US2687069A - Method and apparatus for conditioning carton blanks - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1954 M. BURGER A 7,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS- jfiarzaz fizz/yer; smagyfhrkhafif Aug. 24, 1954 BURGER ETAL 2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April -18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 A r INVENTORS;

' v flariaz Biz/ga BYZergyIfar/zkaf/f' Aug. 24,- 1954 M. BURGER ETAL 2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR comrnoumc- CARTON BLANKS iled April 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 24, 1954 M. BURGER ETAL 2,637,069

METHOD 'AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 aa j i 1 Z7 gm ==m||n E 0mm gfig g:

. IN VEN TORS.

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Aug. 24, 1954 I M, B R R ETAL 2,687,069

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKs Filed A ril 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS- M. BURGER ET AL j 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 zzwzwrom Hark 25421961; avlerqyffarkfz'zzff @M Aug. 24, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Fil ed April 18, .1951

A g- 4, 1954 M. BURGER E L METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING CARTON BLANKS Filed April 18, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 lilzunii w llutuuuil IN VEN TORS 'iarzaz [Barge/t BYZ' ffiar/k/zwf f Patented Aug. 24, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR com)!- TIONING CARTON BLANKS Martin Burger and. Le Roy F. Carkhufi, Morris, Ill., assignors tog General Package Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application Apri1 18, 1951, Serial No. 221,664

. '1 The present invention pertains to an improved method and apparatus for producing partitioned cartons, involving the pre-treating or conditioning of flexible paperboard carton blanks as an incident in a continuous manufacturing PrOceif dure which originates with the feeding of the blanks from a supply hopper and terminates: in

the discharge of cartons in completed, folded and ent. to Troyk No. 1,783,397 ofDecember 2, 1930,

illustrates one form of such paperboard carton, and the present method and apparatus have been devised for the express purpose of conditioning the blank for a carton of this general type. I-lowever, other styles of collapsible paperboard, par- 1, tition type carton are also well known in the art,

to the production of which the principles of the present invention are readily applicable with only slight modification, to the end of obtaining more expeditious,'.emcient and economical manufacture thereof. M

It has been necessary in the past, as aprelim inary to the loading of a supply of diedout, cut and creased blanks :in a standard foldin and gluing machineysuch as the'well knownStaude straight linegluer, to pre-break, pre-bend and stripwthe blanks at the slittedportions thereof. The purpose is toinitially free portions of the blank, such as certain integral, slit-defined and hinged cross partition elements, thereby enabling those-elements. to be swung successfully relative to the remainder of the blank during a later procedure of erecting the carton from its completed but fiat, knock-down condition to a set up or erected condition. This pro-conditioning op eration ordinarily involves subjecting a stack of the blanks of an over-all height of, say, six inches, to a special press equipped with rare-breaking dies. The diesengage the slit portions under heavy pressure and deflect all such portions of the stack slightly out of their normal, coplanar relation to their respective blanks; Thisis a slow, time consuming operation, requiring expensive equipment and the services. of attendantpersonnel whowhave no other duties than that describedu 5 Claims. (01. 93-37) Another preliminary operation which is re: quired to be performed on the blanks is that of routing or stripping away. excess marginal scrap material bordering the blank, it being understood that the blank is marginally outlined by slitting a rectangular sheet of stock. The slitting is, in all cases, ineffective to entirely separate the slitted portions which remain weakly connected by frictional interlock of fibers of the material. The routing operation is usually performed prior to the pre-bending operation described above and is done on a large stack of the blanks, of a height of about five feet. A special attendant uses a special, high speed, rotary implement of considerable weight and bulk which is equipped with a disk-like routing tool havin hardened teeth. This tool is run up and down to rout out the excess marginal scrap. The operation consumes approximately five minutes and is dangerous tothe attendant, requiring the exercise of extreme care in manipulating the router.

.It is seen from the foregoing that the conventional procedure for preparing the blanks is time consuming, requires special personnel who have no other duties, as well as expensive special equipment, and represents a loss of floor space in a plant, which is always at a premium.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide an improved method and an apparatus whereby the above described conventional preliminary steps are eliminated by the use of equipment, built into a gluing and folding apparatus which transforms the blanks to completed care tons, the equipment acting on the blanks as they are fed from amachine hopper.

