US2337581A - Sheet pulp containing forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Degas, 1943.

L. M. WILEY SHEET PULP CONTAINING FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 PI 'r x INVENTOR. 155 N H Mt).

Dec.28,1'943. L. M. WILEY r 2,337,581

SHEET PULP cormmmc FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4. 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 5 z5 1NVENTOR.

155M l V/zz'r Dec. 28, 1943. M. WILEY 2,337,581

SHEET PULP CONTAINING FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4. 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

456 M. W/L 2.

"Dec. 28, 1943. L. M. WILEY 2,337,581

SHEET PULP CONTAINING FORMING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4. 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 and as the sheet comes oil or 1 into sheets.

Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET PULP CONTAINING FORMING APPARATUS Application August 4, 1939, Serial No. 288,343

14 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for fabricating a relatively deep seamless container, or the like, from prime sheet pulp. The articles comparable thereto are such as core plugs for wrapping paper rolls, flower pots, food containers, drinking cups, and other objects suitable for industrial and commercial uses.

Heretofore the industry has formed by other methods from pulp material containers and the like at the container mill located near the source of usein other words, at the centers of population. The pulp supplied to such mills has required shipment of the pulp material to the mill in tank cars since it contains more than 90% Water. The result'is the cost of the pulp materlal at the container mill is greatly increased by reason of the transportation charges between the pulp factory and the container mill and more especially upon the water content of the pulp material.

One solution to this problem is to locate the container manufacturing plant immediately adpulp mill and to the source or use or purchaser are exceedingly excessive.

The presentinvention, therefore-is directed to a solution which has neither of these objections of the last mentioned problem nor the objection of the first mentioned problem. This invention primarily is directed to the formation of useful articles adjacent the source of consumption and from prime sheet pulp which may be readily fabricated by the pulp mill into rolls and which can be readily shipped from the pulp factory to the container factory.

In the production of prime pulp, the fibers the like are supplied to the screen and this pulp is then sheeted to a re sonable dryness the screen and drier, it is formed into rolls or may be formed Herein thinvention is illustrated as utilizing thi pulp sheet form but arranged in roll formation. Thus thepulp material may be continuously manufactured by the pulp factory, made up into rolls of prime sheet pulp material and readily stored or shipped as and when required. This sheet pulp material, therefore, contains but little moisture so that the transportation charges on the primary material are relatively small compared to the transportation charges on an equivalent amount of liquid pulp material.

Also this material may be stored either at the pulp mill or the container factory for a relatively nominal expense and thus the container manufacturer can during the maximum pulp production season purchase the prime sheet material more economically in the event the commercial demand for containers and the like does not coinside with the seasonal production of the pulp material.

All of the foregoing, therefore, constitutes advantages which are available to the container manufacturer provided the prime pulp material can be fashioned into containers which heretofore has been impossible but which by means of the present invention is accomplished, although it is to be observed that this intermediate production of the prime sheet pulp does of necessity require a fuel cost for sheet drying purposes after the major portion of the water has drained from the pulp fibre in the formation of the sheet material on the paper screen and drier rolls in the pulp plant.

More economical advantages will be noted by operating such a unit herein described as vertical integration in the pulp mill. In this manner of operation along with the fact that all solutions such as for sizing, for water repellency, acid repellency, heat resisting and colors being added to the fibres in the pulp heaters the pulp sheet can be handled directly from the mill driers in a more moistened state, which is a saving on drying energy in the mill and all web waste from this unit can be returned immediately to the beaters and again formed into the pulp sheet thereby eliminating all web waste. method of operation will also eliminate freight charges on the pulp sheets and all solutions in tanks on the form moulding equipment.

As previously mentioned, this invention is directed to the utilization of this type of sheet material for the formation of relatively deep seamless products and which products when formed have a finished appearance substantially free from wrinkles and the like, and which may be made to substantially any desired shape and dimension and held to that dimension and which when: made will retain that dimension and shape and which may be suitably treated for the specific industrial purposes to which the container is directed.

Briefly, the process contemplates first the proper preliminary treatment of the sheet pulp as it is derived from the Jumbo roll and in successive stages, which treatment essentially consists of immersing the sheet in a reservoir or tank which due to the absorbent character of the sheet readily picks up the impregnating liquid and after it has been passed through this liquid, the sheet is passed through a wringer structure so that excess liquid material is removed from the sheet. Any desired number of immersions may be employed and these may be of like character or of dissimilar character.

Solutions can be put in the beater at the pulp mill before sheet of pulp is formed on the wire as explained on page 1 for vertical integration.

The various liquids, in solution, may be for the purpose of adding strength and rigidity to the final product, making the product heat resisting, acid resisting, water repellent and/or for coloring same. The sheet material is positively passed through the several reservoirs and then is supplied to the initial forming device which has a certain time sequence arrangement of its various parts so that while the sheet previously has been continuously fed, the sheet now is intermittently fed, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

Interposed between the intermittent feeding thereof and the continuous feeding thereof, the sheet is looped or forms a festoon so that the intermittent feeding of the sheet is not carried ,back into the continuously fed portion of the sheet, thereby insuring proper impregnation by the respective impregnating liquids. As stated, the working portion of the sheet is intermittently fed and in a vertical direction operable so that the impregnating material thereon does not accumulate in the initial forming machine, and which vertical direction of feeding the sheet material does eliminate all tendencies of friction between the surface of the sheet and the machine parts thereby allowing for a lower minimum of web loss as the sheet travels by gravity through the die area and no pull is exerted on the narrow web sections, which permits these web sections to be made more narrow.

The sheet is presented to a blanking structure and from the same the desired size of blank is cut from the sheet. Previously these blank providing areas are so positioned in the sheet that when removed therefrom. there will be a minimum wastage of stock. The resulting web following the blank formation then may be suitably handled by cutting into small pieces and collecting the same as a waste which may be sold.

The apparatus hereinafter to be described is arranged so that it simultaneously forms a plurality of blanks and the blank formation is of staggered character at each blanking operation for speed and economy.

Upon the formation of the blanks, each is initially deformed into a container like shape simi lar to the final shape desired. In this shaping operation, however, there is initially formed in theouter portions of the blank, reference being had to its fiat form, inwardly and outwardly directed corrugations, or the like. These corrugated walled articles then are brought together and arranged in transverse alignment and are handled in a single row transverse alignment thereafter. Accordingly, while two rows of blanks are initially formed in one blanking operation, the

subsequent operations, except initial formation, are directed solely to a single transverse row of structures and, therefore, reference will be had hereinafter to but a single article.

In the initial forming of the outer portions of the blank, referred to above as inwardly and outwardly directed corrugations, or the like, which are set up or formed in the outer portions of the blank by a specific mechanical arrangement of thin fins in the blanking punch which are in alignment with and enter grooves in the drawing die of equidistant spacing. These fins are constructed with sufficient depth or height as to allow for the accumulation of the surplus stock in the outer portions of the blank as it is drawn toward and into the center opening of the drawing die. In actual practice the edges of the fins in the blanking die exert a pressure on the blank forcing it into the grooves of the forming die, causing inverted creases, flutes, corrugations, or the like, to be formed in the blank equally spaced around the outward portion of the blank. After the initial formation of these creases, flutes, corrugations, or the like between the edges of the fins on the blanking die and the grooves in the drawing die, the blanking die is withdrawn, retarded or receded slightly, to relieve the pressure exerted by the fins on the blank so that the friction on the surface of the blank is reduced to a minimum as the blank is drawn through the opening in the center of the drawing die and changes its shape from a flat to a corrugated walled article.

