US2697969A

US2697969A - Machine for making hatboxes and the like from flat-folded blanks

Info

Publication number: US2697969A
Application number: US367444A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ahlmeyer Heinz; Whitney D Sherman
Original assignee: ROBERT GAIR CO Inc
Current assignee: ROBERT GAIR CO Inc; ROBERT GAIR COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1953-07-13
Filing date: 1953-07-13
Publication date: 1954-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1971-12-28

Description

Dec. 28, 1954 H. AHLMEYER EIAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS Filed July 13, 1955 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 TTURNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANK-S Filed July 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hf/NZ AHLMEYEI? By WHITNEY D. SHERMAN ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS Filed July 13, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a I 26 ,27 .7'9 --Z7 26 1 6/ a I if V A I; A V A A I //1 a2 52 M14 W m 14.

9 NTTORNE Y5 Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 13, 1953 IN VEN TQRS 53 H LME Y1 R 515 WHITNEY U. SHERM/QN ATTORN E Y5 United States Patent MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS Heinz Ahlmeyer, Orangeburg, and Whitney D. Sherman, West Nyack, N. Y., assignors to Robert Gair Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 13, 1953, Serial No. 367,444

6 Claims. (Cl. 9355.1)

continuous paperboard band comprising either the body or the cover flange of the box. The box bodies and cover flanges can be glued in the box makers plants and shipped in flat-folded form, together with the end pieces for the box bottoms and cover tops, to customers who may then complete the manufacture of the boxes and covers. The boxes and covers are of non-folding types, and in such a case the objective is to perform the maximum number of manufacturing steps at the box makers plants so as to be able to employ the simplest form of machinery and less experienced operators at the customers plants.

Summary In accordance with our invention, as applied for example to setting up and finishing hat boxes of the usual oval form, the side wall of the box is in the form of a a continuous paperboard band made by lapping and gluing together the ends of a substantially rectangular blank. The lapped and glued blank is scored in two places and folded flat along the score lines for shipment to the customers plant together with the end pieces as aforesaid, these being in the form of flat oval blanks. To set up the box the seriesof flaps at one side of the band are bent inwardly at right angles to the body of the band, and an end-piece is glued to the flaps. Preferably a second end-piece is glued to the other side of the flaps, in which case the flaps are held between the two end-pieces, out of view. The machine which we have devised for facilitating these operations comprises a forming member having an oval-shaped depression to receive the endpieces and to receive and shape the base of the continuous paperboard band,-'a guide ring having an oval opening in it, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the latter to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through the guide ring while the latter holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative. movement between the forming member and pres 1 sure plate to bring the latter within the oval depression of the forming member.

' The guide ring has fingers for engagement with the inside of the open end of the paperboard band and the pressure plate has slots in its periphery through which the fingers pass when the pressure plate enters through the guide ring into the open end of the paperboard band. Other features and advantages of our invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Description In the drawings we have illustrated a machine to show the best mode contemplated by us of carrying out our invention as applied to the manufacture of bodies and cover flanges of a hat box and the like of generally oval or octagonal form. h

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the turret table of the ir rachline, taken approximately as indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the guide ring in lowered position to shape the open end of the paper'- board band preparatory to entry of the pressure plate.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in the position occupied at the conclusion of the pressureapplying operation.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the guide ring and associated guide bar (see 5-5, Fig. 1).

Fig. 6 is a top view of the pressure plate and associated guide bar.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical cross-sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the box parts. 1

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view similar to the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 4 but showing the formation of a box cover.

Fig. 12 is a top view of a modified forming member used for setting up an octagonal box.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the operating elements of our machine are mounted on a suitable frame 15 having a table support 16 in which are journalled aseries of rollers 17 and a spindle 18 carrying a turret table 19. The turret table rotates intermittently around spindle 18 as an axis and is supported in proper alignment by means of the aforesaid rollers 17 hearing against the undersurface of the table. The center bearing for the turret table 19 is provided by a sleeve bearing 20 having a flange 21 at its lower end bolted to the table. A collar 22 fixed to spindle 18 completes the turret table mounting assembly.

At the rear of frame 15 (to the left as viewed in Fig. 1) is a vertical support 23. Mounted on vertical support 23 and spindle 18 is a beam 24 to which are fixed a series of vertical sleeves 25 through which

slide rods

26, 26 and 27, 27 fixed to'the guide ring and pressure plate to be described.

