US2551186A - Carton forming machine - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 L. VEYRET ETAL 2,551,186

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 26 IV /////Afi /////////////A INVENTORS i Lac/Is VEYRETAND 30 z GEORGES Gn'mor a BY v U :P

May l, 1951 L. VEYRET ETAL` CARTON FORMING MACHINE 5 Shee-ts-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3l,` 1947 IN VEN TORS zaa/5 aman/vo z'oRess GEFFROY TTORNEX 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. VEYRET ETAL CARTON FORMING MACHINE INVENTORS A TTOR/VEY m a na w R wo u May 1, 1951.

Filed Dec. 31, 1947 Patented May I, QS

UNITED ST ATES PAT ENT OFFIC CARTON FORMING MACHINE Louis Veyret; Neuilly-sur-Seine; and Georges Gefiroy; Paris; France, assignorstoLa Cellophane; Paris, Franc, a French company' AppiicationDecember 31, 194?, Serial No. '794,981 In Franceoctoben 21, 1944 Section 1, Public 'Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patentexpires -ctohere21;. 1964 zrc ai s. cc. 93-51) This invention 'elates tobox formingrmachins and. more particularly to amachine forfolding.

and, formingv open top cartonsfor, food:: products.:

or the like.

An objectof the invention is to providea machine for so foiding the blanks that in; the folded carton no open seams which require scaling extend below a predetermned level whichcorresponds to the level to which the carton is to be filled.

Another object isto provide amachineof the' above type which forms, the cartonina single' stamping operation.

Another object is toprovide a machine of the above type which is automatic ingroperation.

Another object isto ?provide a machine'of the above type having novel and improved'detailsv of:

constructionand features of operation.

various other objectseancl advantages-;will'be apparent as the nature. of the invention is more fully disclosed;

In accordance With one embodiment of the invention, the machine includes a forming-;plate'` adapted to receive the ,fiat-blanks, whichvisgpro Vided 'With a central, generally,rectangularopen ing having anarea correspondingto the bottom of the carton andtchaving-apair of;.triangular.

extensions at. each: end for foldingthe endjfiaps A piston ,conformingin section to thebottom of opening to start thegfolds.

Sealing means, such as heated, rollers; are providedv for sealing theend seams of` the carton; before the finished cartonisremoved from the.

piston.

Although the novel eatureswhich-,are charac-` teristic of this inventon are pointed out more in detail in the claims, the natureofthe invention Will be better understood by ,referring to the fol-- lowing description; takenin ,connection withthe;

accompanyng drawings, in which. a specic` em:-

bodiment thereof has been set forth for .the pur.-

pose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspecti-Vevievv of the finished .carton;

Fig. 2,is a top plan view :of theorming plater with. a fiat blankthereon;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken along; th line 3- 3. of Fig. 2 showing the en'd folding, formin andsealing members;.

Fig; 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 4-4 of-Fig; 2;

Fig. isra partialhorizonta section takenalong the. line 5 -5 0f Fg; 3

Fig. 6 isaside elevation of a machine emloodyr-` ing the present inventionadapted for hand opera-- tion Eig. ,7 is a top plan View thereof; Fig. 8 is adetail VeW- ofaasealing roller; Fig ,9-is a top plan View 'ofa machineembody.-

ing the present invention designed for automatic` operation; i v

Fig. 10 is a-side elevation of a` portion Ofjhev machine of Fig, 9;

Figsell and ;mare detail views illustrating difr ferent-positions of the formin piton; and

Fig. 13 is .a section on an enlarged scal taken on the line l3 3 of Fi g. 11.

