US2927511A - Automatic carton feeding and set-up machine - Google Patents

Description

R. K. GALLOWAY March 8, 1960 AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed NOV. 9, 1955 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 mmv mm. 1 8 Wm mom mmm INVENTOR ROBERT K. GALLOWAY av M v"? %rfiw m ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 R. K. GALLOWAY 2,927,511

AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTOR ROBERT k. GALLOWAY ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 R K GALLQWAY 2,927,511

AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'IIE: E'

INVENTOR ROBERT K. GALLOWAY ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 R. K. GALLOWAY 2,927,511

AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR ROBERT K. GALLOWAY ATTORNEY R. K. GALLOWAY March 8, 1960 AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR ROBERT K- GALLOWAY ATTORNEY R. K. GALLOWAY March 8, 1960 AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 mHr-lill INVENTOR R OBERT K. GALLOVIAY ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 GALLQWAY I 2,927,511

AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed NOV. 9, 1955 11 Shets-Sheet 10 I March 1960 R. K. GALLOWAY 2,927,511

AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 United States Patent AUTOMATIC CARTON FEEDING AND SET-UP MACHINE Robert K. Galloway, Hoopeston, 111., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, ahf., a corporation of Delaware Application November 9, 1955, Serial No. 545,886

' 33 Claims. or. 93-53 ing or slowing the progress of the cartons, to unfold or erect them to place them into condition ready to receive merchandise. 1

Another object is to provide an improved machine for withdrawing collapsed, or flat-folded cartons successively from a supply magazine and for advancing the cartons through an opening station where the carton walls are unfolded and raised from their collapsed condition, and for thereafter advancing the cartons through a blocking station where the cartons are squared to a rectangular configuration.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for erecting the collapsed walls of the body portions of flat-folded cartons to open and set-up the cartons in preparation of the same for filling.

Another object is to provide an improved blocking mechanism for compressing into rectangular form the body portions of cartons whose walls have previously been erected to an open condition.

Another object is to provide a machine for adhesively uniting certain parts of cartons as the walls thereof are erected, to cause each carton to retain its rectangular form upon discharge of the carton from the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for withdrawing fiat-foldedcartons successively from a supply magazine, turning back the covers of the g cartons to expose the collapsed body portions of the same,

erecting the walls of the body portions of the cartons, blocking the body portions to rectangular form, and bonding together overlying parts of the erected cartons, which. machine is fully automatic, of simple and durable construction, and capable of dependable, continuous and rapid operation over long periods of time.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which: f i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the carton feeding and erecting machine of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective showing the power drive of the carton handling machine of Fig. 1 and the mechanisms driven thereby.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the storage magazine of the machine taken along lines 3--3 of Fig. 1 and showing in plan the front end of the conveyor, the cover lifting mechanism, and portions of the carton wall raising mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section along lines 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section along lines 5-5 of Fig. l. 7

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the carton will v 2,327,513 Patented Mar. 8, 1960 raising mechanism of the machine, taken along lines 66 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the carton wall raising mechanism of the machine, partly broken away and viewed in the direction of arrow 7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective partly broken away, showing one of the carton body opening units of the mechanism of Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the carton body blocking mechanism of the machine, along lines 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10' is a fragmentary perspective partly broken away, of one of the carton body blocking units of the mechanism of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective partly broken away, of atypical carton adapted to be handled by the machine of the invention with the body of the carton in a partially erected condition.

Fig. 12 is a perspective partly broken away of the carton of Fig. 11 with the body thereof in fully erected condition.

Figs. 13 and 14 are diagrammatic perspectives of pottions of the conveyor mechanism, storage magazine and cover turning mechanism of the machine and showing a collapsed carton in successive stages of being withdrawn from the magazine and having its cover raised and turned back.

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are diagrammatic perspectives of portions of the conveyor and the cover turning and carton wall raising mechanisms of the machine and showing in successive stages the walls of the body of the carton as they are unfolded from collapsed conditions.

Figs. 18 and 19 are diagrammatic perspectives of portions of the conveyor and carton body blocking mechanisms of the machine and showing in successive steps the body of the carton as the same is. blocked to rectangular configuration.

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic perspective of a portion of the conveyor of the machine and showing a carton with its body portion completely erected and ready to be discharged from the machine.

The carton feeding and erecting machine of the present invention is an improvement over that disclosed in US.

Patent No. 2,577,529, issued December 4, 1951, to Kerr withdrawing the cartons singly from the magazine and advancing them in a single file procession to be operated 'on successively by said mechanisms F, R and B, and for finally discharging the .cartons from the machine with their body portions opened up to rectangular configuration.

Some cartons 'of the type handled by'the machine of the present invention are provided, when in their collapsed form, with a coating S of a bonding agent which is in a non-tacky condition but which is heat sensitive and whose function is to insure retention of the carton in the "erected'form into which the machine is adapted to place them, by adhesively uniting portions of the erected carton. To adapt the machine to handle such cartons, it is provided with a heater H adapted to activate the bonding agent S as the cartons approach the blocking mechanism B so that as the operation of blocking the carton bodies is carried out, the bonding agent S is enabled to adhesively unite parts of the carton body that :are moved into juxtaposition during the erecting operation, and thus secure the carton-body in erected, rectangular form.

side walls 8 upwardly.

To" assist in conveying an understanding ofthe'com struction and operation of the carton erecting machine of the present invention, a typical carton intended tobe set up by the machine will now be described. This carton is indicated throughout the drawings at C and, as best shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is manufacturedand is supplied to the machine of the invention as a completely formed box preferably made of cardboardor similar material which has been collapsed by folding its side walls inward, and flattened so that the cartons can be shipped and stored within a minimum of space. The carton C is preferably made from a single blank of stock material which is creasedor scored, folded to form a rectangular box and lid, and glued to retain certain parts in juxtaposed relation. The body portion 2 of the carton C includes a rectangular bottom panel 6, p

posed side walls 3, a front end wall 1G and a rear end wall 12. The cover or lid 4 is hinged to the marginal edge of the rear end Wall 12 and includes a rectangular panel 16 hinged to the rear end wall 12 along a fold line- 17 and having end flaps 18 and a front flap 20 interconnected by tuck flaps 22 (Fig. ll) to form a continuous flange 24. The front and back end walls 19 and 12, respectively, of the body 2 are'provided with end wall tabs 26 hinged tothe walls and 12 along fold lines 28. The side walls 8 are provided with side wall tabs 30 hinged thereto along fold lines 32. The tabs assent 1* cantons C are packed and shipped in the flattened condition illustrated in Fig. 13 in which the panel 16 of the 26 and 30 thus provided at each corner of the body portion 2 are hingedly interconnected along fold lines 34 with the result that each pair of tabs 26, 30 cooperate to define a web 36 interconnecting the two associated side/and end walls 8 and 16 or 12,;as' the case might be. In each web 36, the fold line 34 extends diagonally thereof. During the process of erecting the carton, one

ofthe tabs of each web is turned to superimpose it upon the other as will be more fully explained herein- Ibelow. V To permit storing and shipping the cartons within a minimum ofspace,.the side walls 8 and the end walls 10 and 12 of the body 2 are collapsed within the confines'of the bottom panel 6. Since the height ofthe walls 8, 10 and 12 is less than half thesmallest dimension of the bottom panel 6, an open space 40 remains inwardly of and defined by the top edges of the walls,

