US2561541A - Article transfer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1951 J. A. sTAKE ARTICL TRANSFER MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 19, 1946 INVENTOR ATTORNEY- July 24, 1951 J. A. STAKE ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 19, 1946 mvENToR ATTORN EY July 24, 1951 .lf A. sTAKE ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 19, 1946 Mill ll IIH r/OA/L rno 5127466 1 7 ATTORNE Patented July 24, 1951 2,561,541 ARTKCLE TRANSFER MECHANISM John Arno Stake, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Quaker @ats Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 19, 1946, Serial No. 655,383

Z Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for shaping and forming cartons from folded blanks. Cartons which are formed on the machine shown herein are intended for packaging all types of merchandise. These cartons are received from the carton manufacturer as flat, folded blanks with the flaps at each end of the carton in extended position. The carton blank is squaredup and the flaps at one end folded in position and sealed.

For the operations just described it has been the practice to employ an endless conveyor known as a carton forming conveyor to which forming blocks which ilt the inside of the cartons are attached in upright vertical position. Operators are located at the side of the conveyor and their duties are to square up the individual blanks and place them over the forming blocks as they move past the operators. The open and squared carton blanks are tted by the operators over the blocks in a position where the folding lines at the bases of the flaps coincide with the upper edge of the block. The continued movement of the conveyor carries the blocks in succession through sealing and folding devices which apply adhesive to the extending flaps and then fold the naps overl and onto the top of the blocks and press the flaps into sealed position. The blocks are provided with axial passages and at a further point in their travel these passages register with an. air jet which blows the cartons off the blocks and into a discharge chute.

The above description of the general and customary practise is necessary in order to explain the present invention for, so far as the sealing and ejection of the finished carton is concerned, the present machine utilizes the old mechanisms.

The object of the present invention is to dispense with al1 of the manual labor in squaring up the carton blanks and placing them over the blocks on the conveyor. The invention shown herein, modies the old carton forming and seal- .ing conveyor so that it may becombined and coordinated with a second conveyor which delivers squared-up cartons and from which the cartons are transferred to the blocks.

It is also old in the art to have conveyors associated with mechanisms which square-up the carton blanks, and the invention employs such a` conveyor as one of the elements ofthe complete machine. So far` as known, no one has ever combined a conveyor forsquared-up cartorr blanks with a second conveyor for foldingand; sealing the ends of the squared carton. By this.` combination, the operation of squaring up the blanks, and closing and sealing the iiaps on one end may be carried on without the interposition of any manual labor.

Itxwill be understood that so far as the mechanism for folding and sealing the projecting naps over the top of the blocks, the machine is old and well known in the art. Also, so far as the operation of squaring up a carton is concerned, again the mechanism is old and Well known in the art. In the drawings` and specification these two devices are not fullyv shown as they form no part of the present invention and only such parts of both of these old devices are .shown which will enable the invention to be understood.

The present invention consists in arranging a conveyor for* the squared-up cartons in close operative relation to a second conveyor which carries the forming blocks. The two conveyors are run in synchronism so that each opened carton Von the first conveyor comes into exact alignment with a forming block on the second conveyor and the carton and the block move in parallel paths and at the same speed for a distance sufcient to enable the carton to be transferred on to the block. For this purpose the several blocks are not rigidly supported on the block conveyor as in the old practice, but are hinged thereto, and alongside the block conveyor are arranged devices which tilt the block from its vertical position to a horizontal position which it vmain-- tains during the period when it is receiving the open carton. After the carton is moved on to the block to the desired point, the block is raised to its vertical position which it maintains through the folding and sealing operations. When the carton is ejected the block is again tilted downwardly to receive `a new carton.

In order to complete the automatic operation it is necessary to incorporate in the mechanism a device for shunting the horizontal squared-up carton from its position on the carton conveyor to telescoping relation with its block while the latter is in horizontal position. It is conceivable that several diiferent devices might be employed to effect the transfer in exact timed rela-` tion as is required. One type of mechanism is shown and` described herein which engages the outer forward corner of the carton and moves in a diagonal path across the carton conveyor and toward the block conveyor, keeping pace with the forward movement of the conveyors.

The foregoing is designed to give a brief rsum of the invention. The detailed descrip# tion of the preferred mechanism which will follow is not intended to limit the invention to that particular mechanism but merely to illustrate an operative device which embodies the invention.

