US2885847A - Machine for positioning protectors for tubes containing toothpaste and the like - Google Patents

Description

May 12,1959 E 3 Filed July 21. 1955 sRAMEK MACHINE FOR POSITIONING PROTECTORS FOR TUBES coummmc TOOTHPASTE AND THE LIKES sheets sheet l INVTOR: ELMER D. SRAMEK BY m w dm Mf ATT'YS 1 May 12, 1959 E. D. SRAMEK 2,885,847 MACHINE FOR POSITIONING PROTECTORS FOR TUBES CONTAINING TOOTHFASTE AND THE LIKE Filed July 21, 1955 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR: ELMER D. SRAMEK ATT'YS May 12, 1959 E. D. SRA EK 2,835,847 MACHINE FOR POSITIONING PROTECTORS FOR TUBES v CONTAINING TOOTHPASTE AND THE LIKE Filed July 21 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR." ELMER D. SRAMEK' BY WWM' ATT'YS May 12, SRAMEK I MACHINE FOR POSITIONING PROTECTORS FOR TUBES I CONTAINING TOOTHPASTE AND THE; LIKE Filed July 21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 INVENTOR. ELMER D. SRAMEK ATT YS u 5 t 8 e 9 6 3w 2 Mmh BS W5 R O O F S R May 12, 1959 E. D. SRAMEK MACHINE FOR POSITIONING PROTECTO CONTAINING TOOTHPASTE AND THE LIKE Filed July 21, 1955 5. FIG.9

' INVENTOR. ELMER D. SRAMEK FIG.|O

ATT YS United States Patent Of Elmer D. Sramek, Cicero, Ill., assignor to.F. B..Redington Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporationof Delaware Application 'Jrily'21,"1'9'55, 'S'erial No. 523,'542 Claims. c1. 53-137 This invention relates to a machine for inserting elements about a tube of toothpaste or other material, which are to be arranged within a carton or container.

The invention consists ingeneral of a cardboard protector element which is bentalong a transverse center score line and applied over the clip end of a tube of toothpaste or othermaterial. The machine embodies a continuously rotating main drive .shaft which operates certain elements as well as-operating at Geneva wheel for step-by-step "rotation of a driven :shaft from which certain other elements and 'devices are operated. The operation of the twotshafts and the elements operated thereby are synchronized and "correlated :so that .certain cycles of operation of both the continuously operating main drive shaft and the intermittently operated driven shaft are properly timed. -A;protector :slide receives a cardboard protector from the bottom fof' a stack of protectors in a magazine, and "moves the protectors to a predetermined location, where they are successively engaged by. a verticallyreciprocating blade engaging vthe transverse score line of the protector, theprotector then being received within certain slots in oppositely disposed disks which .form a protector wheel. The protector wheel, comprising the disks, moves intermittently, and a protector which is bent by a blade along its .score line is inserted in the opposed slots of the protector wheel disks. After the protector wheel has moved a part revolution, the protector is pushed outwardly of the slots in the protector wheel impartially folded condition and arranged about the clip end .of a tube which has previously been placed in-a bucket of a continuously. moving bucket-conveyer. The tube,'withthe protector arranged about theclip end thereof, is thenmoved to .tcartoning position, where. it isinsertedinto a carton or container.

The primary objectof .the present invention consists in the provision of new and improved means for feedingatube protector member along a predetermined path, the protector being bent .along .a transverse .score line forinsertion in a protector-carrying wheel where the bent protectors are laterpushed outof the wheclvandearranged in partially folded position about the clip end of a tube.

Another object ofthe .invention is theprovision of new and improved. means .for, placing a protector .element over the clip-end .of a tube at an angle to the tube, which has previously been arranged ina bucket of a continuously moving bucket conveyer.

