US3102374A - Packing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1960 I NVENTOR.

Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1960 3 1 M .M k. a 4 4 M 8 M9 in M l 0 MW. i. Z IAN. .I 4 1 3 .I 3 I: l H 7 I 6 I 9 M m Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24. 1960 INVENTOR. AzLE/v I! now KENNETH R. kuNm/V 4% Auoryqy Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1960 INVENTOR.

w W as w R f w H m an Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 24, 1960 INVENTOR. ALLEN Muovp BY Knmnw R.Ru/vYAN Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 24. 1960 R 0 M m u W R T 3 m AK V. B n 4 11 M N 4 y 4 4 I- 8 I w Q 7 3 0 4 J3 U 1 1% Atwrpe Sept. 3, 1963 A. H. LLOYD ETAL PACKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 24. 1960 3,102,3' 74 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 3,102,374 a PACKING MACHINE Allen 11. Lloyd, Terrace Park, and Kenneth R.

Mount Qarmel, Ohio, assignors to Tech-Art, Inc., Milford, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed lllar. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 17,324 16 Claims. (Cl. 53-78) Runyan,

further object of the present invention is the pro- ViSlOl'l of a machine which automatically transfers flat articles, such as knocked-down milk cartons, from a cardcsired count automatically dispenses box with its articles.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a continuously operating machine for efiecting the V and in which shipping or storage containers orbortes are being continuously and automatically presented for filling so that upon the filling of one box or container a second container or box is ready for receiving the said articles.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide a machine cEor accomplishing the foregoing objects which is relatively simple of operation and construction and economical 'to acquire, all consistent with the objects to be accomplished.

Other objects and advanatges of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the followto be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the 'scopeef the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is aside elevational view of a machine embodying the principles and construction of the present invention, certain portion of the machine being removed in the interest eispace and clarity of disclosure.

is e'ifmnt elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1 as'seenzfirom the left hand end of said FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a'sectional view of the machine shown in FIG. 2 and as seen from line 33 on said FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 issu enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view through a portion of the machine as seen from line 4.-4 on FIG. I. r.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, and illustrating mechanism which continues from the left hand end of said 'FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view through a portion of the machine as seen from line 6-6 on FIG. t.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, elevational view of a pontion of FIG. 6 as seen from line 77 on FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, sectional view through the hopper wall showing a detail in the construction and control mechanism of the machine as seen from line 88 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of pneumatically operated mechanism and the circuit therefor forming a detail of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view wiring mechanism as employed in the present invention.

FIG. I1 is a. perspective view of a knockeddown milk carton with which the present machine operates.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, sectional View of a portion of the machine as seen from line 1212 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the machine as seen from line 13-13 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, sectional view as seen from line 14-14 on FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary, plane to the right of FIG on FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevation as seen from line 1616 on FIG. 12.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

As was noted above, the machine of the present invention is employed for transferring knockedalown milk cartons from the carton gluing machine to a storage or shipping container or box, and in which container or box said cartons are delivered to the user, a dairy or the like, which erects the cartons and fills the same. It is to be understood that while the machine is illustrated showing the electrical sectional view taken in a 14 as seen on line 15-15 in its use to milk cartons.

While it is believed that milk cartons are Well known one form of the same has been illustrated in FIG. 11 and briefly its construction is as follows:

The milk carton is formed of a single blank of material sultably scored to provide four panels 20 hingedly connected to one another and with one end panel including a glue flap 21 overwhich the other end panel is superimposed and whereby the knocked-down carton may be opened to the position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 11. Each of the panels 20, carton side walls, has its lower end scored at 22 through which bottom closure panels 23 are hingedly connected. As illustrated adjacent closure flaps 23 are of dissimilar length with panel 23a being shorter than panel 23b. The dissimilarity in closure flap lengths is for the purpose of properly sealing the erected carton bottom.

The upper ends of the panels 20 are likewise defined by a score or fold line 24 and through which top closure flaps 25 are secured to the said carton side walls or panels 20. In practice the said carton top closure flaps have two opposed carton side walls inclined toward one another to form tapered top for the erected carton. The opposed connecting carton walls closure flaps are provided with converging scores 26 and whereby said closure flaps may be inwardly positioned with respect to the other closure flaps in sealing the upper ends of the carton. The actual sealing of said upper end of the carton effected through closure panels 27 and 28 which are folded and interlocked with respect to one another and permanently locked in said folded position.

In practice the cartons are folded as illustrated in solid linm in FIG. 11 and are moved by conveyor belts in the direction of arrow 29, that is, with the carton top end forward to the container packing machine of the present invention. The cartons are laterally moved from the machine of the present invention in a direction at right angles to their delivery to the machine, in the direction of the arrow associated with FIG. 11.

The carton forming machine is so designed that the knocked-down cartons are super-imposed on one another but with each of the cartons having a lead over its following carton that no interference is had in the folding and gluing of the blank to the knocked-down carton as illustrated in FlG. 11.

The glued and knocked-down cartons are fed in a continuous stream from the gluing machine over a supporting table 31 to the entrant throat 32 of the packing and counting machine.

The counting and packing machine of the present invention comprises a supporting frame formed of structural elements such as hollow members, preferably, rectangular in cross section and sometimes referred to as a mechanical 2 x 4", it is to be understood, however, that any other normal structural elements may be employed. The machine frame therefore comprises a suitable number of uprights 33 longitudinally connected with one another in spaced apart relation by horizontal members 34 and transverse members 35. Supported by certain of the upright members 33 are spaced inclined side members 36 which support the feeding or conveying mechanism for the cartons from the said entrant throat 32.

The conveying mechanism for the cartons comprises a lower endless conveyer belt 37 and an upper endless conveyer belt 38. The lower conveyer belt 37 at the entrant throat 32 passes around a drum 39 secured to a shaft 40 journaled at its outer ends on the side members 36. The conveyer belt 37 passes from the drum 39 around slack take up pulleys or drums 41, 42 and 43 before it passes around discharge drum 44 and returns to the first drum 39. It is to be understood that the take up drums 41, 42 and 43 may, all or certain of them, be supported by adjusting mechanism whereby, as intimated above, the conveyer belt 37 is properly tensioned.

As an example of tensioning means for the conveyer belt 37 the take up drum or pulley 41 is mounted on a shaft carried by a bearing block 45 mounted for movement between rails 46 and 47 carried by and projecting from each of the main frame sides 36. The bearing block 45 is movable with respect to its rails 46 and 47 through a depending screw 48 threadedly mounted in a block 49 joning the rails 46 and 47 at their outer or free ends. It is believed obvious that movement of the bearing block 45, particularly as seen in FIG. 1, will positively tension the conveyer belt 37 and remove any slack that may develop therein.

A similar mounting may be supplied for each of pulleys or drums 42 and 43 or said drum -42 may be mounted in the free ends of carrying arms 50' pivotally mounted at 51 to the inner surfaces of the main frame sides 36. The drum or pulley 44 at the discharge end of the lower conveyer belt 37 is mounted on a shaft 52, which, similar to the shaft 40, is rotatably mounted in journals carried by the frame sides 36. In any event the lower conveyer belt 37 is mounted to have proper driving tension therein for moving the cartons as supplied thereto.

The upper conveyer belt 38, similar to the lower conveyer belt 37, is trained around take-up pulleys or drums 53 and 54 as well as around a discharge drum 55 and a feed drum 56. The feed drum 56 for the upper conveyer belt 38 is secured to a shaft 57 mounted in bearings 58 carried by supplemental frame member 59, respectively, on and projecting from the main frame sides 36. Again, any suitable or desirable means may be employed for mounting the belt tensioning or take-up pulleys or drums 53 or 54 than that shown in the drawings comprising a pair of arms 60 for the drum 53 and a pair of arms 61 for the drum 54 with said arms of each pair mounted for adjustment on an axis coincident with the axis of the feed drum shaft 57. The tension establishing pulley or drum 54 after having its arms 61 adjusted to the desired position is locked therein with respect to the arms 60 so that said arms 60 and 61 move as a unit on the axis of the shaft 62 upon the movement of the knocked-down cartons into the machine as will subsequently be made clear.

The upper conveyer belt discharge drum 56 is secured to a shaft 63 carried by the inner ends of pivotally mounted arms 64 pivoted at 65 to the upper ends of supports 66 carried by and upstanding from the main frame sides 36, the purpose of which will subsequently be made clear.

The conveyer belts 37 and 38 are so positioned with respect to one another as to have their upper and lower reaches, respectively, and indicated by reference numerals 67 and 68, in face, or driving, contact with one another and which belt reaches are supported in said normal face contact by a supporting device, conveniently in the form of a pan including a body portion 69 and upstanding sides 70 at opposite sides of the pan body portion 69. The said pan is mounted to extend in substantial parallelism with the main frame sides 36 and for which purpose said pan is supported at 71 and 72 by angle irons carried by main frame sides uprights 73 and 74.

In practice the lower and upper conveyer belts 37 and 38 are power actuated to have their contacting reaches 67 and 68 move upwardly of the main frame sides 36 or from the entrant throat 32 to a discharge throat 75 at the upper end of the machine.

The conveyer belts 37 and 38 are simultaneously driven and at equal speeds by driving mechanism carried by the machine frame. For this purpose the longitudinal frame members 34 have secured thereto a shelf 76 on which is mounted a motor 77 having connected with its shaft 78 an adjustable speed varying pulley 79. The pulley 79 is suitably connected by a belt 80 to a similar adjustable speed varying pulley 81 on a counter shaft 82. The counter shaft 82 is rotatably mounted in supporting pillow block bearings 83 in turn supported by and upwardly projecting from the shelf 76. The counter shaft 82 has its one end terminating in a speed reducer 84 from which extends a shaft 85 having secured thereto a driving member, preferably a chain sprocket 86. Extending about the chain sprocket 86 is link chain 87 that extends around a take up or idler sprocket 88 and around driving sprocket 89 on one end of the driving shaft 40 of drum 39 as well as around driving sprocket 90 on one end of shaft 57. From this it follows that the link chain 87 aotuates or drives the conveyer belts 37 and 38 to have their inner reaches 67 and 68 upwardly move and at a similar rate of speed relative to the support or pan body portion 69.

