US2910815A

US2910815A - Box closing machine

Info

Publication number: US2910815A
Application number: US374222A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard J Bartlett; Claude C Hall; Jack A Martell
Original assignee: Smith Kline and French Laboratories Ltd
Current assignee: Smith Kline and French Laboratories Ltd; GlaxoSmithKline LLC
Priority date: 1953-08-14
Filing date: 1953-08-14
Publication date: 1959-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 1976-11-03

Description

1959 R. J. BARTLETT ETAL 2,910,815

BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1953 INVENTORS. RICHARD J'. BARTLETT CLAUDE C. HALL & BY JACK A. MARTELL IWQW ATTORNEYS O. I Q

I Kw O w C l l l l Y u?! I O mw IITT T IY Ila 3, 1959 R. J. BARTLETT ET AL 2,910,315

BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14. 1953 QON we 3 n T ow) O o N U- H 0 0 I- a 2. w L ""09 o r T T w, 8. 0 I 1 m. w 0 N2 7 N: 8. 8. 2.. 8. 3. 2 NN.

J MWA u... m 2..

Y INVENTORS.

RICHARD J- BARTLETT CLAUDE C- HALL &

JACK A.MARTELL BY 4 M W MD;

ATTORNEY 1959 R. J. BARTLETT ETAL 2,910,815

BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 14. 1953 Nov. 3, 1959 R. J. BARTLETT ET AL BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 14. 1955 INVENTORS. RICHARD J. BARTLETT CLAUDE G. HALL 8\ s L. Y L m w. R R\ A w A 1959 R. .1. BARTLETT ET AL 2,910,315

BOX CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1953 5 SheetsSheet 5 FIG. 4.

FIG. 8.

INVENTORS. RICHARD J. BARTLETT FIG. 7. CLAUDE c. HALL a JACK A. MARTELL ATTORNEYS United States Patent to Smith, Kline .& French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,222 6 Claims. c1. 53-314 This invention relates to a box closing machine and, more particularly, to a machine for folding over and/or tucking in upstanding flaps in order to close the top of abox.

It is general practice in packaging goods to place the article being packaged in a box which may be formed of cardboard or other suitable material and which is provided with side, back and/ or front cover flaps which are successively folded over across the top of the box and at least one of the flaps may be provided with a tongue which is inserted into a receiving slot and is adapted to lock therein in orderto secure the box in a closed position.

After such a box is loaded, the closing of the various flaps and tucking in of the locking tongue in a hand operation is diflicult and time consuming. It is diflicult for the operator to properly postion the various flaps of a box prior to the closing of the final locking flap and it is also difficult for the operator to hold the various flaps in proper position while tucking in the locking tongue.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an automatic box closing machine into whichloaded boxes may be fed with their various closing fiaps in up standing position andwhich will act to turn down the flaps in their proper sequence and to insert and secure the final locking tongue in a receiving space provided therefor. i

It is a further object of this invention to provide a box closing apparatus which is readily adjustable in order that it may accommodate boxes of various dimensions with ,regard to the. length and width of a box and with regard to the height of a box..

It is another object of this invention to provide a box closing apparatus in which the box is continuously moving durng all closing operations.

V The foregoing and further specific objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figures 1A and 1B are front elevations of the lefthand and right-hand portions of the machine, respectively;

Figures 2A and 2B and plan views of the left-hand and right-hand portions of the machine, respectively;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the machine taken on the trace indicated at 3-3 inFigure 1A;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the machine taken on the trace indicated at 4-4 in Figure 1B;-

Figures 58 are perspective views of a typical box in successive stages of closure thereof existing as the box passes through the machine; and

Figure 9 is a diagram of the electrical system employed in the machine. l t

The box, as indicated generally at 2 in Figures 5-8, includes a front panel 4, side panels 6 and a rear panel "ice 8. Attached to and extending upwardly from each of the side panels 6 is a side flap 10 which is adapted to be folded down over the top of the box. Extending upwardly from the rear panel 8 is a cover flap 12 is adapted to be folded over the top of the box and the folded down side flaps 10 and close olf the top of the box. The uppermost portion of the cover flap 12 is provided with a pair of spaced tongues or cars 14. Extending upwardly from the front panel is a locking flap 16. The spaced cars 14 are provided with slots 0r recesses 18 which are adapted to engage portions of the side flaps 10 when the box is in a closed position as will be described. The spaced ears 14 also include slots or recesses 20 which are adapted to engage portions of the locking flap 16. The locking flap 16 is provided with slots or recesses 22 which are adapted to engage the slots 20 in the locking flaps 14 when the box is in aclosed position.