through which space 49 the central portion of the bottom panel 6 is exposed when the Walls are in their folded positions. cover 4 are collapsed within the confines of the panel '16 ofthe cover 4, and the cover 4 is swung over the body portion 2 and the entire carton is flattened as illustrated in Fig.13. In the collapsed carton, the end The side flaps 18 and front flap 24 of the V wall tabs 3 are disposed in planar. alignment with the 7 tabs 26 as best indicated in Fig. ll. T151118): each pair of tabs 26 and 30 cooperate with each other" to present a fiat rectangular web 36 interposed between the adjacent ends of the associated side'WallS and end- wail 10 or 12, as the case might be. Preferably, the side wall tabs 39 are glued to the respectively associated side walls 8 so that in effect each end-wall tab 26 is permanently hingedly connected to the associated side wall '8 along its fold line 34 with the result that when the end walls 1% and 12 are turned upward away from the bottom panel 6 the end wall tabs 26 operate to pull the v The bonding agent S is set and hardened in its normal condition, but is heat-sensitive tothe extent that when heat is applied to the same, it becomes tackykA spot or coating of the heat-sensitive bonding agent S is provided upon that surface of the tab 26 or of the tab 30, or both, which is uppermostwhen the collapsed carton is in aright-side-up position. Being hard at room .tem"

perature, vthis bonding agent S has no tendency to cause v the surface. of thetabs 39 to adhere to'the endwalls 10 and 12 against which. they bear when thecarton is collapsed, thus leaving the end walls 10 and 12 fret;

cover 4 and the back wall 12 of the body portion 2 are in planar alignment while the distal edge of the cover 4 and the front cover fiap 20 extend beyond the front edge of .the folded carton by a distance equal to the height of the front flap20 which lies in planar alignment with the collapsed body 2. I

Referring now more specifically to the design and construction of the carton feeding and erecting machine of the invention, the frame 55 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) of the machine is defined by two vertically disposed side plates "52 and 54 rigidly retained in spaced parallel relation by a plurality of cylindrical cross members 56 (Figs. 4 and 6) whose ends are-secured to the plates 52 and 54 by welding 57. Aligned flanges 58 (Figs. 4, 5. and 6) extend horizontally inward from the upper cdgesof the side plates 52 and 54, the inner edges of the flanges '58 being spaced apart to define a slot 59 extending longitudinally of the machine,- within which the conveyor A operates. a

' The conveyor A by and upon which the cartons C are advanced includes an endless chain 61) (Figs. 2-6) whose links are in. the form of flat plates 62 arranged in edgeto-edge relation and hingedly interconnected by pintles 64 (Figs. 4 and 5) each of which extends through axially aligried hubs 66 and [68 (Figs. 36) at the edges of adjacent'plates' 62. As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and'6, the hubs '66 and 68' extend inwardly of the endless chain 60, thus .presentingitrahsversely extending abutments spaced equidistantiy throughout the length of the chain 60. These abutments are adapted to seat within notchesitl ('Fig. 4} in the p'eiipheral'edges of sprocket wheels 72 and 74 (Fig; 6) about which the endless conveyor chain 6:} is

trainedf Two such sprocket wheels '72 are provided at the front, or receiving end of the conveyor A, and two sprocket wheels 74' ('Figs. 2 and 6) are provided at the rear, or discharge end of the conveyor A. The rear sprocket wheels 74 are disposed in axially spaced rela tion on 21 shaft"76 iournalled in bearings 3 (Fig. 1) that are secured in fixed positions on the side plates 52 and 54, while the two' front sprocket wheels 72 are 6.0. can b'eregu'lated. "LWherea's the hubs 6,6 and 68: of the conveyor plates 62 are. disposed .within .the slot 59 between the inner edges offthe frame flanges 58, the plates 62 are w der than the slot 59. Hence, the lateral, or outer portions of each plate 62 extend over the flangesSS (Figs. 5 and 6). These lateralportionsof the plates 62 are slidnbly sup- .portedfbywear, strips ,92' (Figs. .3, 5 and 6) superimposed 'upon the frame flanges 58." These wear strips 92 are the horizontal flanges of angle oars whose vertical flanges '94 extend'down into the slot '59 and thus define a longitudinal'guideway for the' 'upper run of the con veyorchain1'6t). I I Aseries of flights in'the form' of blocks 96(Figs. 1-7) of generally rectangular formare-secured to the outer face of the conveyor chain 69; by bolts hi5; each of which extends through ablocle '96 and one of the plates 62 -(Fig 4) 'to'receive a-nut 100. The heads of the bolts :98 are-disposed withinrecesses 102 in the outer faces of the blocks 96. An upstanding fiangeltl l' (Figs. l-7;) .011

.each block .92 protrudes: outward therefrom flush with -the'leading face thcreofl-and. the distal edge 166 ofeach fiange 104 is transversely arcuatelyconcave fora purpose ;.tha't.will.bez made'apparent later. herein. The pusher b10cks'96 are separated by'distances substantially corfespoiidingto' the width of a carton -C, andaccordingly the conveyor A is provided with a series of pockets 108, each of which is adapted to receive a carton disposed with its front wall and its back wall 12 extending inthe direction-of conveyor movement.

- The storage magazine M (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) is mounted on the frame 50 adjacent the front end of the machine. Each frame side plate 52, 54 has an angle bar 109 (Fig. 5) welded thereto, and a mounting plate 110 (Figs. 1 and 5) is secured to and extends upward from each angle bar 109. A T-shaped bracket 112 is rigidly secured to each plate 110 with the top flange 114 of the bracket 112 extending horizontally. The upper surfaces of the two flanges 114 are in planar alignment. A laterally adjustable base member 116 of the magazine M is slidably supported on each bracket 112, each base member being anchored in selected position of adjustment by bolts 118 extending through elongated slots 120 (Fig. 3) in bosses 122 upstanding from the horizontal flange 124 of the base member 116 and threaded into the horizontal supporting flange 114 of the associated T-shaped bracket 112. Each side of the magazine M is defined by two spaced flat strips or guides 126 rigid with and extending upward from one of the base members 116. The side guides 126 are interconznected adjacent their upper ends by rigid straps 128 (Fig. 1) secured to the guides 126 by bolts 130. An :angle bracket 132 is secured to each side guide 126 :adjacent the lower end of the same, by a bolt 134 ex- :tending through an elongated slot 136 in the bracket 132 which permits adjustment of the bracket 132 in a longitudinal direct-ion, and to the inwardly extending leg 138 (Fig. '3) of each angle bracket 132 an upwardly extending rod, orend guide 140 is. secured by. a bolt 142 threaded into the end guide 140 adjacent the lower end thereof. The upper end of each end guide 140 is secured by a bolt 144 (Fig. 1) to an upper angle bracket 146, and the two upper brackets 146 at each side of the magazine are secured to their respectively associated side guides 126 by the bolts 130 which secure 'the straps 128 to the side guides 126. Flaring upward and outward from the upper end of the magazine M are wings 148 which serve as pilot plates to facilitate loading collapsed cartons C into the magazine M.