Another general object is to provide, in equipment of the foregoing character, a unit having parts which act, preferably simultaneously, as the blanks pass therethrough to perform all of the necessary pre-breaking, pre-bending, routing and stripping operations thereon, the unit then forwarding the conditioned blanks continuously to folding and gluing instrumentalities acting to complete the construction of the carton.

More specifically, it is an object to provide an apparatus or unit specially adapted to operate, as an incident in the continuous folding and gluing thereof, on paperboard carton blanks characterized by successive panels which are arranged in transverse order with respect to the path of travel of the blank through the apparatus and are provided with shaped slits or cuts defining portions which are to be bent or entirely displaced relativeto the remainder of the blank;

which apparatus is provided with coaxial sets of male and female dies, preferably of rotary type, acting to pre-bend blank portions in one or more .panels for subsequent facilitated manipulation thereof, and acting as well on other portion in another panel or panels to entirely strip or knock out the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a special improved blank conditioning apparatus of the sort referred to above which is operable on specifically different blank forms, for example, a non-divisible type and a divisible type devised for a carton which is adapted to be centrally subdivided into equal halves after erection, the apparatus having selective provision for adjusting certain rotary dies thereof with relation to the blank, and the dies having two or more sets of conditioning elements which differ in number and respective distribution about the die periphery, in a manner to enable proper engagement of the respective sets with portions on each of the respective, specifically different types of carton blank which are to be pre-treated.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus or unit of the sort referred to which includes an improved set of scrap displacing and stripping dies featuring a die-engaging idler roller operative to effect a rapid and positive discharge to a remote location of scrap material displaced from a blank by the dies.

In a broader sense, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved, unitary blank feeding, folding and gluing machine characterized by a built-in blank conditioning unit operating on blanks as they are forwarded in continuous series from the machine supply hopper to and through the machine folding and gluing instrumentalities to condition said blanks, and thereby insure subsequent efficient erection of the knock-down produced by the machine by freeing certain pre-cut portions of the blank from one another.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the device.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of illustration, but the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view in side elevation showing generally the elements of a folding and gluing machine in asosciation with a blank conditioning unit in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the blank conditioning unit of the assembly of Fig. 1; taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 3 and further illustrating that unit;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the conditionin unit, illustrating the specific character and relationship of the various dies and associated provisions for operating on a forwardly traveling V blank;

Fig, 4 is a plan view of a typical egg carton blank which is to be pre-bent, stripped and otherwise conditioned and completed by the apparatus of the invention, the blank being hatched in one fashion in order to indicate certain elements thereof which are to be stripped entirely away therefrom, and in other fashion to indicate other elements which are to be merely deflected or bent relative to the plane of the blank;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of an egg carton in set-up condition, indicating generally the ultimate disposition of portions of the blank of Fig. 4 which are pretreated by the subject apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating one set of male and female pre-bending dies which are components of the subject apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the male die of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the female die of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, schematic view in perspective indicating the character of the operations performed on successive advancing carton blanks by the dies of Figs. 6, 7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view of a blank after being treated by the equipment shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary schematic view in perspective, generally similar to Fig. 9, in like manner illustrating the operation on another panel of the advancing blanks of a pair of further tab and flap deflecting dies or rollers which are associated coaxially with the pre-bending dies of Figs. (3-8 inclusive;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary edge view illustrating the operation on the blank of the members illustrated in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a further fragmentary schematic View in perspective showing yet another set of stripping dies or rollers which are components of the conditioning unit, along with the pre-bending equipment referred to above, for the purpose of removing certain scrap pieces from along an edge of the blank as other portions thereof are operated upon by the associated instrumentalities;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing still a further pair of material removing elements associated with the apparatus for the purpose of operating on certain types of carton blanks having intermediate window scrap and the like to be removed therefrom; and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view further illustrating the nature of the material ejecting die shown in Fig. 14.