Referring to the `.clraw ingmthe `carton is Ionned from e arectangular blank A of paper' or celli loic sheetrmaterial such as cellophane or the like which. may. have heat scaling characteristcr The foldedwartohis :shown .in Fig. I asecomprising .fiat sides n., endsli l and a bottom 12'. Each end l l 'is frmed` by an upwa-rdly foldedbottom flap. l3`h`aving atopjedge M anda pair `of sidev v fi'ap 13. and'overlapstoiorm a seamlTwhich is securedeby &suitable adhesive.` The top'fof the carton is. open to receiverthe' food oi" other products to be incorporated therein The cartonflcontains nocseamsthatlrequire sealingebelow. the top..

edge. rof' the bbttomfiap.l3. Hence it made( liquidr-tight to` this'- pointbythe manner in which it isfldd. c The remandef of the sids and'ends are foldedginwardly to' close .the. topjof th`epack age after it has been filled to, the line 4."

The principles ,of operation ,of themachine 'are illustrated in F'igs.` 2' to 5. Referring t th'e figures, themachine is shown asficomprisitiag flat rectangular forming ilat` 20 on '-Wh ich"'the sheet 'A 'is placed'. The plate; 20' isj provided 'with acentralfopen'nig 2l` defined `by straight p'alfalll side' edges ab`and ef spaced :a art 'to 'conformft' thewidthfof ;the carton', and a pair, of trapzoidal j edges` bcde' and 'Jaha at the respective ends' wjithj thevedges cd and gh' spaced .to conform to. the' lengthof the cartn. A pair of "fiat verticaliside,

brackets 2.3 `are-disposedbeneath the, p1at-2lll'^ in .the planeof the edges ab andej. A pairo fi vertical Linverted Ukshaped folding members 25 3 of the plate and having edges forming the edges cd and gh above mentioned, with inclined surfaces 21, and with vertical surfaces 28 which are spaced from the brackets 23 to provide clearance for the passage of the end fiaps [5 and IB.

Beneath each member 25 a pair of triangular folding members are provided, which are secured to the respective brackets 23. The triangular members 30 have inclined top edges 3l which project across the ends of the carton from opposite sides and are curved to form a somewhat fiattened cup as shown in Fig. 5. The members 30 may be formed as extensions of the brackets 23 or may be attached thereto. Beneath the members 30 are mounted rollers 33 and 34 which are journalled in the brackets 23 and are adapted to seal the seams IT.

A piston 35 having a cross section corresponding to the interior of the folded carton is adapted to slide vertically through the opening 21 between the side edges ab and ef and the end edges cd and gh of the plate 20. The piston 35 is shown as having an Operating handle 36.

In the operation of this device, the fiat sheet A is placed upon the plate 20, as shown in Fig. 2, and the piston 35 is pushed downwardly to force the sheet through the opening 2l. As the sheet passes downwardly through this opening, the edges ab and ef form the sides ID which are folded upwardly and smoothed by the side brackets 23. At the same time, the end portions of the sheet are folded upwardly by the edges cd and gh to form the bottom end fiaps |3 and the e'dges bc, de, fg and ha, initiate the folding of the end fiaps l5 and 16 which then extend outwardly from the ends of the carton. As the piston 35 advances downwardly past the members 25, the fiaps !3 are folded upwardly into place and the end fiaps [5 and IE pass downwardly between the edges 28 and the brackets 23. As the piston continues its advance, the triangular members 30 engage the respective end fiaps |5 and IG and fold the same over successively to form the ends of the carton as indicated in Fig. 1. As the piston 35 advances further, the carton passes downwardly With the seams l'l of the folded fiaps |5 and IE engaging the rollers 33 and 34. In the event that the sheet A is provided with adhesive.

38 at the seam areas, as indicated in Fig. 2, the rollers exert pressure on the folded fiaps to seal the seams. In the event that the sheet A is provided with a thermoplastic adhesive, the rollers are heated to exert heat and pressure against the folded fiaps so as to heat seal the seam as the carton passes the rollers. The downward movement of the piston 35 is continued until the entire carton passes the rollers and can be removed from the bottom of the piston, after which the piston may be retracted and the forming operation repeated.

