US3368462A - Paper container pre-forming and erecting means - Google Patents

Description

3, 9-68 I R. w. 'GUZZARD'Q 3,368,

V PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 7 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 e Shets-Sheet 1 M/ V E N 7' 0/? RA man/0 w GUZZA R00 Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Filed Aug. 24. 1965 O 2 D a R H mm m NZ 4 w w W6 F S D. 6 N\ W W R Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 5 wnw 93 W Filed Aug '0 Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Filed Aug. 24, 1965- 6 Sheets-Sheen 4 R a M MD mm vw m m M H N F Q m E A Sm ll w 2 g mm 5 1 w p QM r \m w. M N\ N wk w MUN HUN IQUN w .3 8 m5 w m w Q? \Q mQ Mm W 7 f: Ff

RT l F R mm: N m wk m5 wk Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS g 7 INVENTOR. RAYMOND W GUZZARDO 7 1 Hag 5 Feb. 13, 1968 vR. w. GUZZARDO 3,363,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 6 Shets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 INVENTOR. RA YMO/VD W GUZZARDO United States Patent 3,368,462 PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Raymond W. Guzzardo, McHenry, 111., assignor to E. M.

Melahn, doing business as Northern Illinois Machine Company, McHenry, Ill.

Filed Aug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,112 12 Claims. (Ci. 93-53) ABSTRAUI' OF THE DISCLOSURE Automatic package forming mechanisms for opening collapsed milk carton blanks and forming such into three dimensional open ended tubes for subsequent formation into containers; including pneumatic feeder apparatus operable to remove a carton blank from a storage magazine and'deposit the samein a partially opened condition within a three walled folding cage having two movable walls which periodically actuate to fold the side wall panels of the carton about corner fold lines of the carton blank and which cage thereafter positively holds the carton panels in predetermined angular relationship while the same is mounted over a forming mandrel.

This invention relates generally to packaging machinery and more specifically to improved means for automatically pre-forming and erecting previously cut and scored paper carton blanks prpearatory to fabricating the same into sealed containers for carrying fluids and the like.

Paper containers or bottles for packaging fluids, such as milk and like products, enjoy extensive use and popularity. Such containers are generally formed of rather stiff paper board sheet material or cardboard having a suitable protective coating, such as wax or thermoplastic film whereby the coated board is rendered impervious to moisture and is therefore particularly suitable for packing fluid products of which milk and fruit juices are typical illustrations. In more recent times the thermoplastic coated paper board has achieved greater prominence of use, not only because of the plastic films ability to moistureproof the paper board, but for the further reason that the thermoplastic itself is utilized for sealing the container folds and closure portions, such sealing action being accomplished by heating the plasticized surfaces to be sealed and pressing the same together under pressure.

The present invention generally pertains to the erection and pre-forming of such paper board carton blanks preparatory to fabricating the same into liquid carrying vessels or cartons. The blanks from which the containers are formed are usually cut and scored by a fabricator to form a generally tubular member which is, however, collapsed or flat so that the same are packed and transported in a pack or bundle formation tightly pressed together;

adjacent individual container blanks disruptably adhering to one another. A typical container of the general class referred to is disclosed in the U.S. Patent to Crawford, et al., 3,116,002, issued Dec. 31, 1963, as well as U.S. Reissue Patent No. 25,021 to C. R. Alden dated Aug. 8, 1961.

According to present practice the carton fabricator or former, receives the bundle of flat carton blanks, as above described, and places them in a machine which automatically separates the individual carton blanks from the bundle, opening the same and forming them into tubes conventionally having a generally rectangular'or square cross-sectional configuration. Subsequent tucking and folding of bottom flap portions followed by sealing procedures form a sealed bottom closure for the tubular container. Similar folding operations, and in some instances a sealing of the top flaps, readies the container for subsequent filling with liquid. These forming operations may be carried on by available known machines typified, for example, by a fabricating machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,357,535 issued to Monroe On Sept. 5, 1944.

After the cartons have been formed and fabricated as above briefly outlined, the same are subsequently fed to a filling machine and if the containers have been previously sealed or closed, the upper ends thereof are disrupted and opened for reception of the liquid. Following the filling of the container the upper closures thereof are closed and sealed, readying the package for transshipment to the consumer. Generally speaking, the machinery for fabricating the containers and filling the same are located at the processing plants where the liquid is prepared. For instance, in the case of milk, the fabricating machinery is normally found in the dairy where the milk is pasturized and bottled for eventual distribution to the consuming public.