The discharge throat 75 of the conveyer belts 37 and 38 discharges into a hopper indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 91 and from which hopper the knockeddown milk cartons are discharged into the shipping 00ntainer or box.

The hopper 91 comprises a pair of opposed side members 92 and 93 having their outer ends turned to have secured thereto vertically extending members to provide inwardly projecting flanges 94 and 95 and which flanges constitute the front of the hopper to prevent the knockeddown cartons from passing through the hopper to the exterior. The bottom of the hopper is formed by a discharge mechanism indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 96 and to be subsequently described in detail.

Flanking each side of the hopper is a pair of arms or rails 97 and 98 with said rails having their inner ends secured to the main frame uprights to outwardly project. Mounted on the arms or rails 97 and 98, on each side of the hopper, is an opposed bearing block 99 supporting between them a shaft 100 substantially centrally of which is a brush 101. The brush 101 is of a length to project through the opening or space between the hopper front flanges 94 and 95 as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

The brush 101 is adapted to engage the adjacent edge, specifically, the top edge or carton closure flap 28 to insure the carton being properly positioned within the hop per as it descends toward the bottom 91 thereof.

Projecting from the main frame upright in the opposite direction of the arms or rails 97 and 98 on each side of the hopper is a pair of similar though much shorter arms or rails 102 and 103 again each supporting a bearing block 104 in which is mounted a shaft 105 carrying a brush 106 which, similar to the brush 101, enters into the hopper, this time from the rear and between the hopper sides 92 and 93, for engaging the opposite end of the knocked-down carton, the bottom closure flap 23, for cooperating with the said brush 101 in properly positioning the folded cartons and insuring their proper position on the hopper bottom 96 and one another.

The brushes 101 and 106 are power operated each, however, through a separate drive although at substantially the same rate of speed.

In order to drive the brush 101, see FIG. 1, the shaft 100 thereof has secured to its projecting end a link chain sprocket 107 about which is trained a link chain 108. The link chain 108 beyond the sprocket passes around a take-up chain sprocket 109 rotatably mounted at 110 to one end of an arm 111 pivotally mounted at 112 to the rail or arm 98. The take-up sprocket 109 is adjustable through an adjusting screw 113 carried by the rail or arm 97 and impinging on the arm 11.1 for operating or oscillating it about its pivot 112. The link chain 108 beyond the take-up sprocket 109 encircles a chain sprocket 114 on the outer end of the shaft 52 supporting the lower conveyer belt discharge drum 44. The link chain 108 beyond the sprocket 114 encircles a sprocket 115 on the outer end of a shaft 116 rotatably mounted in a bracket arm 117 carried by and forwardly projecting from one of the main frame uprights 33.

The shaft 116 located substantially at the lower end of the hopper sides 92 and 93 has on its inner end a relatively short brush 118. The brush 118 is adapted to engage a short portion of the bottom closure flap 23b inwardly of the corner thereof adjacent the bottom closure flap 230. it should be here noted that this edge was engaged by the positioning brush 106 but did not particularly effect any positioning of the parts of the knocked-down carton relative to one another since said brush 106, as well as the brush 101, have relatively readily flexible bristles While the brush 118 has relatively stiff bristles.

As was above pointed out the knocked-down cartons are fed from the hopper in the direction of the arrow 30 and it was found that the carton bottom closing flap 235 had a tendency to lock with the carton thereabove since, as can be seen from FIG. 11, the opposite carton bottom closure flap is longer than the flap thereabove. By subjecting the said upper bottom closure flap 23b to the action of the brush 118 in the area thereof indicated by the reference numeral 119 the said tendency of the knockeddown cartons to lock with one another was eliminated since said corner 119 of the carton bottom closure flap 23b is biased away from the carton thereabove at the time of discharge from the hopper.

From the foregoing it will now be noted that knockeddown cartons are fed in a continuous stream from the folding and gluing machine, not shown in the drawings except through the supporting table 31, a portion of said folding and gluing machine, to the hopper and said cartons are accurately positioned within the hopper for discharge therefrom.

The hopper discharge mechanism, or bottom, 96 includes a substantially rectangular frame having opposed side members 120 and 121 joined at their outer ends by end member 122. Extending between said side members 120 and 121 is a pair of shafts 123 and 124 with said shaft 123 being mounted in bearings 125 and 126 carried by the inner opposed surfaces of the side members and 121 while the shaft 124 is carried by a bearing 127, similar in all respects to the bearings and 126, on the inner surface of the front frame side member 121 and with said shaft 124 extending through a bearing 128, on the side member 120, and through the side member to be beyond the said side member 120.

Each of the shafts 123 and 124 is provided with a pair of chain sprockets 129 and 130 which are inwardly of the frame side members 120 and 121. The sprocket 129 on each shaft 123 and 124 are in alignment with one another as are the sprockets 130 on said shafts. Encircling the aligned sprockets 129 is a link chain 131 while a similar link chain 132 encircles the aligned sprockets 130. The said link chains 131 and 132 are connected with one another through a plurality of transverse plates 133, there being a transverse plate between each alternate link and which connecting plates are the actual canton discharge members, each plate discharging a single carton. The parts are so designed that alternate links are connected by a. plate while the intermediate links are free of the plates and in order to pick up and discharge a knocked-down carton each plate is provided at one end with an upstanding finger 134, the finger extending the full length of its plate.

The shafts 123 and 124 are preferably mounted to have their axes at slightly different elevation with respect to the machine supporting floor for thereby obtaining a slight inclination to the discharge mechanism in the direction of the discharge from the hopper as clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

It is desired that the discharge mechanism provide a relatively non-sagging bottom for the hopper, wherefore, the said sprocket chains 131 and 132 are each mounted on a support 135. The supports 135 are tied to one another by a cross member 136 and which cross member is mounted whereby it and the sprocket chain supports may be given a tilt in accordance with the desired angularity of the discharge plates 133. Any suitable or desirable means may be employed for this purpose that illustrated in the drawings comprising a tie or base member 137 extending between the frame sides 120 and 121 having threaded therethrough jack screws 138 and 139 which respectively engage with the cross member 136 along an opposite edge thereof. A clamp screw 140 is further provided by the base member 137 and threaded into the said cross member 136 for securely clamping the cross member 136 and the chain supports 135 in their positions of adjustment as effected by the jack screws 138 and 139.

In order to drive the discharge mechanism 96 the inward projecting portion of shaft 124 has mounted thereon a clutch mechanism 141 which conveniently takes the form of any well known electrical clutch since the rotation of this shaft and its stopping must be instantaneously controlled as will presently be made clear. The electric clutch 141 is not disclosed in detail in the drawing since it is a well known device but briefly comprises a portion 142 keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 124 and has a second portion 143 normally free of the shaft but connectable with the shaft through the clutch portion 142 upon the electrical energization of said clutch portion 142. The clutch portion 143 has secured thereto a sprocket 144 about which is trained a link chain 145. The link chain 145 in turn is trained around a driving sprocket 146 keyed or otherwise secured to the counter shaft 82.

As was intimated above the shaft 124 must respond substantially instantaneously to driving and stopping operations and in order to stop the shaft 124 in a minimum of time it has mounted thereon a brake mechanism 147, which conveniently takes the form of an electric brake, again a device well known and obtainable as a tandard commercial product. The electric brake is not mechanically illustrated in the drawings but, briefly, includes a portion 148 that may be secured to the shaft 124 and a portion 149 which is secured to a fixed part of the machine.

As was noted above the number of knocked-down cartons placed in a shipping container or box is accurately controlled and the counting mechanism is preferably operated by the discharge mechanism through the shaft 124. Accordingly, the shaft 124 has secured to its end a flat disc 150 provided with a plurality of elongated apertures or slits 151. The said slit disc 150 is adapted to cooperate with the counting mechanism which is operated by a photo-electric cell.

As shown in FIG. 1 a light source 152 is mounted on one side of the slitted disc 150 while a photo-electric cell 153 is mounted on the opposite side of said slitted disc. Said lamp or light source 152 and photo-electric cell 153 being arranged in proper position through a bracket 154 carried by and projecting from an upright 33 of the main supporting frame.

it will now be noted that the discharge from the hopper is continuous the same as the feed or supply to the hopper is continuous. It should further be noted that the parts are so proportioned to one another that a slit or elongated aperture 151 passes between the light source or lamp 152 and the photo-electric cell 153 each time a discharge plate 133 through its finger 134 picks up a knocked-down carton from the hopper to discharge the same, as will later be made clear, into a shipping container, box or carton.

The photo-electric cell 153 is electrically connected with an electric counter 155 mounted on the machine frame to the rear thereof and which electric counter operates through control mechanism to control the shipping container or box feeding mechanism as will presently be made clear. The electric counter, since it is a well known and commercial product is not detailed in the drawings but it may be noted that it is provided with a series of dials 156 whereby the operator may at all times know the number of knocked-down cartons in the container and know that the machine is properly functioning.

Beyond the hopper discharge mechanism is a conveyor and stacking mechanism that actually places and stacks the knocked-down cartons in the shipping or storage container or box. The said discharge conveyor and stacking mechanism is clearly illustrated in FIG. and indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 157. The

said conveyor and stacking mechanism, essentially, is

nothing more than an upper conveyor belt 158 and a lower conveyor belt 159 each, respectively, extending from a driving or feeding drum 160 and 161 around take-up drums or pulleys to a driven or discharge drum 162 and 163, respectively, for the upper and lower belts 158 and 159. The said upper and lower conveyor belts 158 and 159 are, in reality, each a pair of narrow bands opposed to one another and with a pair of said opposed bands each in alignment, respectively, with a discharge mechanism link chain 131 and 132.