In the hand-operated machine, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a supporting frame 40 is provided, car: rying a pair of guide rods 41 which are mounted in bosses 42 and 43 secured to the frame and are inclined to the vertical as shown. The frame carries a supply table 44 on which the blanks are stacked. The supply table 44 is mounted adjacent the forming plate 20 above mentioned. The plate 20 is mounted on a bracket 45 and lies in a plane perpendicular to the guide rods 4l. The piston 35 is carried by an arm 46 mounted on a carriage comprising slides 41, 48 and 49 and sleeves 50 which are adapted to slide on the guide rods 4l. A rack 5l is carried by the carriage and is adapted, toward the end of the forming stroke 4 of the piston, to engage a pinion 52 mounted on a shaft 53 carrying the roller 33. The second roller 34 is mounted on a shaft 55 carrying a gear 55 meshing with a gear 51 on the shaft 53 so that the two rollers 33 and 34 are operated in unison as the rack l passes the pinion 52 during the forming stroke of the piston. The roller 33, 4

as shown more in detail in Fig. 8, is provided position by means of a spring 53.

comprise a ball detent engaging a recess in the roller to cause the roller to normally come to rest .with the fiat face 50 in registration with the path of the piston 35. The rollers are thus caused to make a single revolution at each actuation of the piston and when the piston is retracted remain in operative position. The brackets 23 and members 25 and 30 are similar to those described in connection with Figs. 2 to 4 and have been given the same reference characters.

At the lower end of the path of travel of the piston, 35, a suction head 63 is provided, having a perforated face 69 against which the bottom of the complete carton comes to rest at the end of the forming stroke. The interior of the head 68 communicates through a duct 10 and a valve ll with a section line 12. The valve 'H is provided with a control arm 73 which is adapted to be engaged by a pin 14 on the slide 49. The arm '73 is adapted to open the valve 'H and apply sucton to the head 68 from the line 72, when the pin ?4 trips the arm 13 on the downward stroke of the piston and causes the valve 'il to cut off the suction and vent the head 68 when the pin 'M is retracted past the arm 13 on its return stroke. In this way, the Vacuum produced in the head 68 causes the finished carton to adhere to the face 69 thereof while the piston is withdrawn therefrom on its return stroke. After the piston has been completely withdrawn from the carton, the arm 13 is actuated to cut off the suction and allow the carton to fall from the face 39 onto a suitable receiver.

shutters 15 are hingedly attached to the sides of the head 58 and are adapted to be folded to engage the sides of the carton for retaining the same in shape while the carton is held on the head 68. When the suction is released, the shutters 15 are actuated to allow the completed carton to fall from the head 68. For this purpose the shutters are shown as mounted on shafts 76 and 'H carrying meshing gears 18 and 79. The shaft 15 carries a pinion 80 which engages a rack BI attached to slide 49. The rack el serves to shift the shutters 15 through a arc so as to fold them against the sides of the carton when the rack and piston are fully advanced and to turn the shutters parallel to the face 69 when the rack 8! and piston 35 are retracted.

In the operation of this form of the invention, a fiat blank is placed upon the plate 20 and the piston 35 is actuated manually by grasping the arm 46 and pushing the piston and slides downwardly along the rods 4l. The downward movement of the piston forms and folds the carton as described in connection with Figs. 2 to 4 and the completed carton is removed from the piston by the suction head 58 as above described. The piston 35 may, of course, be actuated automatically by a suitable driving means, if desired.