While the above described fabricating procedure is generally known and familiar to those cognizant of this art, constant research and re-examination of the practice has been carried on in an effort tordi'scover improved packaging materials, package formations, as well as research toward more eflicient, simple and dependable fabricating machinery for forming the blanks into finished packages. Among the several problems which have vexed this area of the packaging industry for some time is one to which the present invention is directed. Briefly, since the carton blanks are folded flat or, that is, with opposing walls of the carton pressed into adjacent parallel relationship, it is essential when forming the blank into a tubular carton as above described, to first open the blank from its collapsed state into a 3-dimensional tube of square crosssection. It will be readily appreciated that in unfolding the blank from its fiat or planar condition, as by thrusting opposing lateral edges of the blank relatively toward one another to open or separate the four walls of the container, the material of the carton, being rather resilient, has an inherent tendency to resist this opening operation. Thus the walls seek to return to their generally parallel position in which they resided when the blank was in its flat condition and therefore opened cartons naturally assume a diamond shaped cross-section. This resistance to opening creates a very troublesome problem particularly when employing automatic fabricating machinery. Generally speaking, most fabricating machines for forming milk carton blanks, for instance, into finished containers, as above related, eventually support the opened cartons on mandrils of square cross-section. Thus if the opened carton bears a diamond shaped cross-section, it is most difficult to feed or mount the same over a square-shaped mandril without either providing some type of guide means to assist in the mounting'operation or carefully feeding the same onto the mandrils so as to avoid crumbling or bending the carton walls.

In the past, the above-outlined problem has been met to a limited degree by moving the partially open carton blanks past a shoe or abutment member, which contacts the tubular carton and ovcrfolds the walls at the score lines constituting the four corners of the carton. Thus when the cartonsprings back to an open tube, the walls thereof hopefully achieve a 90 or normal relationship. A typical overfolding mechanism of this order is described in the hereinabove referred to Monroe Patent No. 2,357,- i

535. As has been experienced in the industry, despite previous attempts to open the carton into a tube of square cross-sections, there is no positive assurance that the desired condition will obtain, at the time the tube is fed automatically onto a supporting mandril for subsequent top and bottom forming, folding and sealing operations.

The present invention addresses itself to improvements in the pre-forming means for opening the flat carton blanks into a tubular formation of square or rectangular cross-section; the same being particularly characterized by improved means for positively assuring and holding the desired cross-sectional configuration for the blank tube whereby the same is dependably conditioned for mounting over a mandril of square or rectangular cross-section, defined by walls thereof disposed normal to one another.

Briefly, the present invention, while being concerned With the above discussed problem, combines feeding means for advancing carton blanks to a pre-forming station, means for removing the carton blanks one at a time from the feeding means and advancing the same past strategically located abutment members which serve to partially open the cartons after which they are advanced into overfolding cage means which positively holds the partially open cartons and, responsive to operating means therefor, functions to complete carton opening by pivotally or arcuately moving and folding the four side walls thereof through an angle of substantially 90 to 180 about each of the cartons four corner fold lines. After the cartons side walls are so folded they are moved and held by the cage member and positively positioned thereby in a right angular relationship, aligned with an overdisposed mandril onto which the now pre-formed carton tube is adapted to be mounted. Elevator means operate to advance the pre-formed cartons onto a mandril which is thereafter indexed to various stations for forming and sealing the cartons bottom and top.

From the above it will be understood that an important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means for opening paper carton blanks and the like and for positively pre-forrning such blanks into tubular members having a desired cross-sectional configuration.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means, for use in carton fabricating machines and the like, which are capable of pre-forming substantially planar carton blanks into open ended tubes having planar wall portions positively held in right angular relationship.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means receptive of partially opened paper carton blanks having four planar wall sections or portions interjoined by scored fold lines and which operates to fold such wall portions pivotally about the cartons corner sufficiently to insure that such wall portions will remain substantially at right angle relationship with respect to each other when released.

Still another object of this invention is to provide new and improved means for conditioning paper cartons in blank form whereby the same may be introduced into automatic forming machinery employing mandrils or other holding devices having a fixed cross-sectional configuration and onto Which the conditioned cartons are conformably mounted.

A still additional object of this invention is to provide improved means for pre-forming paper milk cartons and the like and for automatically mounting the same onto supporting-mandrils of automatic forming machines and the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means for pre-forming paper milk cartons and like containers by opening and folding the same into a desired tubular configuration and for positively maintaining such configuration while the open cartons are mounted over supporting means of automatic forming machinery and the like.