A corrugated filler is provided within the box in order to support the articles contained therein and includes a corrugated cover plate 24. The corrugated cover plate includes a finger opening 26 in order that, when the corrugated cover plate is in a closed position, a person may, by extending his finger through the finger opening, conveniently grip the cover plate to raise it.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the box is closed by successively closing down the corrugated cover plate 24, turning in the side flaps 10, folding down the cover flap 12 and the locking flap 16 and pressing or tucking the spaced ears 14 in between the front panel 4 and the corrugated filler and cover plate 24. When the box is completely closed, as shown in Figure 8, the slots 18 in the spaced cars 14 engage the edges of the side flaps 10 and the slots 20 in the ears 14 and the slots 22 in the locking flap 16 are in engagement with each other. The various slots and their engaging members serve to retain the box in a closed position.

The machine for closing the box may now be described. The machine includes vertically extending legs 30 which support horizontally extending frame members 32. Mounted on the frame members 32 is a bed plate 34. Extending from the left of the frame members 32 and the left-hand legs 30 and supported thereby is a horizontally extending framework 36.

A motor 38 is mounted on a framework 40 supported by the legs 30. The motor 38 drives a speed reducer 42 to which is attached a sprocket gear 44 over which runs a chain 46. The chain 46 drives a. sprocket gear 47 which is mounted on a cross shaft 48 rotatably mounted in the framework 36. A chain 50 running overe a second sprocket gear 51 on the shaft 48 drives a second transverse shaft 52 through sprocket gear 53.

The transverse shaft 52 is rotatably mounted in the framework 36 and carries a drum around which there passes the right-hand end of an endless conveyor belt 54 as viewed in Figure 1A. The left-hand end of the belt 54 runs over a drum mounted on a shaft 56 rotatably mounted in the framework 36. An adjustable idler roll 58 is positioned below the lower reach of the belt 54 in order to adjust the tension of the belt 54 as p it passes over the rollers on the

shafts

52 and 56.

A ramp or apron 60 is mounted on the left-hand end of the framework 36 and is provided to receive boxes from any suitable delivering means. The boxes to be closed slide over the ramp 60 and are picked up by the conveyor belt 54, the upper surface of which moves to the right as viewed in Figures 1A and 2A. Guide bars 62 and 64 are provided adjacent to'each side of the belt 54 in order to guide boxes passing thereon as indicated in construction lines at 63. The left-hand end of the guide bars 62 and 64 are provided .with outwardly extending

portions

66 and 68, respectively, which are adapted to receive the boxes placed on the ramp 60 and to guide the boxes into alignment as they pass onto the belt 54. The guide bar 64 is mounted on horizontally adjustable brackets 70 and vertically adjustable brackets 72. The guide bar 62 is similarly mounted. Thus the guide bars may be positioned to accommodate boxes of a wide variety of widths and heights- A spacer 74 is attached to the inside of the guide bar 62 and extends for a major portion of the length of the bar. A relatively short spacer 76 is positioned inside of the guide bar 64 and extends in non-overlapping relation with the spacer.74. The right-hand most end of the spacer 74 terminates slightly more than one box length from the left-hand end of the spacer 76. spacer 76 is preferably adjustably mounted on the guide bar 64 in order that this spacing may be adjusted for boxes of various lengths.

A limit switch 77 enclosed within a casing 78 is positioned generally adjacent to the left-hand. end of the conveyor belt 54 as viewed in Figure 2A. A switch actuating member 80 extends inwardly of the guide bar 64 above the belt 54 in order to be engaged by boxes 63 cairied by the belt 54. Engagement of the member 80 by a box 63 will serve to close the limit switch 77.

A solenoid 82 is mounted on the bed plate 34 and has a member 84 extending from its armature. Springs 86 within the solenoid casing urge members 88 against the armature to drive the armature and the member 84 outwardly of the solenoid to a position where the member 84 extends over the conveyor belt 54 and prevents the passage of boxes 63 therealong. The member 84 is positioned between the adjacent ends of the

spacers

74 and 76 which are afiixed to the guide bars 62 and 64 respectively. The degree of projection of the member 84 and the spacing provided by the spacer 76 are such that a box having been displaced sideways across the conveyer belt 54 by the spacer 76 is not engaged by the end of the member 84 when the member is in the extended position as shown in Figure 2A.