The general character of the carton blank which is manipulated by the present apparatus, and the carton which is the product thereof, should be understood in order to understand clearly the procedural step which are performed by the improved method, and their purpose. Acccrdingly, attention is first directed to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, which illustrate, respectively, the blank and a section of the completed carton in its erected condition. The blank if] chosen for purpose of illustration is a sheet of flexible paperboard in generally rectangular outline, and is intended for the manufacture of a divisible style egg carton, i. e., one which is capable of being subdivided into two identical halves by rupturing the same transversely along a medially disposed, transversely extending, weakened or perforated line I I. The blank i0 is symmetric about this medial line, but it is to be understood that the principles of the invention are equally applicable to the treatment of a non-divisible carton. Such non-divisible carton may be a illustrated and described in the Troyk patent identified above, which is characterized by its cross partitions all being uniformly oriented in the plane of the blank, or it may be a carton of generally similar type. Blank It! includes cross partition elements [2 defined by slitting which are adapted to be swung, in erecting the finished carton, about transversely spaced and aligned shoulder hinges I 3, from a position corresponding to, the coplanar relative to the blank to a verticalposition normal to the carton Walls, as illustrated in Fig. 5. In the clarify the details of the invention. Certain portions referred to are, as stated above, merely flexed by the apparatus about integral hinges to the remainderof the blank, displacing the same temporarily from the plane of the latter, while others are wholly stripped out of thematerial of the blank, having been completely outlined therein by die slits, so that it i only necessary to free these portions of theslight frictional restraining action of the fibers of the blank adjoining the slitted areas. To simplify the matter those portions which are to be merely deflected or swung about pre-creased hinges, such as the shoulder hinges l3, for example, are shown in horizontal cross hatching in Fig. 4. The portions which are to be stripped entirely away from the blank are shown for contrast in vertical cross hatching.

In the former group are the cross partitions l2 and certain locking tabs H5 carried by the cross the longitudinal partition and bottom forming member of the carton, as shown in Fig. 5. Due to the divisible nature of the carton under consideration, two of the above type tabs, specially designated l6, which lie closest to and on opposite sides of the medial perforated line H are ultimately swung in directions opposite from the other tabs It, as is evident from inspection of Fig. 5. i

Further flap members [9 which immediately adjoin the medialtransverse line II are alsoto be swung in opposite directions about integral, transversely extending, aligned creases 28 to a position in flush side-by-side engagement with the pair of cross partitions lying closest perforated line I I. It is evident that the last named partitions, which are specially designated 12', are also swung in opposite directions about their own hinges [3". The present apparatus is designed to flex these elements slightly relative to their respective hinges and out of their normal coplanar relation to the blank l0.

A central panel 2| of the blank, from which the bottom and longitudinal partition I5 is formed, is also to be subjected to pre-bending or pre-breaking of certain of its hinged parts. These include sets of trap-door flaps 22 laterally adjoining the slits which define the cross partition receiving openings [4, and pairs of central lockingtabs 23 which adjoin the apex of the inverted V, bottom, see Fig. 5. The flaps ZZand tabs 23 are ultimately i In the interest of simplicity certain of the surrounding material of the blank. Inasmuch as the set .of locking tabs on immediate opposite sides. of perforated line H are each to be deflected in a direction opposite from the remaining corresponding tabs on. the respective sidestof line l I,.they,are specially designated by the reference numeral 23.

.,The portions of the illustrated blank I!) which are to be completely stripped away from the latter include the small, generally triangular areas 26 lying between the outer legportions of the opposite terminal cross partitions. l2, which are extremely diflicult ,to remove by manual. routing without damaging the blank; a pair of small oblong, round-ended pieces 21 adjacent one side of bottom forming, panel '2l, which are removed in order to provide holes accommodating. certain elements of an automatic carton erecting machineythe small, arcuate pieces 28 on the. opposite'ends of the blank, also receiving parts of the erecting mechanism; the scrap window pieces 29. in a cover panel 2il, which provide ornamental windows in certain perforated cover style cartons; and the small, foot-shaped scrap pieces 3| on the extreme; right, margin of the blank, deflned by slittingof the blank. to provide hook-like locking lugs 32 on the cover tuck flap 33 of the completed carton. x i