Having thus described the present invention, the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out its features and concepts will now be described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the above and further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view showing the pie-forming and erecting mechanism of this invention in operating relationship with a paper carton fabricating machine;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the pre-forming and erecting means according to this invention in assembly with related operating mechanisms;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevtaional view of folding cage means illustrated in FIGURE 2, at an enlarged scale thereover;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial plan view of portions of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 3, immediately about the folding cage means shown therein;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the partial assembly shown in FIGURE 5 and illustrating the cage means positioned to overfold a carton blank according to this invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially at vantage line 7-7 of FIGURE 2 when looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIGURE 8 is another cross sectional view taken substantially along vantage line 88 of FIGURE 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the means for operating the cage means;

FIGURE 10 is another perspective view schematically showing the means associated with the folding cage for feeding paper cartons thereto and for discharging preformed cartons therefrom;

FIGURES 11, 12, and 13 are plan views schematically representing the sequence of operations for introducing a carton blank to the folding cage means, according to this invention;

FIGURE 14 is a front elevational view illustrating a carton blank adapted to be processed and preformed by the mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 15 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of a carton blank illustrated in FIGURES 14 and 15 opened and pre-formed by the mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of a carton opened and preformed in accordance with the teachings of the prior art.

Turning now to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention set out in the accompanying drawings, FIG- URE 1 shows the same in operative association with a fabricating machine, indicated generally by numeral 20 in that figure. Machine 20 is adapted to form paper milk car tons or similar containers from planar paper carton blanks 21, suitably supported in a feeding magazine 22 located on one Side of the machine. The blanks 21 are advanced as a bundle along the magazine 22 by gravity actuator means 23, with the forward or leading carton blanks being successively removed from the magazine one at a time by suction feed means 24 which periodically operate to place a carton blank in operative relationship with the forming and erecting cage means 25, according to this invention, located at the machines first pre-forming station, indicated generally by numeral 26 in FIGURE 1.

While the machine 20 is only partially illustrated in FIGURE 1, the same generally comprises a plurality of carton holding mandrils 27 of square cross-section dependingly mounted in spaced relationship from an overhead indexing means or wheel 28 which is periodically partially rotated to index the mandrils sequentially from station to station located at spaced points along a circular path. In essence pre-formed carton tubes are sequentially advanced from the pre-forming stage or station 26 through a plurality of successive operating stations whereat the bottom closure flaps for the carton are folded, formed and sealed. Thereafter the cartons are stripped from the mandrils following which the top closure is folded, formed, and if desired, sealed. The formed cartons are then conveyed from the forming machine to either a subsequent filling machine or to storage.

Suitable controls for regulating operation of the machine 20 are conveniently located at control station 29 and may include, by way of example, plural pushbutton controllors or switches 30 and a cycle timer 31 as illustrated. Typically, the control switches 30 may include a main motor or drive control switch, a vacuum pump control switch, a heater control switch and means for selectively advancing the index means or wheel 28 as Well as other controls according to the operation requirements of the fabricating machine which may constitute, as previously mentioned, any of several presently known machines such as disclosed in the above referred to Monroe Patent 2,357,535.

While the specific operations accomplished at pre-forming station 26 will be described in greater detail hereinafter, in essence each carton blank is removed from the magazine 22 as it approaches station 26 by periodic op eration of the vacuum feed means 24, the latter serving to strip the blanks from the forward end of the feeder 22, move the same forwardly and partially open the same while positively locating the partially opened carton blanks in the pre-forming and erecting cage means 25 according to this invention. The cage means 25 in turn operates to fully open and pre-form the carton blanks into a tube of square or rectangular cross-section conforming to the cross-sectional dimensions and configuration of the over disposed supporting mandrils 27 onto which the preformed tubular cartons, are elevated against a stop means 33. This properly locates the tubular cartons for subsequent forming, folding and sealing operations of its bottom and top closures as above-indicated. As each mandril 27 is indexed away from the pre-forming station 26, to the next succeeding station whereat the bottom flaps of the carton are folded, the following mandril 27a (FIGURE 1) advances to the pre-forming station ready to receive the next pre-formed carton tube.

Turning now to the particulars of the present invention, reference is made to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings wherein the forming and erecting cage means 25 is shown in association with the feed magazine 22 and the several means and mechanisms employed for activating the erecting cage 25 and the suction feed means 24.