The upper conveyor belt 158 between its driving drum 160 and its discharge drum 162 passes around or engages idler and take-up drums 164, 165 and 166 each mounted on a shaft and with certain of said drum shafts adjustable with respect to the others. It will be noted, for example, that drum 164 has its shaft 167 in bearings 168 mounted, respectively, in an elongated aperture 169 in the supporting uprights 170 upwardly projecting from the discharge mechanism side plates or extensions thereof and with said bearings 168, respectively, adjustable in its elongated aperture 169 by an adjusting screw 171.

The lower conveyor belt 159, similar to the belt 158, between its driving drum 161 and its discharge drum 163 passes around or engages idler and take-up drums 172, 173 and 174 each mounted on a shaft and with certain of said drum shafts adjustable with respect to the others. It will, again, be noted, for example, that the take-up drum 172 has its shaft 175 rotatably mounted in arms 176 respectively pivotally mounted at 177 in the discharge mechanism side plates or extensions thereof. The said arms 176 are respectively actuated about its pivot by an adjusting screw 178 carried by each of said arms to en gage a tie plate, in turn, carried by the discharge mechanism side plates.

The upper belt driving drum is secured to a shaft 179 which carries at one end a chain sprocket 180 while the lower belt driving drum 161 is similarly secured to a shaft 181 having at one of its ends a chain sprocket 182. The chain sprockets 180 and 182 are in vertical align ment with ane another and are so positioned with respect to one another to have trained thereabout a link chain 183 and which link chain in turn encircles a driving sprocket 184 on the counter shaft 82.

As will be obvious from FIG. 4 the hopper discharge mechanism 96 picks up a new knocked-down carton shortly after the previously picked up carton so that said cartons are, in reality, stacked one above another as they leave the hopper in a condition with the leading end of each carton in advance of the carton thereabove and since the discharge plates 133 are equally spaced with respect to one another, the eventual stack of cartons being discharged from the hopper will remain the same after the first carton has been completely discharged from the hopper. in order to insure the cartons being discharged one at a time, or only one carton per plate 133, a flexible wiper 185 is mounted at the discharge side of the hopper and which will retain all cartons within the hopper except the lowermost one which is being positively pushed by a plate finger 134. Since, as obvious from FIGS. 4 and 5, a slight gap exists between the hopper discharge mechanism 96 and the packer mechanism 157 means are provided to maintain pressure on the carton pile as discharged from the hopper.

This pressure means comprises a roller 186 rotatably mounted between the arms of a yoke 187 which yoke in turn is pivotally mounted at 188 through arms 189 to the hopper side. The yoke 187 is yieldably retained in its operative position by a spring 190 located between the yoke and a fixed abutment 191 provided by the head of an adjusting screw carried by and upwardly projecting from a block 191 fixed with respect to the machine as through an arm or rail 98.

The individual cartons of the pile of cartons as dis charged from the hopper are retained in their spaced relationship by the belts 158 and 159 and which are yieldably retained in operative position. This yieldabie relationship of the belts 158 and 159 is effected through the discharge drum 162 of the belt 158 being carried on a shaft 192 in turn carried by opposed arms 193 of a frame 193' in turn pivotally mounted at 194 between the supporting uprights 170 upwardly projecting from the discharge mechanism side plates or extensions thereof. The frame 193 is under downward yieldable pressure through a spring 195 encircling a rod or bar 196 that passes through a bracket 197 on the outer surface of one of the frame arms 193 and with said spring 195 abutting on one end with said bracket arm 197 and on its other end with lock nuts 198.

As will subsequently be made clear a possible jamming of the cartons between the said belts 158 and 159 may occur to the point that insufiicient yield remains in the spring to permit separation of said belts and whereupon the belts may be mechanically separated. For this purpose the rod 196 is secured to a head 199 bolted or otherwise secured to a link 290 pivoted at 201 to the discharge mechanism side plate 121 or an extension thereof. The link 200 has connected therewith an operating lever 202 and the rod 196 is provided with a fixed collar or abutmcnt 203 at a point below the bracket 197.

It is believed obvious that should the pile of cartons be jammed between the belts 158 and 159 the operation of the link 2560 in a clock-wise direction on its pivot 201 the rod 196 through the collar 203 will raise the frame 193' to permit clearing of the cartons from between the said belts 158 and 159.

The discharge belts 158 and 159 terminate in a discharge outlet 264' for discharging the knocked-down cartonst directly into the shipping container or box 204. The said shipping container or box 204 is moving, substantially continuously, or at least, at a rate to receive the folded knocked'down cartons as they are delivered through the discharge outlet 204'. The said shipping containers or boxes 294 are moved and controlled by a mechanism indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 205; said mechanism for convenience in description may be termed the shipping container or box conveyer mechanism.

The shipping container or box conveyer mechanism comprises a pair of longitudinally extending side members 206 and 207, see FIG. 1, which extend at an upper outward angle at the front end of the machine as seen in FIG. 2. The said longitudinal side members 206 and 207 are secured in spaced apart relation by a lower transverse connecting member 208 and an upper transverse connecting member 269. In addition the said longitudinal members 206 and 207 are connected by a transverse member 210 extending from the machine frame and with said machine frame including a base 211 formed of structunal elements which connect with and support the lower end of the longitudinal side frame members 206 and 207.

The said container conveyer mechanism side members 206 and 207 each has at its upper end a bearing 212 in alignment with one another and in which is journaletd a shaft 213. Similarly each of said longitudinal side members 206 and 21 is provided near its lower end with a bearing 21.4 again in alignment with one another for rotatably supporting a shaft 215. The upper shaft 213 has mounted thereon just inwardly of each of its bearings 212 a sprocket 216 while the shaft 215 is likewise provided just inwardly of its bearings 214 with sprockets 217. The sprockets 216 on the shaft 123 are each in alignment with sprockets 217 on the shaft 215 with said alignment sprockets respectively having entrained around them link chains 218 and 219, see H6. 3.

The link chains 218 and 219 are joined against lateral displacement by a plurality of spaced connecting members 220 with certain of said connecting members 220 having integral therewith or secured thereto a plate 221 and with said plates each upstanding from its connecting member and therefore the link chains 218 and 219 to be upwardly of the container or box conveying mechanism side members 266 and 207. The upstanding plates 221 are spaced from one another a distance to accommodate between them a shipping container or box 205 as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

The link chains 213 and 219, the shipping container or box oonveyer, per se, is power actuated and for which purpose the base frame 211 is provided with a top memher 222 on which is mounted an electric motor 223. The said motor 223 has its shaft 224 terminating in a speed reducing mechanism 225 which in turn is provided with an output shaft 226. The shaft 226 has mounted thereon a combined electric clutch-brake 227, which is a commercial product and not illustrated in detail in the drawing. The said clutch-brake mechanism includes a member 228 which can be connected with the speed reducer shaft 226 and disconnected therefrom and a fixed member 229 which is connected with said shaft 226 alternately with the member 228 whereby the shaft extension is driven or held stationary depending upon conditions as hereinafter pointed out.

Extending from the said clutch-brake mechanism 227 is the shaft extension 231 to the end of which is secured a sprocket 232. The sprocket 232 is in alignment with a sprocket 233 secured to an end of the conveyer shaft 215' and with said sprockets 232 and 233 having a link chain 234 encircling them and through which power is transmitted to the said container conveyer link chains 218 and 219.

The motor '77 and the motor 230 are illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 10 as simultaneously connected with the main electric feed lines 235, 236 and 237 wherefore they are simultaneously started and stopped by control mechanism hereinafter set forth. it should be noted that a third motor 238 is illustrated in the wiring diagram and connected with the said main electric feed wires and under the control of a main control switch 239. The said motors 77, 239 and 238 are controlled by con trol mechanism which senses the operation of the machine and is particularly under the control of the knocked-down cartons as they are being fed through the machine and which control mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 10 and will now be described in detail.

Each of the main electric wires 235, 236 and 237 has therein normally open solenoid switch contacts 239 which interrupt the flow of current to the motors 77 and 230 until the starting switch for the packing machine is closed.

A transformer 240 is illustrated and has its primary coil 241 electrically connected with the main electric fee- d wires 235 and 236 and with said transformer having its secondary coil 242 having extending from its ends control circuit wires 243 and 244. Extending between said electric control wires 243 and 244 is a wire 245 having therein normally closed solenoid switch contacts 246 which are under the control of the master switch of the gluing and folding mechanism or machine, not shown in the drawings, and which gluing and folding mechanism must be operating to feed the knockeddown carton to the packing machine of the present invention. For the present operation of the packing mechanism, herein disclosed, it must be presumed that the said gluin-g machine and folding mechanism is properly functioning wherefore said solenoid switch contacts 246 are to be considered \as closed, as illustrated. In' the said wire 245 is the manually operable starting switch 247 as well as normally closed solenoid switch contacts 248 and an air pressure switch 249 which while illustrated in its normally open position is to he considered at this time as closed. The said air pressure switch 249 is in a pneumatic circuit to be subsequently described as part of the operating and control mechanism of the packing machine. Included in the wire 245 is a solenoid switch coil 250 which controls the normally open solenoid switch contacts 239. Included also in the wire 245 and flanking the solenoid switch coil 25% are motor overloads 251 operable when the motor overheats, standard safety equipment on motorsi Assuming everything is in order and that the gluing machine and folding mechanism are properly functioning for feeding knocked-down cartons to the entrant throat 32 of the carton conveying mechanism the starting switch 247 is closed for completing the circuit through the said wire 245 and energizing the solenoid switch coil 250 which closes the solenoid switch contacts 239 and effects the operation of the motors 77 and 230.

