US3126299A - Carton length controlled tape server - Google Patents

Carton length controlled tape server Download PDF

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US3126299A
US3126299A US3126299DA US3126299A US 3126299 A US3126299 A US 3126299A US 3126299D A US3126299D A US 3126299DA US 3126299 A US3126299 A US 3126299A
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carton
tape
controller
feeding
condition
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/04—Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips
    • B65B51/06—Applying adhesive tape
    • B65B51/067—Applying adhesive tape to the closure flaps of boxes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S118/00—Coating apparatus
    • Y10S118/03—Container-related coater

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  • This invention relates to tape feeding and cutting mechanism adapted for use in connection with the tape sealing of cartons.
  • tape serving mechanism for use with cartons it is frequently important that a length of tape which exceeds the length of the chosen carton by a predetermined amount, be fed out, moistened, severed and presented in a convenient location for seizure, and for manual application by the operator to the carton. This is the case, for example, when the side flaps at the top of a carton are to be united along a center seam. The severed tape is then manually applied along a center seam with its ends drawn tautly around the end edges of the carton and adhered to the associated terminal faces.
  • a feed limiting stop can be set automatically to produce uniform tape lengths.
  • Such an arrangement is wholly unsuitable in the familiar situation of mixed cartons, i.e., in which cartons of mixed sizes or continually varying lengths are required to be dealt with.
  • a tape feed controller of predetermined length or span and a carton are relatively moved to cause a traversal of the carton length by the controller, the construction and arrangement being such that the tape feeding is effected at the rate of such traversal, starting as the first end of a carton meets.
  • the tape feed controller remains stationary and the carton is moved relative to it, being brought automatically to rest in a convenient taping position concurrently with the termination of tape feeding and the severance of the tape.
  • the initiation of carton feeding is effected by the operator through the actuation of a suitable manual or foot actuator, such as a treadle, and the feeding of the tape is automatically initiated by the first engagement of the traveling carton with the tape feeding controller, and automatically terminated when the carton leaves engagement with the tape feeding controller.
  • the carton stands at rest on the idle conveyor in Hce the taping position. It is then fed away after taping, as an incident of the feeding in of the next carton. If no further carton is immediately available, however, the treadle may nevertheless be operated to set the conveyor into motion. In this situation, the tape feeding controller Will not be tripped and there will be no feeding of tape.
  • the conveyor will continue to run until it is arrested by operation of a manual stop member which is provided for the purpose.
  • FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a practical and advantageous illustrative form of portable tape serving unit
  • FIGURE 2 is a view in end elevation of the mechanism of FIGURE 1;
  • FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale than FIGURES l and 2 showing particularly details of the tape moistening and feeding mechanism;
  • FIGURE 4- is a diagrammatic view illustrating chiefly the electrical circuits of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3;
  • FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing chiefly the electrical circuits of a modified embodiment.
  • a novel carton feeding and tape serving unit 10 is shown associated with gravity supply and discharge conveyors '12 and 14.
  • the supply conveyor 12 is suitably sloped yieldingly to advance the cartons 11, not sluggishly, but more slowly than they are advanced in the unit. 10. Ordinarily an accumulation of cartons waiting to be taped will stand in abutting relation on the conveyor 12 with the leading carton pressing lightly against the admission gate 73 of the unit it).
  • the unit It includes a table frame 16 which is equipped with legs 18 having rollers 19.
  • the unit 10 is completely self-contained, save for the necessity of plugging a leadin conductor (not shown) into a current supply socket. It may be rolled out of place when it requires servicing or to another line when required. It can also be replaced temporarily or permanently with a like unit without any important loss of operating time and without causing any important accumulation of untaped cartons.
  • the table 16 rotatably supports end rollers 20 and 21, upon which two spaced parallel conveyor belts 22 run side by side, the roller 2i) being the driving roller for the belts.
  • the table 16 also rotatably supports a multiplicity of intermediate idler rollers 24, forming a roller table, upon which the active runs of the belts 22 are supported.
  • the motor 28 is connected through suitable gearing, including gearing 34), to drive a cross-shaft 32.
  • the shaft 32 is connected through chain gearing 34 to drive the conveyor driving roller 20.
  • the shaft 32 is also connected through chain gearing 36 (chain 49) to drive a shaft 38, FIG. 3.
  • the shaft 38, through chain gearing 42 drives a tape web feeding roller 44 and a tape moistening roller 46 at equal peripheral speeds.
  • the tape feeding, moistening and cutting unit 48 is supported in its entirety from the table 16 through upstanding frame 50.