As shown in these figures, the cage means 25 is mounted upright near one edge of a planer staging table 40 for the machine 20, with cage means 25 being disposed substantially half above and half below the plane of table 40. Immediately adjacent and in front of folding cage 25, is located the magazine means 22 which is activated by the gravity means 23. To the rear of the cage means 25 and substantially opposite magazine means 22 is the suction feed means 24 disposed beneath the table 40 and adapted to actuate through the cage means 25 in a manner to be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. Immediately beneath the folding cage means 25 is an elevating means 42 (FIGURE 2) adapted to be periodically elevated and depressed in accordance with the activity of a reciprocating elevator actuator means 43 (see FIG- URE A central driving means comprising a rotatably driven cam means 44 is located to the rear of the elevator actuator 43 and beneath staging table 40; such cam means being operatively coupled to the suction feed means 24 by periodically operated feed drive means indicated generally at 45 (FIG. 2). Cam means 44 is also coupled to the elevator actuator means 43 by elevator drive means, indicated generally at 46 in FIGURE 2. The drive means 45 responds to the activity of a reciprocating drive yoke means 47 which is driven in response to rotation of the cam means 44. In addition to the drive means 45 and 46 referred to above, the central drive means also actuates cage drive means 50 comprising a yoke system, as best shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings and located on the opposite side of cam means 44 from the yoke actuator 47.

Turning now to the specific details of each of the above enumerated means, reference is made to FIGURES 1, 2,

6 and 3 especially whereat the feeding magazine 22 is illustrated. As shown in these figures, magazine 22 com prises a pair of parallel spaced and vertically disposed side walls 51, 52 (see FIGURE 3), comprising substantially planar members of generally elongated rectangular configuration which are interconnected by a split bottom wall or partition structure comprising laterally spaced and generally horizontally disposed bottom wall portions 53 and 54 having a slotted opening 55 therebetween which extends the full length of the magazine. Wall portions 53 and 54 are held in coplanar spaced relationship to define the slotted opening 55 by means of inter-reaching angle iron supports 56 and 57 which are securely bolted or otherwise rigidly afiixed to the bottom wall portions 53 and 54 in the manner best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Extending angularly downwardly from the outermost support 56 are support arms 58 (see FIG. 1) whereby the magazine 22 is supported from the base structure (not shown) of the machine 20.

Intermediate the two supports 56 and 57 and extending transversely beneath the magazines bottom wall portions 53, 54 is an angle iron bracket 59 having depending ear portions 60 between which is mounted a rotatable guide roller 61 over which a cord or similar flexible connector 62 is trained; cord 62 being a part of the gravity actuator means 23 and to that end being connected at one end to a weight 63 adapted to move downwardly by gravity to pull on the flexible connector 62. A second roller means 64 is mounted between depending ear members 65 located beneath the forward support 57. After passing over roller 64 cord 62 is trained rearwardly beneath the bottom wall of the magazine and more specifically in alignment with the central slotted opening 55 thereof for connection with a feeding follower plate means 66.

As shown best in FIGURE 3 of the drawings the follower plate means 66 is mounted upright in front of a supporting slide block means 67 which slidingly engages both of the bottom wall plate portions 53 and 54 immediately adjacent to the slotted opening 55 along which it moves. In operation the follower plate 66 is placed behind the stack or bundle of carton blanks 21 and therefore urges such stack forwardly toward the pre-forming station 26 in response to the gravitational operation of actuator means 23 and more specifically the urging of weight 63 and its resultant pull on the cord 62 which is attached at one end to weight 63 and at its opposite end to the follower means 66.

In order to accommodate cartons of different size, an auxiliary guide rail system 68 comprising a plurality of parallel tubular rail members 69 supported on post means 70 and attached to clip means 71 is adapted to be mounted between the two side walls 51 and 52 of the magazine substantially in the manner illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 5. As shown in such figures it will be realized that the clip means 71 slidingly fit over the upper edge of the side wall 52 to support the guide rails 69 in spaced parallelism with the magazines interior thereby to effect an alternate width or spacing between the side walls of the magazine. This alternate dimension adapts the magazine to carton blanks of lesser width than the normal spacing between walls 52 and 53, which can also be movably mounted for this same purpose if desired.