The present apparatus eiiects pre-bendingand strippingoperations as described above, as well related conditioning operations of other speciflc character which depend on specific structural details of theparticular blank under consideration. These operations are performed automatically and simultaneously during the course of travel of the blanks through the machine by the apparatus now to be described. 1

the operating features .of the apparatus which are concerned solely with particular details of shape orposition of a portion of the carton blank manipulated, and which differ from an illustrated and described feature or features solely in regard to those details, have been omitted from the drawing and description as being superfluous.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the general arrangement'of a preebending and stripping unit as a built-in componentof a standard, straight line gluing and folding machine in accordance with the invention. The machine, generally designated 35, may be of the Staude Master gluentyp'e. It com rises a conventional supply hopper 36 from which 'the blanks ii} are sequentia iy withdrawnby a. pair of positively driven eledltbll r their. Th w rmes edge se withdrawn carton is next engaged by lugs 39 on apair ofconveyor chains 49. These are trained over sprockets on the shaft, 4| on which the feed rollers are mounted. The blanks advance along horiaontal'guides #12, see Fig. 3 and are frictionally engaged centrally and from beneath the same byanendless driven belt .93. The latter is trained about a pulley M on driven shaft 4! and a small forward idler pulley d5. The belt insures that the individual feed lugs. take proper positivedriving engagement with 7 trailing edge of each blank, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 3.

The blanks are successively advanced by the feed chains 40 through a composite pre-treating unit, generally designated 46, which is the particular subject matter of the present invention. This unit is hereinafter described in detail. It is positively driven by meshing gears 41 on the vertically aligned, transversely extending shafts 43, 49, of which the latter is equipped with a sprocket 50. A drive chain connects sprocket 59 rearwardly with a further sprocket on driven shaft 4|, as shown in Fig. 2. Emerging from the unit 46, the blanks continue their advance by lugs 39 into and through the remaining instrumentalities of the gluing machine 3-5, which are generally designated 52 in Fig. 1. They comprise certain carton feeding, gluing and folding instrumentalities which are of entirely conventional character and, other than their positional association with the unit 46, constitute no part of the present invention. The same is true of the blank supply means 36.

Feed chains 40 are positively driven from sprockets fixed to a forward shaft 53 which is connected to a source of power, for instance some part of the machine 35. A drive sprocket also secured to shaft 53 actuates power chain 54 to drive lower shaft 49 of unit 46, and the upper shaft thereof is thus driven through gears 41. Power is transmitted from driven shaft 49 to the rear feed roll and belt shaft 4| through the chain 5! and associated sprockets.

Details of the conditioning or pre-bending and stripping unit 46, as well a the respective operations which it performs on the blanks, are best illustrated in Figs. 615, all considered in connection with Fig. 3. On the understanding that the unit 45 comprises several sets of male and female rotary bending and stripping dies mounted on and driven by shafts 48, 49, the respective sets will be considered in the order of their transverse spacing along those shafts.

Referring to Figs. 6-10 inclusive, the first section of theunit comprises an uper rotary male die '56 keyed to shaft 48, and its coacting lower femaledie 51, keyed to shaft 49. These operate to pre-bend the cross partitions l2, l2 about their shoulder hinges l3, 13, respectively, to prebend the locking tabs I5, l6 about their small integral hinges l8, and to pre-bend the medial flaps I9 about their hinges '20. To this end, the male die 56 is provided with two identical full sets of inclined male die elements 58, each set in the illustrated embodiment occupying onehalf of the peripheral outline of the die. The sets referred to are located one on either side of a theoretical diameter AOB, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Of these sets, the component elements falling within the theoretical segment, CO--B, applied to .one set only in Fig. 6, are seen to be arranged in two groups which are oppositely inclined with respect to a vertical diametrical plane through the axis of the die. Their function is to operate upon a divisible style blank like that of Fig. 4, engaging the two groups of oppositely bendable cross partitions l2, l2 which lie on opposite sides of the medial transverse line H of the blank, so as to pre-bend the sets of shoulder hinges l3, I3 as the blank travels between the male and female dies 55, 51.