After initial blank formation and subsequent initial container like formation, including a preformed corrugated wall formation, the corrugated wall product and top edge is subjected to a forming process which reduces the corrugations to a substantially continuous solid mass of annular or peripheral outline in cross section and primarily to ultimate size. Thereafter the resulting article is expanded to almost the final size. It is then subjected to a drying operation which evaporates the external moisture and sets the various impregnating liquids included in the article so that the article then is in semi-finished form. It is then subjected to an expansion operation and upsetting operation on the top edge wherein it assumes substantially its final form and then it is finally finished and subjected to a final drying operation. 7

It is to be understood, however, that the process hereinbefore thus briefly described, is a continuous one, although of intermittent character. For example, the blanking and corrugating formation of a second article takes place simultaneously with the initial preliminary formation of a similar previous article and this takes place simultaneously with the third forming operation previously mentioned.

The sheet is fed to the blanking dies during the interval that these formations do not occur and the feeding of the sheet to the blanking die is stopped during the blanking and the other forming operations. The articles are handled individually and are suitably conveyed from one stage of operation to another, that is, initial drying, final finishing and final drying by suitable conveying means so that the desired degree of drying and the proper finishing will be effected.

The article if subjected to an impregnating liquid that is substantially colorless and which does not change color on the application of heat thereto, in its finished form will have a remarkably natural appearance and look like Wood with- .forms carried by the rotatable turret, one

position. While illustrated herein in .out a grain andwill be practically as hard as wood and since it has substantially no grain, will not have a tendency to split or crack. The resulting article also by reason of the inclusion of the intentionally formed corrugations will be substantially free from wrinkles and the like, and it is to be understood that in the formation of such article, the surplus stock resulting from the corrugations is distributed uniformly throughout the article, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Having thus described the process portion of this invention, reference now will be had to apparatus whereby the aforesaid process is accomplished.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, more or less diagrammatic in form of the positive feed portion of apparatus for handling sheet pulp material from the roll and which feeding sheet is shown immersed in a plurality of reservoirs or tanks for impregnation, said figure also illustrating in a like manner the wringing operation to which the-sheet is subjected for removal of surplus impregnating material.

Fig. 1A is similar to Fig. 1 but constitutes extension of the same when the apparatus is arranged to accommodate two Jumbo rolls so that immediately upon the-exhaustion of one roll the second roll may be fed therethrov hand without interrupting the operation. of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the blanking and corrugating portion of he apparatus, the initial formingportion of the apparatus, and the intermediate portion of the apparatus as well as a turret structure associated with all of the aforesaid and a conveyor structure for receiving turret discharged articles.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the last mentioned conveyor structure and the first mentioned drier structure as well as the conveyor associated article discharging means and conveyor supported article recei ng :means for receiving the articles previously dried and dis charged from the first mentioned conveyor.

Fig. i is a central sectional view through the finishing press and associated conveyor supporting article arrangement last mentioned and the final drier arrangement.

Fig. 5 illustrates the last mentioned 0 arrangement, an article discharging an article receiving structure which no finished article from said conveyor.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan View of sep 1.. mon plane at 90 apart, it is to be understood they are faced to planes 90 apart.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the sheet with for present blanking purposes, and openings formed by previous blanirings suitably illustrated therein.

Fig. 8 isa vertical sectional view of a and initial forming and drawing die structure.

Fig. 9 is an elevational View of the corrugating punch blanking die shown in Fig. 8 and is taken on broken lines 9-s of Fig. 3 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 1G isan elevational view of the corrugattil ing female die and is taken on line iii-40 of Fig. 8 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. his a perspective view of one of the male corrugating or fluting segments.

Fig. 12 is a. diagrammatic section of the punch and die after blank formation and prior to flute formation.

Fig. 13 is a similar view with the blank in fluted condition.

Fig. 14 is a similar view illustrating the bowing of the fluted section when the blank edge is drawn about half the distance between the inner and outer peripheries of the punch shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the initial corrugating forming structure with the intentionally fluted or corrugated blank therein.

Fig. 16 is a central sectional view of the rubber expanding punch, cooperating mold or receiver and the article ejector and with the formed article in position prior ejection.

Fig. 1'7 is a transverse View of a portion of the mechanical punch, expander and former.

Fig. 18 is an elevational view thereof with part in vertical section.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken in another plane.

In order that a more complete understanding of the process previously described may be obtained, certain explanations will be incorporated in the following description of the apparatus suitable for performing said process.

In Fig. 1A there is illustrated a support structure 30 which is of roll width and in the upper portion of each of the two spaced portions, there is provided an open bearing 3! with an inclined ledge portion 32 leading thereto. Rotatably supported therein is a shaft 33 which in turn supports .a Jumbo roll 36 of prime sheet pulp material. The shaft 33 may be included in the roll in its initial formation at the pulp mill or shaft receiving sleeves may be provided in opposite ends of the roll for subsequent shaft reception at the container factory.

The roll support 39 is spaced from the impregnating portion of the apparatus and therebetween is provided a plurality of spaced rails upon which is rollably mounted a carriage structure 36 which has two portions extending upwardly and provided with open bearings 3! and inclined portions 38 to receive shaft 33' of another Jumbo roll structure 34.

The roll support 36 is provided with track cooperating rolls or wheels 38 which permits this roller support to be moved laterally below the feedingsheet portion A so that the roll 3:3 will be available instantly for use upon exhaustion of roll 34. Of course, when roll 34 is exhausted and the machine is being fed from roll 36', the shaft 33 is removed from the left hand rolf. support 39 andanother roll and supporting shaft applied thereto. Therefore, upon exhaustion of roll 3 the new roll 34 then will be immediately available for-use.

Suitable brake means may be associated with these roll support arrangements so as to prevent Y overrunning of the roll if the same have that tendency.

sociated with each of said tanks other mechanism individual thereto-and consequently .a description of one tank at} and itsassociated mechanism will suffice for an understanding of them all.

Herein above the tank is a reservoir or vat 4|. Mounted therein is an agitator, not shown, and which is operable by an individual motor 42 supplied by lines 43 including a switch 54. The discharge 45 from the reservoir or vat to the tank is controlled by a regulating valve 35 and the immediate end 41 Of said discharge 45 is positioned near the bottom of the tank Q0. The operator is merely required to observe the level of the liquid in the tank ill and see that it does not fall below that which the sheet in its lowermost position occupies in said tank.

The sheet A is fed from the roll by means of power driven so-called booster rollers 68 and 48, the drive therefor being omitted herein for clearness. Thus the sheet A is positively withdrawn from the roll. The sheet A as at B passes under a roller 59 which may float thereon or which may occupy a fixed position in a tank so and which may or may not be positively driven as desired or required.

Positioned above the tank d8 and suitably supported at opposite ends thereof in supports 5|, is the positively driven roll 52 and cooperating therewith is a pressure roll 53 which is slidably supported at each end in an aperture 54 and associated therewith is a compression structure 55 including the adjusting member 56. constitutes a wringer structure and the sheet portion B passes upwardly from beneath the roll between the two wringer rolls 52 and 53. These rollers remove the surplus impregnating liquid and the same drains downwardly either on to the sheet B or into the tank 18. These rollers also force the impregnating liquid into the sheet and as stated, since the sheet is of fibrous character, it absorbs a predetermined amount of impregnating liquid and this is continuously supplied to the tank so by means of the controlled discharge d5, it, ll from the reservoir or vat All.