The control circuit wire 243 beyond the cross wire 245 is provided with normally open solenoid switch contacts 252 which are under the control of and were closed by the energization of the solenoid switch coil 250. Extending from the said control circuit wire 243 from a point beyond the normally open switch contacts 252 is a wire 253 that terminates in the starting switch contact on the far side thereof. It is believed obvious that the solenoid switch contacts 252 and connecting wire 253 thereof form a holding circuit for the solenoid coil 250 upon release of the starting switch 247.

The operation of the motor 77 causes the operation of the conveyor belts 37 and 38 but the operation of the motor 230 does not at this time effect the operation of the container or box conveyor mechanism since, and as will later be made clear, the electric clutch-brake 227 is holding said conveyer from operation. The operation of the motor 77 effects the driving of the counter shaft 11 82 and the parts mounted thereon but does not at this time operate the carton discharge mechanism wherefore the counter mechanism is not operating. The discharge mechanism being held against operation by the electric brake 147 and the disconnection of the electric clutch 141.

The circuit of FIG. 10 will be further described in connection with the cycle of operation of the machine from this point. Extending between the control circuit wires 243 and 244 is a wire 254 having therein normally closed solenoid switch contacts 255 and which are at this time closed. Extending from said wire 254 at a point beyond the solenoid switch contacts 255 is a wire 256 which terminates in control circuit wire 244 and having therein limit switches 257 and 258 and a solenoid switch coil 259.

The limit switches 257 and 258 between them control the starting of the hopper discharge mechanism to insure a continuous feed or discharge from the hopper once the said discharge from the hopper is eilected so that a proper count is maintained. The limit switch 257 may be termed the low level of the hopper while the limit switch 258 may be termed the high level switch of the hopper.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8 the hopper side member 93 is provided with an opening 260 through which projects the end of an oscillatable switch arm 261 which extends from a switch box 262 and in which is the limit switch 257. The switch box 262 is mounted in operative position through an angle iron 263 carried by the upper arm or rail 97 adjacent said hopper side 93. It will be noted that, particularly from FIG. 1, said switch is relatively close to the lower end of the hopper.

The upper level limit switch 258 is carried by a switch box 264 similar to the switch box 262 and is mounted on an angle iron 265 carried by the aforementioned arm or rail 97. The said switch box 264 has extending therefrom an oseillatable switch arm 266 which projects through an opening 267 in the hopper side member 93 at a point considerably above the opening 260 and therefore near the upper end of the hopper, at least, at a point fairly close to the discharge throat 75 of the conveying mechanism.

Continuing for the moment with the description of the circuit in FIG. 10 the hopper upper limit switch 258 has strapped therearound a wire 268, that is, said strap wire 268 extends from a point in wire 256 between limit switches 257 and 258 to a point between limit switch 258 and solenoid switch coil 259 and with said strap wire 268 having therein normally open solenoid switch contacts 269 which are under the control of solenoid switch coil 259 to act as a holding circuit for said solenoid switch coil 259.

The wire 254 beyond the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 255 has therein normally open solenoid switch contacts 270 and a normally open limit switch 271 as well as a solenoid switch coil 272.

The limit switch 271, see PEG. 3, is mounted on one of the shipping container or box conveyor side members 206 or 207, shown in the drawings as mounted on the side member 206, through its switch box 273 and a bracket 274 secured to and upstanding from the said side member 206. The switch box 273 has mounted therein an oscillatable switch arm 27S adapted to have its free end contacted and closed by the side of a shipping container 205 when in position to be filled. The said parts are so illustrated in FIG. 3 wherefore it is to be considered that limit switch 271 at this time is closed.

It should be noted that even though the limit switch 271 is closed there is no current flowing through the wire 254 since solenoid switch contacts 270 are open and wherefore the solenoid switch coil 272 is de-energized. The said solenoid switch coil 272 controls the operation of the electric brake mechanism 147 and the electric clutch mechanism 141.

The electric brake 147 is illustrated by the accepted electric symbol 273 in FIG. 10 while the electric clutch 141 is likewise illustrated by an accepted electric symbol 274. The said electric brake and electric clutch 273 and 274 each have one side thereof connected by a wire 275 to one side of a current rectifier 276 of an accepted direct current circuit. The said brake and clutch mechanism 273 and 274 have their other sides connected by a wire 277 to the other side of the rectifier 276 with the brake 274 having between it and the wire 277 normally closed solenoid switch contacts 278 and the clutch 274 having between it and the wire 277 normally open solenoid switch contacts 279. The said normally closed solenoid switch contacts 278 and the normally open solenoid switch contacts 279 are under the control of solenoid switch coil 272. Since, therefore, as above noted, there is no current flow in wire 254 and the solenoid switch coil 272 is deenergized the solenoid switch contacts 278 are closed and the solenoid switch contacts 279 are open and the brake element 273 is therefore energized, or, the electric brake 147 in FIG. 6 is energized and holding the shaft 124 against rotation and therefore the hopper discharge mechanism 96 is non-operating.

The direct current circuit, more specifically, the current rectifier 276, is supplied from secondary coil 280 of a transformer 281 which has its primary coil 282 connected by wires 283 and 284 with the main electric wires 235 and 236.

Continuing now with the operation of the machine the knocked-down cartons are delivered by the conveying mechanism including conveyor belts 37 and 38 to the hopper and with said knocked-down cartons passing, as pointed out above, the positioning brushes 101 and 106 for proper positioning and stacking on the hopper bottom and discharge mechanism. As the said knocked-down cartons accumulate in the hopper they build up to the point of first closing the hopper lower limit switch 257 and eventually closing the upper limit switch 258. The closing of the said limit switches 257 and 258 completes an electric circuit from the control circuit feed wire 243 through wire 254, normally closed now closed solenoid switch contacts 255, wire 256, limit switches 257 and 258 and solenoid switch coil 259 to the control circuit feed wire 244. This energizes the said solenoid switch coil 259 for closing normally open solenoid switch contacts 269 and establishing therethr-ough along with the wire 268 a holding circuit for the maintenance of solenoid switch coil 259. At the same time, and as noted above, the normally open solenoid switch contacts 270 were closed for establishing a circuit through the wire 254, said normally open now closed solenoid switch contacts 270, normally open now closed limit switch 271, closed by the shipping container or box in position to receive knockeddown cartons, and solenoid switch coil 272 for energizing the same. The energization of the solenoid switch coil 272 simultaneously opens the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 278 and closes the normally open solenoid switch contacts 279 for thereby releasing, de-energizing, the brake element 273 and applying, energizing, the clutch element 274 and thereby effects the operation of the hopper discharge mechanism shaft 124 for discharging the knocked-down cartons within the hopper which has built up to a position, at least, to the upper limit of the said hopper. Since the hopper is being continuously supplied by the conveying mechanism the level of knocked-down carton within the hopper remains substantially constant and are therefore being substantially continuously discharged from the hopper. The hopper discharge mechanism, as noted above, discharges said knocked-down cartons one by one in a slightly advanced relationship from the hopper to the stacker mechanism 157 which as pointed out above discharges the said knocked-down cartons successively into the shipping container or box 205.

It should be noted that in the event there is a slight irregularity in the feed of the knocked-down cartons to the hopper to the extent that the upper limit switch 258 is permitted to open nothing happens since the lower limit swich 257 remains closed and the electric circuit through the wire 268 and the normally open now closed limit switch contacts 269 maintains the energization of the solenoid switch coil 259 and its control of the electric brake and clutch elements 273 and 274. Should, how ever, the feed of the knocked-down cartons to the hopper be interrupted for such a period of time that the hopper level descends below the limit switch 257, whereupon both limit switche 257 and 258 will be opened, the circuit to the solenoid switch coil 259 is broken and thereby breaking, primarily, the solenoid switch contacts 270 and deenergizing solenoid coil 272 for thereby permitting the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 278 to close and the normally open switch contacts 279 to open and thereby energizing the brake element 237 and rte-energizing the clutch element 274 and stopping the shaft 124.

In practice the rate of discharge from the hopper is greater than the rate of feed into the hopper to insure that the hopper does not fill to a point to prevent charging thereof from the conveyer. Furthermore since the folding and gluing machine has its blanks manually fed thereto, its rate of production is not always uniform and the rate of supply to the hopper may therefore be somewhat irregular. This results in the level of the folded cartons in the hopper sometimes being below the low level control switch 257 and the stopping of discharge from the hopper. It should be noted, however, that these interruptions are only momentary and production from the packing machine is, therefore, substantially continuous.

it will be noted from the drawings that the stopping of the shaft 124 and therefore the discharge from the hopper is eifected even though there are still some knocked-down cartons Within the hopper but below the lower limit switch. By this construction it is insured that the counting mechanism is operated only when there are ample knockeddown cartons in the hopper so that each feed finger carries with it a knocked-down carton.

Continuing, again, with the control circuit of FIG. the hopper upper level limit switch 258 has therearound a second strap wire 285, that is, the strap wire 285 extends from the wire 256 from a point intermediate the limit switches 257 and 258 to a point in said wire 256 between the limit switch 258 and the solenoid switch coil 259, with Said second strap wire 285 having therein a limit switch 286. The limit switch 286 is a normally open switch, that is, is open during the feeding or conveying of knocked down cartons by the conveyer belts 37 and 38 but is closed when there is no knocked-down cartons being fed thereby.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the limit switch 236 includes a switch box 287 which is mounted on one of the uprights 66 with said switch box having extending therefrom a switch arm 288 to have its free end engaged by the frame carrying arm 64 pivoted thereto. As seen in FIG. 1 the said switch 236 is closed since there is no knocked-down cartons between the conveyor belts 37 and 38 and the reaches 67 and 63 of said belts are in contact with one another.