The principal operating elements of our machine comprise a forming member 28 having a depression, such as the oval depression 29, to receive a fiat paperboard end piece A and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band B, a guide ring 30, means such as the air cylinder 31 for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate 32 shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through the guide ring 30 while the latter holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means such as the air cylinder 31 for producing relative movement between the forming member 28 and pressure plate 32 to bring the pressure plate within depression 29 of the forming member.

In the preferred construction illustrated, there are four identical forming members 28 arranged around the turret table 19 in such a fashion that, as the table revolves, each one in turn is presented in the same relative position to the guide ring and pressure plate 32 at the operating station shown in Fig. 1. I

The construction of forming members 28 and their mounting on table 19 will now be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 3, 4,9 and 10. The forming members themselves may be built up of wood in one or more layers resting on a sheet metal base 33. A pair of pins 34 have reduced portions 35 extending through aligned openings in the forming member and its base plate 33. These elements of the forming member are clamped together between the shoulder at the reduced portions 35 of pins 34 and nuts 36. Table 19 is drilled as at 37 to receive pins 34 and hold the forming members in correct position on the table. We prefer to use sponge rubber pads 53 between the forming members and the table 19 to insure proper alignment between the pressure plate and base plate 33 of the forming member and thereby to obtain substantially uniform gluing pressure around the entire periphery of the box.

At the edge of the table 19 opposite each of the forming members 28, are indexing locks 38, each of which is engaged in turn by an indexing latch 39 pivotally mounted at to the frame (Figs. 1 and 2). As the table 19 is rotated, latch 39 passes over the inclined shoulder 41 of lock 38 and drops into. the notch 42, indexing the adjacent forming member 28 directly benea'th the guide ring 30 and pressure plate 32. Suitablemeans are provided for releasing the indexing latch 39 .such as that comprising the rod 43 attached to latch 39 at one end and pivotally secured at the other to one arm. of bell crank lever 44 pivoted to the frame, the other end of the bell crank lever being pivotally secured to a rod 45 extending through the beam M and pivotally secured as at 46 to the operating finger 47 pivoted at 48 at the end of beam 24 and positioned to be readily accessible to an operator standing at the front of the machine. Suitable means are provided for rotating turret table 19 by power or hand, such as the handles 49 conveniently located near the periphery of the table between the forming members.

Details of the construction and mounting of the guide ring and pressure plate assembly will be described with particular reference to Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive. Guide ring 30 may be constructed of one or more layers of wood inwhich is formed an oval opening 50 or an opening which otherwise corresponds to the shape of the particular box to be formed. This opening is flared outwardly as at 51 on the under side of the guide ring, and in our preferred construction a pair of inclined guide fingers 52 are secured to the under side of guide ring 30 for engagement with the outside of theopen end of the paperboard band B adjacent the fold line 1 thereof to gather the open end within the confines of the guide ring as the guide ring approaches its position surrounding and shaping;the paperboard band at its open end. It may be observed here that when the lapped and glued blank is folded fiat for shipment, the paperboard stock takes a set in its folded form so that when opened intosubstantially oval form for gluing up the box in its final setup condition, there is a certain amount of resistance to shaping of the band. this resistance being encountered particularly at the fold lines 7 due to what is commonly referred to in the trade as being the fight of the paperboard stock. Therefore, when the band B reaches the operating station shown in Fig. 1, its upper edges tend to flare outwardly at the fold line. However, the fingers 52engage the band at these points and serve to gather the open end within the confines of the guide rings as has been described. The guide ring assembly is complcted by rods 26, bushings 54and a guide bar 55. Nuts 56 and bushings 54 serve to clamp the guide bar in spaced relation to the guide ring. Guide bar 55 is provided with openings 57. 57 and 58 for the rods 27 and piston rod 59 respectively.

Pressure plate 32 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) is fastened to the end of piston rod 59 of air cylinder 31 .mounted on beam 24. Clamped between the shouldered lower end of piston rod 59 and a plate 61 is a guide bar 'to the ends of which are secured the guide .rods 27. When the operating parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the guide ring 30 by means of the bar 55 fixed thereto iscarried bv bushings 62 associated with they guide bar 69. Thus, in these positions the guide ring 30 is supported on the pressure plate assembly which in turn is carried by piston rod 59.

