US2950657A - Folding machine for crates or nest formations - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1960 H. R. MARGETTS FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRATES 0R NEST FORMATIONS ,Filed April 8, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. Wa s vh w FOLDING MACHINE FOR cRA'rEs' OR NEST FORMATIONS iled April 8, 1955 Aug. 30, 1960 H. R. MARGETTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1960 H. R. MARGETTS FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRATES OR NEST FORMATIONS Filed April 8, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

1960 H. R. MARGETTS 2,950,657

FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRATES OR NEST FORMATIONS Filed April 8, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 75 73 75 72 zgilva INVENTOR,

Aug. 30, 1960 H. R. MARGETTS FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRATES OR NEST FORMATIONS Filed April 8, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Aug. 30, 1960 H. R. MARGETTS FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRATES OR NEST FORMATIONS Filed April 8, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent ()fiiice 2,950,657. Patented Aug. 30, 1960 FOLDING MACHINE FOR CRA'I'ES OR NEST FORMATIONS Hyrum Russell Margetts, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignmto United Biscuit Company of America, Melrose Park, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 8, 1955, Ser. No. 500,218

3 Claims. 01. 93-47 This invention relates to machines for folding paper or fiber board blanks which are pre-cut and creased, to convert the blanks into crates or nests which are used for supporting merchandise in orderly arrangement for packaging. For example, cookies or other bakery goods are often packed in a transparent bag or other wrapper which will permit visual inspection of the product, and the cookies or other product are held in fixed, orderly arrangement in the package by means of a divider or crate. The folding machine referred to in this application is designed particularly for the folding of blanks to form crates of the character indicated although, in its broader aspects, the invention may be applied to machines for folding other blanks to convert the same into other types of receptacles.

The main objects of the invention are to provide an improved arrangement for folding certain portions of blanks; to provide a high speed apparatus in which the blanks are successively pushed through a folding die to efiect conversion of the blanks to the desired crate, and wherein certain intermediate portions of the blank which are not readily engageable by elements of the folding die may be efficiently folded; to provide a machine of the character indicated which is capable of quiet, continuous, substantially unattended, automatic operation; and in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved folding machine of the character indicated.

This application is in part, a continuation of application Serial No. 260,214 (now abandoned).

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (4 sheets) wherein there is disclosed a crate folding machine embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations respectively of the improved folding machine.

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of certain portions of the machine.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that represented in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view corresponding in part to Figure 4, but showing a changed position of certain parts.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, but showing the parts in a changed position.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank magazine from which blanks are delivered to the folding mechanism.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a folding die.

Figure 9 is a sectional View in a plane represented by the line 9-9 of Figure 8, with certain other parts shown in operative relative to the die structure.

Figure 10 is a section similar to Figure 9, but showing certain other parts in operative relation to the die structure.

Figures 11, 12 and. 13 are sectional views corresponding respectively to Figure 10, but showing the parts in progressively changed positions.

Figure 14 is a section on the line 14-14 of Figure 10.

Figures 15, 16 and 17 are sectional illustrations, similar to Figure 14, but showing progressively changed positions and respectively corresponding to the positions represented in Figures 11, 12 and 13.

Figure 18 is a plan view of a typical blank which may be folded by the illustrated machine to form a crate.

Figures 19, 20 and 21 are plan, side and end views, respectively, of a crate formed from the blank illustrated in Figure 18.

Figure 22 is a plan View similar to Figure 8 but on a larger scale and showing a somewhat different form of die and an alternative means for effecting folding of cer tain parts of the blank to form it into a crate.

Figure 23 is a side elevation of a portion of the die shown in Figure 22.

Figure 24 is in part an end elevation of the die shown in Figure 22 and in part a section on a plane represented by the line 24-24 of Figure 23, certain parts being also shown in a changed position.

Figure 25 is a view similar to Figure 24 but showing a changed position.

Figure 26 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 26-26 of Figure 24.

Figure 27 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 27-27 of Figure 22 but showing a changed position of certain parts.