  • the tape feeding, moistening and cutting unit is generally like the corresponding unit of United States Patent No. 2,721,669.
  • a support 52 for a tape reel 54 is carried on an extension frame 56 which is rigid with the frame 50.
  • the tape is guided over a guide roller 58 and between the tape web feeding roller 44 and an idler roller 60.
  • the idler roller 60 is carried on one arm of a three-armed lever 62, which lever is mounted for rocking movement on a stationary pin 64.
  • the second arm of the lever 62 carries a pinch cutting blade 66 which is operable toward and from a stationary anvil roller 68.
  • the arrangement is such that with the third or long arm of the lever 62 pulled downwardly by a tension coil spring 70, FIG. 4, the cutter blade 66 is held in contact with the anvil roller 68 and the pressure roller 60 is held away from the roller 44 and the tape web 72. In this condition of the parts there can be no feeding of the tape web even though the roller 44 may be in operation.
  • the control means for the gate 73, the driving metor 28 and the lever 62 are diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 4.
  • a foot operated switch or treadle 76 rests on the fioor and is connected to the unit through a flexible, two-wire conductive cable 78.
  • the switch 76 When operated from its normally open condition to a closed condition, the switch 76 serves to complete a circuit which may be traced from conductor main 80 through a conductor 82, which includes a gate opening solenoid winding 84, to the switch 76. From the switch 76 the circuit is continued through a conductor 86, a relay winding 88 and a conductor 90 to a second conductor main 92.
  • the closing of the circuit just traced causes the winding 88 to be energized and to pull the movable member of a normally open switch 94 into closed position.
  • Closing of the switch 94 causes a circuit to be completed from conductor main 92 through conductor 90, winding 88, conductor 96, switch 94 and a conductor 98, which includes a manually operable, normally closed switch 100, to one extended terminal 102 of a two-position switch 104.
  • the circuit is continued from the movable member 106 of the switch 104 through a conductor 108 to the motor 28 and is thence completed to the conductor main 80 through a conductor 110.
  • a first consequence of the closing of the switch 76 is the opening of the gate 73 in response to energization of the winding 84. This permits the first of the waiting boxes to move onto the conveyor belts 22 and to advance somewhat more slowly than the rate of travel of the conveyor belts 22 until the center of gravity of the carton has passed onto the conveyor belts 22. As soon as the leading end of the carton has passed the gate 73, the carton will suifice to hold the gate 73 down, and the switch 76 may be released. With the carton moving forward in unison with the conveyor belts 22 it pulls away from the next following carton, leaving a gap which the gate 73 may enter as soon as the gate is cleared by the trailing end of the conveyor supported carton.
  • the conveyor supported carton engages and rocks forward an upstanding tape feeding and cutting controller arm 112.
  • the controller arm 112 starts to tilt forward, its tail portion rocks the movable member 106 of the switch 104 about pivot 107 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, shifting it into engagement with an extended contact 114 of the switch 104 and then out of engagement with the overlapping extended contact 102 of the switch.
  • the advancing tape is moistened as it passes between the moistening roller and an opposed spring pressed idler roller 118, and is further fed downward by them.
  • the feeding of the tape is continued until the trailing end of the carton has passed clear of the rather long controller arm 112.
  • the controller 112 springs upward, permitting the member 106 of the arm 104 to move downward to the normal position in which it engages the extended contact 102, but stands out of engagement with the overlapping extended contact 114. Since the switch 94 will have been opened before this time, as previously pointed out, the contact 102 is dead, and no current is caused to flow through the motor 28 or through the solenoid winding 74.
  • the advancing of the tape web is instantaneously arrested by the withdrawal of the idler roller 60 from tape pressing position.
  • the tape is simultaneously severed by the rocking downward of the long arm of the lever 62 to thrust the knife blade 66 against the anvil roller 68.
  • the severed length of tape 69 will continue to travel downward so long as the rollers 46 and 118 continue to rotate, and may or may not move completely clear of the rollers 46 and 118.
  • the tape As the tape emerges from the rollers 46 and 118 it is fed into and through a curved holder 122, which consists of sets of upper Wire fingers 123 and lower wire fingers 124, with its moistened side disposed toward the lower fingers 124.
  • the severed tape length 69 depends from the holder, being lightly gripped between the upper and lower fingers and retained by them with or without the aid of the rollers 46 and 118.
  • the conveyor belts 22 come to rest with the carton in a convenient position for taping at the operators station, and with the measured, moistened and severed length of tape hanging down conveniently near at hand.