.A cam 90 is mounted on the end of the shaft 52 opposite from theend driven by the chain 50 and generally below the solenoid 82. A limit switch 92 is mounted below the cam and is provided with a cam follower in order that the limit switch may be actuated by the cam. The cam 90 and its associated limit switch 92, the limit switch 77 and its associated member 80, and the solenoid 82 are connected together in a manner as will be described in conjunction with Figure 9 and serve to control the advance of boxes by the conveyor 54 as will be hereinafter described.

A track 94 is recessed generally centrally on the top surface of and extends the entire length of the bed plate 34. An endless conveyor chain 96 is adapted to run within the track. The conveyor chain 96 passes around a sprocket gear 97 mounted on the shaft 48 and is driven thereby. The right-hand end of the conveyor chain 96, as viewed in Figure 1B, is adapted to pass over an upper sprocket gear 99 mounted on a transverse shaft 98 which is rotatably mounted on the right-hand end of the bed plate 34 and a lower sprocket gear mounted on a transverse shaft 100 mounted on the right-hand legs 30. The endless conveyor chain adjacent to the lefthand portion thereof, as viewed in Figure 1A, passes under a sprocket gear mounted on a transverse shaft 102 mounted on frame members 41 which serve to position the lower portion of the conveyor chain. Spaced lugs 95. are attached to the conveyor chain and are adapted to engage boxes and carry the boxes along the top of the bed plate 34 between. guideways and through the box closing mechanism as will be described.

A plate 55 is provided between the right-hand end of the conveyor belt 54, as viewed in Figure 2A, and the lefthand end of the conveyor chain 96. The solenoid 82', the switch actuating member 80 and the cam actuated limit The- 4 switch 92 are adapted to provide for the maintenance of an accumulation of a group of boxes on the conveyor belt 54 and thus, before the solenoid can be actuated to permit the passage of a box from the-conveyor belt 54 to the conveyor chain 96, a box must be delivered to the conveyor 54. Thus this mechanism insures that, prior to the release of a box there are a sufiicient number of boxes on the conveyor belt 54 so that the frictional contact between the boxes and the belt will be adequate to drive a box over the plate 55 and onto the conveyor chain 96.

The arrangement additionally provides for proper timing or sequencing to insure the delivery of a box to the conveyor chain immediately before :1 lug 95 comes into position to carry the box along the bed plate 34. It is important that a box is not delivered to the bed plate 34 at such time that a lug 95 will be, for example, below the box and thus carry the box along on top of the lug at an improper position on the conveyor such as to: cause jamming, in the. mechanism as will. be, hereinafter described.

Boxes which are carried along the bed plate 34 by the:

, conveyor lugs 95 pass between a pair of

flexible guide plates

104 and 106 which are attached to and are extensions of the guide bars 62 and 64,. respectively. The

flexible guide plates

104 and 106 enter notches in the left-hand ends of a pair of guide bars 108 and 110, respectively. The guide bars 108 and 110 extend for the remaining length of the bed plate 34 and serve to guide the boxes along the length of the bed plate as they are carried by the conveyor lugs 95. The guide bar is mounted on horizontally adjustable brackets 109 and vertically adjustable brackets 111. Guide bar 108- is similarly mounted. Thus, the guide bars may be positioned to accommodate boxes of a wide variety of widths and heights.

The boxes are delivered to the conveyor belt 54 with.

the rear panels 8 thereof and the cover flaps 12 thereof positioned against the gnlide bar 64. A guide bar 112 mounted on an adjustable bracket 113 is provided in order to insure against a box passing into the box closing, mechanism with the cover flap 12 inclined backwardly or outwardly. At this position on the conveyor, the cover flap 12, as indicated by the construction line in. Fig. 3, is preferably and approximately in a vertical position and the guide bar 112 insures that the cover flap 12 is not inclined backwardly or to the right: as it approaches the position viewed in Figure 3.