Figure 28 is a plan of the blank which is adapted to be formed into a crate or nest by the die structure shown in Figures 22 to 27.

Figure 29 is a perspective illustration of the crate or nest formed from the blank of Figure 28.

Figure 30 is a fragmentary side elevation corresponding to a portion of Figure 2 but showing a modified form of magazine for supporting a supply of blanks for delivery to the forming mechanism.

Figure 31 is a plan on the line 31-31 of Figure 30.

Figure 32 is a fragmentary elevational view on the line 32-32 of Figure 31.

Figure 33 is a sectional view on the line 33-33 of Figure 30.

The blank 1 shown in Figure 18 is of suitable, stiff paper board construction, suitably creased and slitted to permit folding of the blank to form the desired crate. In this instance, spaced parallel fold lines 2 and 3 permit folding of side Wall panels 4 and 5 of the blank to upwardly extending relation to a bottom section 6 which is located intermediate said fold lines 2 and 3. Transverse partition panels 7-7 are hingedly connected as indicated at 8 by suitably creased fold lines in the blank to said bottom section 6 and said partition panels 8 are foldable to upwardly extending position in which they extend transversely of the side walls 4 and 5. Slitting 9 is provided to define the upper and end edges of the partition panels 7 and end portions 10-10 of the partition panels are further separated from the side wall portions by slitting indicated at 11. The end portions 10-10 of the transverse panels are also partially severed from the intermediate portions 12 thereof by slits such as indicated at 13, which receive portions of the side walls 4 and 5 when the blank is converted into a crate, as shown in Figures 19, 20 and 21. v

The machine for folding the blanks 1 to form crates such as represented in Figures 19 to 21 inclusive, comprises, in this instance, a supporting frame 14 which carries the table plate or platform 15 on which is mounted a die 16. This die 16 is in the nature of a rectangular box comprising (see Figures 3 and 8) end bars 17-17, and side bars 18-18 extending between and Welded or otherwise rigidly secured at their ends to said end bars 3' 17-17. Top plates i9 are suitably secured to the upper edges of said bars 17 and 18. A blank according to Figure 18 is deposited on top of the top plates 19 of the die in predetermined registry therewith, and suit-' able plungers. force the blank downwardly through the die to effect folding of the blank to crate form.

\A suitable plunger-- structure comprises a cross head '20 (see Figures 1 and 3), which is vertically 'slidably mounted on a pair of upstanding rods 2121 and said 'crosshead carries depending plungers 22, 23 and 24. These plungers are rigid with thecrosshead and the intermediate plunger 23 is, in this instance, made approximately twice as thick as the outside or end plungers 22 and 23. This plunger structure is reciprocated vertically on the guide rods 21-21 through the agency of counterbalanced cranks 25 (Figures 1 and 2) which are car- 'ried by a shaft 26'which-is suitably journalled in bearings carried by the supporting frame 14. The crank shaft 26isc'on'tiniioiisly driven in one direction by a chain drive 27 from a speed changer 28 which, in turn, is driven by an electric motor 29 through the agency of a suitable belt 30 and. pulleys. A hand wheel' 31 connected by suitable disengageable clutch 32 to the input shaft of the speed changer 29, permits manual inching of the apparatus for test and-adjustment purposes. The cranks 25 are connected by means of connecting rods 33 to the ends ofthe cross head 20. The connecting rods 33 include a compressible spring arrangement within a cylinder 34 which will permit the crank to continue its rotation in the event that normal downward movement of the plunger structure is abnormally stopped.

" Blanks such as 1 are supported in a suitable magazine 35 and they are fed one by one from the bottom of the magazine into predetermined relationship to' the die structure, the blanks being withdrawn facewise from the magazine and thencarried in an edgewise manner downwardly and laterally into overlying relationship to the die structure 16. The magazine 35 is of skeleton construction and embodies a pair of lower end side arms 36--36 (see Figures 4 and 7), said side arms being rigid with suitable mounting brackets 3737 which are seated on a supporting member 38 which is mounted between the upper ends of upwardly extending frame members 14a. The supporting member 38 is pivotally secured as indicated at 39 to the upper ends of said frame members 14a so that the member 38 may be pivotally adjusted to alter the angular disposition of the magaportion of the stack to pass between said footed spring fingers and to come to rest'on said screws 43.