' The bottom of the magazine M (Figs. 3 and 5) is defined by the forward ends of two transversely spaced,

longitudinally extending plates 152 and 154. The forward ends of the plates 152 and 154 are supported by the T-shaped brackets 112 at an elevation slightly below the path followed by the uppermost portions of the pusher blocks 96 of the conveyor C so that as a block 96 advances under the magazine M, the upstanding flange 104 ofthe block 96 engages the lowermost carton 'C in the magazine. The weight of the stack of cartons within the magazine M has the tendency to cause the lowermost carton to flex, or bow downward, and it is to compensate for any such transverse curvature of a carton about to be withdrawn from the magazine that the upper edges 106 of the block flanges 104 are made transversely concave, as hereinabove described, and thus enable the flange 104 to engage but a single carton.

A gate 156 (Figs. 4 and 5) is secured by screws 158 '(Fig. 5) to the lower end of a strap 160 that is secured by screws 162 to a transversely extending rod 164. The rod 164is mounted in blocks 166*(Figs. 3 and 4) that are attached by bolts 168 to the rear faces of two of the base member bosses 122. The gate 156 is thus supported at a distance above the path of the uppermost portion of the pusher blocks 96 slightly greater than the thickness of a single collapsed carton and less than that of 'two such cartons. Hence, the gate 156 permits each advancing block 96of the conveyor A to push a single carton out from under the stack of cartons within the mag'azine. In this manner the conveyor A is enabled to withdraw the cartonssingly from the magazine M and to advance the'cartons in asin'gle fileprocessidii, each carton being disposed in one of the conveyor pockets 108.

As is best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the center of the magazine M is laterally offset from the center line of the conveyor A. The extent of such oflsetting is such that as each carton arrives at the bottom of the magazine, the distal portion of its cover 4 and its front cover flap 20 are supported by the plate 152 (Fig. 5) while only the body 2 of the carton is adapted to lodge within a pocket 108 between blocks 96'of the conveyor. The extreme edge of the collapsed body 2 extends beyond the opposite side of the conveyor and is supported upon the plate 154. Accordingly, as a carton isadvanced by the conveyor A out from under the magazine, its body portion 2 slides along the plates 152 and 154, which slope downward and rearward (Figs. 1 and 3) to dispose their rear ends substantially in horizontal alignment withthe wear strips 92. The rear ends of the plates 152 and 154 are secured to the frame flanges 58 by screws 172 and 174 respectively, (Fig. 3).

As the body 2 of the carton thus moves rearward and down, the cover front flap, which is folded under the protruding distal edge of the cover panel 16, enfcounters the pointed nose 175 (Fig. 4) of a blade 176 that is supported from the plate 54 by adjustable brackets 177 and extends through a longitudinal slot 178 (Fig. 3) in the plate 152. The upper edge of the blade 176 inclines upward and rearward (Fig. 4), thus causing the advancing cover 4 to pivot upward about the fold line 17 while the edge of the folded carton at the bottom of the'front end wall 10 passes under the front end 179 (Figs. 3 and 4) of a fixed ledge 180 that extends laterally inward from the blade 176. The opposite edge, of the collapsed carton body similarly passes under an opposed ledge 181 (Fig. 3) extending inward from a guide plate 182 extending through a longitudinal slot 183 in the plate 154 and supported from the frame plate 52 by adjustable brackets 184 (Fig. 1). Since the ledges 180 and 181 slope rearward and downward the body 2 of the carton is forced downward into the pocket 108 while the distal .edge of the cover 4 is forced upward by the upwardly inclined upper edge 184 of the blade 178, which is adapted to guide the cover 4 over the point 185 of a cover turning earn 186. This cam 186 is supported by a leg 188 secured by bolts 190 to a spacer block 191 (Fig. 4) rigid with the plate 152, and includes a substantially flat front or nose portion 192 disposed above the plate 152 at one side of the'conveyor, an inte'rmediate portion 194 (Fig. 3) that slopes upward and rearward and extends diagonally across the conveyor (see also Figs. 13, 14 and 15) to a position beyond the opposite side of the conveyor A, and a tail portion 196 twisted into a substantially vertical plane and extending longitudinally of the machine. Thus it may be seen that while a carton whose body 2 is disposed within a pocket 108 is advanced bythe conveyor, its cover 4 is raised by the nose 192 of the cam 186 and turned back by the portions 194 and 196 beyond the verticalplane that includes the covers hinge line 17. A rod 198 (Figs.- 1, 3, 6 and 7) supported by a plurality of brackets 200 extending upwardfrom the frame plate 52, extends alongside the conveyor at suitable elevation to support any of the covers 4 thus turned back by the came 186lthat 'mightotherwise gravitate to a position extending so far beyond theconfines of theconveyor A that they are apt to be damaged during their further progress through the machine.

While the cover is thus being raised and turned back by the blade 176 and cam. 186, the collapsed body 2 is cammed downward into the pocket 108 by the ledges 180 and 181, as already described. However, downward motion of the body 2 into the pocket 108' is limited by a second, lower pair of opposed ledges 202 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 4) secured to the sloping portions of the .plates'152 and154, respectively, by suitable fasteners 204. Each of these lower ledges 202 comprises a base portion 206 and a portion 208 extending horizontally therefrom at a distance abovethe plates 62 of the conveyor A substantially equal to half the height of one of the pusher blocks 96. Accordingly the lower ledges 262 are adapted to receive the carton body 2 as the same slides downward along the sloping portion of the plates 152 and 154, and to turn the carton into a horizontal position before the .body 2 passes off the rear ends of the-ledges 202.

Four detents 210 (Figs. 2 and 4) are provided in each conveyor block 96 in a common horizontal plane that is slightly below that of the carton body, at the time that the body leaves the ledges 202. Two of these detents 210 are in the leading face and two in the trailing face of the block. Each detent comprises a ball 212 urged by a spring 214 outwardly of the recess 216 within which the ball and spring are disposed. A suitable restriction (not shown) at the outer end of the recess 216 prevents the ball 212 from moving out of its recess beyond a position wherein the ball protrudes slightly beyond the associated face of the block 96. Thus, four spring-pressed detents 210 protruding into each pocket 108, receive the collapsed body 2 of the carton from the ledges 202 and 294 and support it in a position elevated above the plates 62 of the conveyor A as the carton approaches the wall raising mechanism R.

The mechanism R (Figs. 1-4, 6-8 and -17) for raising the walls 8, 16 and 12 of the carton bodies 2 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 6-8. This mechanism is supported by and partially enclosed within a lower gear housing 226, a tubular riser 228 and an upper gear housing 230. The lower housing 226 is secured rigidly to the frame side plate 54 by studs 232 and nuts 234 (Fig. 6), the riser 228 is secured rigidly to the lower housing 226 by bolts 236 in position extending upward therefrom, and

the upper housing 236 is rigidly secured to the upper end of the riser 228 by bolts 238. Accordingly these three housing sections 226, 228 and 230 cooperate to provide a rigid and stationary standard 239 that rotatahly supports a head 240 in a position higher than and offset to one side of the path along which cartons C are advanced by the conveyor A.