The purpose for this limit switch 236 is to prevent the cartons within the hopper raising to a point to prevent discharge of knocked-down cartons from the carton mechanism into the hopper. This condition may come about if the hopper contained cartons suflicicnt to close the hopper lower level switch 257 but not sufficient to close the hopper upper level limit switch 258 and which means that momentarily there is no new knocked-down cartons being delivered to the hopper. In this circumstance, it has been found that the upper cartons have a tendency to partially open, that is, approach the phantom line illustration of the carton in FiG. ll, and which may create a condition that the discharge throat 75 of the carton conveyer mechanism is being interfered with so that upon the starting up of the discharge from the conveyer a jam up or wreck may ensue unless the upper end of the uppermost carton in the hopper is lowered to permit discharge into the hopper. To prevent this condition rrom arising, the closing of the limit switch 286 while the lower limit switch 257 is closed, the cartons are discharged from the hopper until same are below the said limit switch 257. As soon as the new stream of knockeddown cartons entcr bctween the reaches 67 and 68 of the conveyer belts 37 and 38 the drum 55 is raised for correspondingly raising the drum carrying arms 64 and which arm movement relieves the pressure on the switch finger 288 to permit opening of the operation of the hopper discharge mechanism to the hopper upper and lower level limit switches is effected, as above described.

Assuming that a shipping container or box is in position to receive the knocked-clown cartons from the stacker mechanism 157, with such a container or box in the position of box or container 205a. There is first projecting into the box a rod which may be called a feelcr and which feeler 239 is, conveniently, the end of a piston rod having on its upper end a piston 290 within a closed cylinder 291. The cylinder 291 is solidly secured at 292 to an arm 293 at a point intermediate a pivot 294 thereof and its outer end. The arm 293 through its pivot 294 is pivotally connected with an upright 29S carried by and upstanding from the stacker mechanism side plates 170. The arm 293 is provided at its end beyond the cylinder mounting 292 with an abutment 296 to cooperate with a switch arm 297 oscillatably carried by a limit switch housing 298. The limit switch housing 298 is carried by one end of a beam 299 at the upper end of the upright 295 and with said beam 299 having at its other end an abutment Slit cooperating with the other end of the pivoted arm 293. A spring 361 is disposed between the arm 293 and beam 299 to yieldably maintain the parts in their normal position as illustrated in the drawings.

In practice the weight of the cylinder 291 and parts associated therewith inclndin g the piston rod or feeler 289 and its piston 290 together with the yieldable exertion of the spring 301 oscillate or move the arm 293 in a counter clockwise direction relative to the pivot 294 with said oscillation or movement of the arm 293 being limited through the engagement of the outer or free end 302 thereof with the abutment 380. With the parts in this position a limit switch 303, disposed in the limit switch housing 298, see FIG. 10, the circuit diagram, has one side thereof connected to a wire 304 that extends to the DC. control circuit wire from one end of the rectifier 276. The wire 364 has therein normally closed solenoid switch contacts 305 and a solenoid switch cell 306.

In the said direct current circuit is the electric brakeclutch 227 of the shipping or storage container or box conveyor with the hralte element illustrated in FIG. 10 by an appropriate symbol and indicated by the reference numeral 307 and with said clutch element of said brakeclutch member similarly electrically illustrated and indicated by the reference numeral 308. Each of said brake and clutch elements 387 and 368 has one side thereof connected with the wire 275 and therefore one side of the current rectifier 276. The clutch element 307 has its other side connected by a wire 309 to one end of a rheostat 310 which has its other end connected by a wire 311 with a wire 312, in turn, connected with the wire 277 and therefore the other side of the current rectifier 276. The clutch element 308, similar to the brake element 307 has its other side connected by a wire 313 with one end of a rheostat 314 having its other end connected by a wire 315 with the wire 311, wire 277 and current rectifier 276. The connecting wire 31!, between the rheostat 31%} and wire 312 has therein normally open solenoid switch contacts 316 while the wire 315 between the rheostat 314 and wire 311 has therein normally closed solenoid switch contacts 317.

With the feeler in the position above described and the limit switch 303 closed as are the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 305 an electric circuit is established from the current rectifier 276 through the wire 302, solenoid switch coil 306, normally closed solenoid switch contacts 305 and the normally closed now closed feeler limit switch 305 back to the current rectifier 276 for thereby energizing the solenoid switch coil 306. The solenoid switch coil 306 controls the normally open solenoid switch contacts 316 and the normally closed switch contacts 317, wherefore at this time the said normally open solenoid switch contacts 316 are now closed and the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 317 are now open. At this time, therefore, a circuit is complete from the current rectifier 276 through wires 277, 311 and 312, normally open now closed solenoid switch contacts 316, rheostat 310, wire 309, electric brake element 307 and the wire 275 to the other side of the current rectifier 276. With the said solenoid switch contacts 316 closed the normally closed switch contacts 317 are now open wherefore the circuit including said solenoid switch contacts 317 and including the electric clutch element 308 is broken and the I clutch 227 therefore de-energized and the drive therethrough interrupted so that the container or box conveyer is at this time stationary.

As the knocked-down cartons are delivered from the stacker mechanism 157 the said folded cartons engage the piston-feeler 289 for thereby oscillating the arm 293, that is, actuating the arm 293 about the pivot 294 in a clockwise direction and which arm through its abutment 296 and switch arm 297 opens the limit switch 303. It should be understood that at this time the piston-feeler 289 is at the inner or upper end of the knocked-down cartons as they are being stacked or packed in the container or box 204 and wherefore new space must be provided for the incoming folded cartons. The operation of the limit switch 303 to an open position breaks the circuit above traced for de-energizing the solenoid switch coil 306 and thereby releases the solenoid switch contacts controlled thereby with the result that the normally open solenoid switch contacts 316 now open and the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 317 now closed. The opening of the solenoid switch contacts 316 breaks the above traced circuit in which they are included for de-energizing the brake element 307 while the closing of the solenoid switch contacts 317 completes an electric circuit for energizing the clutch element 308. The said clutch element circuit is from one side of the current rectifier 276 by the way of wires 277, 311 and 315, normally closed now closed solenoid switch contacts 317, rheostat 314, wire 313, clutch element 308, and wire 275 back to the other side the current rectifier 276.

From the foregoing it will now be appreciated that the movement of the shipping or storage container or box is under the control of the cartons as they emerge from the stacker mechanism and, since, once the machine is started :the discharge or emergence of the cartons from the stacker is substantially continuous, the movement of the said shipping or storage container or box is likewise substantially continuous and that the movement of said box or container is stopped when no cartons are being passed through the packer mechanism 187.

The counter mechanism for counting the discharge of the knocked-down cartons from the hopper is electrically illustrated in the wiring diagram of FIG. 10 and while it is a well known commercial product the said mechanism functionally operates as follows. As seen in said FIG. 10 the light source or electric lamp 152 and the photoelectric cell 153 respectively have extending from one side thereof wires 318 and 319 which terminate in an electric pulse counter 320. The said pulse counter 320 operates an electronic tube 321 which is previously set to trigger or function at a given number of impulses in the impulse counter 320, for example, supposing the container or box 205 is to contain, when full, three hundred of the knocked down cartons wherefore, when said pulse counter 320 reaches a count of three hundred it operates or triggers the 16 electronic tube 321 for thereby completing, at least, momentarily, an electric circuit. The electric circuit including the electronic tube 321 comprises a pair of wires 322 and 323 extending to a solenoid switch coil 324 for energizing said coil 324. The said solenoid switch ooil 324 has under its control normally open solenoid switch contacts 325 which are now, at least, momentarily closed.

The normally open solenoid switch contacts 325 are in a wire 326 extending from control circuit wire 243 and with said wire 326 having connected with its end a wire 327 that extends to control circuit feed wire 244 and with said wire 327 having therein a solenoid switch coil 328. The solenoid switch coil 328 is of the time delay variety and has under its control a plurality of solenoid switch contacts the operation of the certain of which are instantaneous, while the operation of certain other contacts are delayed after the energization of the said coil.

Extending around the wire 326 and its normally open solenoid switch contacts 325 is a wire 329, that is, the wire 329 extends from the control circuit feed 243 to the end of the Wire 327 and the wire 329 has therein normally closed now closed limit switch 330 and normally open solenoid switch contacts 331. The said normally open solenoid switch contacts 331 are under the control of the solenoid switch coil 328 and said contacts 331 are instantly closed upon the energization of the solenoid switch coil 328. The wire 329 along with the limit switch 330' and now closed solenoid switch contacts 331 act as a holding cincuit for the solenoid switch coil 328 after the opening of the momentarily closed solenoid switch contacts 325.

The solenoid switch coil 323 has under its control solenoid switch contacts 255 in the wire or line 254 and which wire or line 254 also has therein the solenoid switch coil 272 and said solenoid switch contacts 255, similarly to the solenoid switch contacts 331 are instantly operable upon the energization of the solenoid switch coil 328 wherefore the circuit in line 254 is broken the instant the electronic tube 321 is operated or triggered and wherefore the solenoid switch coil 272 is de-encrgized. The de-energization of the solenoid switch coil 272 permits the solenoid switch contacts 278 and 279 to return to their normal positions which means the energization of the brake element 273 and the de-energization of the clutch element 274 and therefore the stopping of rotation of shaft 124 and the discharge of folded knockeddown cartons from the hopper. In this connection it must be remembered that a full container or box load has passed the counter even though they have not all been placed in the said container or box as the stacking or packing mechanism 157 is full at the time the three hundred count was reached.