Therefore, changes, modifications and improve-- f ments may be made in actual practice which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The advantages of the present invention lie mainly in the elimination of the labor costs involved in the operation of squaring the folded blanks and placing them over the forming blocks.

AIn addition it is possible to operate the forming conveyor at a greater speed than was practicable with the manual placement of the cartons.

In the drawings in which the best known and preferred form of the invention is shown:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the mechanism. This View, for the reasons stated shows only that portion of the block conveyor which is necessary for an understanding of the invention. It also shows only that portion of a standard carton forming conveyor which is necessary for the present purposes;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at the point where a carton is just passing on to its forming block. The location of this view is shown by the section line 4 4 Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the block;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1 showing one of the carton moving shoes; and

Fig. '7 is a view looking at the under side of the shoe.

Numeral I indicates the bed of the block conveying machine which is provided with the channel 2 in which the chain block conveyor 3 moves in an endless horizontal path. The motive power for operating the entire mechanism is derived from a motor 4 which through the belt 5 actuates the train of reducing gearing 6, I and 8 shown in Fig. 2. The gear 8 is mounted on the shaft 9 which is the main power shaft for the entire machine. From this shaft appropriate connections (not shown) drive the conveyor 3. The motive power for the carton conveyor is also derived directly from the shaft so that both conveyors are run continuously and in synchronism.

The carton forming blocks are indicated at I0. A large number of these blocks are attached at closely and regularly spaced intervals to the chain 3. During the entire cycle of operation except at the region illustrated in the drawings these blocks are erect so that the open flaps on the upper end of the carton may be folded and sealed in place. Instead of being mounted directly on the conveyor chain as in the former practice, each block IU is carried on a bracket II which is secured to the chain. The bracket projects laterally of the chain and its outer end is provided with two lugs I3 through which is passed the pivot pin I2. An arm I4 is attached to the front face of the block near its lower end and extends between the lugs I3 where it receives the pivot I2. On the outer end of the arm I4 is located the vertical pin I6 on the upper end of which is mounted the roller I8. At the rear of the blocks opposite the arm I4 is a short horizontal pin 20 on the outer end of which is the roller 2l. At the base of the blocks are located two ribs 22 to which are attached wings 23. These devices, which are shown in Fig. 5, receive the side iiaps of the carton and act as stops for the carton. They are omitted from the other views for the sake of clearness. The center of the block is provided with a through passage 24 which registers with the air jet when the block reaches the ejection point for the completed carton.

Carried on the bed I by appropriately located brackets 28 is a rear guide rail 30. The roller 2| rides over the surface of this rail. The block to the left of Fig. 1 has just been stripped of its finished carton and at this point the rail 3l) is deiiected upwardly and forwardly so that the block is tilted forwardly about the pivot I2 until its center of gravity lpasses over the pivot. The deflected area of the rail which causes the block to move about its pivot is indicated by the numeral 33a. At the central portion is a relatively long horizontal reach i()b which acts to hold the block in its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 4 while the carton C is being telescopcd on to the block. After the carton has been fully seated the rail 3E! has a downwardly and rearwardly inclined p0rtion 30c which permits the block to reassume its vertical position. The rail terminates in a horizontal reach 30d. If found advisable, an overhanging plate 3l may be located at the terminus of the rail 30 under which the roller 2l will run. This may be extended throughout the balance of the travel of the conveyor 3, to insure against any forward tipping of the block while the succeeding operations are performed thereon.

Attached to the front edge of the bed I by appropriately located brackets 33 is a second guide rail 32 which serves as a track for the roller I8 and thus acts as a support for the block when it is out of vertical and to elevate the block at the end of the operation. For this purpose the rail 32 has a downwardly and forwardly inclined reach 32a. As the block is tilted forwardly the roller I8 strikes the reach 32*1 which lowers the block to its horizontal position in which it is maintained by the horizontal reach 32h. After the block is supplied with the carton the rail is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined reach 32 parallel to the reach 3W which moves the block to an angle at which the center of gravity again passes over the pivot and the block rights itself. It will be noted that during the period when the block is horizontal it is rigidly held in that position by the two rails 30 and 32. The rails 30 and 32 constitute cam means operative during a portion of the cycle of the conveyor to tilt the blocks into and hold them in horizontal position.

