application entitled a package for food products and the like, ied May 24, 1938, Serial No. 209,733, it is desirable 4to provide mechani- .cal means whereby the carton may be shaped from a previously cut blank, thereafter temporarily held in a shaped condition while being filled and then sealed by mechanically ,operating means, and it is the principal object of the present invention to provide the packaging ma-1 chine having a carton forming station, a filling station, and a sealing station to and from which a carton may be successively moved, and at which stations the blank will be shaped to receive the food product. The food product will then be placed within the carton and thereafter the partially assembled cartonjs acted upon at a sealing station to be completely formed and sealed.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a machine having forming, illling, and sealing stations to and from which a mold may be carried, and within which mold a partially formed carton may be placed, thereafter filled,

and then sealed by the application of a top member whereby a product will be completely packed and ready for the market.

The invention is illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in plan showing-the blank for the carton to be used informing the package with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 ls a view in plan showing the blank top member by which the-carton is closed and sealed.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan showing a machine embodying the details of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the machine with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical carton forming station as seen on the of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical section through the sealing station of the machine as seenon the line B'6 of Fig. 4.

section through the line 5-5 Fig. 'I is an enlarged view in plan showing the folding die and indicating the carton blank in dotted lines prior to the folding operation.

Fig. 8 is a view in diagram showing the carton when the blank is in its folded position.

l posed a distance locking relation with the side wall of the con-v tainer body. Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 indicates a blank from which a container .bodyis made and with which the present inven- II indicates the.

tion is designed to operate. blank of a cover and sealing member adapted to interlock with the body member and to hold the carton sealed and in package form. The carton is more particularly disclosed in my co-pending I application entitled a package for food products and the like, Serial No. 209,733 filed concurrently herewith. The blank I0 is generally square in outline and has an octagonal center portion I2 scoredl therein. This octagonal field I2 is bounded by score marks I3 to 20, inclusive, and

forms the bottom of a container used with the present machine. The 4sides of the field I2 as represented by the score marks carry side wall sections which when folded at right angles to the bottom field I2 form the side walls of an octagonal container. The wall sections'adjoining the score marks I3, I5, I1,`and I9, are each designated by the numeral 2I.` The wall sections adjoining the score marks Il, I6, I8, and 20, are each designated at 22. The sections 2l are interlocking sections to receive lock tangs carried by the cover member II as will be hereinafter described. These sections have a transversely extending slit 23 extending parallel to their outer edges and suitably spaced therefrom.

To facilitate in the interlocking operation oppositely disposed inclined slits 24 and 25 are formed in the portion of the members 2i between their outer edges and the slits 23, and are disfrom the ends of the slits 23 as will accommodate the lock tangs of the cover member. Parallel score marks 26 and 21 extend from the inner score marks previously described and to the outer edges of the portions 2l. The

distance between these score marks is a distance representing the length of the score marks bounding the octagonal center eld I2. The marginal side edges of the portions 2I flare outwardly as indicated at 28 and form triangular portions -20 which produce overlapping corner aps for the nished container. The portions 22 have opposite parallel sides 30 and 3i which are spaced al distance apart equal to the length of the score marks of the octagonal center. The

lportions 22 are also formed with a transverse .iiap 34 which lies at the corner of the blank and has opposite marginall edges 35 and 36 which are in longitudinal alignment with the marginal edges 33 of the portions 2|'. These edges terminate in shoulders 31 and 38 which are at right angles to the outer marginal edges and meet with the side edges 39 and 3|. The cover blank is substantially square in shape and has a hexagonal center portion agreeing in dimensions substantially with that of the hexagonal field |2 of the body blank I9. This hexagonal field isY designated at 39 and is bounded by marginal edges 40 to 41, inclusive. 'I'he edges 40, 42, 44, and 46 are the outer edges of the blank. 'I'he edges 4|, 43, 45, and 41 are diagonal score marks adjacent the 'corners of the blank. These score marks separate. locking tangs 48 from the octagonal eld 39. The tangs have outer marginal edges 49 and 56 which are at right angles to each other and converge in a rounded point 5|. Locking hooks 52 are formedby recessed portionsv 53 adjacent to the base of each ofthe tanks. These hookspass through the slits 23 in' the portions 2| of the body member and interlock therewith to hold the cover in place and to hold all of the sides,v of the body member I6 in their assembled relationship to preserve the 'shape of a sealed package.