The solenoid switch coil 328 has under its control solenoid switch contacts 332 in a wire 333 extending between the control circuit feed wires 243 and 244 with said wire 333 also including a solenoid switch coil 334. The normally open solenoid switch contacts 332 are closed only after a time delay, that is, after the stacker mechanism 157 has completely discharged itself and the full count of knocked-down folded cartons has been placed in the shipping or storage container 205. The closing of the solenoid switch contacts 332 and energization of the solenoid switch ooil 334 opens normally closed solenoid switch contacts 335 in a wire 336 extending between the control circuit feed wires 243 and 244. The wire 336 also includes a solenoid coil 337 that operates a valve for withdrawing the feeler, piston rod, 289 from the container or box 204 since the said container or box now has its full count of knocked-down folded cartons.

The valve control mechanism is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 9 and in which the solenoid coil 337 uses the valve stem 338 as its core. The valve stem 338 has thereon valve ribs or lands 339, 340 and 341 forming between them passageways for connecting an air pressure line 342 alternately with conduits or lines 343 and 344 terminating, respectively, in opposite ends of the cylinder 291. Upon de-encrgization of the solenoid coil 33! a spring 345, previously tensioned by the shifting of the valve upon the previous energization of solenoid coil 337, expands to shift the valve stem 333 and its valve to its normal position, opposite to that shown in the drawings.

it will be appreciated that the said withdrawal of the ieeler-piston rod 289 is necessary since the upper end of the shipping container or storage box has been reached and this withdrawal of the said feeler 289 will remove the pressure thereon and whereupon the arm 293, through its own weight and the action of spring 301 will return to its normal position and permit closing of the limit switch 303 and energization of the solenoid switch coil 306 and therefore the return of the normally open solenoid switch contacts 316 and normally closed switch contacts 317 to their normal positions thereby stopping the operation of the contain-er conveying mechanism.

In the event the feeler reaches the end of the container or box before a full count of knocked-down cartons has been discharged from the hopper the continued movement of the said container or box would cause damage to said boot and its movement must be stopped. In this event a limit switch 346 strapped around the fecler operated limit switch 303 is operated. As shown in FIG. the limit switch 346 is in a wire 347 that extends from the wire 304 at a point between the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 305 and said limit switch 303 and extends to the wire that terminates in the wire leading to the other side of the current rectifier 276.

The mechanism for operating the limit switch 346 comprises a cam 348 mounted on the box or container conveyer mechanism shaft 213 with said cam having a lobe or lug 349 adapted to engage the end of a switch arm 350 pivotally carried by a switch housing 351 that contains the said limit switch 346. The switch housing 351 is carried by a bracket 352 secured to and inwardly pro jecting from one of the container or box oonveyer side members 20-6 and 207, said bracket being illustrated as carried by the said side member 207. The parts are so arranged with respect to one another that the said switch 346 is operated when the upper end of the box reaches the point where a full count should be packed therein. If, however, the machine is functioning normally the closing of the limit switch 346 has no cfiect on the operation of the machine.

It is believed obvious from 'FIG. 10 that even though the feeler controlled limit switch 303 is open which would be the condition during packing and which would normally cause movement of the container or box conveying mechanism through the energization of the clutch element 308 the closing of said container or box conveyor limit switch 346 will reestablish the circuit through the mechanism to prevent the said operation of the container or box conveyor mechanism until a full count has been discharged from the hopper.

The said limit switch 346 is in reality a double switch and includes normally closed limit switch 353 in a wire 354 extending from the ends of wires 326 and 329 and therefore extending from the control circuit feed wire 243 to the control circuit feed wire 244. Included in the wire 354 are normally closed solenoid switch contacts 355 and a magnetically operable alarm such as a bell 3-56 and with said wire 354 including a manually openable on and oil switch 357. The opening of the limit switch 353 breaks the circuit to the alarm 356 so that the said alarm is not sounded unless difliculty is encountered in the operation of the machine as will presently be made clear.

As will be noted from FIG. 2 there is a slight space between the shipping or storage containers or boxes and the said container or box conveyor mechanism must be operated to bring the empty container or box into the position of the previous, now filled, container or box. To accomplish this the feeler operated limit switch 303 has, as noted above, in series therewith the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 305 which are delayed in operation by the solenoid coil 328 so that after a time delay, to insure the placing or packing of all cartons from the packer mechanism 157 after the full count has been discharged from the hopper, the said contacts 305 are opened and the circuit thereof broken to permit the clutch element 308 to be energized and the container or box mechanism operated.

It will be appreciated that as soon as the new box is in position to be filled the machine must be returned to its initial or normal condition and to accomplish this use is made of the normally closed limit switch 338, above referred to, and in the wire or line 329 with said switch 330 being momentarily opened to break the circuit.

The said limit switch 330 is, see FIG. 13, enclosed in a switch housing 357 carried by the bracket 352 and with said switch housing having projecting therefrom an oscillatable switch arm 358 adapted to be operated by a lobe or lug 359 on a cam 360. The cam 360, similar to the cam 348, is mounted on the container or box conveying mechanism shaft 213 so as to openate in time relation with the conveyor movement.

The opening of the limit switch 330 and breaking of the circuit in wires 329 and 327 tie-energizes the solenoid switch coil 328 which opens the normally open solenoid switch contacts 331, closes normally closed switch contacts 255, closes normally closed contacts 305 and opens normally open contacts 332. The opening of the solenoid switch contacts 332 breaks the circuit in the wire or line 333 and de-energizes the solenoid switch coil 334 thereby permitting the closing of the normally closed switch contacts 335. The closing of the solenoid switch contacts 335 rte-establishes the circuit through the wire or line 336 for energizing the valve solenoid 337 for shifting the valve stem 338 and thereby effecting the positioning of the feeler-piston rod 289 into the new box.

The de-energ-ization of the solenoid switch coil 328 and closing of the. normally closed solenoid switch contacts 255 re-establishes the electric circuit in the wire 254 since the new box will have closed the limit switch 271 and since the hopper was sullicicntly full of cartons to close limit switches 257 and 258 the solenoid coil 259 will be energized and the normally open solenoid contacts 270 will be closed by the solenoid coil 259 and the solenoid coil 272 will thereby be energized. The energization of the solenoid coil 272 closes norm-ally open solenoid switch contacts 279 and opens normally closed contacts 278 for thereby de-energizing the brake element 273 and energizing the clutch element 274 and causing a rotation of the hopper discharge mechanism shaft 124 for discharging the said folded or knocked-down cartons from said hopper and initiating a cycle of machine operation as above described.

The operation of the shipping or storage container or box conveyor carries the filled container or box to the lower end of the container side members where the said container or box 204 at one corner, the lower right hand corner, as seen in FIG. 1, engages a stop or abutment 361 and since the conveyor link chains 218 and 219 pass beneath the side members and carry with thorn the plate 221 the filled container now swings in a counter clockwise direction on the bracket 361 outwardly away from the packing or stacking mechanism. The said movement of the filled container carries it onto a discharge mecha nism which includes a tilt table and which mechanism is indicated as a whole, in the drawings, by the reference numeral 362.

The filled container or box discharge mechanism 362 comprises a triangular frame including back frame members 363, bottom frame members 364 and top frame members 365. The said frame members are secured to one another to provide in effect, as noted above, a substantially triangular frame having a normal position, down position, with the top frame members 365, substantially, in the plane of and extending in a direction aligned with the angle of inclination of the shipping or storage container or box conveyer mechanism, wherefore said move ment of the filled container or box from the conveyer mechanism is in an angular plane outwardly of the said conveyer mechanism.

The tilt table top frame members 365 support for a portion thereof a flat table member 366 having its lower edge on a transverse brace member 367. The outer ends of the top members 365 are likewise braced, transversely, by an end member 368 of a height to be above the table 366 and with said front member acting as a stop or abutment for the filled containers as they swing onto the tilt table. The said tilt table includes discharge mechanism which as illustrated in the drawings comprises a plurality of parallel feed rollers 369 having their shafts rotatably journaled in the table transverse members 367 and 368.

Any suitable or desirable means may be employed for power actuating the rollers 369 that illustrated in the drawings consisting of an endless belt 370 tightly encircling the end rollers of the series and with one of said rollers, preferably an end roller, having its shaft 371 projecting inwardly of the transverse brace 367 to have secured thereto a sprocket 372 for a link belt 373. The link belt 373 encircles a sprocket 374 on motor shaft 375 extending from a motor identified in the wiring diagram by the reference numeral 238. The motor 238 is suitably supported on brackets 376 carried by the tilt table back members 363 and side members 364.

The tilt table mechanism 362 is adapted to be raised from the solid line position to the phantom line position illustrated in FIG. 12 and for which purpose the said triangular table frame has at its one corner, namely the corner where the back frame members 363 and bottom frame member 364 are joined, suitable bearings 377 through which extends a shaft 378. The shaft 378 is fixed in similar bearing or support members 379 and 380 located respectively on each side of the tilt table frame and carried by the main machine frame transverse brace member 211 and the auxiliary supporting frame 381 outwardly projecting from said main frame transverse brace member 211.

The tilt table is actuated from its receiving position (solid line position in FIG. 12) to its discharge position (phantom line position in FIG. 12) by a piston and cylinder mechanism and wherein the cylinder 382 has its one end pivotally secured at 383 to the main frame transverse brace member 211. Disposed within the cylinder 382 is a piston 384 from which projects a piston rod 385 having its outer end pivotally secured at 386 to the tilt table back frame members 363.

In operation the tilt table 362 is to be operated only after the filled container or box is fully on said table and occupies the phantom line position illustrated at 387 in FIG. 12.

The filled shipping or storage container or box 205 after engaging the abutment 361 and in tilting in a clockwise direction on its lower right hand corner, as above set forth, has its lower end engaged by a freely rotating roller 388 carried by an upstanding bracket 389 on the upper surface of an angle bracket member 390 which diagonally and upwardly extends at the lower end of the said container or box conveyer mechanism.