The conveyor for the open and squared-up cartons C comprises a pair of chains 4i) which are mounted-upon horizontal shafts, one of which is shown at 4I, in a framework indicated as a Whole by the numeral 42. These chains carry spaced pairs of ngers 44 which act as pushers for the squared-up cartons. Beyond the left hand end of Fig. 2 is located any standard type of magazine for the flat cartons with which Js associated any well known type of carton opening and feeding device. As these instrumentalities are known in the art and form no part of the present'l invention they are not illustrated. For the purposes of the ypresent invention and the description thereof, all that is required is that the cartons are in squared-up condition on the conveyor 4) with the flaps which project toward the conveyor 3 in open condition. The flaps on the other end of the carton are preferably closed during their progression along the conveyor 40. Devices for this purpose are also known and are indicated by the cam rails 45. Rails 46 are located above the chains 40 to keep the cartons in position on the conveyor.

The several pairs of fingers 44 are spaced upon the conveyor chains 40 at distances equal to the spacing between the centers of the blocks I0 and are located so that as the conveyors 3 and 40 move in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1 the open ends of the cartons will come into exact registry with the blocks I 0 so that as the cartons are shunted from the conveyor 40 they will telescope over the blocks.

The means adopted for driving the conveyors 3 5. and"V 40- in the precise synchronism required is shown in Fig. 2. A sprocket 48 is mounted on the main power shaft 9 and over this sprocket is the chain 49 which engages a second sprocket 50 on the shaft The shaft 5| is mounted in bearings 52 on the frame 42 and in a supplemental bearing 53-secured on the lower end of a hanger 54 depending from the bed On: the shaft 5| is located the gear 55 vwhich through an intermediate gear 56 drives the gear 5'|'on the shaft 4|. These power connections serve the purpose of synchronous propulsion of the two main conveyors, but the arrangement is optional and may be designed in any practicable fashion.

As it is also'essential that the carton squaring andfeeding devices be driven in like synchronism, direct driving connections are provided for these instrumentalities from the conveyor 3. For this purpose the gear 55 meshes with a gear 60 on a countershaft in the frame 42 and this shaft drives the pair `of meshing bevel gears 8| and 62, the latter being mounted on the horizontal shaft 6-3 which extends to the left of Fig. 2 and drives the carton feeding and squaring devices referred to.

A means for shifting the open cartons from the conveyor 40 to the blocks lil while the latter are in horizontal position and in registry with the cartons will now be described. The action must take place progressively as the two main conveyors are moving in parallelism. The mechansm described is one form of device which may be adapted to this operation, but it will be understood that the present invention is not directed to the details thereof which are set forth, as any form of shunting mechanism may be employed, provided it moves the cartons laterally from the carton conveyor into telescoping relation with the blocks which are presented in horizontal position.

The carton shunting or shifting means comprises a third belt or chain which is located over the carton conveyor and moves in a diagonal path across the carton conveyor and toward the block conveyor. The belt or chain is provided with means to contact the outer forward edge or corner of the carton and by the joint progression of the carton conveyor and the shunting conveyor, the carton leaves the carton conveyor and moves onto the block which is in position to receive it.

Referring to the details of the particular shunting mechanism which is illustrated as exemplary of devices for this purpose:

Located in a plate 82 (to be described) adjacent the point where the carton is discharged is the vertical shaft 10. On the corner of the frame is a vertical bracket to the upper end of which is attached the plate 'l2 in which is located the stub shaft 13. Midway of the front edge of the frame is a pedestal 14 in which is located a third vertical shaft 15. The shafts 10, 13 and l5 constitute the three corners of a triangular shunting device.

In the form shown this is an endless sprocket chain '|1 which is trained over the sprockets '18, 19 and 80 on the several shafts respectively. The reaches 11a and 1lb are idle reaches but the reach 'llc of the chain which extends diagonally over the carton conveyor performs the shifting ofthe cartons.

The plate 82 referred to above forms the bearing for the shafts and 'l5 and extends in a diagonal line along the reach 11C. To the outer edge of this plate is attached the angular guide rail Cil 83; Along the top of the plate 82 are fixed at spaced intervals the brackets 84, 84 and 84 the outer ends of which are bent downwardly and support a second guide rail 85. The rails 183 and 85 constitute a channel for confining the chain along its working reach. The plate 82 is secured at its outer end by an angular bridge piece 8E attached to the frame 42 by its vertical web.