The present invention is particularly concerned with mechanical means for forming, filling, and

sealing a-package made primarily from the blank I0 and previously described. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings the mechanism is disclosed as embodying a frame structure 54 upon which conveyor sprockets 55 and 56 are rotatably mounted around which a conveyor chain 51'is led. 'I'his conveyor chain may have permanently mounted thereon or detachablysecured thereto a plurality of molds 58, which molds ,temporarily hold Athe blank in their folded position until after the carton has been formed, filled, and sealed.

The molds are moved to and from a forming station 59, a filling statlonk60, an-d a sealing station .5| This may be done manually or as here shown may be done by moving the molds on the conveyor chain 51. If the molds are movedqby the conveyor chain 51 it is evident that a'transmission mechanism generally indicated at 62 shall be interposed between a shaft of one of the sprockets 55 or 56 and a power source 63 in order to produce automatic intermittent driving move- Ament for -the chain. lIt .is also obvious that the transmission mechanism might -be controlled by a'clutch treadle. 64 by which the chain would be intermittently driven from station to station.

As shown ineFig. 5 of the drawings the mold 56 is hexagonal in shape and may be formedvwithv a marginal flange 65 by which the mold might be .lifted from a holder 66 carried by the conveyor., With particular reference to Fig. v10 it will be seen that certain of the side walls ofthe mold are provided with lock pin structures 61. To accommodate these the mold is formed with a horizontally extending bore 68 terminating in a reduced bore 69. The reduced bore receives the cylindrical shank 10 of a pin which has a point 1| projecting beyond the vertical inner face of the die and at the opposite end of which is an enlarged head 12 which limits outward movement of the point 1|. A spring 13 yieldably holds the pin in 'its outermostpos'ition and is held in place by a screw plug 14, the operation of which will be hereinafter described.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings, the forming station will be described. This station comprises an upright member 15 which is attached to a frame element 16 carried by the main frame 54. This upright is formed withA av horizont-ally extending arm 11 which overhangs a horizontal table 18. The table 18 is disposed above the upper run of the chain 51 and is in spaced relation above the mouth of the molds 56 carried by the chain 51. The arm 11 is provided with a tubular vertical bearing 19 through which a vertical mandrel extends 'and reciprocates. 'I'he upper end of the mandrel carries Ahorizontally extending trunnio'n pins 6| which engage bearings in an operating lever 62. The outer end of the operating lever 82 extends beyond the trnnnions 6| and is iitted with a. handle 83 by which it may be grasped. For convenience the handle portion82' may be olf-set to permit the operator to more easily observe the operations taking place. Mounted at the lower end of the mandrel 80 is a mold block 84. This block as here disclosed is octagonal in shape so that it will shape the carton blank within the moldl v58. It is to be understood that the longitudinal axis of the mandrel 60 is coincident with the central axis of the mold 56 at the time the mold is at the forming station so-that when the mold block `84 is moved downwardly and into the mold it will accurately register therewith. -The table 18 which is interposed between the mold block 84 and the mold 56 at the forming station is formed with an opening 85 `'through it. The center of this opening coincides with the longitudinal center axis of the vertical mandrel. and the center of the mold 58. By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings it will be seen that the central opening 85 is square and disposed with opposite corner axes in longitudinal alignment with the plane of the path of -travel of the chain 51. Disposed across and overhanging these corners are foldingmembers 66, 81, 88, and 69. These members are formed at their inner ends with curved edge faces 96 which intersect the side walls of the opening 85 to form side faces 9| The length of the side wall faces 9|' and the curved edge faces 99 are equal, 4thus causing the'eifective shape of the opening 65 to be octagonal and to agree in dimensions and proportions substantially,-

. lblank |6 is being deiivered to its mold 56.

