US3196761A

US3196761A - Cam actuated case former

Info

Publication number: US3196761A
Application number: US290462A
Authority: US
Inventors: John E Ullman
Original assignee: Huntingdon Industries Inc
Current assignee: Huntingdon Industries Inc
Priority date: 1963-06-25
Filing date: 1963-06-25
Publication date: 1965-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-27

Description

July 27, 1965 .1. E. ULLMAN CAM ACTUA'I'ED CASE FORMER 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN CAM ACTUA'I'ED CASE FORMER 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

J O H N E. U LLWIAN July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN 3,196,751

CAM ACTUATED CASE FORMER Filed June 25, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 =EJ -L l zzvi A T TOR/VE Y.

July 27, 1965 .1. E. ULLMAN CAM ACTUATED CASE FORMER 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

JOHN E. ULLMAN 'IIIII/I I III/Ill] lI/I ATTORNE).

July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN 3,195,751

CAM AG'I'UATED CASE FQRMER Fi1 ed June 25, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN'IUR. JOHN E. ULLMAN ATTORN July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN 3,196,761

CAM ACTUATED CASE FORMER Filed June 25, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VENTOR.

JOHN E. ULLMAN BY 2 44%. and

A TTOR/VEX July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN 3,196,751

CAM ACTUATED CASE FORMER Filed June 25, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

JOHN E. ULLMAN ATTORNE).

July 27, 1965 J. E. ULLMAN 3,196,751

CAM ACTUA'I'ED CASE FORMER Filed June 25, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR.

JOH N E. ULLMAN A T TOR/VEX United States Patent 3,196,761 CAM AQTUA'EED QASE FQRMER John E. Ullman, Huntingdon Valley, Pa, assignor to Huntingdon industries incorporated, lietiiayres, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed lune 25, 1963, Ser. No. 2590, 362 6 Claims. (Cl. 93-49) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 166,798 filed January 17, 1962, now Patent No. 3,101, 654, issued on August 27,1963. This invention relates to improvements in a case former, and more particularly concerns apparatus for forming the bottom portion of endclosing cases to adapt them for top loading.

Cases or boxes made of corrugated paperboard or the like are widely used to package cans or similar articles. The blank of an end-closing case normally is smaller, and therefore less expensive, than the blank of a corresponding top-closing case. For example, in packaging a case of 24 cans, an end-closing blank normally used today would require up to 30 percent less paperboard than a top-closing blank. This difference in the amount of board arises from the fact that the flaps on the ends of an end-closing case are smaller than tl e fiaps on the top and bottom of a corresponding top-closing case, because many cases today are long and fiat, thus making the area of the end of the case considerably smaller than the area of the top and bottom.

Accordingly, packers have long desired to use end-closing cases instead of top-closing cases because of the savings in paperboard and cost. However, it is difficult to load an end-closing case with cans or the like, especially if a tight package is required. Conventionally, the meth- 0d of forming and filling an end-closing case is to take such a as supplied by the manufacturer (in flattened condition with the manufacturers flap connecting a side panel to the top or bottom panel), erect the top, bottom, side panels to set-up condition so that it appears as a tube, fill the case with cans by pushing the cans sidewise through one end, and glue and close both ends.

it can. be very ditlicult to shove a load of cans sidewise into a case from one end, especially if the case is a snug fit, and most can packers prefer a tight case because it lessens the likelihood of can damage in handling and shi g.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention vide apparatus for adapting an end-closing case for top load and which overcomes the heretofore mentioned problems.

Cther objects and advantages of this invention, inclu ing its simplicity and economy, as well as the ease with which it be adapted to existing equipment, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings, in which:

FlEG. l is a view in side elevation, partly cut away, of a case former constructed in accordance with this invention;

2 is a fragmentary View in top plan taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 22 which appear in FlG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of a carton blank positioned in the forming station in flat condition;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows which appear in FIG. 3;

to pro- FIG. 5 is a view in top plan of the carton after its bottom portion has been formed into set-up condition;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 6-6 which appear in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 77 which appear in PEG. 6;

1G. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing a later stage in operation with the mandrel in its lower position;