In a like manner the sheet portion C leaving the wringer roll structure passes into the next tank 45a and thence in succession into tanks 40b, lilc and Mid where it is subjected to impregnating material of the desired character, as previously set forth, or subjected to no material, if no further impregnation is desired. The sheet portion D leaves the last wringer roller structure indicated by 52a and 53d and passes upwardly to a pair of rollers 54 and 55, both of which preferably are power driven and constitute a booster roll arrangement. Rollers 68 and 59, and 54 and 55 have the same linear velocity so that the sheet --is positively fed through the impregnating portion of the apparatus and is pulled from the Jumbo roll.

- The portion of the sheet which leaves the booster roller structure 5d and 55 drops downwardly as at E and forms a festoon or loop because the portionF extends upwardly and over a roller type conveyor structure, including a stationary frame arrangement 55 in which is mounted in spaced relation a suitable number of free running rollers 5?.

At the remote end of this conveyor arrangement reference being had to the booster rollers 54 and 55, the sheet port on G passes between the end rollers 58 and 59 which are'positively driven and which are also mounted in the support or frame structures Eiiat opposite ends. These rollers discharge the sheet downwardly and substantially vertically as at H and between This a guide arrangement 86 provided with oppositely directed mouth or lip portions 6!, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a blank forming arrangement to which the sheet portion H is supplied through the guide 653. In this portion of the machine the body portion 52 includes an aperture 63, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth. Mounted in said aperture are the corrugating or drawing female dies 64, to which reference Will be had more fully hereinafter. Axially and herein horizontally aligned therewith, are the male corrugating or drawing punches 55, there being one male punch for each female die. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, there are two die arrangements, one above the other and preferably these are offset in a certain relationship as will hereinafter be pointed out and preferably there are a plurality of dies in each horizontal row and same are spaced 2. predetermined distance apart and in noninterfering relation to the other row of horizontal dies but in what may be said to be an interfitting, or staggered relation.

Coaxial as it were, with each male corrugating or drawing punch structure 65, there is a blanking die 65 and said blanking die is adapted to cooperate with the peripheral edge 67 of the female die 64 to form the die receivable blank.

Slidably supported on the body portion 62 is a carriage or cross head construction 58 and the same is suitably apertured as at (59 for male die reception and mounts on its face confronting the female corrugating and drawing die 64 the blanking dies 55. This carriage or cross head structure is provided with links 69 and 10, pivotally connected together as at l! and pivotally mounted at '72 upon the structure 652. When the parallel arranged toggle link structure 69-lll is extended from the position shown in Fig. 2, the blanking die will be forced to the right so as to sever the blanks from the sheet portion.

After the blanks are severed from the sheet portion I, the blanking die 56 travels on in a horizontal line to the right until the inner surface portion of the blanking die 65-see Fig. 9- with the thin fins, presses the outer portion of the blank into the series of grooves around the surface of corrugating and drawing female die 64. When this action has proceeded to the position that corrugations of sufficient depth have been formed in the blank, the action of links 69 and i0 is reversed, to withdraw the blanking die 86 with the attached fins to relieve the pressure exerted upon the blank by the fins in initially corrugating the blank.

When this withdrawal is accomplished to just a slight extent or sufficient to allow clearance between the edges of the fins on the blanking die 65 and the grooves in the corrugating and drawing female die 54see Fig. Ill-the links 69 and i9 pause or dwell in a fixed position. This is immediately followed by the forward or right hand movement of the male drawing punch 65see Fig. 8so that the blanks thus formed are received by the female die in alignment therewith and are formed into crude receptacle shape with preformed convolutions or corrugations therein, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

These male drawing punches 65see Fig. 2- are carried by a cross head '53 which is slidably mounted as at i i upon the cross head 58. The cross head '53 is connected by one or more link arrangements 15 to an eccentric portion 75 of a crank construction 11 rotatable by shaft 18. This shaft 78 is operable in timedrelation with the power application to the toggle link structures, previously described. Herein the links 69 are shown of adjustable character. Also, the link i is shown adjustable. This is to insure the proper operation of the respective die structures when they are caused to move from final position to the right, which is the operative position.

The toggle linkage, previously described, is connected by a link 19 at the connected points I! and this link 19 is connected by a link 83 to one end of a bellcrank having the arm iii and oscillatable by rockshaft 82 suitably operated in predetermined timed relation. It will be apparent that rollers 58-59 do not feed the sheet portion G, H and I, to the blanking and initial forming dies While said dies are in operative position.

Immediately upon the formation of the blanks and the initial formation of the container article with the corrugated wall arrangement therein and upon retraction of the respective dies causing the aforesaid, the rollers 53-439 advance the sheet a predetermined amount so that additional blanks may be cut therefrom and these blanks similarly operated upon.

The Web, indicated at J in Fig. 2, passes between the positively driven feeding rolls 33 and thence through the guide members $3. The depending end of the web is in timed relation, severed by a pair of cooperating cutter structures 85 into small pieces that are received by a waste receptacle 86. This waste stock, if not impregnated with materials that are unacceptable, may be sold as waste and pulp stock suitable for use in paper and like formations or may be returned to the pulp beaters and be disintegrated and formed into sheet pulp again, providing this process is operated as vertical integration in the pulp mill.

Adjacent the blanking and initial dieing station is a turret structure, indicated by the numeral Bl, and carried by the rotatable shaft like member 88. This turret is provided with four faces and each face is provided with a receiver arrangement. Since these are identical, 2.

description of one will suffice for all.

t will be remembered that two horizontal series of blanking dies are utilized and by referring to Fig. 7, it will be noted that the sheet H has been previously blanked and upon the next blanking operation, two spaced blanks indicated by X are formed therefrom, leaving the web portion I therebetween.

he receiver structure is shown in Fig. 6 and this figure shows two receivers each of which is of partable or expansible character, the left hand receiver being shown expanded or parted, which corresponds to the position of the receiver parts when it is in alignment with or registering with the blanking station. Fig. 6 also shows the right .the other so that each cutout portion is opposite ,a Well portion and vice versa and in each portion 39 and 90, the recess and well portions are alternated, as illustrated.

From a comparison of Fig. 7 and a comparison of the left hand portion of Fig. 6, it will be apparent that the three right hand blanks X will be received by the three upper well portions 9?. in the portion at and the three left hand blanks X in Fig. 7 will be received by the three lower well portions 92 of portion 89 after the blanks X have been formed and have been forced through the female corrugating die by means of the cooperating male punch.

These two portions 89 and 9$see Fig. 2are herein shown conventionally associated together by means of links 93 and 9d which are connected together as at 95 coaxially with the power or source of turret rotation. Any suitable means, such as a cam or the like, may be arranged to effect movementof said links towards and away from each other at the desired position. In other words, when any particular receiver structure 89-ifi is-positioned adjacent the blanking station, the two links are then separated and are retained in separated relation until the turret indexes. Upon such indexing movement, the two links are caused to move toward each other and register with each other, as shown, thereby bringing the two complementary halves of the receiver 8il9il together to form the complete receiver, such as shown in the right hand portion of Fig.

6. This position in this partable receiver is retained throughout the turret movement subsequent thereto until this particular receiver is again caused to move into registration with the blanking station at the end of one cycle of turret movement for that receiver. Of course, the other three receiver structures are similarly constructed and similarly operable.

