US2321407A - Cup-making machine - Google Patents

Description

G. M. M ERTA CUP MAKING MACHINE Juhe s, 1943,

30, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.

INVENTOR/ Geo geji verza MJM+WW June 8,1943. MERTA duP MAKING MACHINE Fiie'd Aug. :0, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORY GGOICQ6MM87ZLZ,

June 8, 1943 G. MERTA 1 2,321,407

CUP MAKING MACHINE i fined Aug. :0, 1940 e She ets-Sh eet 4 I Y 8a I 6 '49 63 i INVENTCR. E 'eocgemfierzz,

11818.8,1943. v MERTA w c'ur MAKING MACHINE Filed-Aug.

6 Shets-Sheet- 5 June 8, 1943. MERTA 2,321,407

, cur MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 30, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. L GeotQcJW/WBIZCL Patented June a. 1943 cur-Mame moms. George M. Mei-ta, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 30, .1940, Serial No. 354,781

(cr ss-36.2)

r rec i s. The present invention relates toimprovements in a cup-making machine and more particularly to machines for making sanitary conical/cups from paper for use as drinking receptacles, ice

cream cups, or the-like, that may be thrown away and disposed of after use. The invention has other uses and purposes that will be apparent topersons skilled in the art.

Various cup-making machines have been known heretofore and changes and improvements have been attempted for the P rpose of making paper cups more economically through savings in paper,,mech anical operations and space, and by increasing the speed of production.

The machines now in use are relatively complicated structures requiring exact timing and accuracy of operation to make a neat appearing and desirable cup. Many of the machines work by means of intermittent motion, translating cups from station to station ing operations on the cup. In a number of instances the cups must be transferred to another machine or another portionof the same machine as the machines are necessarily limited, from the point of view of space and economy, to a maximum number of mandrels and stations that can be arranged around the translatory path of the mandrels when mounted on a turret.

The present invention'makes use of various combinations of structures to provide a machine that is relatively simple in its structure and operation and one that can perform as many or as few finishing operations on the cup as may be desired. By use of the present invention much structure heretofore thought essential may be omitted while making a stronger and better cup and a greater number an equivalent roll of paper than hasbeen accomplished heretofore. It was with the deficiencies of earlier machines in mind and with the object of eiiiciency, economy, elasticity of operation and simplicity of structure. in present invention was conceived.

Certain of the objects of the present invention are to provide more cups from a given quantity of paper; to provide cups in a more sanitary manner; to provide a simplified structure formaking cups of this kind; to provide additional strength, attractiveness and value to the cups; and to provide a machine that will perform. efliciently, economically and automatically with but little supervision.

Other objects are to provide a machine that can be made in various shapes and sizes and can readily be adapted to various requirements for various finishview, that theof cups can be madefrom cal operations depending upon thedesires and manufacturer. In translating the mandrels from station to station, an inof a manufacturer. Further objects are prove the feeding and cutting of blanks, increase accuracyv and to eliminate the distribution of dust and dirt among the cups.

For purposes of exempliflcation, one embodi ment of the invention is shown in the drawings and described herein. The invention may be embodied in various othermodifled forms as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.-

In the drawings Fig; 1 is a plan view of a machine containing an embodiment of the present invention with portions of the feeding mechanism omitted for clarity Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed front elevational view of the carrier mechanism of the machine of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Fig.2, omitting the tensioning device;

chine;

Fig. 6 is a view on the line 6-8 of Fig. .4;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detailed plan view partly various new combinations of structure haye'been.

employed. Forlsimpliflcation in feeding blanks to the machine from themselves are 'fedto the cup-forming mandrels and are mechanically gripped by the mandrels in that portion of the mandrel. rotating at the lowest surface speed sothat the feeding can be carried out with more accuracy and with better timing. The mandrels themselves travel a path that is flexible and may readily be changed in shape. size and direction to add. to or subtract from the pathof the mandrels various mechanirequirements of the termittent mechanical motion is preferably used and may be obtained through various well-known Geneva movements or the structure of my 00-' pending application filed concurrently herewith may be used for this purpose.