Another .object of the invention=consists.intheprovision-of a new and novel method orprocess .for 'feeding a ,protector from the bottom .of a .stack ;to a predetermined, position, where .itisbent or partially folded along a transverse score line, and then inserted into an intermittently moving protector wheel, where the protector 'is then transferred from the wheel in its partially folded position andplaced about the clip end of a tube.

further object of the invention (consists .in the arrangement, construction "and llocation 'of' the .parts to provide for prope'r and 'efiicient'operation to e'fiect smooth 2,885,847 Patented May :12, 1959 Free and easy transferring and positioning of the protector element and application thereof about the clip end of-a tube.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the specification which follows.

The accompanying drawings illustrate aselected embodiment of the invention, and the views therein are- 'as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view looking in a downward direction and showing the front side andtheleft hand side of the machine;

Fig. 2 is adetail perspective view showingschematically a partial tube and its "protector member arranged within a carton or container;

Fig. 3 is a detail prespective view looking in an upward direction and showing the rear'side and the right hand side of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a detail *plan section on the line 4-4 :of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is 'a detail horizontal longitudinal view on athe line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 7 and looking at'the front of the machine; 7 Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. .8 is a detail 'vertical sectional viewion the .line 88 of Fig. 6;

vFig. -9 is 'a detail vertical sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is a detail transverse sectional view on the line.1t]l0 of Fig. 4.

The particular construction herein shown for the purpose .of illustrating the invention comprises azprotector positioning machineor device having a frame for transverse lower drive shaft '2 is suitably mounted in bearings at its opposite ends. A Geneva block 3 is fixed tothedrive shaft 2, Figs. 1,

4 on the Geneva block 3 rotates the Geneva Wheel 6 in step-by-step rotation, whereby the .upper shaft 7 is rotated one-fourth revolu- Figs. 3 and 9, of the arms of between the slots v5.

A cam wheel 12, Figs. 3, 6 and 8, is'fixed to thedrive shaft 2 and has a face camway 13 which is engaged by g to the upper end of the lever arm 15, and this link 17 has fixed thereon fingers members 18,Figs. 1, 6 and 7, to push a protector disk wheel 8. The other end of the cate to=complete a cycle by means of the movement-.of the lever arm .15 during eachcomplete revolution oftthe lower main drive shaft 2. A rod 22 is pivotally connected 'nected at its upper end to an upper at one of its ends to the link 20, Figs. 3 and 7, and its other end is pivotally connected at 23 to a crank 24, Fig. 3. The crank 24 has a vertical shaft or rod 25 fixed thereto, the shaft 25 passing through a rigidfitting 26 and concrank arm 27. The outer end of the crank arm 27, Fig. 3, is pivotally connected at 28 to a block 29 located between side guides 30, 30, Figs. 3 and 4. The reciprocating movement of the link 20, therefore, transmits vertical oscillation of the rod 25, which in turn operates the crank arm 27 to cause horizontal reciprocation of the slide block 29. The block 29 is arranged between side guides 30, and these guides are provided with slots on their inner sides to receive a slide plate or member 31 which is fastened rigidly to the block 29, Figs. 3 and 4.

The slide member 31, which is fastened to the block 29, is U-shaped and comprises a rear member 32 and in- 'cludes spaced apart fingers 33, 33 which straddle a protector support member 34 fixed to a bottom plate on the guide members 30. The ends of the fingers 33 are inclined as at 35, and rabbetted as at 36, Figs. 1, 4 and 5, so as to receive the outer edges of a fiat cardboard protector member 9 from the bottom of a stack of cardboard protectors. The lowermost protector 9 from the stack is fed forwardly to a rest position, and lies flat, over oppositely positioned downwardly inclined forming members 37, 37, Figs. 1, 4 and 10, the lower edges of the forming members 37, 37 being spaced apart a predetermined distance to permit a protector 9 to be formed thereover and guide it toward the wheel 8. These downwardly inclined forming members 37 include forming or breaking parts or extensions for the cardboard protectors 9, and are fastened to side extension arms 38, Figs. 1 and 10, on the rigid slide guide 7 members 30 at their forward ends. Spring pressed shoes 39, Figs. 4, 5 and 10, arranged just above these latter members 38, are supported on arms 40, Figs. 1, 4 and 5, which are fixed to rigid spaced standards 41 which comprise the magazine 42 for a stack of cardboard protectors. The rigid standards 41 are fixed to brackets which are connected to the standards and to a plate to which the guides 30 are also fastened. One of the magazine standards 41 has a bracket 44, Figs. 1 and 4, fastened thereto and carries a rigid shoe on its bottom surface just above the member 43, whereby a protector is received, the members 34 and 44 preventing a cardboard member 9 from shifting vertically.