A chain 114 driven by a sprocket 115 mounted on the shaft 102 drives a sprocket 117 mounted on a transversely extending shaft 116. The shaft 116 drives a transversely extending inclined shaft 120 through apair of bevelled gears 118. The inclined shaft 120 is rotatably mounted in a housing 121 attached to the rear frame 32.. A cam plate 122 is affixed to the uppermost end of the inclined shaft 120 above the bed plate 34. The cam. plate 122 has a lobe '124 and a lobe 128 spaced by a slot 126. The cam plate 122 is removably mounted on the shaft 120 and thus cam plates of various sizes and forms may be employed depending upon the sizes of the boxes and the flaps thereof being closed. While the ports124 and 128 are described as being lobes. on a cam, itlwill' be evident that they may be independent arms aflixed to either a single shaft 220 or afiixed to separate shafts and rotating in overlapping relation. However, the single cam structure described is preferably employed.

The position of the cam is synchronized through. the driving chains and gears previously described with the position of the lugs 95 on the driving chain 96 so that, as a box passes thereunder, the lobe 124 of the cam which is rotating in a counterclockwise direction serves to press down the corrugated cover plate 24 and other articles inside the box. Thereafter the .slot 126 passes over the side flap extending upwardly from the trailing box side panel as the box is carried along the conveyor and then the lobe 128 engages this flap and presses it downwardly over the corrugated cover plate.

A plate 130 is mounted on the rear guide bar 108 and extends partially across and over the space between the guide bars 108 and 110 at an elevation immediately above the top of the box. As noted previously, the guide bars 108 and 110 are both horizontally and vertically adjustable and thus both the guide bars and the plate 130 may be positioned to accommodate boxes of any size within a wide range of sizes. The extreme left-hand portion of the plate 130 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 132 which is adapted to engage and fold down the leading side flap 10 of the box as the box passes thereunder. The passage of the box and the rotation of the cam 122 is such that the lobe portion 128 of the cam serves to hold the trailing flap 10 in a turned down position until the flap has passed under the plate 130.

The plate 130 is provided with a slot 134 extending from the left-hand end of the plate adjacent to the upturned end thereof 132. The right-hand end portion 136 of the slot 134 is curved inwardly toward the opposite guide bar 110. The left-hand end of the slot 134 is so positioned that each upstanding box locking flap 16 enters therein and, as the box is carried along by the conveyor lugs 95, the curvature of the slot 134, as indicated at 136, will serve to fold the locking flap 16 downwardly over the corrugated cover plate. A bracket 135 which aids in supporting the plate 130 from the guide bar 108 is arched upwardly so as not to obstruct the tongue in its passage along the slot.

A flexible spring leaf 138 is mounted on the inside surface of the guide bar 110 in order to insure the positioning of each box snugly against the rear guide bar 108 thus insuring that the locking flap 16 is in a fully depressed position and has been thus withdrawn out of the slot 136 before the flap reaches the end of the slot 136.

A chain 140 which is driven by a sprocket 141 on the forward end of the transverse shaft 116 drives a shaft 142 by means of a sprocket 143 mounted thereon. The shaft 142 serves to drive a vertically extending shaft 144 by means of bevelled gears 146. The vertically extending shaft 144 is rotatably mounted in and extends upwardly through the bed plate 34. A cam 148 is attached to the upper end of the vertically extending shaft 144.

A pair of generally vertically extending arms 150 extend through the bed plate 34 and are pivoted, as indicated at 152, on pivots mounted immediately below the bed plate. The lower ends of the arms 150 are urged by means of springs 154 to the left as viewed in Figure 4. Affixed to the upper ends of each of the arms 150 are horizontally extending members 156 and attached to the left-hand ends of the members 156 is a longitudinally extending bar 158. The connection point between each of the horizontally extending bars 156 and the vertically extending members 150 is adjustable in order to accommodate boxes of various heights and widths.

The cam 148, previously described, is adapted to engage the forward or right-hand surface of the bar 158, as viewed in Figure 4, and urge the bar to the left, as

'viewed in Figure 4, against the urging of the spring 154.

A rod 160 is attached to the inward or left-hand end of the bars 156, as viewed in Figure 4, and serves to engage the upstanding cover flap of the boxes. The position of the cam 148 is so synchronized with respect to the passage of the boxes that the rod 160 is moved to the left each time a box comes into position and serves to move the cover flap downwardly to a position such as that shown in Figure 7. At this time, however, the ears 14 of the flap are still extending outwardly parallel to the flap 12.