This invention also contemplates the use of a less number of forming rollers than there are Fig-'5 is a view in side elevation of the maa roll of paper, a combina- .tion feed and cutting roll is used. The blanks mandrels for purposes of ing the utility of the machine. These forming anism. "It will therefore a gluing mechanism,

mandrels. It Will be noted carrier and sprocket drop table during a pause movement of the ment of rotated to wrap the blank into a conical shape.

economy without harmrolls may have an extension thereon for rounding the bottom of the cups as they are .formed, thus omitting a separateoperation heretofore thought essential. 'A round bottom cup can be formed or rolled by use of these improved -forming rolls, regardless of the type of finish in the paper.

At the discharge station a mechanical discharge member is used to release the finishedcup from the mandrel and force it into the stacking mechbe seenthat there is a saving in the omission of vacuum forming appapending application Serial No. 183,143filed January 3, 1938.

Various stations from'A to E. are indicated on "the drawings'illustrating the various. intermittent formed onthe cup while at station E'the cup is ratus' for gripping the cup to the mandrel and in the omission of compressed air blower means for discharging the cup from the mandrel. Besides economy in operation, this absence of blown air in the vicinity of'the machine tends to the formation of more sanitary cups *asaccumulations of dust are not disturbed or blown into the finished containers. In forming the use in the machine, an economical shape of blank has been devised that brings about a great saving inpaper over other known blanks. With this form of blank and out, not only can cups of equal size be obtained but a reinforcing rolled rim can be placed on the cup which strengthens the same, makes the cup more attractive and prevents the cutting of user's lips as is now possible on the usual sharp edgedcups."

The invention may be embodied in a machine having a supporting base frame on which the various structure is mounted. A paper roll may.

be mounted ona well-known tension roll stand and a strip be fed through and over various idler rolls past, not shown, to a combination feed and cutting roll mechanism. The mechanism not only pulls the strip of paper, but cuts it into properly shaped blanks and feeds the cut blanks over a feeding table by which they are guided to one. of a plurality. of cup-forming hat these mandrels are drive comprising a chain arrangement driven intermounted on a flexible blanks from the paper roll for discharged from the mandrel.

With reference a web iii-of paper is fed from a roll of paper to feed rolls II and is led from the feed rolls to the. cutting and .blank' feeding rolls I! mounted therebeloww Preferably feed rolls H are driven slightly faster than the cutting rolls II to relieve the latter-from pressure or tension and to assure an accurately and equally sized blank at all times. While these feed rolls I imight be omitted at times, there is a tendency for the web to slip were the cutting rolls alone used, thus causing a variation in the size and possibly in the shape of the blank. r

The cutting rolls l2 have knives J3 mounted thereon, shaped in a desired configuration for cuttinga blank, and embedded in. an elastic or or web of paper from the roll may mittently to carry the mandrels successively from station to station in a circuit until the return of a. mandrel, from discharging a cup, to' the feeding or drop table. While a simplified circuit is shown, by placing additional sprocket wheels in .the circuit and lengthening the chain'carrier a meandering path can be formedwith additional stations interposed in the circuit for printing, waxing or other operations.

Behind the chain carrier assembly a stationary. rack member is mounted in the path of the carl is forced onwards in its rier and a gear assembly is mounted to the rack member'and mandrel to rotate the mandrel upon movement of the chain carrien- Thus a blank will be picked up by themandrel adjacent the in the intermittent chain carrier and upon movethe chain carrier the mandrel will-be A forming idler and a pressing mechanism assist in this as the chain carrier passes these points to a rim rolling mechanism and from there to a discharge mechanism from whence a mandrel is again returned to thedrop table.

A type of cupthat may be formed through theuse of this invention kind are shown in'my co-' with a rounded apex resilient material such as rubber. This resilient material should extend slightly above the cutting edges of the knives so thatthe resilient material will grip the web of paper from the roll and guide and hold it to the cutting knives. The rolls should be placed in a close proximity so that the resilient material will be pressed inwardly toward the roll cores adjacent the knives l3 to bare them and permit a cutting action at the proper. time while holding the web and cut blank ll in a proper position and feedingthe latter onward to the cup-forming devices.

