US2515621A - Stripping mechanism for carton forming machines - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1950 F. M. WILLBRANDT STRIPPING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FORMING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1948 J y 1950 F. M. WILLBRANDT 2,515,621

STRIPPING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Jan. 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented July 18, 1950 STRIPPING MECHANISM FOR CARTON FORMING MACHINES Franklin M. Willbrandt, Battle Creek, Mich, assignor to Battle Creek Bread Wrapping Machine Company, Battle Creek, Mich.

Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,384

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stripping mechanism for carton forming machines. v

The principal objects of. this invention are:

First, to provide mechanism for quickly and positively stripping finished cartons from the forming blocks of a carton forming machine without damaging the finished cartons.

Second, to provide carton stripping mechanism which will advance with the forming blocks of the carton forming machine so that the cartons are stripped therefrom without stopping the forming mechanism of the machine.

Third, to provide novel mechanism for bringing friction stripper rolls into operative engagement with the forming blocks of a carton forming machine as the forming blocks are advanced uniformly through the machine.

Fourth, to provide a novel form of forming block for carton forming machines which is particularly adapted to cooperate with friction rolls for stripping cartons from the block.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the details and economies of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a preferred form of my stripping mechanism.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my stripping mechanism as applied to a carton forming machine, portions of the framework of the forming machine being shown in cros section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view along the line 22 in Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the driving shaft and actuating cam and cam followers for the stripping mechanism.

My stripping mechanism is illustrated as anplied to a carton forming machine having nights of carton forming blocks I mounted on a con veyor 2 for movement through the carton forming process of the machine. The conveyor 2 is driven by a chain 3 which carries a series of pressure blocks 4 associated with each flight of forming blocks and which is driven bv a s rocket wheel partially illustrated at 5 in Fig. 1. The

process by which cartons are formed on the forming blocks I is immaterial to the present invention and is therefore not illustrated. It is sufficient to state that the forming blocks l are the opposite ends'of the drive shaft l0.

designed to have lined or unlined cartons 6 formed thereon and delivered from left to right as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The framework of the carton forming machine is provided with a cross bar I of H-shaped cross section which extends transversely of the machine below the path of travel of' the forming blocks l and which forms a support for a pair of bracketsSA and BB positioned on either side of the path of travel of the forming blocks. The brackets 8A and 8B are provided with upturned ends 9 forming bearings for drive shafts l0. Bearing blocks l l are secured to the brackets over the cross member I which form bearings for The drive shafts III are each provided with beveled gears l2 (see Fig. 4) which are arranged to be driven by mating beveled gears 13 secured to a cross shaft [4.

The cross shaft I4 is supported in brackets l5 (see Fig. 1) secured to the outer sides of the bearing blocks II and is provided at its forward .end with a sprocket [6 arranged to be driven by .of racks 22A and 2213 each of which is formed with a tubular lower rail journaled on the drive shafts and a pair of upstanding arms 23 form- ,ing intermediate journals 24 for a pair of roll shafts 25 and upper journals 26 for supporting a pair of guide rods 21. The racks 22A and 2213 thus support the roll shafts 25 and guide rods 21 parallel to the path of travel of the forming blocks I and are tiltable toward and away from the sides of the forming blocks.

Positioned between each of the racks 22A and 22B and the bearing blocks II are a pair of driving gears 28 which are pinned to the drive shafts It and arranged to drive mating roll gear 29 pinned to the ends of the roll shafts 25. Each of the roll shafts 25 is provided with a stripper roll at having a soft rubber exterior and a splined driving connection to the roll shafts as illustrated at 3| .so that the rolls rotatewith the roll shafts but are movable axially therealong. The roll 30 are each provided with hubs 32 having annular grooves formed therein arranged to receive the forkportions 33 formed on the lower ends of the shift members 34. The shift members 34 are mounted on the guide rods 21 and are arranged to be moved axially therewith by mechanism to be described presently.