The vertical members 41 of the magazine 42 have their inner edge surfaces channel-shaped as indicated at 45, Fig. 4, to conform with the ends of the cardboard protectors 9.

A folder blade 46 is arranged directly over a score line 47 of a protector 9 to partially fold the protector 9 along the score line, Figs. 1 and 4. The blade 46 is in a plane vertical to the score line and has its bottom edge serrated. The blade 46 is demountably fastened to a slide bar or fitting 48, Fig. 4, which is secured to a vertical slide plate 49, Figs. 1 and 4, sliding in spaced vertical slide guides 50 rigidly secured to a rigid part of the frame 1, such as by welding them to the frame. The slide plate 49 has a block 51 fastened thereto at its upper end, the block having the upper end of a drive rod 52 pivotally connected thereto, Fig. 1. The lower end of the rod 52 is pivoted to a crank arm 53 which is fastened adjustably to an end of the lower drive shaft 2.

The protector feed wheel 8 comprises two spaced apart disks 54, 54, Figs. 1, 6 and 7, on a hub 55, which is fastened to the Geneva wheel shaft 7. The disks 54 each have advanced opposed slots 56, Figs. 6 and 7, the edges of the material at the side edges of the slots 56 being beveled from right to left (high side on the right), Figs. 1 and 7. The slots 56 are somewhat narrower near the center than at the periphery, and the slots 56 of one disk 54 are not directly opposite the slots 56 in the companion disk of the feed wheel 8. The slots 56 are advanced, that is, a slot on the left side is advanced with respect to a companion slot on the right hand side of a disk 54, whereby the slots 56 may be said to be diagonally opposite. When a protector 9 is in companion slots 56 it will be at an angle of 37 from one slot to the other, as shown in Fig. 6.

Operation In operation, and assuming there are no protectors 9 in the machine, and the machine is at rest, but there is a stack of protectors in the magazine, the protector feeder fingers 33 will engage the rear slanting sides of the lowermost protector 9 of the stack. As the shaft 2 rotates, the lever arm 15 will be moved by the cam 12 rearwardly, that is, its upper end will swing rearwardly. The link 17 to which it is connected will also move rearwardly, and inasmuch as the rear crank arm 24 is connected to the link or rod 22 this latter crank or lever arm 24 will also swing rearwardly, and inasmuch as the rod 22 is pivoted to the latter crank or lever arm 24 it too will move rearwardly and move the vertical shaft 25 in a clockwise direction. This clockwise movement of the vertical shaft 25 causes the crank arm 27 to slide the member 29 and to move the slide plate 31 forwardly to engage a lowermost protector 9, move the protector forwardly and coming to rest on the side edges of the downwardly inclined plates 37, 37. This movement comprises a half revolution of the shaft 2. The continued rotation of the shaft 2 to the second half of its revolution will return the feed slide fingers 33 back to original position ready to engage a subsequent protector during the next succeeding forward reciprocation of the feeder slide fingers 33.