The head 240 comprises a hub 242 (Fig. 6), a body 244 and a cap 246 removably secured to the body by bolts 248. The head 240- is rotatably mounted by axially spaced ball bearings 252 upon a horizontal shaft 254 extending through the axial bores 256 and 258 of the'hub 242 and cap 246, respectively. The shaft 254 is rigidly secured to the standard 239 within the upper gear housing 230, where the shaft 254 fits tightly within a boss 260 extending inward from the outer side wall of the housing 230. A nut 262 on the end of the shaft 254 draws a .ishoulder 264- of the shaft 254 against the end of the boss 260 to assure retention of the shaft in its operating position. 7

When the machine is in operation the head 240 is continuously rotated by a drive mechanism indicated in its entirety at 263 and inclndingabevel gear 27 (Figs. 2 and 6) secured to the end of the hub 242 by bolts 272 and enmeshed with a bevel gear 274 rigid with the upper end of avertical shaft 276 that is journalled within the riser 228 by axially spaced ball bearings 278. A bevel gear 280 rigid, with the lower end of the vertical shaft 27 6 meshes with an idler gear 282 carried by a conntershaft 284 rotatably mounted by axially spaced ball bearings 286 in the lower gear housing 226. The idler gear 232 is enmeshed with a drive gear 288 constituting the power input gear of the drive mechanism 268. The gear 288 is carried by a drive shaft 296 that extends through the front and back sides of the lower gear housing 226, where the drive shaft is suitably supported by anti-frietion bearings q (not shoWn)- .Th'e forwardly extending portion'292 (Fig. 2) of the drive shaft 290 is provided with a sprocket wheel'294 driven by a chain 296 fron1'a sprocket wheel 298 on the shaft 300 of a motor 302 suitably supported from the frame 50 of the machine.

The rotary head 240 supports a plurality of carton wall erecting units 310 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6-8) for rotationwith respect thereto, and encloses a system of planetary gearing 312 for maintaining each of the units 310- in predetermined orientation so that sets of carton wall engaging fingers 314 carried by the units always extend vertically downward from the same.

The planetary gearing 312 (Figs. 6 and 7) comprises a sun gear 316 mounted on the stationary shaft 254 and held motionless thereon by a key 318-. Three planet gears 320 are mounted in the head 240 for rotation about axes parallel to that of the stationary shaft 254 about which they are spaced at equal angular distances. Each planet gear 320 is journalled by axially spaced ball bearings 322. An idler gear 324 is provided for each planet gear 320, being enmeshed with both the sun gear 316 and the associated planet gear 320. Each idler gear 324 is provided with a hub or spindle portion 326 journalled in the cap 246 of the head 240, so that the idler gear is free to roll around the stationary sun gear 316 as the head 240 rotates. Thus each idler gear 324 drives the associated planet gear 320 in the direction opposite that in which the idler gear turns. As viewed in Fig. 7, the direction of rotation of the head 240 is counterclockwise and that of each idler gear 324 relative to the head is clockwise. Each planet gear 320 is of the same size and contains the same number of teeth as the sun gear 316, and since the sun gear 316 is motionless, the only movement of the planet gears is translatory in a circular orbit about the axisof the stationary shaft 254.

Each planet gear 320 is formed on a tubular hub or spindle 330 that extendsthrough the cap 246 of the head 240 and mounts the hub portion 332 of a carrier 334 (Figs. 6, 7 and 3), which is rigidly affixed to the spindle 330 by a set screw 336. Thus three carriers 334 are provided, each of which constitutes the frarne or base portion of one of the three carton wall erecting units 310, and since these three units are of identical construction, a description of one will suffice for all.

The carrier 334 of a wall. erecting unit 310 is in the nature of a flat plate 340 that remains in a horizontal, plane while it partakes of translatory motion since it is rigidly secured to one of the planetary gears 320. Such motion of the plate 340 is in a circularorbit above the conveyor A and in a veitical plane. Two pairs 342 and 343 (Figs. 7 and 8) of stub shafts 344, arejournalled in and extend vertically downward from the plate 340, downward axial movement of each stub shaft 344 being prevented by a snap ring 346 seated within a groove, adacent the upper end of the stub shaft and bearing upon the'upper face of the plate 340. The pairs 342 and.343 are disposed in symmetrical arrangement at opposite sides :of the center line of the carrier, and the two stub shafts mentioned carton wall erecting fingers314 rigid therewith and extending vertically downward therefrom.

' The stub shafts 344 of each pair are interconnected by gears 35d and 356 (Fig. 8). Each gear 354 is enmeshed with the upper portion of the associated gear 356, which is longer than and extends to a position lower than the gear 354. A driving gear 35:3 engages the lower portions of both longer gears 356, which are disposed at diagonail'y opposite corners of the rectangular arrangement of the four stub shafts344. Hence, the four stub shafts344 are interconnected for simultaneous and coextensive rotary motion, with the two shafts344 of each pair, 342

and 343 turning in opposite directions and the diagonally opposite shafts 344 turning in the same direction.

assent The driving gear 358 is rigid with the lower'end'o'f a short drive shaft 360 that extends through the plate 3.40 and to whose upper end a pinion gear 362 is rigidly affixed. The pinion gear 362 is disposed within a transversely extending trough 364 in the upper face of the plate 340, and the trough likewise accommodates a'transversely extending rack 366 whose teeth make meshing engagement with those of the pinion gear 362. The rack 366 is connected by a bracket 368 to a push rod 370 to be longitudinally reciprocated thereby when the push rod 370 is actuated. The push rod 370 extends slidably through the associated planet gear and through the rotary head 240, so that a rounded nose 372 (-Fig. 6) on the in ner end of the push rod 370 can engage a cam 374that is rigidly mounted on the standard 239. One end of a leaf spring 376 is anchored in the carrier plate 340, while the other end of the spring 376 bears against the outer end of the push rod 370 to return the push rod to its retracted position when the push rod is carried by the rotatinghead 240 beyond the cam 374. When the push rod 370'is thus retracted, the four fingers 314 are bunched closely adjacent each other as illustrated in Fig. 15 and in the-upper portion of Fig. 7.

The cam 374 is so located on the standard 239 that it is engaged by the nose 372 of each push rod 370 just prior to arrival of the associated erecting unit 310 at the lowest portion of its circular orbit. As the head continues to rotate, the nose 372 slides along the sloping surface 376 (Fig. 8) of the cam 374, causing the push rod 370 to move to the left as viewed in Fig. 8, and thus causing the four crank arms 350 and their fingers 314 to swing laterally away from each other. The parts are arranged so that as a unit 310 reaches its lowest position, the nose 372 of its push rod slides onto the highest portion 378 of the cam 374, causing the arms 350 to be swung through substantially 180, and positioning the four fingers 314 in their most widely separated position, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 17 and in the lower portion of Fig. 7. When in this position, the outermost portions of the arms 314 describe a rectangle substantially coinciding with the inside horizontal dimensions of a fully erecte carton C.

As the rotating head 240 lifts a unit 310 from its lowest position, the nose 372 of the push rod 370 passes off the high point 378 of the cam 374, the spring retracts the push rod 370 to its retracted position, and the arms 350 and their fingers 314 are turned back to their closely bunched positions.