FEGS. 9l3 are views illustrating various steps in the process of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a view in top plan of another embodiment of forming station constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 15 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows l515 which appear in FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 16l6 which appear in FIG. 15.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown (Fifi. 9) a flat end-closing case blank 21 made of paperboard or the like and having a top panel 22 with the top 23 and manufacturefs lisp 24, an inner side panel ving side flaps 26, a bottom panel 27 having bottom *3, 225 2'7 and 31 are defined by crease lines 33, and when ca e 21 is filled with cans and is closed the manufacturers flap 24 is attached to the top portion of outer side panel 31, with

flaps

23, 26, 23 and 32 being closed to form the ends of the case.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a case former for end-closing cases constructed in accordance with this invention, which comprises loading station 355 having hopper means for holding a stack of fiat end-closing case blanks it, a glue station 36 having means for applying an adesive to the bottom flaps 2d of the case blanks 21, a forming station 37 having means for turning

side panels

25 and 31,

side flaps

26 and 32 and bottom flaps 28 to set-up position, and feed means 33 for feeding case blanks 21 one at a time from loading station 35 to forming station 37.

Loading station includes stacker bars 41 and ripple plates d2 which support the case blanks 21 and move them relative to each other as they move downwardly in the stack toward table 43. The bottom case blank 21 in the stack is pulled down to table 43 by take-down vacuum cup 4 and pivoted hold-down arms 45 hold the blank flat against table 43, against the act on of take-down cup 4 5 in releasing from the bottom case blank by reversing its suction to blow air upwardly.

The mechanism operating take-down cup 44 includes drive motor 46, gear box 47, crank 48, connecting link 51, lever 52, connecting link 53, lever 54, vacuum rod support mounting 55, and vacuum cup 4-4 which contacts the bottom blank 21 to transfer it from the hopper to table 43.

The mechanism for driving blank 21 from loading station 35 to glue station 36 to forming station 37 include driving motor 46, gear box 47, crank 43, connecting link 51, lever 52, lever 56, link 57, and a paperfeed cross-head 58 which reciprocates back and forth to deliver blanks 21 from loading station 35 to forming station 37.

"(flu Glue station 36 includes spray guns 61 and adhesive tank 62.

Forming station 37 includes a vertically reciprocable mandrel 63 which is connected to a crosshead 64 that is reciprocated vertically along crosshead columns 65 by a drive mechanism which includes a connecting rod 66,

levers

67 and 68, adjustable connecting rod 71, adjustable crank plate 72, gear box 47, and drive motor 46.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3-8, forming station 37 receives a fiat end-closing case blank 21 having adhesive areas 73 on bottom flaps 28 in the position shown in FIG. 3. Blank 21 is delivered to forming station 37 and is received in

angles

74, 75. Mandrel 63 has a bottom which is adapted to contact bottom panel 27 of blank 21 and move it downwardly while the bottom portion of case 21 is being turned into set-up position.

A turner rod 76 having a return spring 77 is mounted in forming station 37 below side panel 31, as shown in FIG. 3. A panel turner plate 78 is mounted on turner rod 76 beneath side panel 31 and extends beneath mandrel 63 so that the mandrel in its downward path pushes against plate 78 to rotate rod 76.

A pair of panel turner arms 81 are mounted on rod 76 with one on each side of plate 78 and are positioned beneath the end portions 82 of side panel 31. Extending at right angles from turner arms 81 are a pair of side flap turner cams 83 which are positioned beneath side flaps 32.

Adjacent the position of inner side panel 25 are mounted a pair of turner rods 84 which are connected to turner rods 76 by connecting links 85 which extend between

levers

86 and 87 mounted on

turner rods

76 and 84, respectively.

A pair of side flap turners 88 having cams 91 extending at right angles from the axis of turner rods 84 are positioned beneath side flaps 26.

A side panel turner arm 92 is pivotally mounted on each flap turner 88, and arms 92 extend parallel to the axis of turner rods 84 and are positioned beneath side panel 25.

Each turner arm 92 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) is adjustably mounted on a pivot pin 93 and is urged into horizontal position by a spring 94.

Beneath bottom flaps 73 are positioned a pair of bottom flap rollers 95 which roll the bottom flaps 73 into set-up condition during the downward travel of mandrel 63.