The rack members 22A and 22B are provided with inwardly extending arms 35A and 35B which are positioned in overlapping relationship as is most clearly illustrated in Fig.2, so that the end of arm 35B overlies the end ofarm 35A. Each of the arms 35A and 35B are urged downwardly by coil springs 36 secured to angle bars 3! attached to the support brackets 8A and 8B. The forward rack 22A is furtherprovided with an outwardly extending arm 38 pivotally-connected to a yoke 39. The shank of the yoke :99 is pivotally connected to a second yQke4OJcarr-ied on the lower end of a push rod 4|. It should-be noted that the pivotal connections between the yoke 39 and 49 and between the yoke39 and the arm 38 are disposed at right angles'toeach other forming a universal joint.

The push rod 4| is provided .-with=.a--yoke 42 at its upper end (see ,1) ,which .isupivotall'y connected by a link 43 to one arm -.ofa.crank member 44 carriedon a .stub shaft-45-secured to .the frame of the-.machine. .-Thecrank v44. is..arranged to be rocked: on the-shaft 45 by actuation of a'second push rod 4.6 which rextendsbetween the crank 44 and-thecrank arm 41. The. crank 41 is pivotallyrmountedon acrossshaft. 48 reX" tending between-the sidesof themachine. The 'crank 41 is held in place-by the collar '49| -andis provided with an-actuating arm 49arrangedmto be actuated by a cam.50:secured-tothezcrossishaft i9. Thus as the actuating-armldis.raisediby .the lift ofthecam-fill,.thepushlrod .46 .will be drawn to the left as shownin,Fig..1andoperating through thecrank 44 will depress .the push rod Al to lower the crank armv38ron.thelowenrailof the rack 22A. This motion will swinglthelrack 22A outwardly away from the .forming blocks and acting simultaneouslyzthrough the arms 35A and 353 will swingtherack .2.2B .outwardly away from the-opposite .side ofitheformingiblooks. The cam 50 has -arelatively shortxlift surface .53 extending betweenthe. ends of a constant. retracting surface. The :stripper rolls Lidwillthus be moved awayfrom-the forming .blocks. as the. arm 49 engages the lift.surface Obviously the shaft I9 and cam 59 must be rotated atsuch a speed as to.complete-.one revolution While .each flight is moving past'the strippenmechanism.

The cross shaft .48 is provided oneach side of the path of the formingblocks-J with depending crank arms which are. securedrto-theshaft and pivotally connected to push .rods52 extending generally longitudinally to the .shift blocks 34 mounted on theguiderods 721. The cross shaft i9 is providedwith asecondcam 5L2 whichmoves a second actuatingarmfil Lsecured to the rock shaft 48. The rockshaft ABis-graduaIlymQtated by engagement .of the second actuating ,arm .5! vith thecamill. Thedepending arms'5l will be vmoved toward .the stripper mechanism and the pushmodsifiz and shift blocks 34 will be actuated to move lthestrinner rolls .3}! along .the roll shafts 25. The=cam-5| 2 is provided with a continuously rising -.lift.surface extending substantiallvaround'theecam=tola quick return surface so that as .the shaft llfiiand cam are driven in timed relationship with the conveyor chain 3. the stripper rolls 139 will be advanced along the roll shafts Z5.at..the same speed and in timed relationship with ,each succeedingflight of ,forming blocks I. .The outward tilting action of the push rods4fizand 4| on .the, racks 22A and22l3 is. timed to coincide with the return stroke of the push rods 52 so that the stripper rolls 30 are moved outwardly away from the forming blocks as they are moved back to register with a succeeding forming block.