aas s e As the seams !1 pass the rollers. the latter are rotated by the rac'k 5! for scaling the seam and the shutters 15 are actuated to hold and then release the carton.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 to 13, a double-acting automatic machine is illustrated. In this embodiment a web 82 is fed from a reel 83 between feed rollers 84 and is severed into sheets of the desired lengths by means of a pair of cutting knives 85. The sheet passes between two plates 28 which are of the type described above and each of which carries the folding and sealing members 25, 38, 33 and 34. The piston 35 is adapted to pass through the plates 28 first in one direction and then in the other so that alternate forming Operations occur on opposite sides of the machine. At the ends of the machine are mounted vacuum heads 86 and 81, respectively, similar to the suction head 68 above described. The heads 88 and 81 are mounted on plungers 88 and 89 respectively carrying racks 98 and 9I, which slide into supports 92. The rack 98 engages a pinion 93 mounted on a shaft 94 carrying a pinion 95 which eng'ages a rack 86 on a slide 91. The rack 89 engages a pinion 88 mounted on a shaft 99 carrying a gear !08. The gear !88 meshes with a similar gear !!l! mounted on a shaft !82 carrying a pinion !83 engaging a rack !84 mounted on the slide 91. The slide 91 i mounted to slide in supports !05 and is driven by a rod !06 connected to a gear !81 mounted on a shaft !88 which meshes with a pinion !89 on a shaft !!8 of a driving motor !2.

A second slide !!5 is attached to the slide 91 by means of a bracket !!6. The slide !!5 carries racks !!1 and !!8 which are positioned respectively to engage pinions !!9 and !28 mounted on shafts !2! and !22 respectively which actuate the roller 33 as above described. The pinions !!9 and !28 are preferably connected to the shafts !ZI and !22 by one-way clutches so that they are actuated only during the forming stroke of the respective racks !!1 and !!8.

As shown in Figs. 11 to 13, the piston 35 is provided at its ends with inserts !25 and !26 respectively of magnetic material and electromagnets !21 and !28 are disposed in the contacting faces of the suction heads 86 and 81. Rows of orifices !29 and !38, through which suction is applied, are arranged around the peripheries of the electromagnets !21 and !28.

suitable means are actuated by the plungers 88 and 89 for controlling the suction so that suction is applied to the heads 86 and 81 during the time that the heads are withdrawing the cartons from the piston 35. switches may be actuated by the slide 91 for energizing and deenergizing the electromagnets !21 and !28 at appropriate times.

In the embodiment shown, the plungers 88 and 89 contain ducts communicating by flexible conduits !35 and !36 with control valves !31 and !38 similar to the valve 1! of Fig. 7. The valve !31 and !38 have control arms !40 and !4l actuated by spaced lugs !42, !43, and !44, !45 carried by the plungers 88 and 89 respectively. The arrangement is such that when the lugs !43 and !45 pass the arms !40 and !4! on the forming stroke, they trip the valves !31 and !38 to suction position, and when the lugs !42- and !44 pass the arms !48 and !4! on the return stroke, they trip the valves to vent position.

For controlling the electromagnets !21 and !28 a switch !50 is positioned to be actuated by lugs !5l and !52 on the slide 91. The switch i 6 !50 is a doublepole switch adapted at alternate' actuations by the lu'gs !52 on the advance stroke (to the right) to energiz first the electromagnet- !21 and then the electromagnet !28 and upon actuation by the lug' !5l on the return stroke (to the left) to de-energize the electromagnets.- The switch !58 is actuated by the lug !52 whenthe slide is in position to fully advance 'the heads 86 and 81 toward the piston 35 and by the lug' !5! when the heads 86 and 81 are in piston release positions.

It is to be understood that the above control devices for the suction heads and electromagnets are representative only and that any suitable automatic controls may be used.

In the operation of this device, beginning with the position shown in Fig. 9, the completed carton !55 has been withdrawn by the 'movement of the head 86 from the piston 35 and is held on the head 86 by suction. The piston is entirely free and is located to the left of the forming plates 2-0 so that a new blank may be inserted between the plates 20.

At the next operation as the plun'gers 88 and 89 and heads 86 and 81 start their return stroke (toward the center) the lug !42 shifts the valve !31 to cut off the suction from the head 86 so as to allow the folded carton !55 todrop into a suitable receptacle. As the heads 86 and 81 continue their advance, the head 86 engages the piston 35 and pushes the piston to the right, as indicated in Fig. 11, thereby forcing the next blank through the righthand plate 28 and past the forming and scaling mechanism located to the right of the plates 28.