  • the operator after folding in the leading and trailing flaps and then the side flaps, seizes the tape and applies it in a conventional manner. He may, for example, apply the tape first to the substantially abutting side flaps along the longitudinal center seam, with the ends of the tape protruding substantially equally beyond the leading and trailing ends of the carton. Thereafter he may draw the tape ends tautly downward and press the respective ends smoothly against the leading and trailing faces of the carton.
  • the disposal of the taped carton may be taken care of without attention on the part of the operator and simply as an incident of the feeding in of the next carton to be taped. If, however, there is no carton waiting to be taped, the operator may, nevertheless, close the treadle switch 76 for setting the motor 28 and the conveyor belts 22 into operation. No tape will be fed down because there will be no carton to depress the controller member 112. Neither will the motor 28 and the conveyor belts 22 be later on brought automatically to rest as they are when a carton is fed in. The operator can, however, bring the motor and the conveyor to rest by operating the switch button 116 to open momentarily the normally closed switch 100. This de-energizes the winding 88, causing the switch 94 to assume its normally open condition and so to leave the motor operating circuit through the switch 94 in a disabled condition.
  • the tape feeding unit has been described as including tape moistening means on the assumption that moisture sensitive tape Will be used.
  • the tape moistening means includes a reservoir 126, the moistening roller 46 and a barometric feed 128 for maintaining the water level in the reservoir 124.
  • the barometric feed 128 includes a cup 130 having a depending hollow stem 132, an inverted water jar 134 of glass, a jar holding bracket 136 and a jar holding spring 138.
  • the tape employed the of the moisture sensitive variety. If the tape is either of the pressure sensitive or heat sensitive kind, the moistening means may be omitted, or may be rendered inactive by the removal of the moistening reservoir 126, the roller 46 and the associated supporting structure.
  • FIGURE 5 is generally the same as that of FIGURES l to 4. Corresponding reference characters have accordingly been applied to corresponding parts with the subscript a added in each instance and the description will be confined to the characteristics and details in which the structure of FIGURE 5 differs from that of FIGURES 1 to 4. Parts such as switches 76, 94 and 100 and winding 88, omitted for lack of space in FIGURE 5 are, nevertheless, included without change in the structure of FIGURE 5.
  • a motor 118a is connected in parallel with the winding 74a through conductors 140 and 142.
  • the motor 118a is, therefore, started concurrently with the energization of the winding 74a by a depression of the controller 112a, and is stopped when the controller 112a rises upon clearance of it by the trailing end of the carton.
  • the motor 118a is connected to drive the shaft 38a on which the tape feed roll 40a is made fast, and the shaft 38a in turn through chain gearing 42a drives the other driven parts of the tape feeding and moistening unit.
  • Both illustrative embodiments have been described as feeding out, moistening and cutting a single strip of tape at each feeding of a carton past the controller 112, or 112a by the conveyor, and this would be adequate in most situations.
  • Such a situation may be dealt with by anyone of several expedients for feeding out two moistened strips of identical length side by side.
  • One suitable arrangement would be to provide for the feeding out, moistening and cutting of a double width tape, with a slitter provided for splitting the tape centrally a little ahead of the guide rod 58.
  • a second available expedient is to provide two side by side reels, with the tape feeding, cutting and moistening means wide enough to act upon the two strips simultaneously.
  • the leading end of one of the Webs can be withdrawn from between the rolls 44 and 60 when a single strip is wanted for each carton.
  • a third available expedient is to provide two reels and two taper heads, With identical operating means, responsive to the controller 112 or 11211, for operating the two taper heads identically. Again one of the tapes may be withdrawn from between rollers 44 and 60 of its taper head to render the taper head ineffective though operative. Alternatively a normally closed, two position '6 switch interposed in one of two lines 116 or 11 6a may he opened. This will suppress energization of one of the solenoids 74 in the mechanism of FIGS. 1 to 4. In FIG. 5 it will suppress the energization of one solenoid 74a but will leave the motor 118 operative through the line 116a which goes to the other solenoid.
  • a tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, means for relatively moving the controller and a carton to be taped in the direction of the length of the carton and in engagement with one another for a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means responsive to the displacement of the controller by the carton to tape feeding condition, to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of relative movement of the carton and the controller but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to the normal, inactive condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition, and means for terminating the relative movement of the carton and the controller in response to the return of the controller .to normal condition.
  • a carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a
  • a gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition.