Reference noW will be had to the central upper portion of Fig. 2. Herein numeral 96 indicates a stationary portion of the turret enclosing or enveloping apparatus. It is provided with interior ways 91 upon which is slidably mounted a cross head 98 in-turn provided with ways 99 that slidably supports a cross head I00. The cross head 98 is pivotally connected to a link l0] in turn pivotally connectedat H32 to a link I63 and to another link ltd, the latter being pivoted as at [E15 on the portion 96. Links HM and I64 constitute a toggle and link [63, the operating member therefor. The other end of link N13 is connected to the other arm H06 of the bell crank lever carried by the rock shaft 82 having the arm 8 I, previously referred to.

Also pivotally connected at N15 for convenience is a link it! that is connected at its opposite end to a link the and to a link $59, the latter being connected to the cross head tea. The cross head 93 supports a die structure i it and the cross head iflil supports a die -I i 1. As previously set forth, there are six dies liiland six plungers iii carried by these two-cross heads, and these are arranged in spaced and transverse row relation and alignment, respectively.

The link H38 is connectedto one arm N2 of a bell crank operable by a rock shaft H3 suitably supported as at H4. Toggle links HH and $99 each, are of adjustable character for die adjusting purposes. At this station designated by the letter K, the receiver structure 89-.-90.has been closed up or collapsed and as stated, assumes the position and appearance in plan as'illustrated at the right hand portion of Fig. 6.

To the right of the turret structure in the portion H5 of the-machine, there are provided the ways H6 in which is slidably mounted cross head Ill carrying an expanding punch or die, indicated by the numeral IIB. A link H9 is pivotally connected to a link I28 at one end and to the cross head I ll at the opposite end. It is also connected at the first mentioned end to a link I2I pivoted at I22 to portion H5. The link 52!) at its opposite end is pivotally connected to the arm I23 of the bell crank having the other arm H2, previously referred to. Thus, the plungers III and H8 are operable simultaneously. Also, the blanking die and the die Ill) are operable simultaneously. The punch 65, however, operates after the blanking die has operated and may operate at the same time and for the same interval of operation as the plunger punches III and H3. The expanding punch operates upon the blanks that are carried by the receiver structure and which are then positioned at the station L.

When the plunger punches have all been retracted from the material and are clear of the receivers 8d9il, the turret is again indexed and the receiver moves to the station M. At this point or station, the receiver structure registers with an air supply arrangement through the openings I24-see Fig. 6. This air structure is supplied with air under pressure by line I25- see Fig. 2controlled by valve I26. This Valve regulates the amount of air pressure applied. The air pressure for operation is applied intermittently, that is, each time a receiver 890 registers at the station M, air pressure is supplied to the conduit I25 and when that is done, the regulated discharge of air discharges the article from the receiver 8995. The air may continue to discharge during the entire time that the turret remains stationary or the intermittently operable control (not shown) for the air supply may be so regulated that the interval of air application is only that sufficient to eject the articles from the receiver 89-9d. Following article ejection the turret again indexes and the receiver moves to the blanking position and in that movement, the parts of the receiver separate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 so that they receive the corrugated partially formed blanks for a second cycle of operation.

The details of the construction and operation of the plungers III and IIS and structure II will be set forth more fully hereinafter in referring to Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive. Also, the details of the construction and more specific description of the operation of the initial punch, plunger and dies, as shown in Figs. 8 to 15, will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

Positioned beneath the station M is an endless conveyor of suitable character and indicated more or less diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and 3 by the numeral IZ'I. This conveyor includes a plurality of spaced, transverse rows of article receivers, including the weight portions I23, stem portions I29 and the article supporting portions I39. The weights always maintain the article supporting portion I36 uppermost. This isbecause these receivers are pivoted as at I3I to the conveyor structure. This conveyer structure is of openwork character. It'will be obvious, since the runs are spaced sufficiently apart, that the desired constant positioning, previously referred to, can be maintained. The details of such a construction are intentionally omitted herefrom for simplicity.

It may suffice, however, to state the conveyor may include a pair of sprocket chains connected at suitable intervals by rods which support the portions E30 of the transverse row ali ned receivers, these being retained in the rod against lateral or longitudinal rod displacement so that these receivers can always tilt thereon to hold the head or article supporting portion upward and, the weight downwardly irrespective of the position of the run of the endless conveyor any particular receiver ma then occupy.

Adjacent the station M is a pair of spaced arms I32 which are pivotally supported as at I33 upon a portion of the machine. An arm I33 depending from the arm i325 mounts a roller I35 that bears on a cam carried by shaft lt'l. The chains or side portions of the conveyor are associated with the adjacent sprocket wheels, pulleys or the like, I38, carried by the shaft I39 in turn carried by the end of the arms I32. As the shaft It! is rotated in timed relation to the previous operation, the arms I32 will be raised and lowered. As each row of receivers is presented to the station M, the high point or" the cam I36 by engaging the roller I38 causes the adjacent end of the conveyor structure to elevate so that when the air pressure is supplied to the receiver t99@ at station M, the article will be discharged so as to envelope and seat or nest the head portion I39 of that adjacent receiver. Promptly thereafter due to gravity, or spring means may be provided, if desired, the cam Hit having moved so that its lower point then is adjacent the roller I35, the arms E32 lower to the full line position shown in Fig. 2 so that the article and the re ceiver I28l2t'i38 then are not located within the receiver 89t-i. Thus, the receiver clearance necessary is provided for so that upon subsequent turret rotation the discharging receiver may readily move from station M to the blanking station or initial position.

Reference now will be had more especially to Fig. 3. Herein the numeral IC-il indicates a drying oven housing having an inlet opening I4I confronting the previously described blank forming mechanism and having a discharge opposite opening M2. Near the bottom of this housing a suitable source of heat is provided. Herein the same includes a plurality of gas burners I 33, the flames of which are directed upwardly and which are supplied by a master line IM controlled by a valve I 25. This heat supply is continuous. The products of combustion rise upwardly through the housing or chamber and impinge upon the baffle plate M5 in spaced relation to the top of the housing which supports the same, as indicated at Mil. The gases pass laterally around the plate I65 and thence outwardly through the control lines i i-B controlled by valve I48.

Mounted within the housing hit is a suitable frame work I56 which supports suitable pulleys, sprockets or the like, liii. The conveyor I21 passes inwardly into the housing M9 at the aperture lfil and the chain portion thereof is engaged by a sprocket gear I52 carried by shaft I53 which is positively driven. All of the wheels iSI may be sprocket or gear Wheels, if desired.

The conveyor i2? thence passes upwardly and over the wheel I54 and thence across to the discharge side of the drying oven, thence back and forth from the entrance side to the discharge side and finally the conveyor leaves the housing through the discharge aperture I42. Following removal of the article from the receivers or supports of the conveyor, the conveyor reenters the housing l iil through the aperture .line 23'5 controlled by valve 238.

gamer I42 and then leaves the housing Mil through the aperture I l! and passes to the wheel I38. Where the lower run of the conveyor leaves the housing, there is provided a Wheel I55. This also may be of sprocket character and positively driven. The wheels I138 may be of sprocket character and positively driven.

Immediately adjacent the aperture I42 in the oven It!) is a support arrangement I56 which pivotally supports at [i a pair of arms I58 in turn rotatably supporting as by the shaft 159 spaced wheels ltd similar to wheels I38.

, Immediately adjacent the aperture M2 in the oven Iii is a support arrangement I55 which pivotally supports at 5 a pair of arms I58 in turn rotatably supporting as by the shaft I59 spaced wheels let similar to wheels [38. A U- shaped guard lfil is suitably carried by the arms I58 and is positioned in spaced relation to the conveyor I27, as shown.