The operating elements are actuated by pressure cylinder 31 and associated .control mechanism comprising

air conduits

63 and 64 leading from the upper and lower ends respectively of the air cylinder 31 to a four-way valve 65 controlled by handle 66. Air cylinder 31 may be of conventional construction employing a double acting piston connected to the piston rod 59. Valve 65 may also be of conventional construction and is connected to a suitable source of compressed air supply (not shown). Actuation of the valve serves 'to move the piston rod 59 alternately up and down according to the known method of operation of such mechanisms.

In our preferred construction the guide ring 30 has a series of fingers 67 for engagement with the inside of the open end of the paperboard band, and the pressure plate 32 has slots 68 in its periphery through which the fingers 67 pass when the pressure plate passes through the guide ring and enters the openend of the paperboard band. The form of fingers 67 may best be'seen in Figs. 5 and 7. They have flanges 69 for attachment to ru pe d ro he u de a th l we e d of t fingers are tapered as at 70 for cooperation with the flaring entrance portion 51of the guide ring in gathering the open end of paperboard band B within the confines of the guide ring as the latter is lowered into the position shown in Fig. '3.

Also in our preferred construction we provide a pair of pins 71 (Figs. 2 and 10) which are resiliently supported as by means of flat springs 72 within the depression 29 of the forming member 28 for engagement with alignment'notches 73 in the end pieces A and C. Springs 72 are secured, as shown, to the underside of the base 33 of the forming member and pad 53 may be'cut out to provide clearance for the springs which hold the pins 71 in raised position. When the pressure plate reaches the lowermost position shown in Fig. 4, pins 71 may be pushed down slightly against the resistance of springs 72 so as not to interfere with the action of the pressure plate.

Operation In Fig. 2 the legends indicate the our operating stations of the machine. The numberof operators who will be used for each machine will depend upon the requirements; of the particular plant and the judgment of the management. We think it is desirable to have three operators, in which case an operator will be stationed at each of operating stations 1, 2 and 3. There'will be no operator at station 4. At station 1, the oval endpiece A is placed in the bottom of depression 29 of the forming member. This end piece will first have been prepared by applying glue around the upper. outside edge thereof. This also is the station at which the finished box or cover is removed at the end of a complete cycle of operation. Thus the steps performed by the operator at, station 1 are (a) removal of the finished article, and (b) insertion of the glued end piece A (glue side up). Performing operation (b)' the operator sees that notches -73 of end piece A properly engage pins 71: These pins perform two functions. First, they insure that the major and minor axes of the oval and piece coincide with the major and minor axes of the oval depression 29. Second, they insure that the end piece C will be properly centered within the depression, as it is usually desired that there shall be a slight clearance between the end piece and the depression'in the forming member, and without the engagement of the notches 73 withpins 71', the end piece might be glued to one side or the other of the side walls of She box and not be symmetrically arranged as desire At station 2, the operator inserts the paperboard band B into the forming member at the front of the machine. The series of flaps F will have been folded previously so as to extend substantially at right angles to the'walls of band B. This folding or pre-breaking'of the flaps around the score line s adjacent their base line may be performed by hand or with the use of the folding machine described in our copending application for patent Serial No. 367,418 filed July 13, 1953. The operator at station 2 also manipulates the

controls

47 and 66 for actuation of the mechanism at station 4, the operation of which will be described when we come to the discussion of the steps performed at station 4.

The operator atstation'3 inserts the inner end piece C, to which glue will have been applied over the peripheral area which will come in contact with flaps F. If desired glue may also be applied at one or more points toward the center of this end piece where it may be pressed into contact with outer end piece A.

We come now to the operations performed at station 4 by the mechanism controlled by the operator at station 2. Latch 39 will be resting in notch 42 of indexing lock 38, and we begin with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. Inner and outer'end pieces A and C and paperboard band B are in place in the forming member 28. The operator now actuates control 66 so that air is exhausted from the'lower end of air cylinder 31 while air under pressure enters the upper end of this cylinder through the line 63. This drives piston rod 59 downwardly, carrying with it pressure plate 32 and allowing guide ring 30 to descend. Guide fingers-52 gather the open end of paperboard band B within the confines of the guidering as the guide ring approaches the position shown in Fig. 3. During'the last'part of this action'the guiding effect of fingers 52 is supplemented by the fiaring'opening 51 of the guide ring itself and the inclined edges 70 of the fingers 67. 'Whn-the finger's '67 cometo rest on the upper edgeof the band B, downward movement of guide ring 30 ceases. In this initial position of rest of the guide ring 30, pressure plate 32 is about to enter within bandB, the band having been accurately-shaped to permit such entry with close tolerances around the periphery of the pressure plate as is essential in order to apply pressure effectively over the area of flaps F.