A pair of brackets 162 mounted on the guide bar 110 serves to support a bar 164 which extends longitudinally over substantially the center of the space between the guide bars 108 and 110. Attached to the left-hand end of the bar 164 is an adjustable portion 166 which is provided with a slight upward turn at its left-hand end as viewed in Figure 1B. As the boxes are carried to the right, as viewed in Figure 2B, by the conveyor lugs 95, the cover flaps will be moved downwardly by the action of the rod actuated by the cam 14% and its associated mechanism as has been previously described. The boxes with their cover flaps in their depressed position pass below the left-hand end of the portion 166 of the bar 164 and are carried along by the conveyor lugs under the bar 164.

A framework 168 is mounted on the bed plate 34 and extends upwardly therefrom. The framework 168 is adapted to adjustably mount rods 170 which extend downwardly and forwardly therefrom and support a vertically positioned longitudinally-extending plate 172. The framework 168 is also adapted to adjustably mount rods 174 which support an inclined longitudinally extending bar 176. The left-hand end of the bar 176, as viewed in Figure 1B, is provided with an upturned portion 17 8. The bar 176 is positioned behind the plate 172.

The plate 172 is so positioned that the cover flaps are held downwardly upon and in engagement with the upper surface of the plate 172 by the action of the guide bars 166 and 164. The upturned end 178 of the bar 176 is adapted to engage the spaced cars 14 of the cover flaps 12 as the boxes are moved along and the bar 176 presses the ears downwardly at approximately right angles to the cover flaps over the top edge of the plate 172. Thus in this position the cover flaps 12 and the spaced cars 14 are in the position indicated in construction lines in Figure 4.

The right-hand end of the plate 130, as viewed in Fig ures 1B and 2B, is provided with a slot 180. Immediately above the slot 180 is an endless conveyor belt 182 which is adapted to run over drums mounted on

shafts

184 and 186 mounted on a plate 188 which is attached to the rear guide bar 108. Thus the location of the conveyor 182 is properly positioned for any size box being run through the machine when the rear guide bar 108 is properly posi tioned. The conveyor 182 is driven by means of a chain 190 running over a sprocket on the shaft 184 and running over a sprocket on a cross shaft 192 in the frame 40. The shaft 192 has mounted at its forward end a spur gear 194 which is driven by a mating spur gear 196 affixed to the end of an adjacently positioned shaft 198. A second chain 200 running over a sprocket on the shaft 198 drives the shaft 198 and is driven by means of a sprocket 201 mounted on the shaft 102. The

gears

194 and 196 are provided in order to provide the proper direction of travel of the conveyor belt 182 in order that the lower reach of the belt 182 is moving to the right as viewed in Figure 1B.

It will be evident that, as the boxes are carried by conveyor lugs 95, the box cover flaps passing from the righthand end of the vertically extending plate 172 will pass under the belt 182 and the plate 188 on which the belt is mounted will prevent the ears 14 from springing outwardly. Thus, as the boxes move to the right as viewed in Figure 1B, the conveyor belt whose speed is synchronized with that of the box will serve to depress the cover flap of the box forcing the ears 14 through the slot 180 in the plate 130. The slot 180 is positioned immediately above the ofrward edge of the box and very slightly inwardly of the rear guide bar 108. Thus, as the spaced cars 14 are depressed through the slot 180, the ears enter the box between the front panel 4 and the corrugated filler.

The ears are driven downwardly as the box is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1B, toward the extreme right-hand end of the conveyor and the cover flap 12 is pressed firmly against the box. When the box is closed, the slots 18 in the ears engage the forward edges of the side flaps 10 and the slots 20 of the ears and 22 of the locking flap come into engagement with each other and thus the box lid is locked in a closed position.

Closed boxes emerging from under the right-hand end tor 38 in a conventional manner.

of the conveyor 182, as viewed in Figure 1B, are carried to the right by the conveyor lugs and pass under an inw'ardlyjextending hub 202 on a roller mounted on an arm 204 afiixed to the rear guide bar 108. This roller serves to provide a second depression or bending of the box lid and the side flaps in order that the closed box is discharged from the machine in a securely closed condition.