When the feeder slide fingers 33 have reached the end of their forward feeding movement, the folder blade 46 will be at its uppermost position and be above a fed protector, the blade 46 having been moved to its uppermost position by reason of the rotation of the shaft 2 by which the slide block 49 is operated through the crank arm 53. The blade 46 is then in position to descend, and the continued rotation of shaft 2 will move the blade 46 downwardly, engaging a protector 9 at the score line 47, forcing the protector 9 between the inclined plates 37, 37 and through the opening between their lower ends and into the slots 56 in the disks 54 of the feeder transfer wheel 8, the slots 56 in the wheel 8 then being directly below the space between the inclined folder plates 37 because the Geneva wheel has caused onequarter of a revolution of the shaft 7. The blade 46 then forces a bent protector 9 into the operating slots 56 of the disks 54 as the feeder fingers 33 are returning to retracted position. The Geneva wheel 6, therefore, is again driven to rotate the transfer feeder wheel 8 onequarter of a revolution, and the protector 9, while diagonally positioned, is horizontal, having moved from vertical loading position to horizontal unloading position. When a protector is in such horizontal position the stripper fingers 18 are behind a folded or bent protector 9 and then move forward to strip a folded protector out of the cooperating slots 56 in a horizontal plane. The strippers 18, one on each side of each disk, pushes the bent protector 9 out of the slots 56 and places it over the clip end 57 of a tube 58. The tube 58 has previously been placed in a bucket 59, Fig. l, and the protector 9 is placed over the tube clip 57 at the same angle as the slots 56 in the disks 54. The protector 9 is placed over the clip end 57 as the tube 58 is in a bucket 59 while the bucket is moving, successive buckets being connected to a continuously moving chain 60 and thus forming a continuously moving conveyor 61, Fig. l. The buckets 58 are adjacently spaced and are moving continuously as the protectors are applied successively to tubes in successive buckets, to be inserted into cartons 62, Fig. 2.

One cycle of operation thus comprises four revolutions of the shaft 7 during one revolution of the shaft 2 as the Geneva wheel 6 is caused to rotate the shaft 7 one-quarter of 'a revolution each time the shaft 2 frotates once. One revolution of the shaft 2,*"there'fore, forms one cycle of operation, whereupon a "protector is 'fed to forming position. The blade 46 then comes down, engages a protector 9, and places the protector in the slots '56 in the disks 54, whereupon the stripper fingers 18, 18 move forwardly to stripping position, and then later return. The succeeding cycles are the same, first feeding a protector 9, engaging 'theprotector by theblade 46 to bend it, inserting the 'bent or partially folded protector into the slots of the disks 54, and finally stripping or pushing out the folded protector from the disks and placing successive protectors 9 over the clip end 57 of the toothpaste tube 58 for packaging into a carton '62, Fig. 2.

The continuously moving buckets -59,'into which a tube 8 has previously been placed, are each of asize so'that the tube 58 will fit therein properly without excess or appreciable movement. The tube 58 is preferably located angularly in its respective bucket, that it, the clip end 57 will be disposed at an angle to the base of a bucket, as shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, the tube is -restricted or limited from shifting as the protector is slid over the clip end of a tube while thebuckets are being constantly propelled by the conveyer. The fingers 18 strip the protector from the wheel whilemoving, the protector being angularly positioned in the transfer wheel to conform with the angular position o'f'the tube.

There is a guide on the machine .(not shown) which extends over the'top of the buckets 59 of the conveyor 6'1 to prevent a folded or bent protector 9 from springing upwardly. Also there is a guide member (notishown) 'on the machine adjacent a side of a disk 54 to keep the bent protector from falling out of the cooperating slots of the disks. The operating parts of the machine are covered by hoods or guards (not shown) vto protect the operator during operation of the machine.