Further downward movement of piston rod 59 carries pressure plate 32 Within the box, fingers 67 passing through the slots 68 of the pressure plate. The pressure plate then travels to the bottom of the box and applies pressure on the glued end pieces A and C for a matter of five seconds or so. Meanwhile the operators at stations 1, 2 and 3 are repeating the cycle. Next the operator at station 2 reverses the control 66, bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 1. He then depresses the operating finger 47, releasing latch 39 from indexing lock 38, and grasping one of the handles 49, rotates the table 90 in the direction of the arrow D (Fig. 2) bringing the next indexing lock 38 into engagement with latch 39. Thereupon the operator at station 1 removes the box which has just been completed at station 4.

The machine may be adapted to handle other shapes and sizes of boxes, and covers, by changing the forming members, guide ring and pressure plate for others of the proper size and shape. For example, in Fig. 12 is shown a forming member 28' in which is formed an octagonal opening 29, and which has a pair of positioning pins 34' arranged to fit the openings 37 of turret table 19. This shape of forming member may be used where the machine is to be applied for setting up and finishing boxes or covers of octagonal shape. It is merely necessary to lift out the forming members 28 and replace them with forming members 28'. Guide ring 30 and pressure plate 32 likewise would be removed and replaced with other members shaped for the octagonal box.

Stops 74 are adjustably mounted on the rods 26.

, These stops are positioned to come to rest on the upper ends of the sleeves just as the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 3 and prevent the fingers 67 of the guide ring from damaging the upper edge of the paperboard band, which might otherwise occur upon impact.

In Fig. 11 we have indicated the formation of a cover for the box shown in the other views. Because the cover band is relatively shallow it is generally unnecessary to provide a guide ring. Also, in forming the covers, beam 24 or the air cylinder 31 may be lowered to shorten the stroke of the pressure plate 32.

The terms and expressions which we have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and we have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and the like from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ring while the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative movement between the forming member and pressure plate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the forming member, said guide ring having fingers for engagement with the inside of the open end of the paperboard band and said pressure plate having slots in its periphery through which slots said fingers pass when the pressure plate passes through the guide ring and enters the open end of the paperboard band.

2. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and the like from flat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a fiat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, pins resiliently supported within said depression of the forming member for en gagement with alignment notches in said end piece, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause 6 the: guide ring'to surround and shape the paperboardband atitsopen end,a pressure plate 'shapedito conform'closely 3. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard 'hat boxes and the like from flat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the gulde ring to cause the guide ring to sur- :round and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through :said guide ring while the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative movement between the forming member and pressure plate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the :forming member, said guide ring and pressure plate being :mounted for movement together until the guide ring surrounds and shapes the paperboard band at its open end, said pressure plate then being movable a further distance with the guide ring stationary.

4. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard ihat boxes and the like from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls -of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ring while the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative movement between the forming member and pressure plate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the forming member, said guide ring being freely suspended from the pressure plate for movement into position surrounding and shaping the paperboard band for the pressure plate to enter the open end thereof and pass into said depression of the forming member.

5. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and the like from flat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ring while the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative movement between the forming member and pressure plate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the forming member, said guide ring having fingers for engagement with the outside of the open end of the paperboard band adjacent the fold lines thereof to gather the open end within the eonfines of the guide ring as the guide ring approaches its position surrounding and shaping the paperboard band at its open end.

6. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and the like from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ring while the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, and means for producing relative movement between theforming member and pressure 7 plate tbbrhg the pressure plate within said deprs's'ionof the forming member, "said guide 'ring having fingers for engagement with theinside of'the open end of'the paper'- boardband and fingers for engagement with the outside of thehpen' end of the paperboard band.

References Citedin the file/0f this patent" Number UNITED- STATES PATENTS Name Carncro'ss Dec.

ate 4, 1906