A plate 206 is positioned adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyor chain 96 and has mounted thereon guide supporting members 208 and 210' which may be extended to guide closed boxes as they are delivered from the box closing apparatus.

Referring to the electrical diagram of Figure 9, the machine is connected to a suitable source of power which is delivered thereto through power lines 214 and a suitable disconnect switch 216. The power is delivered to a conventional motor starter 218 which is controlled by means of a conventional stop-start switch 212. The stop-start switch 212 may be mounted conveniently on the machine as indicated at 2A. The stop-start switch 212 and the motor starter 218 serve to control the mo Details of this circuit need not be included herein.

Connected to one of the lines extending from the motor starter to the motor is a conductor 219 which is connected to the limit switch 77 previously described. The limit switch is connected in series with the limit switch 92 and these two switches connected in series with one side of the coil of the solenoid 82. The other side of the solenoid coil is connected through conductor 220' to the other line extending from the motor starter to the motor. Thus, it will be evident that, at any time when the drive motor of the box closing machine is energized, the solenoid 82 and the member 84 mounted on its armature will be operable to control the delivery of boxes from the conveyor belt 54 to the conveyor chain 96. As previously described, the limit switches 77 and 92 operate to restrain the passage of open boxes 63 from the conveyor belt 54 so that there are always a sufficient number of boxes accumulated on the belt 54 to insure the passage of a box over the plate '55 between the conveyor belt 54 and the chain 96 and, further, to insure the delivery of boxes 63 to the chain 96 only at such time as the box Will be properly engaged by a lug 95 aifixed to the chain. The arrangement is such as to prevent delivery of boxes to the chain at such time during which they might fall on top of one of the lugs 95 and be carried along thereby in such a displaced position as to subsequently jam the machine.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that successive boxes are positioned upon the chain conveyor and are carried continuously in a straight line through the box closing machine while the various closing operations are performed thereon. These operations may be briefly enumerated as follows:

(1) Pressing down the liner or other contents of the box;

(2) Pressing down the trailing side flap of the box;

(3) Pressing down the leading side flap of the box and hold-ing down the leading and trailing side flaps of the box;

(4) Folding down the locking flap and holding down the locking flap;

(5) Folding the cover flap in a non;

(6) Folding the ears of the cover flap at approximately right angles thereto;

partially closed posi- (7) Pressing thecover flap and the ears downwardly R against the top of the box and simultaneously pressing the ears into the box and in locking engagement with the locking flap; and

(8) Applying a final closing pressure to the box to insure that the ears and the locking flap are securely engaged.

' It will be evident that the machine may be employed with boxes of various sizes and shapes. It will be further evident that the machine may be employed to close a box in which, for example, the liner cover plate is modified or omitted, or in which the side flaps are omitted. Furthermore, the box may be modified by replacing the arrangement shown, which involves two ears on the cover flap and one locking tongue, with an arrangement employing, for example, one ear and one locking tongue or, alternatively, though less desirably, one ear and two locking tongues. All of these various modifications may be made to boxes which may be equally well accommodated by the box closing machine disclosed.

It will be evident that numerous modifications may be made to various aspects of the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A box closing machine for closing a box having side flaps extending upwardly from sides thereof, a cover flap extending upwardly from the back thereof, a locking flap extending upwardly from the front thereof and an ear extending outwardly from the outer end of the cover flap being engageable with a portion of said locking flap to retain the box in a closed condition, the closing machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spacedrelation with the front and rear of each box extending in the direction of travel of the box, means for folding and holding down the side flaps of each box, means for folding and holding down the locking flap of each box and means for successively positioning the cover flap of each box in a partially folded down position, then folding the ear of the partially folded down cover flap at approximately right angles to the flap and then pressing down the cover flap to a fully closed position thereby inserting the car into the box and into locking engagement with the locking flap of the box.

2. A box closing machine for closing a box having side flaps extending upwardly from sides thereof, a cover flap extending upwardly from the back thereof, a locking flap extending upwardly from the front thereof and an ear extending outwardly from the outer end of the cover flap being engageable with a portion of said locking flap to retain the box in a closed condition, the closing machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spaced relation with the front and rear of each box extending in the direction of travel of the box, rotating means for pressing down objects within each box, rotating means for pressing down the side flap of the trailing side of each box, fixed means for pressing down the side flap of the leading side of each box and for holding down both side flaps of each box, means for folding and holding down the locking flap of each box and means for successively positioning the cover flap of each box in a partially folded down position, then folding the ear. of the partially folded down cover flap at approximately right angles to the flap and then pressing down the cover flap to a fully closed position thereby inserting the car into the box and into locking engagement with the locl ing flap of the box.