A blank ll formed by the cutting 'rolll2 is fed outwardly by them to a feeding and guide table As a blank is fed between these guide plates, a.

mandrel l8 comes to rest adjacent the feeding. table to receive the blank. The blank is fed between the plates into contact with a gripping mechanism on the mandrel, and, as the mandrel translatory circuit the blank is properly gripped and is wound about the mandrel to'form a conical cup. To prevent the blank from tearing, the drop plate It (Fig. 9) is pivoted or hinged at its inner edge I! to drop or swing downwardly upon translatory and rotatingmotion of blank l4 freely to a mandrel l8 to permit the be pulled" from the table and wound on its mandrel. An arm 20 is pivoted tothe drop table through the link 2041 therebeneath and is connected through a roller 21a to a cam member feeding mechanism for proper timing with the cutting, feeding and winding operations. As a further blank is cut and fed forwardly, the plate I6 is lifted or reciprocated by this cam mecha-.

nism to support the blank I4 and to hold it for and to guide it to a-mandrel.

With reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the mandrels i8 are-formed in a conical shape so that a rounded bottom cup may be formed thereon. Eachmandrel is keyed to a hollow tubular shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 in a carrier member 24. The flexi- Il into a conically shaped station D a beaded rim is to Fig. 1 it will be noted that 2| operatively connected to the seize. a blank inserted therein.

ble carrier member, as shown, comprises spaced double roller chain members and 26 trained around suitable sprocket wheels to form a flexible drive to meet a manufacturer's desires. Chain member25, as shown, is trained around sprocket wheels 21 and 26 (Fig. 2) to form a translatory path for the chain member. Chain member 26 is trained about corresponding sprocket wheels29 and 36 to form a similar and corresponding path. I

Mounted adjacent and following the configuration of the translatory path of the carrier member 24 is a rack plate 32. Keyed to the extension member 22 of each mandrel is a gear member 33 that meshes with the rack member and provides means for rotating the mandrels 3 upon translatory movement of them on the carrier member 24. Adjacent th apex of the mandrels l8 a gripper mechanism is formed. This gripper mechanism, in gripping position, preferably lies within the peripheral configuration of the conical mandrel 'so that a substantially true shaped conical the gripper in open-position while a blank is terflts with the end of the cam to receive the button member 44 opposite station A and to hold fed therein. The rocker arm 46 has an arm- 46 pivoted to a cam actuated arm 49. The arm 49 is yoked to fit with a guide stud and carries an operating roller 5| riding in a cam slot 52 of a cam wheel 53. and intergeared with the feeding mechanism and the carrier member to withdraw the bearing surface 41 from its operative position with the button member 44 after a blank I 4 has been fed to the gripper element 35 and just before the carrier member 24 has moved the mandrel from the feeding station A.

As the carrier member translates a mandrel from station A, the guide table l6 drops permitting the gripped blank to begin to be formed on the mandrel by the rotation imparted through the rack 32 and gear 33 assembly. When leav- .,ing station A the blank I4 is passed adjacent cup may be formed thereon. When located ad- 'jacent the apex of the cone, the gripper mechanism will have a relatively less surface speed of rotation than portions of the cone located further from the apex. This permits amore accurate gripping and tends to assist in holding the blank in proper position to be formed. The gripper element may be formed in a plane of the axis of the cone, such as is indicated at 35, so that a portion of the blank l4 may be inserted and gripped adjacent the apex. The gripper mechanism also includes the spring-pressed operating arm 35 extending within the hollow mandrel l6 from a mounting on the element 35 to a sliding bearing on a shoulder 31 formed within the mandrel. A link 36, pivoted as at 35, may be formed with a lug 4| extending adjacent one end of the tubular shaft 22. A spring 46 is mounted on the arm 36 with proper stop elements to hold the arm 36 and element 35 in a normally extended, open, blank-receivingposition.

-Within the shaft 22 is a spring-pressed shaft 42 or stem member normally held in retracted position withinshait 22 by'the spring member 43, and having the button portion 44 extending-outwardly beyond shaft 22 for predetermined member 44. The cam 45 is mounted to trace-the path of the button member 44 and to actuate the same to hold the gripper element open from a position of the button member at the cup discharge station E to a position adjacent the cup blank receiving station A opposite the feeding table l5-l6.