Suitably supported by means, not shown, and omitted for simplicity, but carried by the arms I58, is another guard Hi2 and this has an outwardly directed lip portion i6 3 which is adapted to be engaged by the articles carried by the conveyor I2? so that said articles in the travel of the conveyor i2? adjacent the guard are caused to be retained upon said receivers until the receiver and the article reaches the station designated by the letter N in Fig. 3.

A third receiver arrangement which is of the external type in that it may be said to be of cup form, is at this station adapted to receive the discharged articles which have been partially formed and partially dried. Herein numeral I54 designates such a receiver structure and a corresponding number of receivers are arranged in transverse rows and are suitably connected together to form an endless conveyor structure I65.

Rotatably supported in the support 556 is the shaft E65 which mounts cams iti immediately adjacent the rollers E58 carried by the depending arms I59 in turn carried by the arms E58. The shafts it? and Hit ar similarly operable so that the high point of the cam ass and the low point of the cam it"! are operable or effective at the same time so that the entire discharge structure is lowered at the station N at the same time as the receiving structure is elevated at the station M so that as the articles are discharged at the station N, the similar articles but not dried, are received at the station M.

The movement of the conveyor through the oven naturally is of intermittent character and this is because the conveyor could not move Without interference when the mushroom type receivers are nested wtihin the partable receivers at station M or the mushroom type receivers are nested within the cup shaped receivers 64 at the station N.

Adjacent station N, see Fig. 3, is a transverse header 239, having six nozzles 23%, supplied by This line is arranged to have intermittently supplied thereto, in the manner previously described, relative to line E25, and simultaneously therewith (and intermittently) air pressure to facilitate or efiect separation of the article from its mushroom support, and its ejection into and seating in the adjacent receivers (at station N) carried by conveyor I65.

As previously set forth, the successive transverse rows of receivers, cup-shaped in character and indicated by th numeral let, are suitably connected together or supported by a conveyor structure its. This conveyor structure is associated with a wheel arrangement {'58 carried by shaft ill mounted in br ckets H 2 and these wheels iii) may be positively rotated but such rotation is of intermittent character for the reasons previously assigned. The brackets also support the successive wheels H3 and H4 carried by shafts H5 and lit, respectively. These also may be positively driven, if desired, the conveyor passing under wheel H3 and over wheel H4 and from thence passing inwardly through an aperture ill of a housing H8 in the lower part of which is mounted a bed p e t position of which be adjusted as indicated at lfiii. These receivers and the connecting conveyor structure leave this housing at the aperture it,

This conveyor structure may also be of sprocket chain type and the wheels associated therewith may be of sprocket gear type.

Within the housing F53 above the bed plate H9 there is provided a way structure 82 which slidably supports a crosshead !83 provided in turn with ways Hi5 which slidably support crosshead 85. The crosshead N33 is connected by link E36 to another link it? pivoted at 688 to the interior of the housing H8. The crosshead I85 is pivoted by a link iiii to a link iiiil also pivoted at I83.

The several links last mentioned constitute toggle structures and means for moving the same are associated With the midpoints it! and 192 thereof but herein in view of equivalent disclosure of toggle operating mechanism shown in Fig. 2, these toggle operating mechanisms herein have intentionally been omitted for c'iearness.

The conveyor positions the cup-like receiver Hi4 beneath a piunger 593 at the station 0 and this plunger is carried by the crosshead i855. This crosshead 535 also carries plunger 94 at the station P. The crosshead i583 carries the die structure is?) cooperating with the plunger die I9 3. The last mentioned triple die structure constitutes the finishing dies and illustrates two successive stages of finishing operation.

Plunger M33 is of the mechanical expander type whereas plunger Ed t is of the pressure expansible type. The mechanical and pressure expanding plunger firnsh the interior of the article to size, eliminating all wrinkles et cetera, therein, both internally and externally. The die i forms the finished head or outer edge of the article between these operations and holds said edge in finished position and formation during final finishing, sizing, et cetera. Since the equivalent structures appear at liEl--i ii and H8 and same as illustrated in Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, and will be described hereinafter more fully, no further description will be given here.

In an article of 3 /2" in diameter, it is finished or stretched, for example, to {5 greater diameter and in the second drying operation, the heat tempering causes uniform shrinkage, the stock springing back uniformly to size and being finally set at the final size.

For exceptionally smooth finished walls of articles another or second finishing unit press of two stages may be operated between the second drying oven and the discharging station Q of the second conveyor itt.

It will be obvious that when the conveyor m5 is stationary, that is during the interval required to eject or discharge the articles from the mushroom shaped receivers, the plungers l93and- I94 are effective as well as the die H35 and that when the conveyor is moved, all the dies are free and clear and positioned above the cup-shaped receivers ltd. Thus, the conveyor IE is intermittently operable in timed relation necessary to secure this time sequence and clearance relationship.

The conveyor 65 enters a second drying oven or housing i816 through aperture H31. Adjacent said aperture is! is a Wheel structure I98 which is suitably supported at 59%. This wheel structure may be of sprocket character and the connections at the ends of the transverse rows of cup receivers may be of sprocket chain character.

Within the housing B96 which is substantially similar to the housing or oven Hill, there is provided the heating means 28%] supplied with fuel as at 25 and controlled as at 202. The products of combustion are baflled by plate 293 and flow laterally to the sides of the housing and thence upwardly to the discharge or venting llues 204, each of which preferably is valve controlled as at 205. The baffle structure 203 is suitably supported from the roof as at 205.

Within the housing I558 is the frame structure 267 which supports adjacent each opposite side wall of the housing a plurality of wheels 2538. Herein the mechanism differs from that previously described for the first drying oven, in that there is provided the guide and article retaining shields 289, these being provided, so that the articles in the inverted runs, as it were, of the conveyor structure N55, to prevent accidental loss of article from the cup type receiver. The last and lowermost run of the conveyor with the articles included therein leaves the housing I96 through the aperture 2m and immediately engages a Wheel structure 2H carried by a shaft 2l2 in turn supported by a bracket structure 2I3 carried by the housing I95. After passing under wheel .2! l, the conveyor passes over a similarly supported wheel 2M and thence passes approximately half way around a wheel 2h: carried by the free end of the bracket 2H3. The conveyor or receivers after passing this discharge station Q pass over a similar wheel structure 2H6 similarly carried by the frame 2E3 and under another wheel 2%? also similarly supported and adjacent the discharge aperture 2m. The lower run of the conveyor E65 thence passes through the housing i955, leaving the same through the aperture ZIS and passing over the wheel 2E9 carried by shaft 2291, in turn carried by bracket 22! also carried by housing let. The conveyor E55 thence passes under wheel 222 mounted as at 223 upon the finishing press arrangement and thence passes directly to the wheel 110.

Any or all of the respective wheels ma be positively driven as necessary or required, although it is to be understood this conveyor travel is, of necessity, of intermittent character but progressive or successive in character, the stationary intervals being necessary for article re ception by the cup-shaped receivers and the die operations.