Adjacent the forward end of the magazine 22 and projecting into the carton receptive and guiding interior of the magazine as defined by the several walls 51-54 thereof, is an adjustable stop means 75 best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, and 5 of the drawings. As shown in FIGURE 5 in particular, the stop means 75 constitutes a metal block 76 having a notch 77 in one lateral edge thereof; the block 76 being pivotally secured by locking pivot means 78 next to a support pad 79 carried by a slide plate 89 which in turn is adjustably mounted on the upper face of the staging table 40 by adjustment lock bolt means 81. Adjustable bolt means 82 threadingly connected with the block 76 and equipped with a lock nut 83 and enlarged head 84 extends between block 76 and pad 79 to limit the pivotal or swinging movement of the stop block 76, in counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5, thereby to adjustably position block 76 in its upper full line position, as shown in that figure. Alternately the block 76 may be pivoted about the lock pivot means 78 so as to be positioned in its dotted line position as illustrated in FIGURE 5. In this latter position and adjusting stop screw 85 engages the pad member 79 to limit the pivotal movement of the block 76 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5. Thus the stop means 75 may be located substantially at or between the two alternate positions therefore shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. When stop means 75 is in its full line position of FIGURE 5, the notch 77 thereof is disposed in a plane designated by dotted line A in that figure, which determines a stop limit for the leading or forward carton of the stack 21 as when utilizing the full width or spacing of the side walls 51-52 of the feeder magazine. In practice such stop position would accommodate half gallon milk cartons or the like.

In the alternate dotted line position for member 76 as shown in FIGURE 5, the outermost end surface 86 thereof is located for cooperation with the alternate rail members 69, so as to define a secondary stop position or plane (labeled B in FIGURE indicating the desired limit position for the leading carton of the bundle or pack 21 when forming cartons of smaller size, as for example, quart and pint milk cartons.

Thus it will be recognized that the stop means '75 serve to engage one lateral edge of the cartons in pack 21 so as to locate the leading end thereof in a desired plane preparatory to advancing the same to the folding cage means in a manner to be amplified in greater detail hereinafter. It also has been found desirable, in conjunction with the stop means 75, to provide secondary substantial stops along the opposite lateral margin of the cartons, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, by providing a button headed screw or rivet extending inwardly of the inner face of wall 51 as indicated at 87 in FIGURE 5; rivet head 87 being alinged to cooperate with the stop member along the stop position plane B in the particular arrangement illustrated.

Immediately adjacent the stop means 75 and supported on the slidably mounted plate member is a vertical shaft member 90 having a plurality of stationary abutment members 91 spaced along its length. These abutment members 91 may constitute, as illustrated, substantially cylindrical roller-like members locked to the shaft 90 as by locking pin means 92 (see FIG. 5). The alignment of the abutment members 91 with respect to the cartons in the feeder magazine 22 is substantially as indicated in FIGURE 14 of the drawings from which it will be realized that there are three abutment members 91 aligned interferingly with such cartons so as to engage the same along one edge at spaced locations between the top and ends thereof. The purpose and operation of the abutment members will be described in greater detail hereinafter in association with the description to the folding cage means 25, but briefly the same are positioned to interfere with the passage of the carton from the feeder magazine to the folding cage means so as to effect a primary or partial opening of the carton members as they are moved forwardly past the abutment members in response to the activities of the suction feeder means 24.

In addition to the above described members 91, the bottom wall portion 53 of the feeder magazine is also equipped with an upstanding abutment in the form of a cylindrical button 93 (see FIGURES 2, 3, and 5) which assists in the initial opening of the carton blank by engaging the extreme lower end of one wall portion thereof, as also will be described more fully hereinafter.

As previously noted, the suction feeder means 24 is adapted to withdraw the leading carton from the pack in magazine 20 and deposit the same in the folding cage means 25. In order to accomplish this function, as shown best in FIGS. 2, 3, and 10 of the drawings, the suction feeder means 24 comprises two or more, three in the illustrated embodiment, tubular vacuum conduits 100, each having a rubber suction cup 101 attached to the outer end thereof immediately adjacent the folding cage means (FIGS. 2 and 6). The opposite end of each tubular conduit is tightly fitted into distributor block 102 having an .internal manifold passageway means, indicated at 103 in FIG. 2. Thus the three conduits 100 are commonly inter-connected by the manifold 103 which in turn is provided with a suitable terminal connector means receptive of a flexible tube 104 coupled to an air evacuator means such as a vacuum pump. In this manner, operation of the vacuum pump (not shown) provides a suction or vacuum at the cups 101, whereby when the latter are moved adjacent the leading blank carton in the magazine 22, the carton is pneumatically locked to the vacuum cups. Thereafter the carton blank moves with the feeder means, is stripped from the magazine and fed into the folding cage means 25 upon retracting movement of the suction feed means 24, as will now be described.