' vacuum pipe or'header45 isrigidly mounted in the'free end of an arm 52* (see Figures 3. and 4), which is rigidly secured at 53 to one end of a lever 54. The lever'54 is pivotally mo'u'ntedalta-SS on a free end of an arm 5% which is rigid with a shaft 57 journalled in upstanding ears of a bracket 58 which is suitably secured to the table 15. Beyond the pivot 55, the arm 54 is slotted as shown at 59 for receiving a guide roller 60 which is carried. by another arm 61. The arm 61 is pivotally mounted at its lower endfas indicated at 62 on the bracket 58. Said arm 61 is also provided with a slot '63, this slot receiving a; roller 64 which is carried by the free end of said =arm,'56. The slot- 63; is suitably shaped as shown to cause the arm 61 to be rocked in a predetermined manner incident to rocking of the roller carrying arm 56.

The rollerycarrying arm 56 is actuated through the agency of an arm 65 which is rigid with the shaft 57 and arm 56. Said'arm 65 is connected by means of a link or connecting rod 66 (see Figure 2) tothe free end of one arm 67 of a bell crank, which is suitably pivotally mounted, as indicated at 68', and has another arm 69 connected by a link 70 to an eccentric ring 71, which cooperates with *an eccentric disk secured to the rotatby the crank arms 25.

zine structure which, in its entirety, is supported'by said member 38. The stack of blanks 1 is supported on a pair of rods 40 between another pair of rods 41. The rod 40 and the rod 41 at each side of the magazine is carried by one of the brackets 37 and these brackets are adjustably secured to the supporting member 38 through the agency of bolts and nuts, indicated at 42, which pass through slots provided in the supporting member 38 to permit adjustment of the spacing of the members 37 and parts carried thereby relative to each other. The bottom of'the stackof blanks is supported by the pointed ends of screws 43 which are adjustablycarried by the arms 36, said pointed ends engaging only narrow marginal portions of the blank so that the lowermost blank may be pulled facewise past the supporting screw points by only slight distortion of the blank. The blanks are, of course, caused by gravity to rest on said screwpoints and to facilitate withdrawal of the lowermost blank, i.e., to effect an initial breaking of the face adhesion of the blanks in the stack, they are caused to travel between a pair of spring fingers 44 which are equipped with a series of pointed teeth which have the effect of preliminarily separating the blanks slightly, but sufficiently to permit the entrance of air between the blanks so that subsequent withdrawal of the lowermost blank from the magazine will not be hindered by said face to face adhesion of the blanks. The weight of the V The described actuating arm 56"and' the. slotted levers 54' and 61 move the vacuum g'ri'p'pers46 from the position indicated in. full lines in Figure 4' in engagement withthe bottom of the stack of blanks 1't0 an inverted downward- 1y facing position represented in dotted lines 46a in said Figure 4. The arrangement is's'uch that from the full line position of the vacuum gripper 46, as shown in Figure 4; said gripper will initially be inoved'away from the bottom of the magazine along a lineapproximately normal to the planes ofthe blanksthereby to withdraw the bottom blank in a facewi'se direction from the magazine. A position such as indicated in the dotted lines indicated at'46b is thereby attained. From the position 4611, the arms 52 and 54 are rocked downwardly and toward the die structure 16 through alposition represented at 46c and thence to the position146a immediately above the die 16. From the position 4621, the 52 and 54 are caused to move more or less vertically downwardly to a position such as represented infull lines in Figure 5.