Gripper actuating mechanism is mounted ad jacent the termination of eam 45 to cooperate with the cam in holding the gripper mechanism 1 in open position opposite the blank receiving station A. This mechanism is so arranged that substantialiy simultaneously with the movement of the carrier member to translate a mandrel II y from the station A'thc button member 44 will be released,-causing the gripper mechanism to be actuated through the spring means 46, 43, to

This actuating mechanism is best seen in'Figs. 4 and-6 and includes a rocker arm member 46 having a button bearing extension 41 that informed.

and between forming means positioned both exteriorly and interiorly of the carrier member. The exterior forming mechanism comprises the wiping and pressing means while the'interior forming mechanism comprises the roller members 56 (Figs. 2- and 4). I

The exterior pressing means 55 is preferably stationarily mounted on the frame 5 of the carrier member and includes a rigid metal backing member or supporting strap 60' curved or formed to fit the translatory path ofthe carrier member and having the apertures 6| therein. Studs 62 are mounted in said apertures to move therein for loosely suspending a smoothing resilient member 63 of leather or similar material in spaced relation to said strap 66 to wipe a cup blank with a yielding contact as it isbeing A tensioning device is provided for returning the smoothing member to its normal position after a mandrel has forced a cup blank against the member to obtain the wiping action. As shown, this tensioning device comprises a member 65 pivoted centrally in the strap member 66 and having one arm under tension to the strap. through the spring member 66. The other arm has a stud 61 extending through an arcuate slot 66 in the strap and is secured to one end of the smoothing member 63. As the other end of the smoothing member is secured to the strap as at 69 the tensioning device tends to force the smoothing. member into operative receiving position for the mandrels. Preferably, a resilient annular inset Ila of rubber is mounted on the mandrel "to hold the blank 4 from slipping under the wiping action or the smooth member. I w

The sprocket wheel 21 (Fig. 2) is operatively keyed to a driven shaft I6 operatively connected.

to an intermittent drive mechanism, not shown herein, while the sprocket wheel 26 is rotatably mounted on an idler shaft H through the hub 14 and the bearings 13 (Fig. 4). Rigidly amxed to the sprocket wheel 26 is a former head I2 car- I by the driven sprocket wheel 26, sprocket wheel 21 is rotated bringing a forming roller 56 into frictional engagement with a mandrel immediately after the mandrel leaves station A and has come within the circular orbit of the forming The cam wheel 53 is, timed rollers around the forming head l2.' Preferably the carrier member follows this orbit until the blanks I4 have been formed into a conical shape and are ready for further finishing operations or for discharge from the machine according to the desires of the manufacturer.

For rolling a rounded bottom on the cup during the formation of the same on the mandrel I8, the former rollers 56 may have a projecting stem member 16 that extends slightly beyond the end of the mandred I8 and has the bottom rolling and rounding wheel member 11. This wheel may be knurled or deeply grooved to form a plurality of small fingers, as shown in Fig. 4. As the blank is being formed on the mandrel I8 between the exterior forming means 55 and the interior forming means or rollers 56, the wheel member 11 turns inwardly or rolls over the portion of the blank projecting beyond the rounded tip of the mandrel I8 and rounds and seals'the bottom of the cup thereagainst thus insuring against funneling or leakage and furnishing a pleasing appearance. The wheel continuously presses the edge of the blank inwardly as the cup is being formed, thus overlapping portions of the edge to a plurality of plies of .material. This rounded bottom is also of value in preventing-injury to In the simplified embodiment, as shown, the

inandrels are carried next to a rim forming station designated as D (Fig. 2). The wiping band 63 terminates at a point where the idler rollers,

56 are carried from the mandrels. A guide rod 80 mounted on an extension of strap 68 holds the conically formed blank in a proper relation from that point until an intermittent stop is made at station D.

The rim rolling mechanism will be described with reference to Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7. In Fig. 3 it will be noticed that mandrel I8 is formed with a cylindrical bearing surface 82 at its base portion. Slidably mounted for movement longitudinally of this bearing surface is an annular die member 83 including the die recess 86 and the actuating coller 85 A die positioning member 86 (Fig. 5) is mounted to the strap member 88 in the translat'ory path of the mandrels to coact with the collar 85 of the die member, to slide the same rearwardly along its cylindrical bearing surface to an operative position as the mandrel approaches station D.