Attention is now directed to a detail of the forming blocks l which are illustrated as being provided witha transverse recess 54 for receiving a pair of backing rolls 55. The rolls 55 are posi- --tioned so that their outer surface is substantially tangent to the surface of the forming blocks I so as not to interfere with the process of forming the car-tons on the forming blocks but so as to readily back up the pressure of the stripper rolls 38 on the outer sides of the cartons 5. Thus as the stripper rollsr3|l are brought into engagement with. each succeeding carton 6, they will press thesides of the cartons and against the backing rollsr55 to obtain a positive frictional engagement with the sides of the carton. Since the stripper rolls.3il.are constantly rotated by the gears 28 and 29,,an'd shafts l0 and'l4 each carton will be rapidly and positively stripped downwardly from its. forming blockand. after passing from between the stripper rolls 39 will fall ..upon a discharge conveyor 56 for delivery to another portion of the formingmachine.

If desiredthe cross shaftM may be provided with a chain drive 51 to astub shaft and gear 58 for driving a .dater roll 59 positioned underneath vthegpath of .travel of the formin'g'blocks so that as eachcarton is advanced across the dating roll, a date or other indicia will be printed on the bottom of .the carton before the carton is stripped from the forming block.

I have thusv provided stripping mechanism which will engage the cartons with sufficient pressure to have positive frictional engagement therewith so that no cartonswillbe left on the forming blocks. The stripping mechanism is further advanced with the "formingblocks so there is no tendency for the, rolls to tear or damage the cartons. The forming mechanism and flights of blocks I may be operated at a uniform high speed without being stopped to strip off the finished cartons. I have not attempted to show any modified forms v.of mystripper mechanism'as several such minor modifications as may bedesired should be apparent from the foregoing description.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1..Carton stripping mechanism for a carton forming machine having flights of carton forming blocks comprising; a cross member on said machine extending under the path of travel of said flights, a ,pair of brackets secured to said cross member on either side'of the path of travel of saidflightsa pair of driving shafts journaled in said brackets and parallel to said flights, a cross shaft journaled between said brackets and having gears thereon for driving said driving shafts, a rack tiltably mounted on each of said driving shafts and having roll shafts rotatably mounted therein, overlapping arms on said racks whereby outward tilting of one rack will tilt the other rack outwardly, gears for driving said roll shafts from said driving shafts, shift members slidabiy mounted onsaid racks for motion parallel to said roll shafts, stripper rolls rotatable with said roll shafts and slidable axially therealong, fingers on said shift members engageable with saidrolls for imparting axial motionthereto, said racks being spring urged inwardly toward said flights, a'secondcross shaft driven'in timed said lift surface of said cam, a second cam on said second cross shaft and having a constantly rising lift surface, an actuator arm secured to said rock shaft and arranged to be actuated by said second cam, a pair of crank armson said rock shaft and link connected to said shift members to advance said shift members and rolls upon engagement of said actuator arm with said lift surface of said second cam whereby said rolls are advanced concurrently with each of said flights, and a pair of backing rolls recessed in each of said forming blocks and tangent with the side surfaces thereof, said backing rolls being positioned opposite said stripper rolls.

2. Carton stripping mechanism for a carton forming machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks comprising, a cross member on said machine, a pair of driving shafts supported on said cross member and parallel to said flights, a cross shaft supported on said cross member and having gears thereon for driving said driving shafts, a rack tiltably mounted on each of said driving shafts and having roll shafts rotatably mounted therein, overlapping arms on said rackswhereby outward tilting of one rack will tilt the other rack outwardly, gears for driving said roll shafts from said driving shafts, shift members slidably mounted on said racks for motion parallel to said -roll shafts, stripper rolls rotatable with said roll shafts and slidable axially therealong, fingers on said shift members engageable with said rolls for imparting axial motion thereto, said racks being spring urged inwardly toward said flights, a second shaft driven in timed relation to said flights to make one revolution as each flight passes said racks, a cam on said second shaft having a lift surface and a retracted surface, a crank having an actuator arm thereon arranged to be actuated by said cam, one arm on said. crank being link connected to one of said racks to tilt said rack outwardly away from said flights upon engagement of said actuator arm with said lift surface of said cam, a rock shaft having a pair of'crank arms and a second actuator arm thereon, a second cam on said second shaft and arranged to actuate said second actuator arm, linkage connecting said pair of cranks to said shift members to move said shift members and rolls whereby said rolls are advanced with each of said flights, and a pair of backing rolls recessed in each of said forming blocks and tangent with the side surfaces thereof, said backing rolls being positioned opposite said stripper rolls. l