It is believed obvious from FIGS. 1 and 3 that upon engagement of the said filled container or box with the abutment 361 and its swinging movement in clock-wise direction will roll or slide on the roller 388, and actually does so, so as to be entirely on the tilt table mechanism. As the said filled container or box reaches its position on the tilt table mechanism the side of said container or box engages the free end of an oscillatablc switch arm 391 carried by a limit switch housing 392 secured to the outer surface of the table transverse or end member 368.

The operation of the limit switch arm 391 closes a limit switch 393, see FIG. 10, in a wire 394 which extends between the control circuit feed wires 243 and 244 and with said wire 394 including a valve actuating solenoid 395.

The valve solenoid 395, see FIG. 9, controls a pneumatic valve, similar in all respect to that above set forth, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 396, and which valve 396 connects the air pressure line 342 with pipes or conduits 397 and 398 respectively terminating at the lower and upper ends of the cylinder 382. In other words the energization of the solenoid 395 shifts its valve 396 to connect the air pressure line 342 with the pipe or conduit 398 and thereby outwardly projecting piston 384 for raising the tilt table from the solid line position in FIG. 12 to the phantom line position.

As illustrated in FIG. 10 the motor 238, similar to the motors 77 and 230 has in its connecting wires from the main electric wires 235, 236 and 237 normally open solenoid switch contacts 399 which are under the control of a solenoid switch coil 400 in a wire 401 extending from the control circuit feed wire 243 to the control circuit feed wire 244. In said wire 401 are normally closed switch contacts 402 which are heater elements similar to the heater elements 251 and are safety elements for the motor 238 as is usual practice. Also in the line or wire 401 is a normally open limit switch 403 which as illustrated in FIG. 12 is contained in a limit switch housing 404 secured to a vertical support member 33, of the machine frame, through a bracket 405. The limit switch housing 404 has extending therefrom an oscillatable switch arm 486 adapted to be engaged by the tilt table back frame member 363 when the said table has reached its fully upright position, or the position thereof illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 12.

In other words the position of the container or box on the tilt table closes the limit switch 393 for thereby operating the tilt table raising piston and cylinder mechanism and the tilt table upon reaching its discharge position closes the limit switch 403 for operating the motor 238 and through its shaft 375 and link chain 373 drives the rollers 369 and supporting discharge belt 370 for discharging the fiiled container or box from the tilt table.

As soon as the filled container or box has been discharged from the tilt table the limit switch arm 391 is released for thereby permitting the normally open limit switch 393 to return to its normal position and de-energize the valve solenoid 395 to permit the valve 396 to return to its normal position whereupon the piston 384 is actuated to lower the table from its discharging position to its receiving position as illustrated, respectively, in phantom and solid lines in FIG. 12.

During the discharge of the filled container or box the packing and stacking machine has been operating as above described so that as soon as the next container or box is filled the tilt table cycle is repeated.

Associated with the tilt table is a second limit switch 407 in a wire 408 extending between the control circuit wires 243 and 244 and with said Wire 408 having therein a time delay solenoid switch coil 409. The time delay switch coil 409 has under its control the normally closed solenoid switch contacts 248 in the wire 245 which contains the solenoid switch coil 250 controlling the operation of the motors 77 and 230. In practice the limit switch 407 is mounted on the machine transverse frame member 211 to be below the tilt table mechanism 362 and with said limit switch disposed in a housing 410 having an oscillatable switch arm 411 to be engaged by the tilt table bottom frame 364 when the tilt table is in its lower or receiving position.

The purpose of the limit switch 407 is to stop the machine in the event that the filled container or box thereon tin. oan not be discharged therefrom, or, too great a time has elapsed since the table was raised from its receiving to its discharge position and therefore not in a position to receive the next filled container or box and which is rapidly approaching the point of being filled and placed on the tilt table. In other words the limit switch 487 is to prevent a machine wreck in attempting to place a second filled container or box on the tilt table and particularly when the said tilt table is not in a position to receive the same. It is understood that under normal working conditions the machine continues to operate since the time delay solenoid coil 409 is set to allow ample time for tilt table discharge and return to normal position.

Strapped around the normal manual starting switch 247 is what may be termed, a reset switch manually op erable, and, in reality, including a pair of switches 412 and 413. The switch portion 412 has its contacts respectively connected by wires 414 and 415 with the similar contacts of the said normal starting switch 247 and therefore could complete the electric circuit for energizing the solenoid switch coil 250 for closing the solenoid switch contacts 239 and initiating the operation of motors 77 and 230.

The other switch portion 413 of the reset switch has its one contact connected by a wire 416 with the wire 414 and through the wire 245 with the control circuit feed wire 243. The other side of the reset switch portion 413 has connected with it one end of a wire 417 that terminates in the other control circuit feed wire 244 and with said wire 417 having therein a solenoid switch coil 418. The solenoid switch coil 41% has under its control normally open solenoid switch contacts 419 in a wire 420 extending from the control circuit feed wire 243 to the end of wire 327 for thereby completing an electric circuit in the wire 327 and energizing the solenoid switch coil 328. The energization of the solenoid switch coil 328 breaks the circuit in the wires 254 and 256 for thereby stopping the discharge from the hopper since the solenoid 272 is de-energized and its solenoid switch contacts 278 and 277 respectively closed and opened to apply the brake to the hopper discharge shaft 124 and disconnect the clutch therefrom.

The foregoing operation is necessary since the said solenoid switch coil 418 has under its control a second pair of solenoid switch contacts 421 from the opposite sides of which extend wires 422 and 423 with said wires terminating in an electronic reset tube 424 associated with the counter mechanism and which reset tube upon having its circuit completed through the solenoid switcih contacts 421 returns the counter mechanism to zero 50 that the operation of the machine starts from zero in packing or stacking the knocked-down cartons in the shipping or storage container or box.

As noted above the counter mechanism is a commercial ly built unit and is illustrated in FIG. as enclosed in a box or cabinet indicated by the dotted lines 425 and with said mechanism receiving its current through wires 426 and 427 resmctively extending from the control circuit feed wires 243 and 244.

As noted above the timer mechanism is structurally illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 and indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 155 with the said illustration disclosing the counter mechanism 155 as on the upper end of a cabinet 428 and which cabinet is suitably supported by uprights 429 carried by the main machine clements. The cabinet 428 contains the various solenoid switches above referred to and diagramatically illustrated in FIG. 10, all as is usual practice.

In view of the foregoing it is now believed evident that there has been provided a mechanism to accomplish the objects initially set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described the combination of means placing articles into a hopper, a hopper receiving said articles from said placing means, discharge means including and endless belt discharging the articles individually but continuously from the hopper, a pro-formed container for the articles as discharged from the hopper, means supporting and moving said container relative to the topper discharge means during the reception of the articles by the container, means including control means operating the container supporting and moving means, means in the path of movcincnt of the articles operated by said articles as they are discharged into the container operating the control means of the supporting and moving means operating means and effecting the operation of the container supporting and moving means and means including a counter operated by said articles and discharge endless belt stopping the discharge from the hopper after a predetermined number of articles have been discharged from the hopper into the said pro-formed container.

2. in a device of the class described the combination of means placing articles into a hopper, a hopper receiving said articles from said placing means, discharge means including an endless belt discharging the articles invidividually but continuously from the hopper, a preformed container for the articles, means having an outlet rmeiving the rticlcs as disch a rged from the hopper and packing same in the container, means supporting and moving the container relative to the outlet of the packing means during the packing therein of the articles, means including control means operating the container supporting and moving means, said container supporting and moving means being operated as the articles are placed in the containcr, and means projecting into said container displaced by the articles during placement in the container operating the control means of the means operating the supporting and moving means and effecting the operation of the container supporting and moving means.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of means placing articles into a hopper. a hopper receiving said articles from said placing means, discharge means including an endless belt discharging the articles individually from the hopper, a pro-formed container for the articles, means having an outlet receiving the articles as discharged from the hopper and packing same in the container, means supporting and moving the container relative to the outlet of the packing means during the packing therein of the articles, means including control means operating the container supporting and moving means, said container supporting and moving means being operated as the articles are ploccd in the container, means projecting into said container displaced by the articles during placement in the container operating the control means of the means operating the supporting and moving means and effecting the operation of the container supporting and moving means, and means stopping the discharge from the hopper after a predetermined number of articles have been discharged from the hopper.

4. In a machine for packing knockeddown cartons into a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means placing knockeddown cartons into the hopper in sopen'm po-sed positions, a discharge mechanism forming the bottom of the hopper on which the knockeddown cartons are supported, controlled power operated means for actuating the hopper discharge mechanism, said discharge mechanism including means for discharging the lrnocked down cartons individually but continuonsly from the hopper, said hopper upward of the bottom having a given capacity and requiring a certain portion of said given capacity to be occupied before the operation of the discharge mechanism operating means and said hopper requiring a certain lesser portion of its said given capacity to be occupied to maintain operation of said discharge mechanism operating means, means actuating the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when said certain portion of capacity of the hopper has been attained, and means stopping the actuation of the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when the capacity thereof is below said lesser portion of its said given capacity.

5. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons into a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means placing knocked-down cartons into the hopper in superimposed positions, a discharge mechanism forming the bottom of the hopper on which the knockeddown cartons are supported, controlled power operated means for actuating the hopper discharge mechanism, said discharge mechanism including means for discharging the knocked-down cartons individually but continuously from the hopper, said hopper upward of the bottom having a given capacity and requiring a certain portion of said given capacity to be occupied before the operation of the discharge mechanism operating means and said hopper requiring a certain lesser portion of its said given capacity to be occupied to maintain operation of said discharge mechanism operating means, means actuating the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when said certain portion of capacity of the hopper has been attained, means stopping the actuating of the hopper discharge mechanism opcnating means when the capacity thereof is below said lesser portion of its said given capacity, means counting the individual knocked-down cartons as they are di charged from the hopper, and means stopping the operation of the discharge mechanism actuating means after a predetermined number of knocked-down cartons have been discharged from the hopper.

6. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a pre-formcd shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means placing knocked-down cartons into the hopper in superimposed positions, a discharge mechanism forming the bottom of the hopper on which the knocked-down cartons are supported, controlled power operated means for actuating the hopper discharge mechanism, said discharge mechanism including means for discharging the knocked-down cartons individually but con tinuously from the hopper, said hopper upward of the bottom having a given capacity and requiring a certain portion of said given capacity to be occupied before the operation of the discharge mechanism operating means and said hopper requiring a certain lesser portion of its said given capacity to be occupied to maintain operation of said discharge mechanism operating means, means actuating the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when said certain portion of capacity of the hopper has been attained, means stopping the actuating of the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when the capacity thereof is below said lesser portion of its said given capacity, means counting the individual knocked-down cartons as they are discharged from the hopper, means stopping the operation of the discharge mechanism actuating means after a predetermined number of knocked-down cartons have been discharged from the hopper, and means associated with the hopper for yicldably holding the knocked-down cartons in superimposed relation within the hopper and with the lowermost carton on the hopper bottom.

7. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a pro-formed shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means placing knocked-down cartons into the hopper in superimposed positions, a discharge mechanism forming the bottom of the hopper on which the knocked-down cartons are supported, controlled powor operated means for actuating the hopper discharge mechanism, said discharge mechanism including means for discharging the knocked-down cartons individually but continuously from the hopper, said hopper upward of the bottom having a given capacity and requiring a certain portion of said given capacity to be occupied before the operation of the discharge mechanism operating means and said hopper requiring a certain lessor portion of its said given capacity to be occupied to maintain operation of said discharge mechanism operating means, means actuating the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when said certain portion of capacity of the hopper has been attained, means stopping the actuating of the hopper discharge mechanism operating means when the capacity thereof is below said lesser portion of its said given capacity, means counting the individual knocked-down cartons as they are discharged from the hopper, means stopping the opt-ration of the discharge mechanism actuating means after a predetermined number of knocked-down cartons have been discharged from the hopper, said cartons having flaps at one end in a plane parallel with the plane of discharge from the hopper, and yicldable means operable on said flaps to insure said flaps remaining in their plane during discharge.

8. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a pro-formed shipping and storage container the combination of: a hopper, means for disposing said knockeddown cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually but continuously discharging the knocked-down cartons from the hopper, means for operating the hopper discharge mechanism, means at a point Within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons within the hopper upon reaching said point starting the hopper discharge mechanism operating means, means at a point within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism but lower than the point of starting the discharge mechanism operating means stopping the said discharge mechanism operating means upon the level of the cartons within the hopper being reduced to said lower point, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a pro-formed shipping and storcontainer into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, and means effecting a relative movement between the container and packer means during the operation of the hopper discharge means.

9. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a preformed shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for disposing said knocked-down cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually but continuously discharging the knocked-down cartons from the hopper, means for operating the hopper discharge mechanism, means at a point within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons within the hopper upon reaching said point starting the hopper discharge mechanism operating means, means at a point within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism but lower than the point of starting the discharge mechanism operating means stopping the said discharge mechanism operating rncans upon the level of the cartons within the hopper being reduced to said lower point, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a pro-formed shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, a shipping and storage container conveyor supporting and moving the shipping and storage container relative to the packer rncans during packing of the lruockcd down cartons into the container, means moving said shipping and storage container conveyor, and means operable by said knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for controlling the operation of the container convcyer moving means.

10. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a pro-formed shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for placing said knockeddown cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually but continuously discharging the knocked-down cartons from the 10131381, means for operating the hopper discharge mechanism, means at a point within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons within the hopper upon reaching said point starting the hopper discharge mechanism operating means, means at a point within the hopper upwardly of the discharge mechanism but lower than the point of starting the discharge mechanism operating means stopping the said discharge mechanism operating means upon the level of the cartons within the hopper being reduced to said lower point, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a pre-formed shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, a shipping and storage container conveyor supporting and moving the shipping and storage container relative to the packer means during packing of the knocked down cartons into the container, means moving said shipping and storage container conveyor, means operable by said knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for controlling the operation of the container conveyor moving means, and means discharging the container and its knocked-down cartons from the container conveyor.

11. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for placing said knocked-down cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually discharging the knockeddown cartons from the hopper, means for actuating the hopper discharge means, packer means receiving the knockedadown cartons from the hopper discharge means, a shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, a shipping and storage container conveyor supporting and moving the shipping and storage container relative to the packer means during packing of the knocked-down cartons into the container, means operable by said knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for controlling the operation of the container conveyer means, means discharging the container and its knocked down cartons from the container conveyer, a tilt table operable from a position receiving the container and its knocked-down cartons to a position for discharging the same from the vicinity of the machine, and means carried by said tilt table for eiiecting the discharge of the container and its knocked-down cartons therefrom.

12. In a machine for packing knocked-down car-tons in a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for disposing said knocked-down cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually discharging the knockeddown cartons from the hopper, means for actuating the hopper discharge means, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, and means effecting a relative movement between the container and packer means including a conveyor, a prime mover, an electric brake and clutch mechanism between the prime mover and conveyer, and control means for said electric brake and clutch mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for intermittently actuating the conveyer and container relative to the packer means.

13. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for disposing said knocked-down cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually discharging the knockeddown cartons from the hopper, means for actuating the hopper discharge means, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, means eltecting a relative movement between the container and packer means including a conveyor, a prime mover, an electric brake and clutch mechanism between the prime mover and conveyor, and control means for said electric brake and clutch mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for intermittently actuating the conveyor and container relative to the packer means, said container having a given capacity, said hopper discharge mechanism including an electric clutch and brake mechanism whereby its operation may be interrupted, and means associated with the discharge mechanism for energizing the electric brake and clutch mecha nism to interrupt the operation of the discharge mechanism upon the discharging of suflicient knocked-down cartons of the capacity of the container.

14. in a machine for packing knocked-down cartons in a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper, means for disposing said knocked-down cartons in said hopper individually and in superimposed relation, said hopper having a discharge opening at one side thereof, a discharge mechanism at the bottom of the hopper including means for individually discharging the knockeddown cartons from the hopper, means for actuating the hopper discharge means, packer means receiving the knocked-down cartons from the hopper discharge means, a shipping and storage container into which the packer means places and packs the cartons, means eifecting a relative movement between the container and packer means including a conveyer, a prime mover, an electric brake and clutch mechanism between the prime mover and conveyer, and control means for said electric brake and clutch mechanism operable by the knocked-down cartons as they are being packed in the container for intermittently actuating the conveyor and container relative to the packer means, said container having a given capacity, said hopper discharge mechanism including an electric clutch and brake mechanism whereby its operation may be interrupted, means associated with the discharge mechanism for energizing the electric brake and clutch mechanism to interrupt the operation of the discharge mechanism upon the discharging of sufficient knocked-down cartons of the capacity of the container, said container conveyer being adapted to convey containers in succession with a space between them, and means associated with said conveyor for energizing the hopper discharge mechanism electric brake and clutch after the said space between successive containers has passed the packer means.

15. In a machine for packing knocked-down cartons into a shipping and storage container the combination of a hopper inciuding sides, means placing knocked'down cartons into the hopper in superimposed positions, a discharge mechanism forming the bottom of the hopper on which the knocked-down cartons are supported, said discharge mechanism including means for discharging the knocked-down cartons individually from the hopper, means counting the individual knocked-down cartons as they are discharged from the hopper, means operable and controlling the operation of the discharge means after a predetermined number of knocked-down cartons have been discharged from the hopper, a shipping and storage container having a capacity for a definite number of knocked-down cartons receiving the knocked-down cartons as discharged from the hopper, conveyor means supporting and intermittently moving the container as it receives knocked-down cartons, means actuating the conveyer, a feeler having a position within the container to be engaged by the knocked-down cartons as received in the container, means actuated by said feeler operating and controlling the conveyer actuating means, and means

Claims (1)

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED THE COMBINATION OF MEANS PLACING ARTICLES INTO A HOPPER, A HOPPER RECEIVING SAID ARTICLES FROM SAID PLACING MEANS, DISCHARGE MEANS INCLUDING AND ENDLESS BELT DISCHARGING THE ARTICLES INDIVIDUALLY BUT CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE HOPPER, A PRE-FORMED CONTAINER FOR THE ARTICLES AS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOPPER, MEANS SUPPORTING AND MOVING SAID CONTAINER REALTIVE TO THE HOPPER DISCHARGE MEANS DURING THE RECEPTION OF THE ARTICLES BY THE CONTAINER, MEANS INCLUDING CONTROL MEANS OPERATING THE CONTAINER SUPPORTING AND MOVING MEANS, MEANS IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE ARTICLES OPERATED BY SAID ARTICLES AS THEY ARE DISCHARGED INTO THE CONTAINER OPERATING THE CONTROL MEANS OF THE SUPPORTING AND MOVING MEANS OPERATING MEANS AND EFFECTING THE OPERATION OF THE CONTAINER SUPPORTING AND MOVING MEANS AND MEANS INCLUDING A COUNTER OPERATED BY SAID ARTICLES AND DISCHARGE ENDLESS BELT STOPPING THE DISCHARGE FROM THE HOPPER AFTER A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF ARTICLES HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED FROM THE HOPPER INTO THE SAID PRE-FORMED CONTAINER.

Images