A pair of mandrel arms 96 (see FIGS. 6, l1, 7 and 8) are mounted on mandrel 63 and are positioned above the top panel 22 when it is in set-up position as shown in FIGS. and 6.

In operation, mandrel 63 in moving in its downward path pushes panel turner plate 78 to rotate

turner arms

76 and 84 and cause turner cams 83 and arms 81 to turn side panel 31 and flaps 32 into set-up position, and cause cams 91 and turner arms 92 to turn side panel 25 and flaps 26 into set-up position.

Bottom flap rollers 95 roll the bottom flaps 28 into set-up position, and top panel 22 is moved into position at right angles to inner side panel 25 by means of its action in contacting mandrel arms 96 when turner arms 92 are turning side panel 25 into position. Then mandrel arms 96 (in moving downwardly with mandrel 63) push the turner arms 92 out of the way about their pivot pins 93 to provide for downward passage of top panel 22. On the upward stroke of mandrel 63, spring 77 acts to return the plate 78 to normal position, and springs 94 return the arms 92 to normal.

The method of forming the bottom portion of an endopening case 21 so that it is adapted for top loading in accordance with the present invention (see FIGS. 9-13) comprises the steps of taking a flat end-opening case blank 21, applying an adhesive to areas 73 on bottom flaps 28, turning

side panels

25 and 31 and side flaps 26 and 32 into set-up position, and turning bottom flaps 28 into set-up position so that the adhesive makes contact with side flaps 26 and 32.

Top panel 22 is turned from the flat case blank position to a position at right angles to the set-up middle side panels 25 when it contacts mandrel arms 96.

Side panels

25 and 31 and flaps 26 and 32 are turned into set-up position simultaneously (with side flaps 26 and 32 at right angles to side panels 25 and 31) by

turner arms

92, 81 and

cams

91, 83. Top panel 22 is simultaneouSly turned to a position at right angles to middle side panel 25.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 14-16, there is shown a cam actuated case former which includes a vertically reciprocal cam body 101 which is attached to crosshead 64 by bracket 102 and extends downwardly from the crosshead.

Positioned around cam body 101 are cam-guide rollers 103 which are mounted on flat plate 104 and guide the movement of cam body 101.

A cam track 105 is formed in cam-body face 106 and includes a bend 107.

A cam roller or follower 108 rides in track 105 and is mounted on a lever 111 which is attached to one end of a shaft 112. A cross shaft 113 is connected to shaft 112 by mitre gears 114 and cross shaft 113 is provided with levers 115 mounted on its ends.

Push

rods

116, 117 are connected between levers 115 and levers 87 of turner rods 84 for actuating their associated panel and

flap turners

91a, 92a. A push rod 118 extends between lever 87a of front rod 84 and lever 86 of turner rod 76 and is adapted to rotate turner rod 76 to actuate the panel and flap turners mounted thereon. Panel turner 78a is a bar, instead of a plate, and turns side panel 31 into set-up position.

In operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 14-16, crosshead 64 in moving in its downward path causes cam body 101 to move downwardly and when cam follower 108 moves through bend 107, lever 111 rotates shaft 112. This motion is transmitted by mitre gears 114 to cross shaft 113 and its levers 115. Push rods 116-118 are thereby moved to turn

rods

84 and 76 to actuate their flap and panel turners to turn the side panels and flaps into set-up position.

As in the other embodiment of the invention, bottom flap rollers roll bottom flap 28 into set-up position, and top panel 22 is moved into position at right angles to inner side panel 25 by means of its action in contacting mandrel arms 96 when turner arms 92a are turning side panel 25 into position. Then mandrel arms 96 (in moving downwardly with mandrel 63) push the turner arms 92a out of the way about their pivot pins 93 to provide for downward passage of top panel 22. On the upward stroke of mandrel 63, cam follower 108 again passes through 665d 107 in cam track and acts to return push rods 116-118 and their panel and flap turners to normal position. Springs 94a return arms 92a to normal.