The vacuum pipe 45 carries a'pair' of breaking devices 7-2 (see Figure 3) which, when the vacuum gripper 46 reaches the position shown in Figure 5, serve'to initiate entranceof the blank into the die 16. This is represented in Figure 9, where the breakers 72 are illustrated in approximately their lowermost-position in which the blank l is pressed partially into the die 16'. From this lowermost position of the grippers 46 and breakers 72, as shown in Figure '9; these parts-areretracted in time to clear the path of travel of the-plungers22, 23 and'24; which are then moved downwardly into'engagement with the blank 1 as shown in Figure 10. Said plungers' 22, 23 and 24 engage the bottom forming: portions 6 of the blankand force the blank downwardly. through the-die. The side wall portions 4 and 5 are first foldedlupwardly, as represented in Figure 14; by. engagement of said side wall portions with the rounded upper folding end areas of a series of side wall fcldingelements 73'of the die structure.

Upon further entrance of the blank into the die, end portions of the partition panel portions 7 engage folding members 74 of the die, these members being located intermediate the sidewall folders 73 and spaced therefrom so as to permit passage of the partition panels downwardly between the folding elements 73 and the folding members 74. Figures 11, 12 and 13 show successive positions in the folding of the partition panels 7 to their crate forming positions.

When the portion of the partition panels 7 intermediate the end portions 10 thereof are of considerable length, as represented in the Figure 18 blank, folding forces produced by the folding members 74 against the end portions 10 of said partition panels are somewhat inadequate to fold the entire length of the partition panels 7 about the fold lines 8, unless the blank is made of very stiff board. Usually, for economic reasons, the blank is made of a grade of paper board which is sufiiciently stiff for the purpose of a crate or nest but which is, nevertheless, sufiiciently flexible to cause the central or intermediate portions of the partition panels to lag behind the end portions during the folding thereof effected by the folding members 74. To improve the folding action, especially in reference to the central or intermediate portions of the partition panels, folding mechanism is provided for acting directly on said intermediate panel portions.

The mechanism which acts directly on the intermediate panel portions comprises fingers or similar elements 75, which are fixedly secured to the folding elements 73 and project therefrom short distances, as best indicated in Figure 14, into the path of movement of narrow marginal portions of the central or intermediate partition panel parts adjacent the slit lines 13. As the blank is moved downwardly into the die, said projecting fingers 75 will engage the portions of the partition panels immediate- 1y inwardly of the slit lines 13 and closely adjacent the top edges of said panels. This is represented in Figure 11 where the end portions 10 of the panels 7 are shown folded to a slightly greater angle than is the intermediate portion of the partition panel which is shown as having been folded upwardly to a lesser degree by the folding fingers 75. The folding fingers 75 are thus operative to initiate upward folding of the intermediate portions of the partition panels, the application of such upward folding force occurring only slightly subsequently to the application of upward folding force to the panel end portions 10 by the die members 74. By comparison of Figures 11 and 12, it will be readily apparent that the fixed fingers 75 are operative only for initiating said upward folding of the central portions of the partition panels 7.

Completion of the upward folding of the said central portions of the partition panels 7 is the function of folders or folding plates 76 which are pivotally mounted on the plungers 22 and 23 (Figure 3) by means of ears 77 which embrace portions of the plungers and receive pivot pins 78 carried by said plungers. A rod 79 extends transversely of the series of plungers 22, 23 and 24, and is slidably mounted therein, said rod passing through notches 80 provided in the folders 76. Cross pins indicated at 81, carried by the rod 79 immediately behind the respective folding plates 76, are operative to engage said plunger plates 76 to rock the same about their pivots 78 when the rod 79 is moved endwise, to the left in Figure 3. One end of the rod 79 is pivoted, as indicated at 82, to a lever 83, which is pivoted as indicated at 84 in the plunger structure. Said lever 83 extends downwardly and is provided with a suitably-shaped cam edge 85, which is adapted to engage a roller 86 which is suitably mounted on an end wall 17 of the die structure (see also Figure 6). It will be apparent that as the plunger structures moved downwardly, said lever 83 will be rocked incident to its engagement with the roller 36 and the shaft or rod 79 caused to move endwise to thereby impart rocking movement to the folding plates 76.