At the extreme limit of their forward strokes, the heads 86 and 81 are both brought into' engagement with the piston 35 which is then in its center position as indicated in Fig. 12. At this point, the electromagnet !28 on the head 81 is energized by the switch !58, causing the electromagnet !23 to attract the magnetic material !2-6 on the piston 35. As the heads are retracted on their return stroke, the electromagnet !28 causes the piston 35 to move to the right with the head 81 until it reaches a position at which the carton has been fully formed and sealed. At this point the piston is already separated from the head 86 but is still restrained by head 81 due to the action of electromagnet !28. When the electromagnet !28 is deenergized by the switch !58 owing to the action of lug !5! acting on the return stroke only, and suction is applied to the head 81 by the lug !45 tripping the arm I4!, the piston 35 is released from the head 81 and only the formed carton adheres to the suction head. The piston is meanwhile immobilised. Further movement of the suction head 81 accordingly serves to withdraw the formed carton from the piston 35. The head 81 then starts to advance, the lug !44 trips the valve !38 to cut off the suction and allow the formed carton to fall from the head 81, a new blank is placed between the plates 29, and the operation is repeated, the carton in this instance being formed by movement of the piston to the left through the forming mechanism located to the left of the plates 20. It is thus seen that as the piston 35 is alternately moved to the right and left, the cartons are alternately formed and folded on the right and lefthand sides of the machine. The operation is continuous and automatic.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for pur- 7 'poses of illustration, it is to be understoodthat various changes and modfications may be made therein as will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to be restricted in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic carton folding machine comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates adapted to receive a blank therebetween, said plates each having a central opening conforming to the size of the bottom of the folded carton, a piston mounted to be reciprocated through said openings, members associated with each plate in the path of said piston for folding and forming the sides and end folds of said carton as the blank is advanced by said piston, a pair of heads supported for movement along the path of travel of the piston, means reciprocating said heads toward and away from each other, electronagnets disposed in each of said heads, magnetic material disposed in the ends of said piston to cooperate with the respective clectromagnets and means synchronized with the movement of said heads for controlling the energization of said electro magnets to cause each head in turn to exert a magnetic force to pull the piston and blank past the folding mechanism and then release said piston, and means to strip the folded carton from said piston and thereafter release the carton, said head on its return stroke pushing the piston to its central position.

2. An apparatus for forming folded open top cartons which are tight to a predetermined level fromfiatrectangular blanks, comprising a flat plate adapted to receive the blank, said plate having a rectangular opening corresponding to the bottom of the carton and defined by side edges spaced by the width of the bottom of the carton and eX- tending beyond the length of said bottom to the full width of the blank, converging edges extending from the ends of said first edges to the ends of said bottom and transverse edges joining said converging edges and extending along the ends of said bottom to form a pair of triangular openings at each end of said rectangular opening suited to old side end fiaps, side guide plates extending downwardly from said side edges of said first plate to receive the folded carton therebetween, and vertical inverted U-shaped end olding member attached to said transverse edges of said first plate With vertical legs depending below the surface thereof and spaced from said side plates for the passage of the side end flaps therebetween, a piston having a rectangular cross section corresponding to the bottom of said carton adapted to pass through said rectangular opening for forcing the blank therethrough and a pair of foldng members mounted below each of said end folding members to fold the side end flaps against said piston for forming the ends of said carton as the piston advances, sealing means cooperating with said piston to seal the folded end aps and means to strip the folded carton from said piston as the piston is retracted.

LOUIS VEYRET. GEORGES GEFFROY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,957,957 Hartman May 8, 1934 2,357,535 Monroe Sept. 5, 1944 2,399,934 Monroe May '7, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 654,136 Germany Dec. 14, 1937 1,116 Great Britain of 1911 '735,439 France Aug. 30, 1932

Images