At station D, adjacent one side of the device,

.two bearing rods 81 are mounted upon which a rim rolling die actuating member 88 is, slidably mounted (Figs. 2 and 5).

Two die actuating fingers 89 and 90 (Fig. 2) are pivoted to the sliding member 88 at 9| and 92, respectively to be in the path of the oncoming mandrel and to engage the die member 83 in .he annular groove 94 formed by the collar 85 and the rim 93. As the mandrel strikes the fin- ;tcr 89 it yields around its pivot point and is returned to operative position in the groove 9 11 by the spring member 96 attached thereto as' the mandrel comes to rest at station D. After a'rim has been formed on a cup, the translatory move- ,which it will be returned to operative position by its spring member 91 assisted by the counterweight extension 98 if desired.

Likewise, slidably mounted on the bearing rods 81 (Fig. 5) for reciprocating movement therealong is the die carriage I08 shown in detail in Fig. 7. The die carriage includes a female die member I III shaped to receive the mandrel I8 and the cup carried thereby. The female die member IOI has a frusto conical portion I58 and a cylindrical portion or bore 5I which slidably receives a conical rounded bottom setting portion I53 to complete the conical female die. Extending rearwardly from the bottom setting member l53, and adjustably mounted with respect thereto, is an actuating pin I112. The die IDI has a cylindrical die portion I83 that is adapted to overlie the cylindrical portion of the mandrel, when the die is reciprocated into position, to force the rim of the rolled cup into a cylindrical shape between these cylindrical surfaces.

As this cylindrical rim is formed on the cup. the actuating pin I02 is operated to press the bottom settingmember against the cup to iron or press the rolled crimped portions that may have been formed therein. While the die member IIlI is still in place, but afterthe cylindrical rim has been formed thereon, the die actuating member 88 is operatively moved along the bearing rods 81 to force the fingers 89 and 96 (Fig. 2) against the collar 85 of the rim rolling die member 83 which brings the die recess 84 into a curling or rolling contact with the cylindrical rim of the cup and forms a tightly rolled bead from the nism for the carrier assembly 24.

I35 in the crank I3I.

cylindrical position as die 83 is forced into contact with die It. The die IOI is then withdrawn from the mandrel I8 and the carrier mechanism translates the mandrel to the cup discharge station E.

Mechanism for reciprocating the die carriage and the bead rolling collar is shown in Figs. 1, 2, Sand 7.

Housing I 28 contains a continuously rotating drive shaft and the intermittent driven mecha Extending from the housing I20 (Fig. 1) is the continuously rotating driven shaft l2I operatively connected to said drive shaft. Guided over the driven shaft I2! by the yoked portion I22 is a die operating shaft I23. Alfixed to the shaft I23 is a roller member I2 3 operating in a groove in a cam member I25 keyed to the driven shaft IZI. This mechanism acts to force the fingers 88 and 98 (Fig. 2.) against the collar 85 of the die member 83 to roll a bead on the previously formed cylindrical rim of the cup while held at station D. A spring member I26 positively returns the yoked arm to an operative position after movement by the cam.

To actuate the die carriage Hill, a disc I3!) is keyed to the driven shaft I2I (Figs. 1 and 5). A crank arm IN is mounted eccentrically on this disc and is pivoted to the die carriage at I32 to reciprocate the carriage over the bearing rods 81.

- An auxiliary crank arm I33 is mounted to the crank arm I3! and driven by it through a stud member I36 extending through a slotted portion A roller member I36 also extends through the slot 535 from the arm I33 and cooperates with a cam member I31 on the shaft IZI to give the auxiliary hammer actuating arm a sudden driving action relative to arm it! during the cranking movement. At its other end the auxiliary crank carries a head member Iiil and is pivoted over the point I32.

Mounted on the die carriage I is a rocker arm I pivoted to the carriage at I42 through slotted portions in the crank arms I3I and I33 to permit the extension of the pivot member I42 from the carriage I00 (Fig. 7). The rocker arm I is held in operative position relative to the head member I40.by a spring attachment I43 (Fig. attached to one arm of the rocker member "I and to a lug I44 on the head member. The action of the cam member I3I causes the auxiliary arm I33 to move relatively to the crank arm I3I to rock the arm I into contact with a roller member I on a striker member I45 (Fig.