  • a carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, cooperative stationary and moveable tape cutting members, a carton feeding conveyor, normally idle tape feeding rollers including at least a first roller before the cutting point and a pair of mutually opposed rollers after the cutting point, a normally closed gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate, setting the conveyor into operation, and setting the tape feeding rollers ineifectively into operation, a tape feeding controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span, and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, a movably mounted idler roller opposed to, but normally spaced widely from, the first feeding roller, and movable in response to such displacement of the controller by the carton to press the tape against the first feeding roller and
  • a carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a driving motor for the conveyor, a gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor driving motor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means, a driving motor therefor, said driving motor and tape feeding means being responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor, but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition.
  • a carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a driving motor for the conveyor, a gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the couveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor driving motor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means, a driving motor therefor, said driving motor and tape feeding means being responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor, but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition, the conveyor driving motor being

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Description

March 24, 1964 c. D. KEELY ETAL 3,126,299
CARTON LENGTH CONTROLLED TAPE SERVER Filed Dec. 6, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TORS /FFOE 2. #[JA Y 34,670,16 J. 34 545) March 24, 1964 c. D. KEELY ETAL 3,126,299
CARTON LENGTH CONTROLLED TAPE SERVER Filed Dec. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2
IN V EN TORS (Z/FFO/PD .2 A'E Y Ran Mow .77 84/54 er array/125:6
March 24,1964
C. D. KEELY ETAL CARTON LENGTH'CONTROLLED TAPE SERVER Filed Dec. 6, 1960 3 SheetsSheet 3 United States Patent CARTON LENGTH CONTROLLED TAPE SERVER Clifford D. Keely, West Englewood, N.J., and Raymond J. Baisley, Hempstead, N.Y., assignors to General Corrugated Machinery Company, Inc., Palisades Park,
N .J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 74,128 6 Claims. (Cl. 1184) This invention relates to tape feeding and cutting mechanism adapted for use in connection with the tape sealing of cartons. In tape serving mechanism for use with cartons, it is frequently important that a length of tape which exceeds the length of the chosen carton by a predetermined amount, be fed out, moistened, severed and presented in a convenient location for seizure, and for manual application by the operator to the carton. This is the case, for example, when the side flaps at the top of a carton are to be united along a center seam. The severed tape is then manually applied along a center seam with its ends drawn tautly around the end edges of the carton and adhered to the associated terminal faces.
Many expedients have been adopted for mechanically feeding out appropriate, measured lengths of tape, but these have generally depended upon a knowledge or an estimate of the length of the carton in linear units and the pressing of an appropriately marked button or lever. This type of operation can result in error through unintentional pushing of the wrong button or lever. It can result in error from miscalculation. It can result in error from malfunctioning of the mechanism. It can result in waste of tape because only selected lengths are available.
With some forms of mechanism, when the cartons are known to be of a single definite, uniform length, a feed limiting stop can be set automatically to produce uniform tape lengths. Such an arrangement, however, is wholly unsuitable in the familiar situation of mixed cartons, i.e., in which cartons of mixed sizes or continually varying lengths are required to be dealt with.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive mechanism in which tape lengths fed, moistened and cut are caused to exceed the lengths of the cartons to which they are to be applied by a predetermined, mechanically controlled amount, by actually using the length of the respective cartons, variably to control the lengths of tape fed. To this end a tape feed controller of predetermined length or span and a carton are relatively moved to cause a traversal of the carton length by the controller, the construction and arrangement being such that the tape feeding is effected at the rate of such traversal, starting as the first end of a carton meets. The first end of the feed controller and terminating, with a concomitant severance of the tape, as the second end of the carton leaves engagement with the second end of the controller.
In a preferred form of the invention, and as illustrated herein, the tape feed controller remains stationary and the carton is moved relative to it, being brought automatically to rest in a convenient taping position concurrently with the termination of tape feeding and the severance of the tape. The initiation of carton feeding is effected by the operator through the actuation of a suitable manual or foot actuator, such as a treadle, and the feeding of the tape is automatically initiated by the first engagement of the traveling carton with the tape feeding controller, and automatically terminated when the carton leaves engagement with the tape feeding controller.
At the conclusion of the tape and carton feeding operation, the carton stands at rest on the idle conveyor in Hce the taping position. It is then fed away after taping, as an incident of the feeding in of the next carton. If no further carton is immediately available, however, the treadle may nevertheless be operated to set the conveyor into motion. In this situation, the tape feeding controller Will not be tripped and there will be no feeding of tape. The conveyor will continue to run until it is arrested by operation of a manual stop member which is provided for the purpose.
Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.
In the drawing forming part of this specification,
FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a practical and advantageous illustrative form of portable tape serving unit;
FIGURE 2 is a view in end elevation of the mechanism of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale than FIGURES l and 2 showing particularly details of the tape moistening and feeding mechanism;
FIGURE 4- is a diagrammatic view illustrating chiefly the electrical circuits of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3; and
FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing chiefly the electrical circuits of a modified embodiment.