The remaining three inclined die elements 58 of the set, which are located in the theoretical segment CO-A, have the same inclination,

with respect to the die periphery, as those arranged to immediately precede them in the clockwise direction to the vertical diameter referred to. These three die elements, together with those preceding the same as aforesaid, constitute a group which are adapted to operate, in a different angular adjustment of the rotary dies, upon the cross partitions of a non-divisible style carton, in which all of the cross partitions are to be swung in like direction about their respective shoulder hinges 13. d

It is thus seen that the dies 56, 51, the latter of which has mating die provisions, to be described, coacting with the die elements 59, are so constructed and arranged that the machine is. readily adjustable to handle both the divisible and non-divisible style cartons, simply by adjusting the dies angularly with relation to their shafts 48, 49, thereby altering the relation of two groups of die elements, which are different even though they have certain common components, to the carton feed lugs 39 of chain conveyor 49. It is for this reason that posi'tive'feed provisions of this type are employed, i. e., to the end that the cartons shall have absolutely uniform spacing and relationship to one another as they are advanced through the various sets of adjustable rotary dies of unit 46.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 it will be observed that small, plate-like bending fingers 68 are provided on opposite sides of the male die 56, in fairly close relation to a vertical diametrical plane through the die as the latteris positioned in those figures. Their function is to engage the pair of locking tabs I6 which lie closest to the Vertical plane referred to and to pre-bend those tabs downwardly out of the plane of their associated cross partitions [2. This is in contrast to the upward pre-bending of the remaining corresponding tabs l6, by the provisions to be described.

Referring to Fig. '7, it is seen that the outline of the inclined die elements 58 corresponds generally to that of the cross partitions l2, l2, except that portions of the elements are spaced somewhat more widely from one another at the mutually in-turned portions 5| thereof than are the legs of the carton portions. The purpose is to accommodate the enlarged central nose 62 of die elements 63 of female die 51 (see Fig. 8). This nose engages with the tabs 16 to pre-bend the latter upwardly out of the plane of their respective cross partitions, as described above. A nose is omitted from the two center abutments, since the tab deflecting function at these points is performed by th male die bending fingers 60.

The female die elements 63 include central portions which are inclined complementarily to the inclination of the male die elements and have blade-like side wing portions 64. The abutments and wing portions are shaped in outline, as illustrated in Fig. 8, to nest with the male die abutments 58. Accordingly, the cross partitions [2, I2 are all positively gripped and deflected about their hinges l3, l3 out of the plane of the blank as the latter advances, thus freeing their slitted marginal edges. The tabs l6, 16' are deflected in like manner.

The female die 51 is also provided with a generally U-shaped plate 65, which is located on the vertical diametrical plane of the die when in the position of Fig. 6. The laterally spaced, radially extending side fingers 66 of this member engage the medial flaps [9 of the blank and prebreak the same upwardly about hinges 20.

Figs. 9 and illustrate the action of the coacting male and female dies 56, 51, it being understood that these two dies are only effective on the far portion of the advancing blanks, as viewed in Fig. 9, to manipulate portions l2, l2, l6, l6 and 19 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 10. When the apparatus is operating upon the divisible style blank the die 59 is positioned so that only those die elements 58 which fall within the arc X of Fig. 6 come into play. Thedie 51 is correspondingly adjusted about its shaft 49. When the blank for a non-divisible style carton is being processed, dies 56, 51 are angularly adjusted so that only the correspondingly inclined groups of elements, such asfall within the arc Y of Fig. 6, and a corresponding arc of the female die, are operative on the blank.

In order to greatly simplify and expedite changeover from the two machine set-ups described above, the provisions illustrated in Fig. 6 are employed, it being understood that corre sponding provisions are embodied in both of.

the male and female dies 56, 51. A special radially flanged hub member 68 is employed which has two sets of tapped holes 69,10 in the radially extending flange ll thereof. The holes of the respective sets are arrangedv in different angular spacings, so that faulty mounting is impossible. The die 56 itself is formed in two halves, each designated 12, and each half has a pair of diametrically opposed bosses 13 which are drilled for the reception of clamping bolts 14. One of the drilled holes is threaded to receive the bolt, so that the two halves of the die may be drawn up tightly about the axial sleeve portion T5 of hub member 68.

vsets being radially and angularly spaced in correspondence with the spacings of the respective sets of tapped holes through the mounting hub flange ll. These spacings are such that when the die members are positioned and held in one relation to shaft 48 by bolts 16 male die elements in the arc Y (and a corresponding group of female die elements) are operative on blanks advanced by feed chains 46. Adjusted in th other optional arrangement, the die members are located to present die elements such as are found in arc X to the advancing blank. in Fig. 6 two complete sets of die elements are provided on opposite sides of the theoretical diametral line AOB, so that each rotation of the die results in prebending of two blanks.