Mounted parallelto the corner axes of lthe opening 58 and at right angles to each other, are centering units 9|, 92, 93, and 94. vThese-units each include guide fingers and .96. the end faces 91 of which are presented to act as centering guides for the edges 35 and 36 of the corner ltangs 84 ot the. blank I8. In Fig7 of the 4)drawings a blank properly centered fis indicated by dotted lines. It is to be understood that the octagonal opening 65 in the table is positioned so that its sides will agree with the sides of tlie mold block 64.and the mold 58. Thus insuring that when the mold ing 85 and into the mold 58 it will properly regis- 'ter therewith and will force the blank |0 downhopper 98, a control valve 99, and a lling spout |00. The details of the sealing station are more particularly disclosed in Fig. 6 of the drawings where it will be seen that mounted on the frame 82 is a vertical standard |0| carrying a pivot -pin |02 adjacent its upper end: Pivotally mounted on this pin is an operating lever |03 which extends transversely of the path of the chain 51, and carries an operating handle |04 at its outer end. Mounted upon the frame 62 at a point intermediate the standard and the chain 51 is a' vertical post |05. The post is fixed to the rame 62 and extends upwardly to a point above and alongside the operating lever |03. Slidably mounted upon the post is a sleeve |04' Vwhich carries a pin |05. The pin |05 extends through- -a slotted opening |06 in the operating lever |03 and thus transmits motion from the lever |03 to the sleeve |04' so that the sleeve will slide,

vertically upon the post. |05. The sleeve is yieldably held in its uppermost position by a spring |01. The upward movement of the sleeve is lim ited by a set collar |08 secured to the post |05.'

Fixed upon the sleeve |04' is a horizontal arm |08 which overhangs the path of travel of the chain 51 with its molds 58. This arm is prefer- 'ably made by the use of a pair of spaced bars between which a bearing memberv l0 is secured. The bearing member ||0 has a central vertical axis in longitudinal alignment with the center plane of the chain 51 and the mold 58. Reciprocably mounted through the bearing ||0 is a plunger rod |I| carrying a plunger head ||2 at its upper end. A spring ||3 is interposed between the upper face of the bearing ||0 and the lower face of the head ||2 to hold the plunger rod in its uppermost position. Mounted on the lower face of the bearing member"||0 is a. guide cup II4 which has downwardly extending fingers ||5 defining the perimeter of an octagonal field as represented by the inside dimensions of the carton which has been formed and is held within the mold 58. Mounted within the cup I4 is an ejector plate ||6 which `is also of octagonal shape, and conforms to the field subtended by the lingers ||5. lThe ejector plate ||6 is iixed upon the lower end of the plunger rod |I| and will be moved downwardly when fore is applied vto the head ||2. It will be seen that the overhanging arm |09 moves downwardly with the sleeve |04 and that when the lower edges of will be diverted into the slits 23 so that as the guide cup moves downwardly the corner tangs 48 will assume a position through the slits 23 as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. In this position the locking hooks 62 will slip through the slits and lock the corner tangs in their assembled position. In order to guide the arm |09 in its vertical path of travel aguide post ||1 is fixed to the frame structure 62 and extends upwardly between the guide faces of the arm |09.