.The invention provides a small, eificient machine which is composed of relatively few parts and is adapted'to'be readily and economically manufactured. The machine may be incorporated as an additional part in an existing machine, or it may be included as an operative part of a continuous machine for feeding protectors in bent formation about the clp end of the tube 'at an angle to the directional movement of the continuously operating bucket conveyer.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved tomake =all :such'changes as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for applying a protector element over the clip end of a tube containing tooth paste, "and'the like, comprising a reciprocal member engaging a protector element from the bottom ofa stackof elements-and delivering said protector to a predetermined position, a slotted transfer wheel arranged below a protector when delivered to said predetermined position, a blade member engageable with the protector element and operable to insert the protector in the slots of the wheel, a continuously rotating shaft to operate said reciprocal member, and an intermittently rotatable shaft to operate said transfer wheel intermittently, means to rotate the intermittently rotating shaft from the continuously rotating shaft, and means to reciprocate the blade member from the latter shaft.

2. A machine for applying a protector element over the clip end of a tube containing tooth paste, and the like, comprising a reciprocal member engaging a protector element from the bottom of a stack of elements and delivering said protector to a predetermined position, a slotted transfer wheel arranged below a protector when delivered to said predetermined position, a blade member engageable with the protector element and operableto .insert the protector Lin the slots of the 'whee1,* a continuously rotating shaft to operate said reciprocal "member, and an intermittently rotatable 'shaft to operate said transfer wheel intermittently, means to rotate the intermittently rotating shaft from the continuously rotating shaft, means to operate the blade member from the continuously rotating shaft in timed relation with the intermittent rotation of the wheel, and reciprocal pusher means operated by the continuously rotating shaft in timed relation with the blade member, the wheel and the reciprocal member.

3. A machine for applying a protector element overthe clip end of a tube containing tooth paste, and the like, comprising a reciprocal member engaging a protector element from the bottom of astack of elements and delivering 'said protector to a predetermined position, a slotted transfer wheel arranged below a protector when delivered to said predetermined position, a blade member engageable with the protector element and operable to insert the protector in the slots of the wheel, said transfer 'wheel having the protector receiving slots located peripherally of the wheel and angularly transversely thereof, and means for actuating said reciprocal member, said transfer wheel, and said blade member in synchronism.

4. A machine for applying a protector element over the clip end of a tube containing tooth paste, and the like, comprising a reciprocal member engaging a protector element-from the bottom of a stack of elements and delivering said protector to a predetermined position, a slotted transfer wheel arranged below a protector when delivered to said predetermined position, a blade member engageable with the protector element and operable to insert the protector in the slots of the wheel, a continuouslyrotating shaft to operate said reciprocal member, and an intermittently rotatable shaft to operate said transfer wheel intermittently, means to rotate the inter-. mittently rotating shaft from the continuously rotating shaft, means to operate the blade member from the continuously rotating shaft in timed relation with the intermittent rotation of the wheel, and reciprocal pusher means operated by the continuously rotating shaft in timed relation with the blade member, the Wheel and the reciprocal member, said transfer wheel having the protector receiving slots located peripherally of the wheel and angularly transversely thereof.

5. In a machine having a continuously moving conveyor carrying successively positioned tubes with the clip end of them located angularly with respect to the conveyors into which a tube has previously been inserted, and means for applying a protector member over the clip end of a tube while the tube is being carried by the conveyor, said'means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of flat protector members in stacked formation, a transfer wheel adapted to receive a stationary protectorin bent form, a reciprocating member located at an angle with respect to the axis of the wheel and engageable with a lowermost protector member, means for positioning the member to a predetermined stationary position, means parallel to the wheel for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, an intermittently rotating driven shaft for operating said wheel intermittently, and means adjacent the wheel to eject said bent protector over an end of the tube while the tube is on the moving conveyor.

6. In a machine having a continuously moving con veyor carrying successively positioned tubes with the clip end of them located angularly with respect to the conveyors into which a tube has previously been inserted, and means for applying a protector member over the clip end of a tube while the tube is being carried by the conveyor, said means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of flat protector members in stacked formation, a transfer wheel adapted to receive a stationary protector in bent form, a reciprocating member located at an angle with respect to the axis of the wheel and engageable with a lowermost protector member, means for positioning the member to a predetermined stationary position, means parallel to the Wheel for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, an intermittently rotating driven shaft for operating said wheel intermittently, and means adjacent the wheel to eject said bent protector over an end of the tube while the tube is on the moving conveyor, said wheel having transverse angular peripheral slots about the periphery thereof in parallel alinement with the reciprocating member.