The blocking mechanism B (Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10, 18' and 19) -is basically similar to the erecting mechanism R in that it comprises three blocking units 400 (Figs. 9 and carried by a rotary head 402 containing planetary gearing 404. The head 402 is supported by a stationary standard 406 and is driven by a drive mechanism 408. The head 402, planetary gearing 404, standard 406 and drive mechanism 408 are similar, respectively, to the head 240, planetary gearing 312, standard 239 and the drive mechanism 268 of the erecting mechanism R. As in the case of the erecting mechanism R, the drive mechanism 408 of the blocking mechanism B is driven from the drive shaft 290 of the machine, the input gear (not shown) of the drive mechanism 408 being enmeshed with a second drive gear (not shown) within the lower gear housing 414 (Fig. 2) of the standard 406; The drive shaft 290 extends through'and is rotatably supported by the lower gear housing 414, where it carries said second drive gear. Therefore, the rotary head 402 of the blocking mechanism B and the rotary head 240 of the erecting mechanism R are interconnected for simultaneous operation; and since corresponding gears of the two drive mechanisms 268 and 408 are identical, the two heads 402 and 240 rotate at the same speed. Therefore, the blocking mechanism B operates to move its three blocking units 400 successively into operative adjacency to the conveyor A, at the same rate that the erecting units 310 are so moved by the treating mechanism R.

The blocking units 400 differ in their construction and operation from the erecting units 310, but since the three blocking units 400 are identical, a description of one will suffice for all. The carrier 420 (Figs. 9 and 10) .ofa blocking unit 400 comprises two sleeves 422 and 424 integrally interconnected with their axes parallel to each other. The sleeve 422, which is shorter than the other sleeve 424, is lifted to the hub or spindle portion 426 of the associated planet gear 428, and is locked thereon by a setscrew 430, with the axes of the two sleeves 422 and 424 in horizontal alignment. Hence, the planetary gearing 404 operates to preserve the orientation of the carrier 420, with the result that as the rotary head 402 movesthe rier 420 through its circular orbit, the movement of the carrier is restricted to translatory motion and the axes of the two sleeves 422 and 424 remain in horizontal alignment.

Shafts 432 and 434 are rotatable within and extend through the sleeves 422 and 424, respectively. The shaft. 432 is extended to reach through the hub 426 of the planet gear 428 to receive a collar 436 secured tothe shaft 432 by a setscrew 438, while the shaft 434 is restrained from axial movement within its sleeve 424 by a snap ring 440 fitted within a groove 442 (Fig. 10) in the shaft 434. The two shafts 432 and 434 are interconnected for simultaneous rotary motion in opposite directions by inter meshing sector gears 444 and 446 rigid with the shaft 432 and 434, respectively.

Since the sleeve 422 is shorter than the sleeve 424 a portion of the shaft 432 is adapted to receive a lever 448 whose hub portion 450 is fitted to the shaft 432 and is provided with a radial slot 452. A clamping screw 454 extending across the slot 452 may be tightened to clamp. the lever 448 rigidly to the shaft 432. A cam follower roller 456 is rotatable on a pin 458 adjacent the outer end of the lever 448 and is arranged to engage a cam 460 as the blocking unit 400 approaches the lowest portion of its circular orbit. The cam 460 is rigidly secured by-a. setscrew 462 to the end of a stationary shaft 464 that extends through and beyond the rotary head 402.

Crank arms 470 and 472 are rigidly affixed to the shafts 432 and 434, respectively, at the ends thereof opposite the collar 436 and the snap ring 440. At the outer end of each arm 470, 472, two plates 474 are secured by setscrews 475 to a shaft 476 rigid with and extending transversely through the arm, and two parallel pins 478 extend laterally from each plate 474. A block 480 of rubber or rubber-like material is releasably mounted on each plate 474 by being slid laterally onto the two pins 478 of the plate, transverse holes 482 being provided in the block for the purpose.

by the material of which the block is made.

Each of the blocks 480 is of generally rectangular form, at least to the extent that its outer end face 488 extends in a substantially vertical plane when the block is disposed in operative position within a carton C during the operation of blocking the same. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that when the cam follower roller 456 is in engagement with the working face 490 of the cam 460, the crank arms 470 and 472 are disposed in a downwardly divergent arrangement, as shown in Figs. 10 and 19. When the arms 470 and 472 are Preferably a plurality of additional trans-L. verse holes 484 are provided in each block 480 to en hance the resiliently yieldable character imparted thereto;

materially less than the inside dimension of afully erected carton measured between the inner faces of the end walls '10 and 12.

The. heater H (Figs. 1 and 7) is mounted between the erecting mechanism R and the blocking mechanism B. Since this heater may be of conventional construction it is unnecessary to describe-the same herein .beyond explaining that it includes a nozzle portion 494 adapted to continuously direct a blast of heated air onto the cartons as they are advanced from the erecting mechanism R toward the blocking mechanism B. The heater H may be supported by a bracket 496 from the standard 406 of the blocking mechanism 3.

. As Lhe cartons advance from the wall raising mechanism R to and through the blocking mechanism B, they are guided in and restricted to a straight path by hOIlzontal guide rods 49S (Figs. 1, 3 and 6) and 496 (Fig. 6). The rod 495 is supported at one side of the conveyor A by the brackets 20% hereinbeiore mentioned, while the rod 496 is supported at the opposite side of the conveyor A by brackets 498 rigid with and upstanding from the frame side plate 5 A discharge conveyor 500 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided at the back end of the machine of the invention, in

position to receive erected cartons C from the conveyor A after the bodies 2 thereof had been fully erected and blocked. The discharge conveyor 500 comprises two parallel endless chains Sit-2, each of which is trained around a driving sprocket 504, and around two idler sprockets S06 and 593. The two driving sprockets 504 are. rigid. with a shaft 510 extending transversely across the frame 50 of the machine and suitably journalled on the frame side plates 52 and 54. The idler sprockets 508 are carried by a similarly journalled shaft 512, while the idler sprockets 506 are freely rotatable upon the shaft 7640 which the sprocket Wheels 74 at the discharge end of theconveyor A are rigidly secured. The conveyor 500 includes a plurality of flights in the form of lugs 514 rigidly secured to links of the chains 502 and projecting outward therefrom at suitably spaced intervals iroughout the length of the endless chain 502.

The main drive shaft 290 of the machine extends through and beyond the standard 406 of the blocking mechanism B where it is provided with a bevel gear 516 (Fig. 2). The gear 516 is enmeshed with a driven beveled gear 518 rigidly secured to a stub shaft 520 journalled in bearings .(not shown) suitably supported by the frame Si) of the machine; The stub shaft 520 also carries a gear 522 which makes meshing engagement with a gear 524 rigid with the shaft 76 on which the sprocket wheels 74 of the conveyor A are rigidly mounted and the sprockets 506 of the conveyor Stitiare freely rotatable. Thus the conveyor A is driven in such timed relation to the erecting mechanism R and the blocking mechanism B, that the erecting fingers of an erecting unit 310 enter each pocket 108 of the conveyor A and, similarly, the blocks 480 of a blocking unit 4&0 entereach pocket 108 during the continuous advancement of cartons C inthe pockets.

1* The discharge conveyor 500 is driven by gearing (not shown) within -a gear housing 526 and actuated by an auxiliary drive shaft 528 that is rotated by a bevel gear 5.3.0 rigid with the auxiliary shaft 523 and enmeshed with the. gear 518.