'l) pivoted at I46 causing it to strike the hammer member I53 through the pin I02 for coac-f tion with the rounded bottom of the cup on a mandrel I8. The spring member I48 returns the auxiliary arm I33 to its normal position with the crank arm I3 I while the apex of the mandrel I8 will force the hammer member I02 and its, striker arm I45 into operative position.

.Afllxed to the die carriage assembly I00 is the same time tube I06 is slid inwardly over mandrel I8, the resilient members I0'l grip the cup at the beaded portion, and, upon the return of the tube with the die carriage, the cup is stripped from the mandrel.

As cups are successively stripped from the mandrels by the cup discharge member they are received within the tube I06 in stacked nested relation. Resilient holding members in the form of resilient'fingers IIO press against the conical side of' cups stacked in the tube and hold them in I nested molded relationship until the pressure of successive cups forces the yielding fingers III) to fiex,passing one or more cups into a delivery chute III mounted below the tube I06. By holding the cups within the tube I06 by the fingers IIO, the cups act upon each other to mold and set successive cups into a proper shape and permit the glued portions to dry'substantially while the cups are in this molded relationship before they are handled for packing or inspection.

In attaching the tube I06 to the die carriage I00 anannular collar .IIZ maybe mounted around the tube I05 through the brackets H3 which in turn may be bolted to a bossed' member H4; on the die carriage.

Theirame member N5 of the carrier assembly may be attached to a supporting frame H6 (Fig. 5) and as seen in Fig. 4 is provided with uides II? that interfit with the links of the chain members wand 26 to prevent undue lateral or longitudinal movenientof the assembly while in operation.

Various modifications of structure. will'be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from. the spirit of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included within the scopeioi the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. In a cup-making machine, a cup-formingmandrel having gripping means associated erative position after a blank has been seized by a cup on said mandrel, said. feeding means including a hingedblanlr supporting guide member for directing said blank to said gripping means, and means for swinging said guide members into and away from blanksupporting position. l v 2. In a cup-making machine, a cup-Iorming mandrel having gripping means associated therewith, feeding means arranged for feeding a .a cup on said mandrel, said feeding means including-upper and lower guide members between which said blank is 'supportinglydirected to said grippingmeans, the lower guide member being reciprocable into and away from blank supporting position.

3. In a cup-making machine having a plurality of rotatable mandrels mounted for intermitblank tosaid gripping means to be formed'into tent translatorymovement with blank gripping means associated with each of said mandrels, a

feeding means arranged, to feed successive blanks to said mandrels at a point in the translatory path of said mandrels, said feeding means including a blank supporting guide member over which a blank may be ied to a mandrel gripping means and siezed by said gripping means during a pause in the translatory movement, said guide member being mounted for movement into and away from blank supporting position, and means for moving said guide member away from blank supporting position during translatory movement of said mandrels.

4. In a cup-making machine having a cupforming mandrel mounted for intermittent rotation with blank gripping means associated with said mandrel, feeding means arranged for feeding a blank to said gripping means, said feeding means including a blank supporting guide forming-mandrel with blank gripping means associated therewith for seizing and holding a blank to be formed on said mandrel, feeding means arranged to feed a blank to said mandrel, said feeding means including a blank supporting guide member normally in operative position to feed a blank to said gripping means, said guide member being automatically movable from opsaid gripping means.

therewith, i'eeding' means arranged for ieeding a blank to said gripp ng means to be formed into 6. In a conical cup-making machine, a rotatable conical cup-forming mandrel and a blank gripping andreleasing means, said means in cluding a gripper member formed within the apex of said mandrel and lying within the peripheral configuration of said conical mandrel while in operative gripping position, said gripper member being movable to a position without the peripheral configuration of said mandrel to release and force a finished cup therefrom, and means operatively connecting said gripper member to said'machinefor moving said gripper "member into operative position and release po- "able to a position without the peripheral conflgforming roller.

uration of said mandrel to d ischai'ge a cup therefrom, and a" gripper operating mechanism at-- tachedto said gripper member and extending through said mandrel to .move said gripper v I member into operative and discharge positions I at' predetermined times.