At the station Q, there is provided an air pressure supply line 224 controlled by valve 225 and having an outlet arrangement 2215 of header character and having discharge ports adapted to register with ports in the bottom of the cup-shaped receivers ifi l so that when the conveyor is stationary and the receivers at the station Q register with this header 22B and air is supplied for a predetermined interval under pressure to line 224, said air pressure will discharge the finished article from the cup-shaped receiver Iii l into a suitable container 22'! therebeneath, which herein is shown pivoted as at 228 upon a bas 229. This receiver may tilt back and forth so that the articles are discharged in regular sequence across and back in the container so that when the container is full of articles, the covers 239 may be closed and sealed and the container re moved from its cradle 23| pivoted at 228. An empty container may then be supplied to the cradle and the packaging, therefore, is continuous. Mechanism for tilting cradle 23! in accordance with the foregoing herein is intentionall omitted for clearness.

Whenever it is desired to further decorat or surface finish the articles, in lieu of the container arrangement, there may be provided a second conveyor structure similar to conveyor 12? and provided with mushroom receivers I30. This second conveyor adjacent station Q would be mounted and operated as illustrated at the left hand end of conveyor l2'!see Fig. 2. Each mushroom receiver might include a small pinion on the tail portionsee stem or tail I29- which in the travel of the conveyor would engage a rack or like, that would rotate said receiver so that an inner, an outer, or inner and outer directional spray device would coat the interior, exterior or both surfaces of the article in the desired manner. In this manner a lacquer color coat can be applied. Of course, the sprays would not discharge while the conveyor was not moving. Ejection of coated articles from these modified mushroom receivers could be effected as illustrated at the right hand and of conveyor i2lsee Fig. 3-after passing through a drier similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3, if desired or required. Such ejected articles then could be collected as illustrated in the right hand portion of Fig. 5.

Whenever intermittent conveyor movement is not desirable or cannot be utilized, the elevating mechanism for the conveyor would not be utilized but each article would be pressure ejected at station Q into a chute which would guide the article to a registering mushroom receiver therebeneath, the chute being relieved to permit receiver movement into chute registration, travel therethrough and article and receiver passage therefrom all without interference.

Apparatus suitable for effecting such additional operations is intentionally not illustrated herein for the same may assume, as is obvious from the foregoing, several different types or forms and such apparatus utilized for individually supporting and transporting articles for subsequent coating by spraying and the like, as well as drying same, when desired or required.

However, the foregoing constitutes a disclosure of subsequent ornamentation of formed articles, and is a part of a process for forming ornamented articles of the character described and from prim sheet pulp material and in the manner described and claimed.

rlaving thus briefly described the major portions of the apparatus suitable for performing the complete process previously described, reference now will be had to the detailed description of the initial corrugating and blank operating die structures, including th male and female portions thereof, the die structure illustrated at station K, the plunger die structure indicated at station L, and the die structures illustrated at station and P, respectively.

Reference will now be had more particularly to Figs. 8 to 14 inclusive. As previously described, the stock material. is fed in sheet form and between the guides tit. As previously set forth, in the body 62 there is formed an aperture 63 in which is mounted the female corrugating or drawing die 65.. Now, the outer peripheral edge of said die as indicated at 61 is engaged by the blanking die 6'6 carried by the crosshead 68. This form a circular blank from the sheet which remains stationary during the subsequent operation at this station.

Now, with the sheet severed from the blank, there results a circular blank between the forming die 63a and the flared portion 66a of the tubular die 66. As shown in Fig. 8, the two confronting faces 68b of these two structures are tapered or inclined toward the tubularity in the female corrugating die 6 As shown in Fig. 10, the face 6% is corrugated, as indicated at 640. These corrugations are radially arranged and in spaced relation and are equidistant. The corrugations are formed by the grooves E i-d in said face which grooves merge into the linear grooves 646 in the tubular portion of the female die 6d, the merging portions being indicated by the numeral 64).

There is suitably secured to the confronting face 631) of the die 68a a plurality of corrugating fins 680. These are preferably formed in pairs, as illustrated in Fig. 11, a pair of said fins being connected together as indicated at 68d and being suitably secured to the face 6%, as indicated at 68a. The resulting construction is that there is provided an annular series of radially arranged fluting fins, each of which is adapted to register with a fluting groove 64d. As previously described, the initial movement of the crosshead 68 forms the blank by severing the same from the sheet stock I and then continued movement of the crosshead 63 toward the female co-rrugating die forms in the blank the creases indicated by AA in Fig. 13. After this formation occurs, as previously described, the crosshead 68 backs away from the corrugating female die an amount sufficient to relieve the clamping action of said dies on the radially creased circular blank. This return movement, however, is not sufficient to clear the cutting die 66 from cooperative position or association with the cutting surface or periphery '5, but so that the blank I remains trapped between the two corrugating dies.

Thereafter, as previously described, the male plunger having the substantially conoidal end 6506, is caused to advance and it enters the aperture BS in the corrugating die 68a. The periphery and point, as it were, of this plunger 65 is longitudinally fluted as at 65?: and the fluting extends into the front face 650 as indicated at 6503. The positioning of these fiutings are such and the spacings are such that they correspond with and are complementary to the fiutings or grooves Me in the female corrugating die 64%. Upon the face 650 engaging the blank I after the die Etta has been retracted to blank releasing position continued forward movement (movement to the right--see Fig. 8) serves to draw the blank stock into the tubular portion of the tubular female corrugating die. In so doing, the previously radially grooved portion of the stock follows the groovings and is partially confined by the ribs 880 so that said stock includes a bulging, buckling or bowing position as indicated at BB in Fig. 14. Fig. 14 illustrates what might be said to be the edge of the blank after having been drawn toward the central hole in the female die and to an extent where said edge is midway between the outer peripheral edge of the die and the inner tube forming edge of said die. This action results in, first, the formation of preformed fiutes and then the formation of preformed corrugations between the fluted portions by reason of the aforesaid action. These corrugations are compressed in the movement of the blank into the tubular portion of the female die ti l so that when the blank is finally drawn into semi-article formation, as illustrated in Fig. 15, there is provided at the upper edge thereof a reversely corrugated formation in the stock, the same being indicated by the letters CC. This means that the stock or material from the bottom or side wall immediately adjacent the bottom to its upper or outer free edge is progressively corrugated and, therefore, is progressively thickened in the initial formation.

Fig. 15 illustrates the stock held in position with the male plunger seated in the female corrugated die just prior to the final forward movement of the plunger to eject the partially formed article from the blanking, corrugating and initial forming station and into the registering well structure 92 carried by the adjacent portion of the partable receiver Following discharge of this partially formed article, the plunger is fully retracted to its initial position to the left, see Fig. 2, and the corrugating forming die and the blank cutting die 66 are similarly retracted. A web stripper fifia, see Fig. 8, may be employed if desired. It frees the web from die 64 when die 66 has cleared the forward end of blanking edge 61.

Then the sheet is advanced the required amount as previously described so that new blanks may be cut therefrom and new articles may be formed therefrom. Simultaneously therewith receivers are closed and the turret carrying the same and the receiving wells is indexed from the blanking station to the station K. No further description of the specific blanking and initial forming die structures, or their operation, is believed necessary. The foregoing arrangement, therefore, provides a very uniform, predetermined wrinkle in the blank and by reason of the backing off arrangement of the indenting or creasing die the friction of the surfaces upon the blank is reduced to a minimum and the subsequent formation of the blank into partial article form is thereby expedited.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 2 and 16. It will be remembered that in Fig. 2, numeral HI indicated a plunger and this is a rubber expanding punch. Numeral H8 is the top edge forming collar which is locked in place by the mechanical pressure exerted by reason of the toggle structure associated with the crosshead $3 and it is locked in place on the receiver 89-90 in which is mounted the several wells 82, the interior thereof serving as an exterior form for the resulting article.