3. Carton stripping mechanism for a carton forming machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks comprising, a pair of driving shafts supported on saidmachine and parallel to said flights, a cross shaft supported on said machine and having gears thereon for driving said driving shafts, a rack tiltably mounted on each of said driving shafts and having roll shafts rotatably mounted therein, overlapping arms on said racks whereby outward tilt-' ing of one rack will tilt the other rack outwardly,

iii)

gears for driving said roll shafts from said driving shafts, shift members slidably mounted on saidracks for motion parallel to said roll shafts, stripper rolls rotatable with said roll shafts and r slidable axially therealong, fingers on said shift members engageable with said rolls for imparting axial motion thereto, said racks being spring urged inwardly toward said flights, a second shaft driven in timed relation to said flights, a cam on said second shaft, a crank having an actuator arm thereon arranged to be actuated by said cam said crank being link connected to one of said racks to tilt said rack outwardly away from said flights upon engagement of said actuator arm r with said cam, a rock shaft having a, pair of cranks ling connected to said shift members, a second cam on said second shaft, a second actuator arm on said rock shaft engageable with said second cam to advance said shift members and rolls whereby said rolls are advanced with each of said flights, and a, pair of backing rolls recessed in each of said forming blocks and tangent with the side surfaces thereof, said backing rolls being positioned opposite said stripper rolls.

4:. In combination with a carton forming machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks, stripper mechanism for removing finished cartons from said blocks comprising, constantly driven drive shafts positioned on each side of the path of travel of said flights, tiltable racks supported on said drive shafts and tiltable toward and away from said flights, constantly driven roll shafts carried by said racks and having stripper rolls rotatable therewith and slidable axially therealong, said roll shafts being driven from said drive shafts, guide rods carried on said racks and parallel to said roll shafts, shift members on said guide rods having forks engaged with said rolls, arms extending from said racks in cooperating overlapping relation, springs urging said arms downwardly to converge said racks and stripper rolls on opposite sides of said flights, crank and link mechanism for tilting one of said racks away from said flights, said arms being operative to simultaneously tilt the other of said racks away from said flights, other crank and link mechanism for moving said shift members and rolls axially of said roll shafts, a cam driven in timed relationship to said flights for actuating said first crank and link mechanism in timed relationship with said flights whereby said rolls are converged on each of said flights, and a secand cam driven in timed relationship with said flights for actuating said other crank and link mechanism for advancing said shift members and rolls with each of said flights, said forming blocks having backing rolls mounted therein tangential to the side surfaces thereof and opposed to said stripper rolls.

5. In combination with a carton forming machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks, stripper mechanism for removing finished cartons from said blocks comprising, tiltable racks supported on each side of the path of travel of said flights, constantly driven roll shafts carried by said racks and having stripper rolls rotatable with said shafts and slidable axially therealong, arms extending from said racks in cooperating overlapping relation, springs urging said arms downwardly to converge said racks and stripper rolls, crank and link mechanism for tilting one of said racks away from said flights, said arms being operative to simultaneously tilt the other of said racks away from said flights, other crank and link cartonforming'blocks, stripper mechanism forremoving finished cartons from said blocks comprising tiltable racks supported on each side of the path of travel of said flights and tiltable toward and away from said flights, constantly drivenroll shafts carried by said racks and having stripper rolls rotatable with said shafts and slidable axially therealong, springs arranged to converge said racks and stripper rolls, a first crank and link mechanism for tilting said racks away from said flights, other crank and link mechanism for moving said stripper rolls axially alongsaid roll shafts, a cam driven in timed relationship to said flights for actuating said first crank and link mechanism whereby said rolls are converged against each of said flights, and a second cam driven in timed relationship with said flights for actuating said other crank and link mechanism to advance said rolls with each of said flights, said forming blocks having backing rolls mounted therein tangential to the r,

surfaces thereof and opposed to said stripper rolls.