7. In a machine having a continuously moving conveyor carrying successively positioned tubes thereon, and means for applying a protector member over an end of each successive tube While the tubes are being carried by the conveyor, said means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of protector members in stacked formation, a transfer wheel adapted to receive a stationary protector in bent form, a reciprocating member engaging a lowermost protector member and positioning it to a predetermined stationary position above the wheel, operable means for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, means for operating said wheel, and ejector means adjacent the wheel to eject said bent protector over an end of the tube while the tube is moving with the conveyor, said wheel comprising a pair of spaced disks having transverse slots therein and into which slots the bent protector is received, the slots in one disk being angularly disposed with respect to the slots of the other disks, said slots being in parallel alinement with the directional movement of the reciprocating member.

8. In a machine having a continuously moving conveyor carrying successively positioned tubes thereon, and means for applying a protector member over an end of each successive tube while the tubes are being carried by the conveyor, said means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of protector members in stacked formation, a transfer wheel adapted to receive a stationary protector in bent form, a reciprocating member engaging a lowermost protector member and positioning it to a predetermined stationary position above the wheel, operable means for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, means for operating said wheel, and ejector means adjacent the wheel to eject said bent protector over an end of the tube while the tube is moving with the conveyor, said wheel comprising a pair of spaced disks having transverse slots therein and into which slots the bent protector is received, the slots in one disk being angularly disposed with respect to the slots of the other disks, said slots being in parallel alinement with the directional movement of the reciprocating member, a continuously rotating driving shaft to operate the reciprocating means and the operable means, and a driven shaft intermittently rotated by the drive shaft to operate the wheel.

9. In a machine having a continuously moving conveyor made up of a plurality of successively spaced interconnected buckets into which tubes have previously been successively inserted with the clip end of the tube angularly positioned with respect to the bottom of a bucket, and means for applying a protector member over the clip end of each successive tube while the tubes are being carried in their respective buckets, said means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of protector members in vertical stacked formation, a horizontal intermittently driven shaft, a rotatable transfer wheel on said shaft and adapted to receive a stationary protector in bent form, a horizontally reciprocating member engaging a lowermost protector member and positioning it to a predetermined stationary position, a constantly rotating drive shaft operating the reciprocating member and the driven shaft, a vertically reciprocating blade member driven by said drive shaft for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, and ejector means driven by the drive shaft to eject each successive protector member over the clip end of successive tubes while the tubes are in a moving bucket.

10. In a machine having a continuously moving conveyor made up of a plurality of successively spaced interconnected buckets into which tubes have previously been successively inserted with the clip end of the tube angularly positioned with respect to the bottom of a bucket, and means for applying a protector member over the clip end of each successive tube while the tubes are being carried in their respective buckets, said means comprising a magazine for holding a plurality of protector members in vertical stacked formation, a horizontal intermittently driven shaft, a transfer wheel on said shaft and adapted to receive a stationary protector in bent form, a horizontally reciprocating member engaging a lowermost protector member and positioning it to a predetermined stationary position, a constantly rotating drive shaft operating the reciprocating member and the driven shaft, a vertically reciprocating blade member for partially bending the member and placing it in said wheel in bent form, and ejector means driven by the drive shaft to eject each successive protector member over the clip end of successive tubes while the tubes are in a moving bucket, said horizontal reciprocating member being positioned at an angle with respect to said shafts, said vertical reciprocating member being perpendicular to shaft shafts, said wheel having opposed transverse slots angularly disposed to each other and in a plane parallel to the directional movement of the horizontal reciprocating member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,005 Barggren Nov. 21, 1922 2,263,501 Jones Nov. 18, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 709,804 Great Britain June 2, 1954

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