An advantage of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 14-16 is that the machine is subjected to much less shock and vibration because the panel and flap turners are actuated by the vertically reciprocating cam body 101 instead of being actuated by the mandrel 63 as it moves in its downward path to push panel turner plate 78 to thereby rotate

turner arms

76 and 84.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as presently preferred embodiments. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described, parts may be reversed and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A case former which forms the bottom portion of end-closing cases to adapt them for top loading, comprising a loading station having hopper means for holding a stack of flat end-closing case blanks, a glue station having means for applying an adhesive to the bottom flaps of said blanks, a forming station having means for turning the side panels, side flaps, and bottom flaps into set-up position, said forming station including a reciprocable mandrel having a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a flat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, first turner means mounted on a turner rod for turning the flaps of the inner side panel into set-up position against the mandrel, second turner means mounted on said first turner means and extending at right angles therefrom for turning the inner side panel into set-up position, third turner means mounted on a turner rod for turning the outer side panel and flaps into set-up position, means mounted on said mandrel for mov ing said second turner means out of the way to provide for passage of the top panel thereby, and fourth turner means for turning the bottom flaps into set-up position, all of said turner means being positioned adjacent the path of mandrel travel, cam means connected to said turner means for actuating them to turn said side panels and said flaps into set-up position, and feed means for feeding the blanks one at a time from loading station to glue station to forming station.

A case former which forms and seals the bottom portion of end-closing cases to adapt them for top loading, comprising a loading station having hopper means for holding a stack of flat end-closing case blanks; a glue station having means for applying an adhesive to the bottom of said blanks; a forming station having means for turning the side panels and side flaps into set-up position so that their adhesive contacts said side flaps, and for compressing the adhesive surfaces together to aid in setting; said forming station including a reciprocable mandrel having a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a fiat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, a turner rod, a pair of panel turners mounted on said rod and positioned beneath the ends of the outer side panel, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from said panel turners and positioned beneath the flaps of the outer side panel, a pair of turner rods mounted adjacent the position of the inner side panel and connected to the first said turner rod by connecting links which extend between levers and said turner rods, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from the axis of the second said turner rods and positioned beneath the fiaps of the inner side panel, a panel turner pivotally mounted on the second said flap turners and extending along the axis of the second said turner rods beneath the inner side panel position, and cam means connected to said turner rods for actuating said panel and flap turners to turn said side panels and flaps into set-up position, and feed means for feeding the blanks one at a time from loading station to glue station to forming station.

3. A forming station for end-closing cases comprising a reciprocable mandrel l aving a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a flat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, first turner i leans mounted on a turner rod for turning the flaps of the inner side panel into set-up position against the mandrel, second turner means mounted on said first turner means and extending at right angles therefrom for turning the inner side panel into set-up position, third turner means mounted on a turner rod for turning the outer side panel and flaps into set-up position, means mounted on said mandrel for moving said second turner means out of the way to provide for passage of the top panel thereby, fourth turner means for turning the bottom flaps into set-up position, all of said turner means being positioned adjacent the path of mandrel travel, and cam means connected to said turner rods for actuating them to turn said side panels and said flaps into set-up position.

4. A forming station for end-closing cases comprising a reciprocable mandrel having a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a fiat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, a turner rod, a pair of panel turners mounted on said rod and positioned beneath the ends of the outer side panel, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from said panel turners and positioned beneath the flaps of the outer side panel, a pair of turner rods mounted adjacent the position of the inner side panel and connected to the first said turner rod by connecting links which extend between levers on said turner rods, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from the axis of the second said turner rods and positioned beneath the flaps of the inner side panel, a panel turner pivotally mounted on the second said flap turners and extending along the axis of the second said turner rods beneath the inner side panel position, and cam means connected to said turner rods for actuating said panel and flap turners to turn said side panels and flaps into set-up position.