' The cam edge 83 is, of course, appropriately formed to cause said folding plates 76 to begin their rocking movement at a suitable time after the central portion of the partition panels have been moved upwardly sufficiently to cause said folders 76 to engage said central panel portions and to impart the required further folding movement thereto. By this plunger carried folding members, partition panels 7 of substantial length may effectively be folded, such plungercarried folding plates cooperating with the finger elements 74 of the die structure to elfect folding of the entire lengths of the partition panels substantially in unison.

The plunger movement continues downwardly until the folded crate is ejected from the bottom of the die structure. Upon reverse or upward movement of the plungers, wall portions of'the crate will engage bottom edge portions of the die structure so as to cause the crate to be stripped from the plungers, whereupon the released crates are dropped to a conveyor 87 mounted on the deck 88 of the frame structure. Said conveyor 87 is continuously driven by means of a suitable belt drive, indicated at 89,

from the output shaft of the speed changer 28. Any desired means may be associated with the conveyor 87 for receiving the crates therefrom.

As best shown in Figure 3, the die structure 16 is mounted on the table 15 so as to overlie an opening 90 in said table, through which opening the crates are delivered to the conveyor 87. Dies of various size may, of course, be mounted on the table plate 15 and to facilitate changing of the dies, said dies are preferably held in place by means of clamping devices, such as indicated at 91, which include finger portions 92 which enter suitable holes 93 provided in end bars 17 of the die, and slotted base portions 94, which are adapted to be clamped on the table plate by means of clamping bolts 95. To remove the die structure, it is only necessary to loosen the clamping bolts 95 on opposite ends of the die and slide the holding members 91 outwardly to disengage them from the end bars of the die structure.

Similarly, the plunger structure is readily changeable, said plunger structure embodying a main or supporting top bar 96, which is bolted as indicated at 97, to the vertically reciprocable cross head 20. By removing the bolts 97, the entire plunger structure may be removed and another one substituted.

To prevent lost motion and to otherwise make the operation of the blank feeding mechanism smooth and steady, the slotted lever 61 is biased in one direction to cause it to maintain firm contact with the roller 64. To that end, a rod 98 has one end pivotally connected, as indicated at 99 to the lever 61 somewhat above its pivot 62, and said rod extends slidably through a hole in a bracket 100 which is mounted on the table plate 15. A spring 1111 under compression between said bracket 100 and a collar 102 secured to said rod serves to impart the desired biasing force to said lever 61.

The table plate 15 has secured to it a rod 103 which has a threaded free end engaged with a hand nut 104, which bears against a frame portion so that by adjusting the nut 1G4, slight adjustment of the relationship of the blank feeding mechanism and die structure to the magazine 35 may be effected. This adjustment takes advantage of slight inherent flexibility in the support of the plate 15 and the support of the magazine, and permits what might be considered precision adjustment so that the blanks will be accurately positioned on the die. In the event that the machine is to be prepared for manual feed of the blanks into position over the die 16, suitable guides or stops may be provided as a part of the die structure for the initial positioning of the blanks in the desired registration with the die.

In the modified die structure shown in Figures 22 to 27 inclusive provision is made for effecting folding of the central transverse partition portions of the crate without the aid of the folding plates 76 on the plungers 22 and 23 of Figure 1. In Figures 22 to 27, the die and parts thereof which are similar to the die and parts thereof transverse partitions 7 whereas the die of Figure 8 was designed to fold a blank provided with only two such partitions. Accordingly, the plunger structure employed with the die of Figure 22 will embody five plungers designated 105 for seating on each of the bottom panel portions 6 of the blank to press the'blank downwardly into and through the die 16. The die portions 73 are arranged to act against the longitudinal wall forming portions 4 and 5 of the blank of Figure 28 in the'same manner as in the arrangement shown in Figures 8 to 17 inclusive so that as the blank is moved downwardly into the die 16 the side walls 4 and 5 thereof are folded upwardly relative to the bottom panel portions 6. In properly timed relation to the folding of the side wall panels 4 and 5, the transverse partition panels 7 are'also folded upwardly by the action of the folding members 74 of the die structure in a manner similar to that in which the transverse partition panels of the blank of Figure 18 are folded by the folding members 74 in the die structure of Figure 8.