The chain 11 is driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 in synchronism with the conveyors 3 and 40 by means of a bevel pinion 88 on the end of the shaft 4| and meshing with the bevel pinion 89 on a stub shaft located on the undersideof a bracket 90 secured to the front edge of the frame 42. Fixed on the pinion 89 is a spur gear 92 which meshes with a second spur gear 93 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 94 mounted in a bracket 95 attached to the front edge of the frame 42. The

upper end of shaft 94 carries a sprocket 98 and the shaft l0 carries a companion sprocket 99. Over these sprockets is trained the drive chain |00 through which the shunting chain 'Il is driven. A chain tightening sprocket |0| is carried by the bridge 8.6.

At intervals` along the chain 'l1 are the pushers or shoes which engage the forward outer corners of the cartons C and shunt them from the conveyor 40 to the blocks. These shoes are located on the chain at the requisite intervals so that as each shoe enters the guide `channel 83, 85 it will meet and fit against the corner ofthe carton. Five of these shoes are shown attached to the chain 1l'. The construction of the shoe and its supporting means is shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

Certain of the pintles of the chain 11 are replaced by elongated rotatable pins |05 which extend through blocks |06 xed to the under side of the chain. To the lower end of each pin |05 is attached a bracket |08 having a laterally extending arm |00 from which depends the shoe or pusher I0. This shoe is in the form of the letter L and the corner of the box nests within the angle formed thereby in the manner indicated in Fig. 6.

In order to insure that the shoe will t the ocrner of the carton it is permitted to have a partial freedom of pivotal movement and this is provided for by cutting away one side of the bracket |08 forming the two shoulders lli. A pin ||2 depending from the block |06 is located between the shoulders and constitutes a stop for limiting the oscillation of the shoe about its cent-er. This allows the shoe to adjust itself to the carton corner.

To keep the carton in contact with the shoe during its sliding movement across the conveyor 40 a guiding plate l5 is attached to the extended end of the bracket 84 and to a supplementary bracket i6 secured to the top of the plate 82 and is arranged to wipe over the upper side of the carton. A shelf I8 is attached to the rear edge of the frame 42 and guides the front end of the carton during its transfer.

Operation As the blocks successively pass the point where the finished cartons are blown off the blocks, the rails 30 acting through the rollers 2| tilt the blocks forwardly and they are lowered into horizontal position by the rails 32. While moving in the horizontal position the blocks register with the open cartons which are being moved by the conveyor 40 continuously and in the same direction. At this point each carton is engaged at the corner thereof by a shoe l0 which shunts it laterally on" tne conveyor 40 and into telescoping relation over the adjacent block. After the blocks are successively supplied with cartons they reach the rising portion of the rail 32 which restores them to erect position in which they are carried through the remainder of their cycle by the continuous progression of the conveyor 3. This, as Was stated, consists in the performance of the operations of gluing the flaps and pressing them together against the top ends of the blocks.

It will be seen that the placing of the open cartons on the carton forming conveyor 3 is wholly automatic and While the mechanism shown is the preferred type Athe objects of the invention may likewise be achieved with modications which do not avoid the elemental features of the invention as set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a carton forming machine a continuouslyl moving endless conveyor, a plurality of carton forming blocks on said conveyor, a, second conveyor adjacent and parallel to the rst conveyor said second conveyor having a plurality of holders for squared-up cartons, means for driving said conveyors in synchronism, and a belt moving across the second conveyor in a diagonal path approaching the first conveyor, means on the belt to engage a corner of each cartonsuccessively and slide the carton from the conveyor on to a block, and a device to hold each block in axial alignment with a carton while the last named means is operating.

2. In a carton forming machine, a continuously moving endless conveyor, a plurality of carton 8 forming blocks hingedly mounted on said conveyor at regular spaced intervals, means for tilt-f ing said blocks successively into horizontal position during one part of their cycle, a second continuously moving conveyor adjacent the rst conveyor at the point Where the blocks are in horizontal position, means on the second conveyor for holding squared-up cartons in register with the blocks, and a device extending diagonally across the second conveyor and having means to engage a corner of each carton to shunt the carton from the secondconveyor into telescoping relation over a block. x

JOHN ARNO STAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,095,537 Weis et al. May 5, 1914 1,264,843 Norton Apr. 30, 1918 1,984,981 Nei Dec. 18,-1934 2,335,239 Glaclfelter et al. Nov. 30, 1943 2,347,057 Lokso Apr. 18, 1944 2,355,597 Pond Aug. 8, 1944 2,408,019 Goebel et al Sept. 24, 1946 2,441,323 Klamrnt et al May l1, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 318,723 Germany Feb. 9, 1920

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