8. In a cup-making machine havin g'a plurality of operations for forming cups, means for translating said cups during their formation from one place to another in said machine for various operations thereon, saidmeans includ-' ing a pair of endless chain members operatively mounted in a desired path adjacent the necessarv mounted to said chain members. A

9. In acup-forming machine having a translatory path for cup-forming mandrels, including a rotatable wheel member, a flexible endless ear rier member operatively mounted for advancing movement around said wheel member, a plurality of spaced cup-forming mandrels-mounted on said carrier member, for successive translatory movement around said wheel member and a plurality ofspaced forming members mounted on said wheel, member for successive contact with successive mandrels as they pass therearound.

10. A cup-forming machine as defined in claim 9 wherein said mandrels are rotatably mounted on said carrier member, said forming members are idler rollers and wherein a rolling contact is established between said mandrels and said forming members;

1l.- A cup-forming machine as 9 wherein said mandrels are conical in shape, said forming members are conically shaped roller members andwh'erein the contact between a mandrel andits forming member is throughout the length of the cup being formed therebetween.

12. A cup-making machineas definedin claim 9 wherein said forming membershave-a cup bottom forming projection" mounted thereon.

N 13. In a cup-making machine having a rotatable conical cup-forming mandrel and a forming roller associated therewith, the combination of a cup bottom rounding projection mounted on said forming roller.

' 1 4. In a cup-making machine having a conical cup-forming mandrel and a conical forming roller associated therewith for rolling a cup' blank around said mandreLthe combination of means for rolling a rounded bottom on said cup, said means including a proiecting'member mounted at the apex of said forming roller for, contact with said blank adjacent the apex of said mandrel to roll over and seal portions of, said blank extending therebeyond. v v a 15. In a cup-making machine, a rotatable conical cup-forming mandrel having a rounded apexoperations, and cup- -forming mandrels ber loosely suspended therefrom in spaced reia- I tion for yielding contact with said mandrel,

means for loosely suspending said resilient member. from said frame member and tension meansfor holding said resilient member under tension in relation to said frame member.

18. In a cup-making machine having a translatory path for mandrels usable to form blanks into cups, a pressing and'smoothing mechanism, including a stationary frame member having stud securing openings therein, a resilient smoothing member spaced from said frame; member for smoothing yielding contact with said mandrels, and stud .membersloosely mounted in said openings and secured to said smoothing member for spacing said smoothing member from said frame member. I s

19. In a cup-making machine having means I for forming blanks into a cup-like shape and for discharging the same, a stacking tube for receiving discharged cups, said tube having forward resilient receiving fingers at one end of said tube for receiving and holding discharged cups in said tube, and holding fingers at the opposite end ofsaid tube for holding the cups in stacked.nested relation for molding and shaping each other, said holding fingers being resilient to permit cups to pan; from said tubeunder pressure of additional cups advancing into said tube.

20. In a cup-making machine having a plurality of cup-forming mandrels arranged for intermittent translatory movementjfrom one station to another,'a stacking tube mounted adjacent a discharge station, said stacking tube being reciprocable over and away from said mandrels, resilient fingers onsaid tube for passing over the rim of a cup formed on said mandrel tov I in an orbit'around said head, the path of said mandrels being arranged to pass along the orbit of said rollers to form a successive rolling contact therebetween.

22. Ina cup-making machine, a cup-forming mandrel having gripping means associated portion and a conical forming roller associated therewith for forming a cup blank around said mandrel, the combination of means for rolling a rounded bottom on said cup, said means including a projecting member mounted at the apex of. 4

said forming roller and extending adjacent the rounded apex of said mandrel to roll portions of said blank extending therebeyond against said rounded apex portion.

16. A cup-making machine as defined in claim said projecting member includes a for rotation with said 15 wherein wheel member mounted 17. In a cup-making machine including a mandrel, means for smoothing and pressing a blank being formed on said mandrel, said means including a frame member and a resilient memtherewith, feeding means arranged for feeding a 'blank'to said gripping means to be formed into a cup on said mandrel, said feeding meansincluding upper and lower guide members between which said blank is supportingly directed to-said gripping means, the lower guide member being hinged to swing up into and downwardly out of the blank supporting position, and means for imparting theswinging movement to said lower guide'member.