Operation The folded and collapsed cartons C to be handled by the machine of the present invention during operation thereof, are placed lids uppermost in a vertical stack into the storage magazine M, in such position that the bottom "panels, 6 of the cartons are above the conveyor A while thev front, cover flaps 20 and the adjacent edge portions of the covers 4 that extend beyond the confines of the bottom panels 6, are above the plate 152 (see Figs. 3 and 5!. iilhelcwermm carton will. therefore, upport. the

12 'weight'of'the cartons above it in the stack, and since only the portions of the bottom panel 6 adjacent the front and back walls 19 and 12, respectively, are supported by the plates 152 and 154, the intermediate, unsupported portion of the carton will be bowed downward below the level of the plates 152 and 154.

It being-assumed that the motor 302 is energized and the conveyor A is in operation, the pusher blocks 96 pass under the magazine, moving from left to right as viewed in Figs. 1-4. To facilitate understanding operation of the machine, the progress of a single carton C through the machine will be described, with the understanding, however, that the blocks 96 advance in rapid succession, and that each block 96 pushes a single carton C out of the magazine and propels it uninterruptedly through the machine, with the result that the folded and collapsed cartons C are successively withdrawn from the bottom of the magazine and are advanced through the machine in a continuous, uninterrupted single file procession at a high rate of speed. Such operation will be continued as long as the magazine is kept supplied with folded and collapsed cartons to be erected.

The carton C whose progress through the machine is to be described, is engaged by the upstanding flange 104 of the first block 96 to pass under the magazine after arrival of the carton at the bottom of the magazine. Since the upper edge of the flange 104 is arcuately concave substantially in conformity with the bowing of the carton due to the weight of the cartons superimposed thereupon (see Fig. 13) the flange 104- will engage only the lowermost carton, and pushes the same under the gate 156, which restrains all but the lowermost carton from advancing with the block. The single folded and collapsed carton is thus propelled by the pusher block 96 out from under those remaining within the magazine, and toward the rear of the machine.

As the carton is thus advanced, the folded body 2 thereof slides along the downwardly inclined portions of the plates 152 and 154, and settles downward Within the pocket 16% in front of the pusher block 96 that propels the carton. When the carton body slides onto the horizontal portions 208 of the ledges 202, it is deflected into a horizontal path and is turned into a horizontal position, so that when it passes off the rear ends of the ledges 202, both its leading and its trailing edges come to rest upon the detents 210 of the two blocks 96 defining the associated pocket 108. Accordingly, as the carton approaches the zone of operation of the wall raising mechanism R, the carton body 2 is supported in a horizontal position spaced above the conveyor plates 62 defining the bottom on the pocket, by four resiliently yieldable'detents 210, one adjacent each corner of the bottom panel 6 of the body 2, as shown in Fig. 14. Y

While-the body2 of the carton slides along the ledges 202, the cover 4 is lifted and turned back by the cam 1.86 as hereinabove described and as illustrated in Fig. 14. In this manner, the upper side of the collapsed body 2 is exposed, leaving the opening 40 accessible for subsequent entry of the carton wall erecting fingers 314 thereinto.

As hereinbefore explained, the rotary motion of the head 240 of the wall raising mechanism R is so synchronized with the linear motion of the conveyor A that one of the three erecting units 310 approaches its lowest position within its circular orbit as the pocket 108 having the carton C therein enters the zone of operation of the wall raising mechanism R. The parts are so interrelated that the lower ends of the fingers 314-, which at this time are closely bunched, enter the opening 4-0 (see Fig. 15) through which the central portion of the bottom panel 6 of the carton is exposed. The lower ends of the fingers 3'14 engage the bottom panel 6, and, as-they continue their downward and-rearward motion to the lowest point of their orbit, they press the bottom panel 6 down, causing i-tsleading and trailing edges to snap past the detents 210 l3 and into a lower position resting upon the plates 62 of the conveyor A.

After yielding sufiiciently to permit the edges of the bottom panel 5 to pass, the detents immediately return to their outer positions, wherein they intercept the ends of the downwardly moving end walls and 12, which until this time are folded to position closely overlying and substantially parallel to the bottom panel 6, as shown in Fig. 15. However, the detents 210 interrupt downward motion of the end walls 16 and 12, and thereby initiate opening or erecting motion of the end walls 10 and 12 relatively to the downwardly moving bottom panel 6, as shown in Fig. 16.

Substantially simultaneously with movement of the end walls It} and 12 to the upwardly and inwardly inclined positions illustrated in Fig. 16, the nose 372 of the push rod 379 engages the earn 374 and is pushed thereby to the right as viewed in Fig. 6. As hereinabove explained, this actuates the crank arms 35! causing them to rotate simultaneously in such a manner that each of the four fingers 314 follows an arcuate path which initially is in a lateral direction with respect to the motion of the conveyor and of the carton, i.e., toward the end wall 19 or- 12, as the case might be. Since these walls have been raised to an inclined position by the detents 210, initial engagement of the fingers 314 with the walls 10 and 12 is of such a nature that continued outward movement of the fingers exerts a rotating torque on the walls 10 and 12, turning the same to their vertical, erected position, which they attain as the rotating head 240 carries the fingers 314 to their lowest position wherein they press the bottom panel onto the conveyor plates 62 as shown in Fig. 17.

As the end walls It) and 12 of the. body 2 are thus swung upward they exert tension upon the end wall tabs 26 since the tabs 26 are hinged at one edge along the fold lines 28 to the end walls and at the diagonal fold lines 33 to the side wall tabs 30 that are glued to the: side walls 8. Therefore, as the end walls 10 and 12 swing upward and outward they drag the side walls 8 along with them in such relationship that when the end walls 10 and 12 achieve their fully erected, vertical positions the side walls 8 incline upward and inward within the carton at substantially 60 from the horizontal. Therefore as the erecting fingers 314 continue their arcuate motion, which gradually becomes more nearly parallel to the end walls 10 and 12, and eventually engage the side walls 8, the latter are raised sufficiently above the bottom panel 6 for the fingers 314 to exert a rotative torque against the side walls 8, forcing the end walls to pivot upward. When the fingers 314 attain their most widely separated positions both the end walls 10 and 12 and the side walls 8 will have been swung to their vertical positions as shown in Fig. 17.

The nose 372 of the push rod 370 then passes ofi the high point 374 of the cam 370, which permits the push rod 371) and the fingers 314 to return to their respective retracted positions. This occurs as the erecting unit 310 follows an upward path, thus gradually lifting the fingers 314 out of the space now enclosed by the erected walls 8 and 12 of the carton body 2.

During the entire described operation of the fingers 314 in raising the walls 8, 10 and 12 to their vertical positions, the linear movementof the conveyor A and the carton C continues uninterruptedly. Thus, as the fingers 3-14 are retracted from the opened carton body 2, the carton passes beyond the zone of operation of the erecting mechanism R and immediately thereafter passes through the blast of heated air issuing from the heater H. The effect of the heated air to which the carton is thus subjected is to make the bonding agent S tacky.