The partition folding elements 74 of the die structure 7 act against the end portions 10 of the respective transverse panel elements of the blank and due to the presence of the slits 13 in said transverse partition elements, the central portions 12 of the respective transverse partitions will tend to lag behind and possibly resist upward folding especially if the lines of severance which separate said central portions from the bottom forming portions 6 of the blank are not fully and cleanly cut through the blank.

To assist the folding of the central portions 12 of the transverse partitions there are provided folding pins 106 which are slidably mounted in at least one of each cooperating pair of transverse partition folding elements 74. Said folding pins;106 are adapted to be projected as shown in Figure 22 well into the path of travel of said central partition elements 12 so that as the blank is moved downwardly through the die, the inwardly projecting portions of said pins 106 will engage the lower faces of the central portions 12 of the downwardly moving partition panels 7 as shown in Figure 27 to thereby insure folding of said central partition portions upwardly in only slightly retarded relation to the upward folding of the end portions 19 of said partition panels.

These pins 106 also project into the path of downward movement of the side wall 4 or 5 of the blank and must be retracted in time to permit the latter to pass without engaging said pins. The position of the pins 106 is accordingly automatically controlled so as to cause them to project into partition folding-position as shown in Figures 22 and 24 at the proper time and to be withdrawn to an inoperative position as represented in Figure 25 so as to permit the side wall 4 or 5 of the crate to pass through the die.

The folding pins 106 have laterally extending outer ends pivotally received in the upper ends of levers 107 which extend upwardly from and aresecured in'fixed relation to a shaft 108. This shaft 108 is suitably journaled at its ends as best represented in Figure 23 in bearing openings provided in the die end members '17 and aspring 109 wound around a portion of the shaft 108 and properly arranged to engage one of the arms 107 and a portion of the die structure serves to yieldingly urge the shaft 198 and its upstanding levers 107 to rock in the direction required to move said folding pins into projecting or operative position as shown in Figures 22 and 24.

Retraction of the folding pins 106 is elfected as an incident to the movement of one of the plungers 105 downwardly into the die, this operation being represented in Figures 22,24 and 25. As shown in said figures, a control pin 110 is slidably mounted in one of the die members 73* so as to have an outer end portion in engagement with a pad or plate 111 which is rigid with the shaft 108. The spring bias on theshaft' 108 normally causes said control pin 110 to move inwardly of the die so as to cause a suitably formed cam head 112 on the control .pin to projectinto the die between opposed folding members '73. When the related plunger 105 .moves downwardly between such folding members 73, such plunger acting through the then upwardly folded side wall 5 will act against the head 112 of the control pin to force said control pin outwardly whereby the shaft 108 will be rocked against the force 'of said spring 109 in'the proper'direction to withdraw the pins 106 from folding position to inoperative position as shown in Figure 25. In this instance, folding pins106 and means for retracting the same have been shown on only one side'of the die structure. This is sufiicient when the crate or nest to be formed is of relatively narrow proportions as represented in Figures 28 and 29. However, it will be apparent that the described folding pin and control arrangement may also be provided on the opposite side of the die structure for folding the crates or nests in which the lengths of the respective center and end portions of the transverse partitions are substantially increased.

The modified magazine arrangement shown in Figures 30 to 33 inclusive, provides somewhat more flexible and more complete adjustment for the position of the blank magazine relative to the blank gripper 46 of the blank feed mechanism. The magazine shown in Figures 30, 31 and 32 comprises rack forming rods 40 and 41 as in Figures 1, 2 and 4, these rods being suitably formed and secured at-their lower ends to plates or headers 113. These plates or headers 113 also have rigidly secured thereto, elongated members 114 which fit between a pair of supporting guide bars 115 and 116. Suitable wing nuts 117 acting through screws 118 which are rigidly connected to thebars 114 and the headers 113, serve to clamp the members 113 in selected position of adjustment along lengths of the supporting bars 115 and 117. Clamp plates 119 straddle and rest against the front faces of the bars 115 and 116 to support said wing nuts 117.