In the illustrative embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 4, a novel carton feeding and tape serving unit 10 is shown associated with gravity supply and discharge conveyors '12 and 14. The supply conveyor 12 is suitably sloped yieldingly to advance the cartons 11, not sluggishly, but more slowly than they are advanced in the unit. 10. Ordinarily an accumulation of cartons waiting to be taped will stand in abutting relation on the conveyor 12 with the leading carton pressing lightly against the admission gate 73 of the unit it).
The unit It) includes a table frame 16 which is equipped with legs 18 having rollers 19. The unit 10 is completely self-contained, save for the necessity of plugging a leadin conductor (not shown) into a current supply socket. It may be rolled out of place when it requires servicing or to another line when required. It can also be replaced temporarily or permanently with a like unit without any important loss of operating time and without causing any important accumulation of untaped cartons.
The table 16 rotatably supports end rollers 20 and 21, upon which two spaced parallel conveyor belts 22 run side by side, the roller 2i) being the driving roller for the belts. The table 16 also rotatably supports a multiplicity of intermediate idler rollers 24, forming a roller table, upon which the active runs of the belts 22 are supported. A supplemental frame 26, suspended from the table, supports a drive motor 28 and associated gearing. The motor 28 is connected through suitable gearing, including gearing 34), to drive a cross-shaft 32. The shaft 32 is connected through chain gearing 34 to drive the conveyor driving roller 20.
The shaft 32 is also connected through chain gearing 36 (chain 49) to drive a shaft 38, FIG. 3. The shaft 38, through chain gearing 42 drives a tape web feeding roller 44 and a tape moistening roller 46 at equal peripheral speeds. The tape feeding, moistening and cutting unit 48 is supported in its entirety from the table 16 through upstanding frame 50. The tape feeding, moistening and cutting unit is generally like the corresponding unit of United States Patent No. 2,721,669.
A support 52 for a tape reel 54 is carried on an extension frame 56 which is rigid with the frame 50. The tape is guided over a guide roller 58 and between the tape web feeding roller 44 and an idler roller 60. The idler roller 60 is carried on one arm of a three-armed lever 62, which lever is mounted for rocking movement on a stationary pin 64. The second arm of the lever 62 carries a pinch cutting blade 66 which is operable toward and from a stationary anvil roller 68.
The arrangement is such that with the third or long arm of the lever 62 pulled downwardly by a tension coil spring 70, FIG. 4, the cutter blade 66 is held in contact with the anvil roller 68 and the pressure roller 60 is held away from the roller 44 and the tape web 72. In this condition of the parts there can be no feeding of the tape web even though the roller 44 may be in operation.
Upon energization of a solenoid winding 74, however, the lever 62 will be swung clockwise to carry the blade 66 away from the anvil roller 68 and to press the idler roller 60, through the tape web 72, against the tape web feeding roller 44.
The control means for the gate 73, the driving metor 28 and the lever 62 are diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 4. A foot operated switch or treadle 76 rests on the fioor and is connected to the unit through a flexible, two-wire conductive cable 78.
When operated from its normally open condition to a closed condition, the switch 76 serves to complete a circuit which may be traced from conductor main 80 through a conductor 82, which includes a gate opening solenoid winding 84, to the switch 76. From the switch 76 the circuit is continued through a conductor 86, a relay winding 88 and a conductor 90 to a second conductor main 92.
The closing of the circuit just traced causes the winding 88 to be energized and to pull the movable member of a normally open switch 94 into closed position. Closing of the switch 94 causes a circuit to be completed from conductor main 92 through conductor 90, winding 88, conductor 96, switch 94 and a conductor 98, which includes a manually operable, normally closed switch 100, to one extended terminal 102 of a two-position switch 104. The circuit is continued from the movable member 106 of the switch 104 through a conductor 108 to the motor 28 and is thence completed to the conductor main 80 through a conductor 110.
It will be seen that the closing of the switch 76, therefore, establishes a holding circuit through switch 94 which sets the motor 28 into operation, causing the conveyor belts 22 to be driven and the rollers 44 and 46 of the tape unit to be driven, all at equal linear speeds.
A first consequence of the closing of the switch 76 is the opening of the gate 73 in response to energization of the winding 84. This permits the first of the waiting boxes to move onto the conveyor belts 22 and to advance somewhat more slowly than the rate of travel of the conveyor belts 22 until the center of gravity of the carton has passed onto the conveyor belts 22. As soon as the leading end of the carton has passed the gate 73, the carton will suifice to hold the gate 73 down, and the switch 76 may be released. With the carton moving forward in unison with the conveyor belts 22 it pulls away from the next following carton, leaving a gap which the gate 73 may enter as soon as the gate is cleared by the trailing end of the conveyor supported carton.