In operation of the presentinvention the carton blanks |0 and are cut and scored as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The blank I0 is then placed over the opening 85 in the table 18 and rests upon the members 86 to 89, inclusive. 'The blank is centered asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. '1 by being placed between the sets of members 95 and 96 on`the centering structures 94. While the feed chain 51 stands stationary-with a mold 58 beneath the opening 85, the lever 82 is moved downwardly and it forces the mold.block 84 down in contact the iingers ||5 are in engagement with the upper face of the mold 58 the plunger rod |I| may then be moved downwardly with its ejector disc ||8 to force the cover blank down into the mold with its tangs 48 interlocking with the side wall members 2| of the carton body. This is accomplished due to the fact that the cover has been folded and positioned within the guide cup |4 with its locking tangs 48 extending down-r wardly below the edges of the ngers ||5. At ,the same time the lock spring structures 61 ,have

acted so that the points 1| of the pins of these structures flex the portion of thebody blank |2 above the slits 23 inwardly, as shown in Fig. of the drawings. Thus, when the points of the tangs 48 are moved downwardly within the molds with the blank. This lever is provided with a pivot |20 which passes through one of a series of openings |2| in a swinging support |22. The lower end of the swinging support |22 is mounted on the vertical upright 15 by a pivot pin |23.

The lever is held against lateral movement by guide plate |24 and is held in its uppermost position by a spring |25 which engages the lever 82 at one-end and a spring hanger |26 at its opposite end. As the lever 82 moves downwardly the hanger |22 will swing -to accommodate the lever movement and to force the mandrel 80 downwardly through the tubular guide 19. As the lower hexagonal end of the mold block 84 exerts pressure upon the blank the various iiaps 2| and 22 forming the sides of the blank will be folded upwardly so that the hexagonal field |2 will assume a position within the bottom of the mold 58 as shown in Fig. 8 and the side elements 2| and 22 will fold upwardly to form the sides of a hexagonal container. In this position it will be noted that theportions 29 of the side 2| will overlap the sides 22 on the inside of the container and form an overlapping seal for the container joints. Attention is directed to the fact that it is not necessary to use adhesive to seal the present package since all of the parts of the carton will be locked together when the cover blank is placed in position. The mold, however, temporarily holds the parts of the carton in their formed condition preparatory to filling. If desired a suitable liner sheet may be laid upon the at blank at the forming station and will be folded with the blank to form an impervious liner therefor. An intermittent operation of the drive cha'in 51 may be e'ected by movement of the treadle 64 to actuate the clutch mechanism, and to move the mold with the formed blank to the filling station. Here it may be suitable filled with a product, after which a sheet of impervious material may be placed over the top of the' product and the mold with-its 58 they will encounter the tapered points 1| and 75 contents may then be moved in another intermittent motion to the sealing station. At this station a top .blank is placed within the'cup ||4 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The lever |03 may then be swung downwardly to move the overhanging member |09 and the cup.l This movement is' continued until the lower edge of the cup |i4 rests against the upper face of the mold 58. At this time the corner points 5| of the tangs 58 of the blank will project downwardly over the 4upper edges of the sides 2| ofthe blank. By reference to Fig. of the drawings it will be seen that the portions of the sides 2| occurring above the slits 23Vare deflected inwardly by the points 1I of the pins 10. The plunger rod is then moved downwardly and will act upon the ejector plate H6 to force the cover blank from the cup ||4 and to force the members 48 of the cover blank downwardly through the slotted openings 23 in the walls 2| until thefshoulders 52 have interlocked with the upper edges of vslits 23; Release of pressure upon the head I|2 will permit the spring ||3 to retract the ejector plate IIB into the member H4. Release of pressure upon the handle |04 of the member |03 will permit the spring |01 to lift the entire structure carried by the arm |09. 'Ihe mold may then be moved from the sealing station, and if desired CFI may be removed bodily from the chain or the 4 package may be removed from the mold by hand,

or suitable ejector acting through the opening |30 in the bottom of the mold 58.

It will'thus be seen that by the use of the blanks here shown, and the machine for forming, filling, and sealing the same, that a carton Will be provided, the parts of which are folded and interlockedwith each other in a manner to produce a filled and sealed package which does not require` theuse of any adhesive material, and which may be rapidly formed and completed.