In Fig. 16, the same numerals are employed. The article is indicated by the letters DD. The plunger includes the main supporting member l l i which is apertured at l i la. to receive the stem Hib of a rubber or resilient plunger structure Hie, the stern and member ill being suitably locked together by means of a set screw llld.

For a further description of the rubber plunger I i to, it is to be understood that owing to the nil compressing characteristics of rubber that this plunger in its normal state (without applied pressure) is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of the resulting article and longer in its normal state than the depth of the resulting article. This proportion is essential so that plunger I I So can thereby enter or be withdrawn from the resulting article in its normal state, which is smaller in diameter and thereby allows for the proper clearance. Upon encountering axial resistance, the rubber expands outwardly or transversely and substantially equally.

As the crosshead 98 moves down toward the receiver 52, it initially has its central projecting portion I Ida enter said well and this forces downwardly the stock of the article DD so that a substantially uniform, even and true upper edge is formed on the article. After the ring structure III is seated on the well, the plunger III advances and serves to force downwardly and transversely the excess stock and thus the thicker stock portions at the upper edge of the article DD are caused to flow into the thinner portions of the article until when the plunger III is fully seated within the well structure as shown in Fig. 16. The resultant article included between the well and the punch III-IIIc is substantially of uniform thickness throughout. This appreciably removes all wrinkle formations and major deformations. In the third stage formation, as has been previously described, the punch I 58 is of substantially similar or identical character to that indicated by the numeral I in Fig. 2 and illustrated in detail in Fig. 16, or on resul ing articles where an exceptionally smooth finish is desired on the interior surface of the side walls a solid metal punch or an expanding mechanical punch referred to as I93 may be used.

Further referring to Fig. 16, for convenience only, the lower portion of said figure is shown as the same appears at station M in Fig. 2, it being understood that when at this station the crosshead 98 and the forming die III! and plunger II I are not associated with the article DD or the well 92 so that for the following description it is assumed that these parts are not present in the bottom half of the disclosure foun in Fig. 16.

It will be remembered that a series of six wells is supported, three by one of the receiver elements 39 and three by one of the receiver elements '98, when the two are associated together the six wells are in alignment and in predetermined spaced relation. The bottom of each well is herein shown provided with a bore 3% and slidably supported therein is a valve stem 36 mounted on one end of which is a retainer 352 and on the opposite end of which is mounted a valve SE53 with a tapered face 304 that cooperates with the corresponding tapered face 385 of a frusto conical recess act. The interior exposed face of this valve member 393 is flush with the bottom of the well structure. Each portion 89 and 93 is provided with a plurality of registering bores 36? that extend therethrough and communicate with similar bores 383 in the turret structure 8?. These latter bores all communicate with a central passage 369 which in turn, at station M, registers with the air pressure supplying conduit 125 as diagrammatically illustratedin Fig. 2 and-Fig. 16.

Each well is provided with a plurality of ducts 3 I6 positioned about the stem receiving bore 300. When the pressure is supplied to the header structure 309, air pressure elevates the valve member 303 to open the same permitting the air to escape from said ducts and between the article and the well structure so that the air effects the release. This also is assisted by the action of the plunger type valve 303 by the force of gravity acting on said valve. Thus, each article is positively assured of ejection from its well structure at station M following initial formation at the blanking station and subsequent stations K and L.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 17 to 19 inclusive, as well as Fig. 4-the latter representing stations 0 and P following the drying of the article after initial formation and discharge from the well at station M.

In said Fig. 4, the punch I93 is of mechanical expanding type and one form of the same is illustrated in Figs. 17 to 19 inclusive. The plunger l-sd constitutes the finish sizing punch and it may be of mechanical type or of the rubber pressure type as desired. If of the latter type, it may be substantially the same as that previously described and illustrated more particularly in Fig. ii. In any event, associated with the latter is the finishing collar or top edge forming die I95. As previously set forth, the receivers I54 are made a trifle larger in diameter than the wells 92 so as to allow the stretch previously mentioned in the side walls to take place in th mechanical expansion at this station 0 and to permit the article to relieve all stresses and strains therein so that the article will dry out to uniform size without any stresses or strains included therein that would subsequently be found in the second operation. It, of course, is to be understood that the finish punch I94 may also be of mechanical type, if desired.

In Figs. 17 to 19 inclusive numerals beginning with 3! I are employed without regard to whether other numerals in other figures have been applied to the mechanical expanding punch designated more especially in Fig. 4 by the numeral Herein the punch structure is shown of sixsegment character, as it were.

The central stem of the mechanical expander or punch is indicated by numeral JI I and mounts at its lower end the base or article bottom forming portion 3l2 which projects laterally therefrom and its upper face 3I3 is annularly grooved as at 3M.

lidably mounted on stem 3!! is sleeve SIS including a longitudinally directed elongated slot 356 theret'nrough. The upper end of the sleeve 315 is threaded as at 3!! to receive an adjustable stop member (nut) M8. The lower end of the sleeve 355 is frusto-polygonal in character having six tapered faces 355), and a shouldered portion 329.

A head structure 32I has its lower face 322 annularly grooved as at 323. Three spacing members 325 having shoulders 325 and 325 serve to space the head lower face 322 a predetermined distance from the base upper face 3I3 so that the six cooperating expanding segments may freely move radially therebetween. The ends 32! are threaded at 328 into the base 3I2 and the opposite threaded exposed ends 330 extend through bores 329 in the head mount and clamping nuts 33L The head 32I is relieved as at 332 to form a chamber having shoulder 333 engageable by shoulder 32!) of the frusto-polygonal wedge 32!. The head 32! includes an upwardly directed tubular extension 334 spaced from stem 3H and providing an annular channel for sleeve ME. A bolt 335 connects the stem and head together and rides in slot SIB of sleeve M5 and prevents relative rotation between the wedge and the expanding segments or the head and base.

The six expanding segments are of two kinds and alternated. One segment is shown clearly in Fig. 18 in side elevation. The other segment is shown clearly in Figs. 1'? and 19 and in central section in the latter figure.

Each of the first mentioned. segments 335 includes oppositely directed cars 33'! and 338 which register with channels El i and 323 respectively and associated with said ears are springs and 340 which normally constrain segment 3% inwardly into wedge engagement. Herein the inner face of the segment 336 has an inclined face 345 complementary to the wedge inclination.

Each of the other three segments 3&2 is slotted as at 353 to embrace the spacin studs 32d. This slot is of suiiicient radial width, as illustrated, to permit the segment to move radially between the base and head. Springs 844 seated in recesses 3 35 in the stud 32 i bear on face 3 330: of the slot M3 and normally constrain the segment 3&2 into wedge engagement. An ear 3% on said segment also seats in base slot 3M. The wedge engaging face S it of this segment is inclined and complementary to the inclination of the wedge.

The adjacent faces of adjacent segments are complementary as shown in Fig. 17 so that as the segments move outwardly and radially the summation resulting outer periphery is substantially complete and merges at the top and bottom with the adjacent outer surfaces of the head and ba e respectively as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 18.

It will be obvious that bodily movement of stem 3!! merely positions the mechanical expanding punch as desired. However, application of pressure to collar or nut SIB forces wedge 355 downwardly thereby simultaneously and to a corresponding degree forcing all segments radially outward. Final outward movement may be limited by the lower end of slot M6, the lower limit of travel of the member engaging the nut 348 or by ears 33'! and/or ears 345 engaging annular slot 3 M, as desired or required.