The conveyor supported carton engages and rocks forward an upstanding tape feeding and cutting controller arm 112. As soon as the controller arm 112 starts to tilt forward, its tail portion rocks the movable member 106 of the switch 104 about pivot 107 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, shifting it into engagement with an extended contact 114 of the switch 104 and then out of engagement with the overlapping extended contact 102 of the switch.
The shifting of the switch member 106 out of engagement with contact 102, drops the conductor 90, winding 88, switch 94 and conductor 98 out of circuit, thereby permitting the switch 94 to resume its normal open condition. It substitutes in the circuit a conductor 116 which includes the winding 74, so that the circuit through the motor 28 is maintained at the same time that the solenoid winding 74 is energized. As previously noted, energization of the winding 74 shifts the idler roller 60 into tape web feeding position and also pulls back the knife blade 66 to provide a passageway for the tape between the anvil roller 68 and the blade 66.
The advancing tape is moistened as it passes between the moistening roller and an opposed spring pressed idler roller 118, and is further fed downward by them. The feeding of the tape is continued until the trailing end of the carton has passed clear of the rather long controller arm 112.
When the carton clears the arm 112, the controller 112 springs upward, permitting the member 106 of the arm 104 to move downward to the normal position in which it engages the extended contact 102, but stands out of engagement with the overlapping extended contact 114. Since the switch 94 will have been opened before this time, as previously pointed out, the contact 102 is dead, and no current is caused to flow through the motor 28 or through the solenoid winding 74.
The consequence is that the carton feeding conveyor belts 22 advance only a short distance further under the momentum of the operating parts, and the tape feeding and moistening roller 44 advance only a short distance further under the momentum of the operating parts.
The advancing of the tape web is instantaneously arrested by the withdrawal of the idler roller 60 from tape pressing position. The tape is simultaneously severed by the rocking downward of the long arm of the lever 62 to thrust the knife blade 66 against the anvil roller 68. The severed length of tape 69 will continue to travel downward so long as the rollers 46 and 118 continue to rotate, and may or may not move completely clear of the rollers 46 and 118.
As the tape emerges from the rollers 46 and 118 it is fed into and through a curved holder 122, which consists of sets of upper Wire fingers 123 and lower wire fingers 124, with its moistened side disposed toward the lower fingers 124. The severed tape length 69 depends from the holder, being lightly gripped between the upper and lower fingers and retained by them with or without the aid of the rollers 46 and 118.
The conveyor belts 22 come to rest with the carton in a convenient position for taping at the operators station, and with the measured, moistened and severed length of tape hanging down conveniently near at hand. The operator after folding in the leading and trailing flaps and then the side flaps, seizes the tape and applies it in a conventional manner. He may, for example, apply the tape first to the substantially abutting side flaps along the longitudinal center seam, with the ends of the tape protruding substantially equally beyond the leading and trailing ends of the carton. Thereafter he may draw the tape ends tautly downward and press the respective ends smoothly against the leading and trailing faces of the carton.
The disposal of the taped carton may be taken care of without attention on the part of the operator and simply as an incident of the feeding in of the next carton to be taped. If, however, there is no carton waiting to be taped, the operator may, nevertheless, close the treadle switch 76 for setting the motor 28 and the conveyor belts 22 into operation. No tape will be fed down because there will be no carton to depress the controller member 112. Neither will the motor 28 and the conveyor belts 22 be later on brought automatically to rest as they are when a carton is fed in. The operator can, however, bring the motor and the conveyor to rest by operating the switch button 116 to open momentarily the normally closed switch 100. This de-energizes the winding 88, causing the switch 94 to assume its normally open condition and so to leave the motor operating circuit through the switch 94 in a disabled condition.
The tape feeding unit has been described as including tape moistening means on the assumption that moisture sensitive tape Will be used. The tape moistening means includes a reservoir 126, the moistening roller 46 and a barometric feed 128 for maintaining the water level in the reservoir 124. The barometric feed 128 includes a cup 130 having a depending hollow stem 132, an inverted water jar 134 of glass, a jar holding bracket 136 and a jar holding spring 138.
It is not essential, of course, that the tape employed the of the moisture sensitive variety. If the tape is either of the pressure sensitive or heat sensitive kind, the moistening means may be omitted, or may be rendered inactive by the removal of the moistening reservoir 126, the roller 46 and the associated supporting structure.