The blank supporting screws 43 are adjustably mounted in angle iron members 120 and 121 on the opposite sides of the magazine and said members 120 and 121 are respectively welded to or otherwise rigidly secured to the header plates 113 so as to be movable therewith as integral parts thereof.

Instead of the toothed spring fingers 44 of the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 7, there are provided in this modified arrangement, cylindrical Wire brush elements 122 and 123, these brush elements being similar to spring wire brushes used for cleaning shot-gun barrels. The brush 123 is suspended in predetermined alignment with the magazine forming rods 40 by means of a bracket 124 which is suitably secured to the bar 115. The brush 122 is carried on the free end of an arm 125 which is pivotally adjustably mounted as indicated at 126 on an extension of the magazine member 120 so that said separating brush 122 may be moved toward and from the brush .123 to cooperate therewith in receiving and acting on blanks of various widths. The brush 122 is preferably clamped in selected position of adjustment by means of a wing nut 126a which is threaded on an end portion of the pivot pin 126, but in some instances the pivot may be free and the brush yieldingly urged against the stack of blanks by suitable spring means. The brush 123 is positioned with most of its length above the plane of the blank at the bottom or delivery end'of the stack and the brush 122 is positioned with most of its length below said plane. By this arrangement, the brush 122 has a hold-back effect on all blanks in excess of one withdrawn by the transfer means from the magazine.

Themembers 120 and 121 are provided with extra screw threaded holes such as indicated at 127 (Figure 30) for receiving the outermost blank supporting screw 43 in various positions relative to the innermost screw 43 for further adapting the magazine to the handling of blanks of various widths. In extreme oases, the headers 113 and the magazine parts carried thereby may, of course, be wholly replaced although this is not usually necessary within the range of blank size normally employed for making crates or nests of the type herein described.

The supporting bars 115 and 116 which carry the magazine structure are themselves supported on the ends of a pair of screws 128 and 129 through the agency of suitable bearings which are here indicated as ball bearings 130 which are suitably anchored in end members 131 to which the ends of the bars 115 and 116 are fixedly secured. The screws 128 and 129 cooperate with split nuts 132 which are respectively welded to the upper ends of a pair of screw threaded supporting posts such as indicated at 133. Clamping screws 134 are provided for tightening the nuts 132 on the screws 128 and 129 to prevent rotation of the screws so as to maintain the parts in selected position of adjustment. For adjusting the magazine structure transversely of the position of the blank gripper 46, the clamping screws 134 are released and the screws 128 and 129 are turned through the agency of a suitable crank handle 135 provided for that purpose, thereby to cause said screws 128 and 129 to move in a selected direction through the nuts 132. The screw 129 is connected by means of a chain 136 and suitable sprockets on the respective screws 128 and 129 so that the screw 129 will rotate in unison with the screw 128 so that the magazine structure will be uniformly adjusted laterally at both of its ends. When proper adjustment is achieved, the clamping screws 134 are tightened to lock the parts in position.

The screw posts 133 are adjustable in the direction of their axes so as to effect adjustment of the blank magazine toward and from the gripper 46. To that end, the screw posts 133 are threaded through sleeve-nuts such as indicated at 137 which are rotatably seated in split sleeves such as indicated at 138. Suitable lugs provided on the opposite halves of the split sleeve 138 receive clamping screws 139 to permit tightening of the sleeve 138 about the adjustable sleeve-nuts 137 so as to lock the latter in the selected position of adjustment. The sleevenuts 137 are each provided with a flange 140 on its upper end for positioning the nut in the sleeve and to facilitate manual rotation of the sleeve-nut to effect the desired up or down adjustment of the post 133. A compression spring 141 interposed between the lower end of the clamping sleeve 138 and a washer 142 secured to the lower end of the screw post normally urges the screw post to move downwardly as permitted by rotation of the nut 137 and also serves to maintain the nut flange 140 seated on the upper end of the split sleeve 138 so as to provide a normally fixed point relative to which adjustment is etfected. The split sleeve 133 is suitably pivotally mounted as indicated at 143 on the upstanding frame members 14a so as to permit rocking of the entire magazine structure about the axis of the pivot connections 143.