5. A forming station for end-closing cases comprising a crosshead, a reciprocable mandrel extending downwardly from said crosshead having a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a flat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, a turner rod, 21 pair of panel turners mounted on said rod and positioned beneath the ends of the outer side panel, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from said panel turners and positioned beneath the flaps of said outer side panel, a pair of turner rods mounted adja cent the position of the inner side panel and connected to the first said turner rod by connecting links which extend between levers on said turner rods, a pair of flap turners extending at right angles from the axis of the second said turner rods and positioned beneath the fiaps of the inner side panel, a side panel turner pivotally mounted on each of the second said flap turners and extending along the axis of the second said turner rods beneath the inner side panel position, .a vertically reciprocable cam body extending downwardly from said crosshead and having a cam track formed therein, a cam follower which rides in said track, and means connected between said cam follower and said turner rods for actuating said panel and flap turners to turn said side panels and flaps into set-up position, and a pair of arms mounted on said mandrel above the set-up top panel position, which mandrel arms move the second said panel turners out of the way about their pivots to provide for downward pZ1 sage of the top panel,

A forming station for end-closing cases comprising a crosshead, a reciprocable mandrel extending downwardly from said crosshead and having a bottom adapted to contact the bottom panel of a flat end-closing case blank when said blank is positioned in the forming station, a turner rod, a panel turner plate mounted on said rod and positioned beneath the outer side panel, a pair of panel turner arms mounted on said rod with one on each side of said panel turner plate and positioned beneath the ends of the outer side panel, a pair of panel flap turner cams extending at right angles from said panel turner arms and positioned beneath the flaps of the outer side panel, a

pair of turner rods mounted adjacent the inner side panel position and connected to the first said turner rod by a connecting link which extends between levers on said turner rods, a pair of flap turners having cams extending at right angles from the axis of the second said turner rods and positioned beneath the flaps of the inner side panel, a panel turner arm pivo-tally mounted on each of the second said flap turners and extending parallel to the axis of the second said turner rods beneath the inner side panel position, a pair of mandrel arms mounted on said mandrel above the set-up top panel position, a pair of bottom flap rollers positioned beneath the bottom flaps, a vertically reciprocable cam body extending downwardly from said crosshead and having a cam track formed in its face, cam guide rollers positioned around said cam body to guide its movement, a shaft positioned at right angles to the face of said cam body, a cam follower which rides in said track and is mounted on a lever attached to one end of said shaft, a cross shaft connected to said shaft by mitre gears, levers mounted on the ends of said cross-shaft, and push rods connected between said cross-shaft levers and References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,097,576 7/63 Burke 93-49 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A CASE FORMER WHICH FORMS THE BOTTOM PORTION OF END-CLOSING CASES TO ADAPT THEM FOR TOP LOADING, COMPRISING A LOADING STATION HAVING HOPPER MEANS FOR HOLDING A STACK OF FLAT END-CLOSING CASE BLANKS, A GLUE STATION HAVING MEANS FOR APPLYING AN ADHESIVE TO THE BOTTOM FLAPS OF SAID BLANKS, A FORMING STATION HAVING MEANS FOR TURNING THE SIDE PANELS, SIDE FLAPS, AND BOTTOM FLAPS INTO SET-UP POSITION, SAID FORMING STATION INCLUDING A RECIPROCABLE MANDREL HAVING A BOTTOM ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE BOTTOM PANEL OF A FLAT END-CLOSING CASE BLANK WHEN SAID BLANK IS POSITIONED IN THE FORMING STATION, FIRST TURNER MEANS MOUNTED ON A TURNER ROD FOR TURNING THE FLAPS OF THE INNNER SIDE PANEL INTO SET-UP POSITION AGAINST THE MANDREL, SECOND TURNER MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST TURNER MEANS AND EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES THEREFROM FOR TURNING THE INNER SIDE PANEL INTO SET-UP POSITION, THIRD TURNER MEANS MOUNTED ON A TURNER ROD FOR TURNING THE OUTER SIDE PANEL AND FLAPS INTO SET-UP POSITION, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID MANDREL FOR MOVING SAID SECOND TURNER MEANS OUT OF THE WAY TO PROVIDE FOR PASSAGE OF THE TOP PANEL THEREBY, AND FOURTH TURNER MEANS FOR TURNING THE BOTTOM FLAPS INTO SET-UP POSITION, ALL OF SAID TURNER MEANS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PATH OF MANDREL TRAVEL, CAM MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TURNER MEANS FOR ACTUATING THEM TO TURN SAID SIDE PANELS AND SAID FLAPS INTO SET-UP POSITION, AND FEED MEANS FOR FEEDING THE BLANKS ONE AT A TIME FROM LOADING STATION TO GLUE STATION TO FORMING STATION.