It is not essential that the tape unit be driven from the same motor as the conveyor belts .22, since it is possible to provide separate motors and still to cause the tape when fed out to be fed at substantially the identical rate at which the conveyor belts are advanced. A diagrammatic illustration of a modification of this kind is found in FIGURE 5.
The structure of FIGURE 5 is generally the same as that of FIGURES l to 4. Corresponding reference characters have accordingly been applied to corresponding parts with the subscript a added in each instance and the description will be confined to the characteristics and details in which the structure of FIGURE 5 differs from that of FIGURES 1 to 4. Parts such as switches 76, 94 and 100 and winding 88, omitted for lack of space in FIGURE 5 are, nevertheless, included without change in the structure of FIGURE 5.
Instead of connecting the motor 28a to drive the tape unit, a motor 118a is connected in parallel with the winding 74a through conductors 140 and 142. The motor 118a is, therefore, started concurrently with the energization of the winding 74a by a depression of the controller 112a, and is stopped when the controller 112a rises upon clearance of it by the trailing end of the carton. The motor 118a is connected to drive the shaft 38a on which the tape feed roll 40a is made fast, and the shaft 38a in turn through chain gearing 42a drives the other driven parts of the tape feeding and moistening unit.
Both illustrative embodiments have been described as feeding out, moistening and cutting a single strip of tape at each feeding of a carton past the controller 112, or 112a by the conveyor, and this would be adequate in most situations. There may be occasions, however, when two identical tape lengths may be wanted for a single carton. In some situations, for example, it may be desired to fold in and tape the flaps at the top of a loaded carton, then manually to invert the carton by rolling it forward while holding the bottom of the carton closed, and then to tape the overturned bottom. Such a situation may be dealt with by anyone of several expedients for feeding out two moistened strips of identical length side by side.
One suitable arrangement would be to provide for the feeding out, moistening and cutting of a double width tape, with a slitter provided for splitting the tape centrally a little ahead of the guide rod 58.
A second available expedient is to provide two side by side reels, with the tape feeding, cutting and moistening means wide enough to act upon the two strips simultaneously. In this case, the leading end of one of the Webs can be withdrawn from between the rolls 44 and 60 when a single strip is wanted for each carton.
A third available expedient is to provide two reels and two taper heads, With identical operating means, responsive to the controller 112 or 11211, for operating the two taper heads identically. Again one of the tapes may be withdrawn from between rollers 44 and 60 of its taper head to render the taper head ineffective though operative. Alternatively a normally closed, two position '6 switch interposed in one of two lines 116 or 11 6a may he opened. This will suppress energization of one of the solenoids 74 in the mechanism of FIGS. 1 to 4. In FIG. 5 it will suppress the energization of one solenoid 74a but will leave the motor 118 operative through the line 116a which goes to the other solenoid.
While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures. It is not, therefore, the intention to limit the patent to the specific construction illustrated, but to cover the invention broadly in whatever form its principles may be utilized.
We claim:
1. A tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, means for relatively moving the controller and a carton to be taped in the direction of the length of the carton and in engagement with one another for a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means responsive to the displacement of the controller by the carton to tape feeding condition, to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of relative movement of the carton and the controller but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to the normal, inactive condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition, and means for terminating the relative movement of the carton and the controller in response to the return of the controller .to normal condition.
2. A carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a
gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition.
3. A carton feeding and tape serving mechanism as set forth in claim 2. which further includes means for causing termination of the operation of the conveyor in response to the return of the controller to normal condition.
4. A carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, cooperative stationary and moveable tape cutting members, a carton feeding conveyor, normally idle tape feeding rollers including at least a first roller before the cutting point and a pair of mutually opposed rollers after the cutting point, a normally closed gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate, setting the conveyor into operation, and setting the tape feeding rollers ineifectively into operation, a tape feeding controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span, and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, a movably mounted idler roller opposed to, but normally spaced widely from, the first feeding roller, and movable in response to such displacement of the controller by the carton to press the tape against the first feeding roller and thereby cause the tape to be fed out at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor, but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, the movable tape severing member being operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition, to effect severance of the tape, and means for causing termination of the operation of the conveyor and of the tape feeding rollers in response to the return of the controller to normal position.
5. A carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a driving motor for the conveyor, a gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the conveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor driving motor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means, a driving motor therefor, said driving motor and tape feeding means being responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor, but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition.