23. In a conical cup-making machine, a rotatable conical cup-forming mandrel having blank gripping means associated therewith, said gripping means being located'adjacenttho apex ofsaid mandrel, pressure means for cooperation with said mandrel for winding a blank into a cup thereon, and an annular friction element associated with said mandrel near the base thereof to prevent slippage of said blank with respect to said mandrel during the forming operation. p v

24. In a conical cup-making machine, a lo- 'tatable conical cup-forming mandrel and a ment formed in the apex of said mandrel and lying within the peripheral configuration of said conical mandrel while in operative gripping position, said gripper jaw being movable to a position without the peripheral. configuration of said mandrel to release and strip the finished cup ofi said mandrel, and means operatively connecting said gripper jaw to said machine for moving said jaw into gripping and stripping positions at predetermined intervals in the operating cycle of the machine.

25. In a cup-making machine having a plurality of rotatable mandrels arranged for endless translatory movement therethrough from a blank-receivingstation, through a cup-forming operation to a dischargestation and-return, a pressing mechanism, said pressing mechanism including a frame member adjacent and following the path of translatory movement of said mandrels,'and a resilient member loosely suspended irom said frame member for yielding contact with the blank-carrying mandrels at sub.-

the mandrels pass thereby in a translatory move- 'ment, and means to return said members to an operative die-actuating position.

29.-In a cup-making machine, a translatory rotatably conical mandrel, a blank gripping means adjacent the apex of said mandrel, a pressing member in the translatory path of the mandrel to wind said blank" into a cup while the mandrelrotates said blank thereagainst, and a friction element on said mandrel adjacentthe stantially the blank-receiving station and continuing said yielding contact forming operation. 4

26. In a cup-making machine through the cuphaving a pluraiity of rotatable mandrels arranged for end-. less translatory movement therethrough from a blank-receiving station, through a cup-forming operation to a discharge station and return, a

pressing mechanism, .said pressing mechanism' including a frame member adjacent and following the path of translatory movementof said mandrels. a resilient member loosely suspended from said frame member for yielding 1 contact with the blank-carrying mandrels at substantially the blank-receiving station and continuing said yielding contact through the cup-forming operatively connected'to be driven at identical speeds tlon, and means for tensioning said resilientmember on said framemembe'r v 27. In a cup-making machine Inning pinrality of conical cup-iorming-mandfeis arranged blanks from one station to another in said-mas chine for various finishing operations-thereon, a cylindrical portion on said mandrelsJ-a recipmcable rim forming die means mounted overlaid cylindrical portion; positioning means.

infthe translators said mandreis to posi-.

tivelg setract said die-?'member.

wherein said die-operating means spaced members mounted to receive the die means therebetween, said being pivot Y for translatory intermittent movement, of cup :wardly rality of operations for forming cups from bianks f means for translating said blanks during their formation into finished cups from one place to another in said machine for various operations.

thereom'said means including a plurality of spaced sprocket wheels mounted in predetermined positions in said machine, an endless chain member 'operatively mounted in a desired path around said wheels adjacent the necessary operations, a plurality of spaced cup-forming mandrels mounted onsaid chain member for successive translatory movement along said path and a I lessernumber of spaced forming membersmounted on one of said wheels for successive con formed therein, said means including a. carrier member having spaced chain members opera and arranged ina desired endless path,.mesns for advancing said carrier'member, and a pluralityof spaced cup forming mandrels mounted on saidcarrier member for advancement therewith, saidmandrels being mounted forsupport from both chain-members. j

32. In soup-making machine having a rotatable conical cup forming mandrel for receiving and winding a blank therearound and a forming roller associated therewith,: the comblnation'of a projecting memb'erextending beyond said forma ing-member to press the edge of the blank inagainst the apex of said mandrel into-'a I plurality of overlapped plies of material.

' "831111 a conical cup-making machine having mesns for winding a blank intolcup iormon a the combination'of a die mechanism' for in the-formation, of a head on the rim offsaid cup while setting the bots tom thereof including areciprocating die car- .rlue havin afrusto-conical portion and a co-' conical bottom setting portion. slidabh'mountedwith-respectthereto'. -anononu.iesa'ra.

ally mounted to permit the member; a yield as I tact with successive mandrels as they passthere- 31. In soup-making machine, means" for performing various desired operations on. cups to be

Images