The described adjustments not only adapt the magazine to handling blanks of various sizes, but also facilitates adjustment of the magazine relative to the operating position of the blank gripper 46 to secure the most advantageous operation.

Various changes in the described structures may be made while retaining the principles of the described machine.

I claim:

1. A crate folding machine comprising a folding die having a pair of spaced folding members adapted to engage end portions of a panel of a crate blank to fold such panel relative to another portion of the blank as an incident to movement of the blank into said die, a lunger movable into said die for so moving such blank, said panel having a pair of slits extending thereinto from an edge thereof and serving to divide said panel into end sections and an intermediate section, means carried by one of said folding members and projecting therefrom toward the other thereof for engaging said intermediate portion of said panel to eflfect folding of such intermediate portion as an incident to said movement of the blank, and separate means adapted to be actuated by said plunger upon entrance thereof into said die for effecting retraction of said projecting means in predetermined timed relation to the movement of said blank relative to said die.

2. In apparatus for converting cut and scored blanks into a tray having a pair'of side walls folded upwardly from an intervening bottom wall, and a plurality of partitions which extend transversely of said side walls, said partitions being folded upwardly from spaced portions of said bottom wall intermediate said side walls and having end portions which project beyond said side Walls, said partitions being provided with slits to receive said side Walls and said slits serving to divide said partitions into end and intermediate sections; the apparatus comprising a die structure having two sets of mutually opposed, fixed folding fingers which extend toward and terminate in spaced relation to each other, said folding fingers having surfaces shaped to engage and fold the side wall forming portions of the blank upwardly upon movement of the blank between said sets of fingers, said die structure also having two sets of folding members respectively associated with said sets of fingers and respectively positioned for engaging said end sections of the partition forming portions of the blank to fold said end sections upwardly from said bottom wall upon movement of the blank past said folding members, and retractable means carried by and projecting from the folding members of at least one set thereof for engaging and folding said intermediate partition sections to effect upward folding thereof as an incident to said movement of the blank, plunger means for moving said blank as aforesaid, and separate means actuated by said plunger means for retracting said retractable means in predetermined timed relation to the movement of said blank into said die.

3. In apparatus for converting cut and scored blanks into a tray having a pair of side walls folded upwardly from an intervening bottom wall, and a plurality of partitions which extend transversely of said side walls, said partitions being folded upwardly from spaced portions of said bottom wall intermediate said side walls and having end portions which project beyond said side walls, said partitions being provided with slits to receive said side Walls and said slits serving to divide said partitions into end and intermediate sections; the apparatus comprising a die structure having two sets of mutually opposed, fixed folding fingers which extend toward and terminate in spaced relation to each other, said folding fingers having surfaces shaped to engage and fold the side wall forming portions of the blank upwardly upon movement of the blank between said sets of fingers, said die structure also having two sets of folding members respectively associated with said sets of fingers and respectively positioned for engaging said end sections of the partition forming portions of the blank to fold said end sections upwardly from said bottom wall upon movement of the blank past said folding members, and retractable means carried by and projecting from the folding members of at least one set thereof for engaging and folding said intermediate partition sections to effect upward folding thereof as an incident to said movement of the blank, plunger means movable into said die between an opposed pair of said folding fingers for moving said blank as foresaid, a pin slidable through one of the folding fingers of said pair thereof and having a cam formation 1 1 on one end for engagement by said plunger means, means operatively interconnecting the other end of, said pin to said retractable means, a spring normally tyieldingly urg ing said'retractable means and said pin inwardly of said 'die, said plunger means being operative upon engagement'with said cam formation to efiect outward movement thereof and retraction of said retractable means, the folding finger in which said plunger is slidable being provided with a recess to receive said cam formation when said plunger is moved to a position intermediate said pair of folding fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson Jan; 14,1958

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