6. A carton feeding and tape serving mechanism comprising, in combination, a carton feeding conveyor, a driving motor for the conveyor, a gate for restraining incoming cartons near the introductory end of the couveyor, means including a manually operable member for opening the gate and setting the conveyor driving motor into operation, a tape feed controller having a carton engageable portion of definite span and mounted for displacement by the carton from a normal, inactive condition to a tape feeding condition, the construction and arrangement being such that the controller is held displaced to tape feeding condition while the carton is being carried forward a distance equal substantially to the length of the carton plus the span of the carton engageable portion of the controller, tape feeding means, a driving motor therefor, said driving motor and tape feeding means being responsive to such displacement of the controller by the carton to feed out tape at a speed which coincides substantially with the speed of the conveyor, but rendered inactive by the return of the controller to normal condition upon disengagement thereof by the carton, and tape severing means operable in response to the return of the controller to normal condition, the conveyor driving motor being also responsive to the return of the controller to normal condition to discontinue driving of the conveyor.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,171,097 Cummings Feb. 8, 1916 2,405,790 Krueger Aug. 13, 1946 2,841,305 Werner July 1, 1958

Claims (1)

1. A TAPE SERVING MECHANISM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TAPE FEED CONTROLLER HAVING A CARTON ENGAGEABLE PORTION OF DEFINITE SPAN AND MOUNTED FOR DISPLACEMENT BY THE CARTON FROM A NORMAL INACTIVE CONDITION TO A TAPE FEEDING CONDITION, MEANS FOR RELATIVELY MOVING THE CONTROLLER AND A CARTON TO BE TAPED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LENGTH OF THE CARTON AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR A DISTANCE EQUAL SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE LENGTH OF THE CARTON PLUS THE SPAN OF THE CARTON ENGAGEALBE PORTION OF THE CONTROLLER, TAPE FEEDING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROLLER BY THE CARTON TO TAPE FEEDING CONDITION, TO FEED OUT TAPE AT A SPEED WHICH COINCIDES SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE SPEED OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE CARTON AND THE CONTROLLER BUT RENDERED INACTIVE BY THE RETURN OF THE CONTROLLER TO THE NORMAL, INACTIVE CONDITION UPON DISENGAGEMENT THEREOF BY THE CARTON, TAPE SEVERING MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO THE RETURN OF THE CONTROLLER TO NORMAL CONDITION, AND MEANS FOR TERMINATING THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE CARTON AND THE CONTROLLER IN RESPONSE TO THE RETURN OF THE CONTROLLER TO NORMAL CONDITION.
US3126299D Carton length controlled tape server Expired - Lifetime US3126299A (en)

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2440875A1 (en) * 1978-11-10 1980-06-06 Youenn Produits Automatic sticking arrangement for gummed tape onto packet - utilises movement of packet to control application of tape, which passes over guide rollers
EP0465771A1 (en) * 1990-06-13 1992-01-15 Serpack S.A. Device for delivering an adhesive tape for a closing head and a carton closing machine
EP0497208A1 (en) * 1991-01-30 1992-08-05 M.E.B. S.a.s. DI GALIMBERTI R. & C. Process and machine for closing boxes by applying tape, in particular for closing cardboard boxes
WO1992020582A1 (en) * 1991-05-17 1992-11-26 Filtrona Instruments And Automation Ltd. Apparatus for dispensing tape

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1171097A (en) * 1909-02-13 1916-02-08 Nat Binding Machine Co Strip-serving apparatus.
US2405790A (en) * 1941-08-30 1946-08-13 Better Packages Inc Strip serving machine
US2841305A (en) * 1956-03-05 1958-07-01 Wagner Iron Works Automatic taping mechanisms

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1171097A (en) * 1909-02-13 1916-02-08 Nat Binding Machine Co Strip-serving apparatus.
US2405790A (en) * 1941-08-30 1946-08-13 Better Packages Inc Strip serving machine
US2841305A (en) * 1956-03-05 1958-07-01 Wagner Iron Works Automatic taping mechanisms

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2440875A1 (en) * 1978-11-10 1980-06-06 Youenn Produits Automatic sticking arrangement for gummed tape onto packet - utilises movement of packet to control application of tape, which passes over guide rollers
EP0465771A1 (en) * 1990-06-13 1992-01-15 Serpack S.A. Device for delivering an adhesive tape for a closing head and a carton closing machine
EP0497208A1 (en) * 1991-01-30 1992-08-05 M.E.B. S.a.s. DI GALIMBERTI R. & C. Process and machine for closing boxes by applying tape, in particular for closing cardboard boxes
WO1992020582A1 (en) * 1991-05-17 1992-11-26 Filtrona Instruments And Automation Ltd. Apparatus for dispensing tape

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