The carton then passes into the zone of operation of the blocking mechanism B whose rotating head 402 is so synchronized with the conveyor A that as the carton approaches, one of the blocking units 400 is approaching the lowest position in its circular orbit. At this time the two crank arms 470 are in their most neariy verticai positions wherein the blocks 43%- are retracted to posit-ions adjacent each other, as shown in Fig. 18. Hence the four blocks 48% are enabled to enter the space defined by the upstanding walls 8, 10 and 12 of the body 2 as the blocking unit 400 continues its downward curvilinear mo tion and the carton C continues its rearward rectilinear motion.

Just before the unit 400* arrives at its lowest position the cam follower roller 456 engages the stationary cam 460 (Fig. 10) causing the two shafts 432 and 434 to turn, swinging the cranks 470 and 472 and the blocks 480 apart. The extent of such separating movement of the blocks 480 is suflicient to compress the side walls 8 between .the blocks 480 and the leading and trailing pusher blocks as of the conveyor A, as shown in Fig. 19.

Since the bonding agent S has been made tacky by its passage through the blast of heated air from the heater H just prior to entry of the carton into the zone of operation of the blocking mechanism B, such compression of the side walls 8 will effect bonding of the side wall tab 26 of each corner web 36 to the associated end wall tab 30 (Figs. 11 and 12), with the result that when the blocks 480 are retracted and withdrawn from the carton body the side walls 8 and end walls 10 and 12 will remain in their erected positions thus causing the body 2 to retain its rectangular configuration as shown in Fig. 20. I As the blocking unit 490 passes its lowest position within its circular orbit the cam roller 456 passes out of engagement with the cam 46%, whereupon the blocks 480 are swung by gravity to their retracted positions, and as the upward motion of the blocking unit. 400 progresses, the blocks 480 are lifted out of the completely erected and bonded carton body 2.

The carton then continues its rectilinear motion along the conveyor A which delivers the completely opened carton to the discharge conveyor 560 by which the carton is discharged from the machine.

While a preferred apparatus for carrying out the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that it is capable of modification and variation while still employing the principles of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, that which is believed to be new and for which protection by Letters Patent is desired is:

1. A machine for erecting cartons having bottom panels and walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panels, comprising a conveyor for advancing the cartons along a predetermined path, regularly spaced flights on said conveyor between which the cartons are positioned, means operatively associated with the conveyor for turning the walls of each carton toward erected position, and blocking means operatively associated with the conveyor and arranged for insertion into each carton to engage the walls of the carton and block the Walls against said flights.

2. A machine for erecting cartons having bottom panels and walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panels, comprising a conveyor for advancing the cartons along a predetermined path, regularly spaced flights on said conveyor between which the cartons are positioned, and a plurality of wall erecting mechanisms arranged at spaced positions along the conveyor and connected thereto for operation in synchronism therewith, one of said mechanisms comprising means for engaging walls of each carton and moving the same toward erected position as the carton advances, and another of said mechanisms disposed at a location reached by the cartons subsequently to their engagement by said wall moving mechanism including means arranged for insertion into each carton to engage the walls and block the walls against said flights.

3. A machine for erecting a carton having a bottom panel, side and end walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panel, and a web at each corner hinged to both associated walls, said machine comprising a conveyor for advancing a single tile procession of the cartons along a predetermined path, means operatively associated with the conveyor for turning the walls upward from the bottom panel and for folding each web along a fold line extending diagonally of the web to form two superimposed tabs interconnected at said fold line, and means opcratively associated with the conveyor for blocking the carton to rectangular form and'for compressing the folded webs to crease the same along said fold lines.

4. A machine for erecting a carton having a bottom panel, side and end walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panel, and a web at each corner of the carton hinged to both associated walls, said machine comprising a conveyor for advancing a single file procession of the cartons along a predetermined path, means operatively associated with the conveyor for turning the walls upward away from the bottom panel and for folding each web along a fold line extending diagonally of the web to form twosuperimposed tabs interconnected at said fold line, means operatively associated with the conveyor'for blocking the carton to rectangular form and for compressing the folded webs to crease the same along said fold lines, and means cooperatively associated with said blocking means for bonding together the superimposed tabs of each web.

5. A machine for erecting a carton having a bottom panel, side walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panel, side wall tabs hinged to the ends of the side walls and folded to positions overlying the side walls, end walls folded to positions overlying tlie'side walls and the side wall tabs, end wall tabs connected to the end walls and to the side wall tabs and folded to positions underlying the folded end walls in planar alignment with the side wall tabs, and a heat-sensitivebonding agent in non-tacky condition on one of the tabs of each two interconnected tabs, said machine comprising a conveyor for advancing the cartons along a predetermined path, means engageable with the cartons successively as they are advanced by the conveyor for turning the walls of each carton to positions extending angularly upward from the bottom panel and for folding each two interconnected tabs into superimposed relation, heating means associated with the conveyor in position to apply heat to said bonding agent and thereby make the bonding agent tacky, and means operatively associated with the conveyor for pressing the superimposed tabs against each other while the bonding agent is tacky to'bond the superimposed tabs together.

6. A machine for erecting a carton having a bottom panel and walls hinged to the bottom panel and folded to positions overlying peripheral regions of the same with the distal edges of the walls spaced apart to leave an open space centrally of'the bottom panel, said machine comprising a continuously moving conveyor for advancing a procession of the cartons, a carrier mounted above the conveyor for movement toward and away from the conveyor and for movement with said conveyor in juxtaposed relation for a predetermined interval, a plurality of fingers extending from the carrier and mounted thereon for movement toward and away from each other, means operable in timed relation with the conveyor for moving the carrier toward the conveyor when the conveyor moves a carton under the carrier to project the fingers into said open space, and means for moving the lingers away from each other while the fingers extend into said open space to engage walls of the carton and turn them upward away from the bottom panel as said conveyor and carrier move along iniuxtaposed relation. 7

' 7. A machine for handling collapsed cartons having their walls overlying their bottom panels, comprising a conveyor for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, a carrier mounted for movement in a circular orbit in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of said path, a plurality'of carton wall engaging members mounted on said carrier for movement toward and away from each other, means for moving the carrier in said orbit in timed relation with the conveyor to project the carton wall engaging members into a carton advancing on the conveyor, and means operable while the carton wall engaging members extend into a carton for moving said members away from each other to engage walls of the carton and move the same toward erect positions.

8. A machine for handling collapsed cartons having their walls overlying their bottom panels, comprising a conve or for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, a carrier mounted for movement in a circular orbit in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of said path, a plurality of fingers mounted on the carrier for movement toward and away from a common center, means connecting the carrier to the conveyor for movement in timed relation therewith to project the fingers into a carton as the same is advanced by the conveyor, andmeans operable while the fingers extend into a carton for moving the fingers away from each other to engage the walls of the carton and move the same toward an erect position.

9. A machine for handling a carton having walls folded inward to collapsed arrangement, comprising means for continuously advancing the carton along a predetermined path, a carrier mounted for movement toward and away from said path and for movement in juxtaposed relation with said carton advancing means along a portion of said path, a plurality of wall engaging members mounted on said carrier for movement toward and away from each other, means coupling the carrier to the carton advancing means to effect movement of the carrier toward the path in timed relation with said carton advancing means to project the wall engaging members into the carton, and means operable while said members are within the carton for moving the members away from each other to engage walls of the carton and unfold the same as said carrier and said carton advancing means are moved along in juxtaposed relation.