3. A box closing machine for closing a box having side flaps extending upwardly from sides thereof, a cover flap extending upwardly from the back thereof, a locking flap extending upwardly from the front thereof and an ear extending outwardly from the outer end of the cover flap being engageable with a portion of said locking flap to retain the box in a closed condition, the closing machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spaced relation with the front and rear of each box extending in the direction of travel of the box, means for 9 folding and holding down the side flaps of each box, means for folding and holding down the locking flap of each box, movable means for positioning the cover flap of each box in a partially folded down position, fixed means for folding the ear of each folded down cover flap at approximately right angles to the cover flap and means engaging each cover flap after the ear is folded down and moving therewith as its associated box is advanced by said conveyor means for pressing down the cover flap to a fully closed position thereby inserting the ear into the box and into locking engagement with the locking flap of the box.

4. A box closing machine for closing a box having side flaps extending upwardly from sides thereof, a cover flap extending upwardly from the back thereof, a locking flap extending upwardly from the front thereof and an ear extending outwardly from the outer end of the cover flap being engageable with a portion of said locking flap to retain the box in a closed condition, the closing machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spaced relation with the front and rear of each box extending in the direction of travel of the box, means for folding and holding down the side flaps of each box, means for folding and holding down the locking flap of each box, movable means for positioning the cover flap of each box in a partially folded down position, fixed means for folding the ear of each folded down cover flap at approximately right angles to the cover flap and an endless belt conveyor positioned above said conveyor means adapted to engage each cover flap after the ear is folded down and move therewith as its associated box is advanced by said conveyor means and press down the cover flap to a fully closed position thereby inserting the ear into the box and into locking engagement with the locking flap of the box.

5. A box closing machine for closing a box having side flaps extending upwardly from sides thereof, a cover flap extending upwardly from the back thereof, a locking flap extending upwardly from the front thereof and an ear extending outwardly from the outer end of the cover flap being engageable with a portion of said locking flap to retain the box in a closed condition, the closing machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spaced relation with the front and rear of each box extending in the direction of travel of the box, rotating means for pressing down objects within each box, rotating means for pressing down the side flap of the trailing side of each box, fixed means for pressing down the side flap of the leading side of each box and for holding down both side flaps of each box, means for folding and holding down the locking flap of each box, movable means for positioning the cover flap of each box in a partially folded down position, fixed means for folding the ear of each folded down cover flap at approximately right angles to the cover flap and means engaging each cover flap after the ear is folded down and moving therewith as its associated box is advanced by said conveyor means for pressing down the cover flap to a fully closed position thereby inserting the ear into the box and into locking engagement with the locking flap of the box.

6. A box closing machine for closing cover flaps extending upwardly from three sides of abox comprising conveyor means for advancing successive boxes in predetermined spaced relation, the boxes being positioned with flaps extending upwardly from leading and trailing sides thereof as the boxes are advanced and means for closing the cover flaps of the boxes as they are advanced by said conveyor means, said closing means including means for folding down the upstanding flap of the leading side of each box, means for folding down the upstanding flap of the trailing side of each box and means, including means moving generally horizontally and transversely of said conveyor means followed by fixed means followed by means moving substantially linearly and in the direction of conveyor travel, for folding down the flap extending upwardly from the side between the leading and trailing sides of each box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,901 Delarnere et al. Mar. 9, 1926 1,883,449 Andrews Oct. 18, 1932 2,064,200 Ford et al Dec. 15, 1936 2,136,901 Ferguson Nov. 15, 1938 2,146,001 Williams et al. Feb. 7, 1939 2,391,708 Johnson et al Dec. 25, 1945 2,418,277 Petskeyes Apr. 1, 1947 2,558,751 Herbert July 3, 1951 2,584,529 Allen Feb. 5, 1952 2,598,135 Schmied May 27, 1952 2,625,778 Wood Jan. 20, 1953 2,640,607 De Burgh June 2, 1953 2,654,981 Stenger Oct. 13, 1953