It i also to be noted that the rubber plunger shown and. described may be pneumatic character instead of substantially solid character. When of pneumatic type, it would be inflated by a regulated pressure before or during seating movement or when seated as desired or required. Such inflation naturally would be properly timed.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a container forming machine, means at one station adapted to simultaneously supply blanks to a pair of spaced, movable, elongated members, means for moving said members laterally into abutting relation and away from each other, at least one blank receiver carried by each elongated member, each receiver having a portion projecting laterally from one side face of its elongated member and toward the confronting side face of the other elongated member, each blank receiver havin a blank receiving cavity therein, the blank receivers being spaced apart lengthwise of the'elongated members when the same are in substantially abutting relation, each of the confronting faces of the elongated members having a recess therein to laterally nest the laterally projecting portion of the receiver carried by the other elongated member when the members abut each other, the blank receivers, when so nested, being in alignment with each other, a plurality of aligned blank working means at a second station spaced from said one station, said blank working means having a spacing therebetween and alignment corresponding to the spacing between and alignment of said receivers when said receivers are at said second station and said members are in abutting relation, means for moving the receivers from the one station to the second station, and means for moving the blank working means into blank engagement for working thereon when the blank receivers are at said second station.

2. In a container forming machine, the combination of an indexable turret, means for intermittently rotating said turret, a plurality of pairs of spaced, movable, elongated members carried by said turret, means at one station adapted to simultaneously supply blanks to a pair of said members, means for moving each pair of members laterally into abutting relation and away from each other, at least one blank receiver carried by each elongated member, each receiver having a portion projecting laterally from the side face of its elongated member and toward the confronting side face of the other elongated member, each blank receiver having a blank receiving cavity therein, the blank receivers of each pair of elongated members being spaced apart lengthwise of the elongated members, each member having a confronting face recess adapted when the members abut each other to nest the laterally projecting portion of the blank receiver carried by the other of said elongated members,

the blank receivers, when so nested, being in alignment with each other, a plurality of aligned blank working means at a second station spaced from said one station, said blank working means having a. spacing therebetween and alignment corresponding to the spacing between and alignment of said receivers when said receiver are at said second station and said members ar in ing arcuate spacing therebetween for successive registration of each pair of members at said one and second stations, the receivers at said one station registering with the blank supplying means and then with the blank working means at said second station, the means for moving each pair of elongated members towards and away from each other being operable prior to and following turret presentation of each pair of elongated members to the blank supplying means.

3. In a forming machine including a centrally apertured creasing member having ribbing at one end directed outwardly from the aperture, a plunger movable longitudinally in the aperture thereof, a tubular, interiorly corrugated, die

member, means for relatively moving said creasing member and said die member, a ribbed face on the die member at the end closest to the creasing member, the face ribbing being complementary to the creasing member ribbing for creasing a blank therebetween, said plunger having corrugations thereon complementary to the tubular die member corrugations, means for moving the plunger, following blank creasing, toward, into, and through the tubular die mem ber with the previously creased blank between the die member and the plunger, to force the creased blank entirely through the die member, and a substantially closed end receiver mold immediately adjacent the blank discharging end of the tubular die m mber for simultaneous reception of the blank and the plunger, the plunger seating said receiver mold and against the closed end thereof for uniform distribution of the blank stock.

4. A fibre stock forming machine, as defined by claim 3, wherein the ribbing of the centrally apertured member comprises a plurality of finlike blades, each with an anchoring base portion, and means detachably securing the base portions to said centrally apertured member with the blades projecting therefrom and toward the tubular die member.

5. A fibre stock forming machine, a defined by claim 3, wherein the ribbing of the centrally apert-ured member comprises a plurality of finlike blades, each with an anchoring base portion, and means detachably securing the base portions to said centrally apertured member with the blades projecting therefrom and toward the tubular die member, the blades being arranged in pairs and the base portions of each pair being integral, said base securing means being positioned between the integral base portion connected blades.

6. In a container forming machine, the combination with an intermittently movable endless conveyor, movable a predetermined distance at each movement thereof, a plurality of successively arranged cup-shaped receiver molds carried by said endless conveyor with a spacing therebetween substantially equal to the aforesaid predetermined distance, a stationary frame, a substantially stationary platen supported thereby and across which said conveyor passes for platen backing of the receiver molds, a pair of spaced plungers movably supported by the frame and simultaneously movable into a pair of platen backed adjacent receiver molds for expansion of the articles therein, said spaced plungers successively cooperatin' with each receiver mold, apertured r ng means movably supported by the frame and adapted for engagement with a receiver mold for article retention therein and subsequent article top edge formation, one of the plungers being longitudinally movable in the ring means aperture and relative to the rin means for pressure surfacing and top edging of the retained article, means for selectively moving the ring means and the plungers toward and away from the then platen backed, plunger registering, receiver molds whereby the ring means is initially engaged with one of said platen backed receiver molds prior to the plunger nesting therein, said ring means moving means retaining the ring means in engagement with the rin engaged receiver mold until the ring means associate plunger is disengaged therefrom.

7. In a container forming apparatus having a plurality of article transfer stations, the combiticle therein, to one station, a

nation of an endless conveyor intermittently movable between two stations, a plurality of cupz-shaped article receivers, means for successively presenting each receiver, with a cup-shaped arsecond plurality of cup-shaped article receivers, means for successively presenting each of the second cupshaped article receivers to a ubsequent station, va plurality of article supports carried by said conveyor, successive article supports being sucoessively registrable with and nestable in successive first cup-shaped receivers and then with successive second cup-shaped receivers, the conveyor being stationary during the nesting of the :supports in the registering receivers, successive .article supports having a spacing therebetween upon said conveyor whereby two article supports simultaneously register with one each of the different cup-shaped receivers, and means at each of the two stations for nesting the conveyor supported article support at that station within the adjacent cup-shaped receiver then registering therewith for article transference and then de- ;n.esting of the same for conveyor and support travel clearance, operation of the last mentioned :means only occurring when the conveyor is sta- 'tionary.

8. A container forming apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein the conveyor supported article .suppo-rts at the transfer stations are oppositely directed relative to each other.

9. A container forming apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein there is provided at each station intermittently operable fluid pressure means for facilitating transference of the article between the receiver and support then registering at that station and only operable when the conveyor is stationary and after the nesting means at the sta- 'tion has effected the nesting relationship between said registering receiver and support at that :station, said fluid pressure means being inoperative when denesting has been effected for conveyor travel.

10. In a container forming apparatus having a plurality of article transfer stations, the combination of a plurality of parallel series of cup-shaped receivers, each series including a plurality of said receivers having like spacing therebetween, means for simultaneously presenting to one station, one receiver of each series, a second plurality of parallel series of cup-shaped receivers, each series thereof including a plurality of said second mentioned receivers having like spacing therebetween, means for simultaneously presenting to another station one receiver of each second mentioned series, an endless conveyor inter- Inittently movable between the two aforesaid stations, a third plurality of parallel series of article supports on said conveyor, each series thereof including a plurality of said article supports having like spacing therebetween, the number of all parallel series being identical, the successive series being in alignment, the support spacing upon said conveyor simultaneously registering a support with one of the first mentioned cup-shaped receivers at the one station and another support in the same series with a second mentioned receiver of said another station, and means at each of the stations for moving the conveyor portions adjacent thereto toward and away from th adjacent cup-shaped receivers then at the stations to eirect nesting and denesting between the then registering cup-shaped receivers and article supports.

11. A container forming apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the first mentioned present

Images