The next set of dies, operating simultaneously with dies 56, 9i and succeeding the latter in respect to their transverse arrangement along shafts 48, 49, is a tab pre-bending set, shown in Fig. 11 and represented by an upper male die 18 and a lower female die 79. These operate upon the trapdoor flaps 22 which adjoin the partition receiving openings i l in bottom and longitudinal partition panel ii of Fig. 4, and also the tabs 23, 23' which are adapted to interlock with the cross partition tabs l6, [6, respectively. The provisions on the dies l8, '19 for this purpose are in the form of simple, radially extending blade members. Die 18 has two annular series of peripherally spaced blades 89 arranged therearound, which series are spaced transversely from one another. They are adapted to engage and deflect downwardly the bottom trap-door flaps 22. Female die 19 has a generally similar annular series of blades 8| located in a longitudinal zone be- As illustrated tween the two sets of male blades 89. Blades 8| engage and upwardly pre-bend the partition lock tabs 23, 23 of the longitudinal partition and bottom forming panel [5. Each die is peripherally relieved in the longitudinal zone opposed to the series of blares of the other. i i i The operations performed by dies '18, .19 are illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 and are readily understandable. It is to be understood that the respective series of blades 89, 8! are laid out onthe respective male and female dies l8, 19 in a twosetperipheral arrangement as discussed in connection with dies 56, 51, to the end that the apparatus isselectlvely operable with equal eificiency on blanks of two different styles, exemplified by the divisible and non-divisible types. Further detailed description and illustration of these provisions are believed to be superfluous, since the mechanical features duplicate those shown in Fi 6; i

Stripping or knocking out of excess materia from the blank, as distinguished from pre-bending, is performed by the special die pairs of unit 46 which are illustrated in Figs. 13, i l and 15. Considering the operating assemblies, as previously, in the order of their transverse spacing along shafts 48, 49, the unit shown in-Figs. Hand 15 is employed when it is desired to remove scrap pieces such as the small erector accommodating pieces 21, 28 of the blank and the window scrap pieces 29. Provisions for removing the marginal scrap pieces 3| are incorporated in the dies illustrated in Fig. 13, and are to be described.

Male knock-out die 33 (Figs. 14, 15) comprises a series of appropriately shaped, block-like die elements 84 suitably carried by an arcuate plate 65 or the like secured to the body of the die, the latter being fixed on shaft 48. The lower female die 85 comprises a continuous rotary body member having a continuous peripheral surfacing 81 of a suitable flexible or resilient material, such as cork. The engagement of die elements 84 with a blank backed by die 89 is sufficient to excise and dischargepieces similar to pieces 21, 28 and 29. Since these dies act primarily on a cover panel of the blank, which will be probably unchanged in various styles of carton, provisions for selective adjustment of the dies on their shafts may be omitted, if desired. As pointed out above the specific shape, number and arrangement of the die elements 84 is capable of wide variation, and in some installations it may be possible to eliminate the die couple 83, 84 entirely.

The remaining die assembly of the apparatus operates to strip and discharge the small, footshaped pieces 3| from along the outer margin of the blank II]. It comprises an upper male die 89,

a lower female die 96 and a small, idler type scrap discharge roller 9i. The latter is rotatably mounted on a supporting arm 92 which is pivotally mounted on the apparatus at 93,. as shown schematically in Fig. 13. "A spring 94 urges roller 91 upwardly against a laterally extending rim 95 of substantial width on female die 99. This rim is machined to provide female die openings 96 adjoining its outer edge, which openings correspond in shape and annular spacing with a corresponding set of male die elements 91 on die 89. Roller 9| in rolling along the interior surface of female die rim 95 is rotatively driven solely by frictional engagement with that rim. Die elements 9'! enter the coacting female die openings 96 sufficiently to initially displace the scrap pieces 3| from carton tuck flap 32 in a positive fashion, whereupon the discharge roller 9| frictionally engages and discharges the scrap. The linear speed of the idler roll surface equals that of the inner rim surface, hence roller 9| operates at great angular velocity to snatch and throw the pieces 3i downwardly and outwardly as illustrated in Fig. 13. A positive discharge of this type is desirable and feasible at an exterior zone of the apparatus, whereas it might not be satisfactory in a more centrally located zone; hence the use of a different type die 83 (Figs. 14 and 15) in the latter'zone.