While Ihave shown the preferred form of my invention, as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be made in the combination, construction, and arrangemen-'t of parts, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention `as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A machine for assemblirigjlI body blank and a cover blank to form a carton, the body blank having slits in its side wall and-.the cover blank having tangs adapted to interlock with the slits when introduced thereinto, a mold for holding the body blank in its normally folded position to form a carton, a member receiving a cover blank in itsV folded position 'to beassembled with the carton, and means carried by the body blank for holding the slits .thereof in a tang receiving position when the mold and the cover holding member are moved together. i 2. A machine for assembling abody blank and a cover blank to form a carton, the body blank having slits in its side wall and the cover blank having tangs adapted to interlock with the slits when introduced thereinto, a mold for holding the body blank in its normally folded position to form a carton, a member receiving a. cover blank in its folded position to be assembled with the carton, and means carried by the body blank for holding the slits thereof ln a tang receiving position when the mold and the cover holding member are moved together, said means including yieldable members adapted to spread the slit in the body blank whereby the tangs of the cover blank may be introduced thereinto when the body mold and the cover holding device are moved together.

3. A machine for assembling andsealing cartons which cartons comprise a body blank formfolded downwardly, the side walls of said body blank having transverse slits therein and said tangs being designed to pass into saidslits and to interlock therewith, the assembling and sealing structure comprising Aa mold having the .side

-walls agreeing with the configuration of the end' Wall of the body blank, whereby the side walls of the body blank may fold upwardly and may be held in carton form, a holder for receiving the cover blank and folding its tangs downwardly to hold them in their sealing position, and means carried by the mold for yieldably spreading the slits in the side walls of the body blank and thus holding them while the tangs of the cover are moved thereinto and interlocked therewith.-

. 4. A machine for assembling and sealing cartons which cartons comprise a body blank forming an end wall and a plurality of side wall sections folded upwardly at right angles to the end wall portion and a cover blank forming an end wall and a plurality of tangs adapted to be folded downwardly, the side walls of said body Iblank having transverse slits therein and said tangs being designed to pass into said slits and to interlock therewith, the assembling and sealy lng structure comprising. amold having the side walls agreeing with the configuration of the end wall of the body blank, whereby the side walls of th'e body blank may fold upwardly and may be held in carton form, a holder for receiving the body blank above the slits, whereby said por tion will be flexed inwardly to spread the slit and to yield as the tang passes thereby and into the slit.

5. In a carton assembling machine adapted to fold abody blank characterized as having an end wall and a plurality of side walls folding upwardly therefrom to form a container, a folding die having a central opening therethrough agreeing in configuration with the end wall ol.' thevbody blank and being formed with centering means engaging the body blank when the body blank is dat, and a movable die member agreeing inA configuration with the end wall of the die and adapted to pass downwardly through said opening whereby the side walls of the die will be lfolded at right angles to the end wall to form a container. .i

6. Same as 5, adding the following: and a receiving' mold beneath the folding die into which the folding carton is positioned by the movable mold.

7. In a carton' assembling machine adapted to fold a body blank characterized as having an end wall and a plurality of side walls folding upwardly therefrom to form a container, the side walhbeing formed with lateral locking slits, la folding die having a central opening therethrough agreeing in configuration with the end wall of .the body blank and being formed with centering means engaging the body blank when' the body blank is flat, and a movable die member agreeing in configuration with the end wall of the die and adapted to pass downwardly through said opening, whereby the side walls oi 2,241,942 5 the die will be folded at right angles to the end cover characterized as having tangs adapted to wall to'form a container. interlock within the slits in the body member,

8. Same as '7, adding the following: a reand means in the receiving mold for holding said ceivlng mold beneath the folding die into which slits in an open position to permit the introthe folding carton is positioned by the movable 5 duction of the tangs. mold, a. movable holder for receiving a. carton SAMUEL H. BERCH. i

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