10. A machine for opening up a carton having a bottom panel and walls connected to the bottom panel along edges of the same, comprising a conveyor for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, flights secured to said conveyor and spaced apart thereon by a distance substantially corresponding to one of the dimensions of the bottom panel of the carton, means for depositing a carton into the spaced between said flights to efiect advance of the carton by the conveyor, a carrier mounted adjacent the conveyor for movement in timed relation therewith, and means carried by the carrier and engageable with opposite walls of the carton to press the same against the flights.

11. A machine for handling cartons comprising a conveyor for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, a flight carried by the conveyor and presenting to the carton a face disposed in predetermined relationship to said path, means for depositing a carton on the conveyor adjacent the flight to effect advance of the carton by the conveyor, a carton wall engaging member mounted for movement toward and away from the path and for movement parallel to the path and relative to the flight, means for moving the member toward the conveyor in timed relation therewith to extend the member into the carton, and means for moving the member toward the flight to press the carton wall into conformity with said face of the flight. I 12. A machine for opening up cartons having bottom panels and walls connectedthereto along edges of the same and folded to positions overlying the bottom panel,

- comprising a conveyor for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, flights secured to said conveyor and spaced apart by a idstance substantially corresponding to a dimension of the bottom panel of the carton, means for depositing a carton into the space between said flights to effect advance of the carton by the conveyor, detents carried by the flights and extending into the space he 17 tween the flights to releasbly engage edges of folded walls of the carton, a carried mounted adjacent the conveyor for movement toward and away from the same, a plurality of wall engaging members extending from the carrier and movable thereon toward and away from each other, means for moving the carrier toward the conveyor in timed relation therewith to project said members into the carton and to press the bottom panel toward the conveyor while corresponding movement of the folded walls is resisted by said detents to effect initial unfolding of the Walls, and means for moving said wall engaging members away from each other while the same extend between the partially unfolded walls to engage the walls and continue unfolding thereof.

13. A machine for erecting cartons having bottom panels and walls folded to positions overlying the bottom panel, comprising a conveyor for advancing a carton along a predetermined path, spaced flights secured to said conveyor and defining pockets therebetween, means for depositing a carton into a pocket to effect advance of the cartons by the conveyor, detents carried by the flights and extending into the pockets to releasably engage edges of folded walls of the cartons, a carrier mounted adjacent the conveyor for movement toward and away from the same. carton engaging members extending from the carrier, and means for moving the carrier toward the conveyor in timed relation therewith to project said members into a carton engaged by one of said detents and to press the bottom of the carton toward the conveyor while corresponding movement of a folded wall of the carton is resisted by said detent to turn the wall upward away from the carton bottom.

14. In a machine for opening up a carton having a bottom panel and a wall folded to a postion overlying the bottom panel, comprising carton supporting means spaced apart by a distance substantially corresponding to one of the dimensions of the bottom panel of the carton, detents carried by said supporting means and extending into the pocket between the same to releasably engage edges of folded walls of a carton entered into said space,v

a carrier mounted adjacent the supporting means for movement-toward and away from said carton, a plurality of carton engaging members extending from the carrier, and means for moving the carrier toward the carton to project said members into the carton and to press the bottom panel toward the conveyor while corresponding movement of the folded walls is resisted by said detents to turn the folded wall upward away from the carton bottom.

15. A carton erecting machine comprising a conveyor foradvancing cartons along a predetermined path, a head mounted for rotation about an axis above and extending transversely of said path, a carrier mounted on the head for rotation with respect thereto about an axis spaced from that of the head to effect motion of the carrier in a circular orbit when the head rotates, a plurality of parallel fingers extending from the carrier in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the carrier and mounted on the carrier for movement toward and away from each other, planetary gearing carried by the head and retaining the carrier in position with the fingers extending toward the conveyor while the carrier follows said orbit, means for rotating the head in timed relation with advancement of a carton on the conveyor to project the fingers into the carton, and means for moving the fingers away from each other while the fingers extend into the carton.

16. A carton erecting machine comprising a movable conveyor for advancing cartons along a predetermined path, a shaft, means mounting the shaft in fixed position spaced from and extending transversely of the conveyor, a head rotatably mounted on the shaft, means for rotating the head in timed relation with the conveyor, a carrier mounted on the head for rotation relative thereto about an axis spaced radially from said shaft, planetary gearing interposed between said carrier andsaid shaft and restricting motion of the carrier to translatory motion, a plurality of carton wall engaging members mounted on the carrier for movement toward and away from each other, and means operable when the carrier is adjacent its position of nearest approach to the conveyor for moving the wall engaging members away from each other.

17. A carton erecting machine comprising a movable conveyor for moving cartons along a substantially horizontal path, a stationary shaft, means rigidly mounting he shaft in position with its axis spaced above and extending horizontally transversely of the conveyor, a head rotatably mounted on the shaft, means for synchronously actuating the conveyor and turning the head, a carrier rotatably mounted on the head for rotation relative there-- to about a horizontal axis spaced radially from the axis of the shaft, planetary gearing retaining the carrier in predetermined orientation, a plurality of crank arms mounted on the head for pivotal motion about vertical axes, a

carton Wall erecting finger extending downwardfrom each of the crank arms, and means operable asthe head is adjacent its position of nearest approach to the conveyor for turning said crank arms.

18. A carton erecting machine comprising a standard, means for advancing cartons past the standard in a horizontal path, a head mounted on the standard for rotation about a horizontal axis above andextending transversely of said carton path, means for rotating the head about said axis in timed relation to the carton advancing means,

a carrier mounted on the head for rotation relative thereto about an axis parallel to and spaced from the rotational axis of the head, a plurality of stub shafts and a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the head in mutually parallel relation, a pinion gear rigid with said drive shaft, a rack parallel with said axes and reciprocably mounted on the head and enmeshed with the pinion gear, a cam rigid with the standard, a cam follower operably connected to the rack for movement therewith and extending from the head in position to engage the cam during rotation of the head, means connecting the stub shafts to the drive shaft to be rotated thereby, a crank arm rigid with each of said stub shafts, and a carton wall engaging finger rigid with each of the crank arms and extending downward therefrom in position radially offset from the axis of the associated stub shaft.

19. A carton erecting machine as set fo'rthfin claim 15 and including means for restricting motion of thecarrier to keep'the axes of the stub shafts vertical.

20. .A carton erecting machine comprising a standard, means for advancing cartons past the standard in a horizontal path, a head mounted on the standard for rotation about a horizontal axis above and extending transversely of said carton path, means for rotating the head about said axis synchrously with the carton advancing means, a carrier mounted on the head for rotation relative thereto about an axis parallel to and spaced from said axis of the head, a plurality of stub shafts and a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the head in mutually parallel relation, means operable in response to rotary motion of -the head for imparting rotary motion to the drive shaft, a driven gear rigid with each of said stub shafts, a drive gear rigidwith said drive shaft and enmeshed with one of said driven gears, the driven gear enmeshed by said drive gear being enmeshed with another of said driven gears to rotate the two driven gears in opposite directions in response to ac-

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