7. In combination with a carton forming machine having flights of carton forming blocks, stripper mechanism for removing finished cartons from said blocks comprising tiltable racks supported on each side of the path of travel of said flights and tiltable toward and away from said flights, driven roll shafts carried by said racks and having stripper rolls rotatable with said shafts and slidable along the axes thereof, t

a spring arranged to converge said racks and stripper rolls, crank and link mechanism for tilting said racks away from said flights, other crank and link mechanism for moving said stripper rolls along the axis of said roll shafts, a first camdriven in timed relationship to said flights for actuating said first crank and link mechanisms whereby said rolls are converged against each of said flights, and a second cam driven in timed relationship to said flights for actuating said other crank and link mechanism for advancing said rolls with each of said flights, said forming blocks having backing rolls mounted therein tangential to the surfaces thereof and opposed to said stripper rolls.

8. Carton stripping mechanism fora carton formin machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks comprising, racks tiltably mounted on each side of the path of travel of said flights, continuously driven roll shafts mounted in said racks and parallel to the path of travel of said flights, stripper rolls hav ing a soft rubber surface rotatablewith said roll shafts and slidable axially therealong, cam actuated mechanism driven in timed-relationship with said 1 flights; and arranged: to advance said; rolls with each of said flights, other cam-actuat-- ed mechanism driven intimed relationship with said flights and arranged to tilt said racks away from said flights after each advance of said rolls, and backing rolls recessed within each of said forming blocks and arrangedto engage the inside of cartons formed thereon on the opposite sides of said cartons from said stripper rolls.

9. Carton stripping mechanism for a carton forming machine having continuously advanced flights of carton forming blocks comprising, racks tiltably mounted on each side of the path of travel of said flights, driven roll shafts mounted in said racks and along side of the path of travel of said flights, stripper rolls having a soft;friction surface rotatable with said roll shafts and slidable along the axes thereof, cam actuated mechanism driven in timed relationship with said flights and arranged to advance said rolls with each of said flights, other cam actuated mechanism driven intimed relationship with said flights and arrangedto tilt said racks away from said flights after each advance of said rolls, and'backing rolls recessed withineach of said forming blocks and arranged to engage the insideof cartons carried thereon on, the opposite sides of said cartons-from said stripper rolls.

10. Carton stripping mechanism for a carton forming machine havin flights of cartonforming blocks comprising continuously driven stripper rolls having a soft rubber surface, means rotatably supporting said rolls on the opposite sides of the path of travel of said flights, said means and stripper rolls being swingable toward and away from the sides of cartons formedon said blocks, said rolls being slidable on, said means along their'axisof rotation parallel to, the-path of travel'of said flights, and means driven in timed relation to'said flights for actuating said stripper rolls including shift members for moving said rolls axially'with said flights and push rods for swinging said rolls away from said flights at theend-of each advancing. motion of said rolls.

ll. Carton stripping mechanism for a carton formingmachine having flights of carton forming blocks'comprising continuously driven stripper rolls, means rotatably supporting. said rolls on the opposite sides of the path of travel of said flights, said means and stripper rolls being swingabletoward and away fromlthe sides of cartons formed on-said blocks, saidrolls being slidable on said means along their axis of rotation, and means for actuating-said stripper rollsincluding shift members for moving said'rolls axially with said flights-and members forswinging said rollslaway from said flights at the end of the advancing motion of said rolls.

FRANKLIN M. WILLBRANDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of'record-in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Countryv Date.

9,165- Great Britain 1897 118,093 Austria June 10, 1930

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