It is to be understood that, as in the case of other pairs of dies 56, 51 and l8, 19, the die elements 97, 98, respectively, of dies 89 and 90 will be laid out in sets, as described, and the dies will include means to index the latter angularly a predetermined amount, so that one may selectively adjust the dies in accordance with the particular type of blank being operated on. The arrangement of the tuck flap locking hooks 32 differs in the divisible and non-divisible style cartons. I

Upon leaving the unit 46 the blanks pass through the folding and gluing instrumentalities 52 by which their manufacture to a completed knocked-down condition is effected.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for conditioning pre-slit blanks comprising means to engage and positively advance individual blanks longitudinally and a rotary conditioning unit in the path of travel of said blanks, said unit comprising a rotary male knock out die having male die elements engageable With portions of the blank to strip the same entirely from the blank, a female knock out die having a marginally shaped annular die rim receiving said male die elements, and a scrap discharge roller of relatively small diameter arranged in internal rolling engagement with the rim of said female die to snatch and discharge scrap punched through the latter by said male die.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 in which the die elements of said male knock out die are arranged circumferentially in one or more sets, of which each set comprises groups of differently arranged elements adapted to engage a blank difierently in accordance with the angular setting of the die relative to said blank advancing means.

3. Apparatus for conditioning pre-slit blanks comprising means to engage and positively advance individual blanks longitudinally and a rotary conditioning unit in the path of travel of said blanks, said unit comprising a driven shaft extending transversely of said path and provided with a plurality of rotary dies secured to said shaft in spaced relation along the same, said dies comprising a pre-bending die having circumferentially spaced die elements engageable with said 69 blanks to bendably deflect certain slit-defined portions thereof relative to the plane of the blank, and a rotary male knock out die having male die elements engageable with other portions of the blank to strip the same entirely from the blank, a female knock out die having a marginally shaped annular die rim receiving said male die elements, and a scrap discharge roller of relatively small diameter arranged in internal rolling engagement with the rim of said female die to snatch and discharge scrap punched through the latter by said male die.

4. Apparatus for conditioning flat blanks each having hinged, unidirectionally swingable partition portions or blanks each having two sets of hinged, oppositely swingable partition portions arranged on opposite sides of a medial portion of the blank, said apparatus comprising a rotary die, means positively feeding blanks in longitudinal, predeterminedly spaced relation to said die, said die having deflecting elements spaced about the periphery thereof which are adapted to engage predetermined partition portions of a blank to shift said portions out of the plane of the blank, the deflecting elements being circumferentially arranged in successive different sets, one of said sets comprising a series of circumferentially aligned deflecting elements on the periphery of the die which are oriented in one direction with relation to the direction of rotation of said die and adapted to operate on a blank of the first mentioned type, another of said sets comprising a series of deflecting elements oriented in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the die and in circumferential alignment with and immediately adjacent to said first named set, said oppositely oriented deflecting elements being adapted to cooperate with a series of deflecting elements of said first named set disposed on the opposite side of the medial line of said second named set of deflecting elements, said second named set of deflecting elements being adapted to operate on a blank of the second mentioned type, and means permitting adjustment of said rotary die about the axis of the die to selectively position said sets in predetermined relation to said positive feed means.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which said die adjusting means comprises means holding said respective first and second named sets of deflecting elements for adjustment as a unit with the respective elements thereof in fixed relation to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 948,710 Staude Feb. 8, 1910 1,924,160 Knowlton Aug. 29, 1933 1,987,224 Bergstein Jan. 8, 1935 2,351,670 Desch et al June 20, 1944 2,605,679 Welsh et a1 Aug. 5, 1952

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