In essence, the suction cups 101 are moved in linear reciprocating fashion along substantially horizontally spaced axes in response to motivation of the drive means 45 associated therewith. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 10, the manifold block 102 is rigidly affixed or fastened to one end of a cylindrical guide rod 105 and a parallel cylindrical drive rod 106; both of which are guidingly mounted for sliding reciprocation through a pair of spaced guide blocks 107 mounted dependingly beneath the table 40 of the fabricating machine. The other end of drive rod 106 in turn is pivotally connected by pivot pin 108 to the outer end of an axially adjustable pivot link 109. Pivot link 109 is also pivotally joined at its opposite end to the outer end of a breakable drive lever 110 comprising two arm portions 111 and 112. Adjacent ends of the lever arm portions are bridged by a pair of side plate members 113 extending along opposite sides thereof. Each plate memher is rigidly fastened to the outer end of arm portion 112 and is pivotally joined, as by pivot pin means 114, to the adjacent end of link ortion 111. Thus portion 111 is free to pivot relative to the plates 113 and arm portion 112. This breaking movement is limited to counterclockwise pivoting of arm 111, as viewed in side elevation according to FIG. 2 of the drawings. In order to prevent pivotal movement of the arm portion 111 in an opposite or clockwise direction past a position of coaxial alignment with arm portion 112, a third stop plate 115 extends between the drive levers two arm portions as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, such being securely fastened adjacent the outer end of arm portion 112 to abuttingly engage the underlying edge of arm portion 111. This permits arm 111 to move relative to plate 115, particularly in a counterclockwise rotational sense, but positively prevents reverse pivotal movement beyond a position of coaxial alignment with arm portion 112. The lowermost end of the breakable lever 110 (particularly portion 112 thereof as shown best in FIG. 2 in the drawings), is tightly secured to a drive shaft 116 for rotation with said shaft. Shaft 116 also supports a drive gear 117 having driving engagement with a linear rack 118 fastened to the upper side of a reciprocating drive arm 119 associated with the drive yoke means 47 previously mentioned.

As will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 10 in particular, yoke means 47 comprises the above referred to rigid drive arm 119 which is slidably supported at its outer or upper end, as viewed in FIG. 2, in a bearing block means 120, The opposite end of arm 119 is rigidly fixed to and between a pair of parallel spaced slide rails 121 and 122 which extend along opposite sides of a slide block 123. The slide block in turn is rotatably mounted on the main drive shaft 124 which supports and is rotatable with the drive cam means 44; such block 123 being locked axially on shaft 124. The slide rails 121 and 122 are held apart in parallel spaced relationship by a cam block 125 mounted between outer ends of the rails, and the cam block supports a cam roller means 126 which engages a recessed, closed cam track 127 formed in one face of the central drive cam 44. With this arrangement it will be understood that in response to rotational motion of the cam 44 roller 126 follows the track 127 therein, causing the yoke means 47 to reciprocate linearly and thereby effect a corresponding reciprocating motion of the rack means 118. Since gear 117 engages the reciprocating rack 118, such gear oscillates with partial rotation to correspondingly rock the broken drive lever 111) with shaft 116 to which it is fastened.

Since the drive lever 110 is breakable in one direction as above explained, a tension spring means 131') extends between the pivotally movable arm portion 111 and a point of anchorage 131, on the main frame of the forming machine. Thus, as the lever 110 oscillates or moves in a clockwise sense as viewed in FIG. 2, spring means 130 serves to bias the pivotal arm portion 111 thereof against the backup plate 115. On the other hand, during the reverse or counterclockwise motion of the link 110, the back-up plate or stop 115 serves to rigidify the breakable length, tensioning spring 130 during such movement.

The purpose of the broken link arrangement above described is to accommodate jamming or interference with the reciprocating motion of the suction feeder means 24 so that in the event the latter is hung up or blocked -by a carton in cage means 25 in operation, damage to the rack 118, gear 117 and other related mechanisms of the drive system will be avoided.

From the foregoing it will be understood that in response to the rotational movement of the cam means 44 and the following activity of the yoke actuator 47, the suction feed means 24 is periodically advanced toward the cage means 25 and the leading carton in the magazine 22 thereby engaged and withdrawn in an opposite direction to introduce the carton into the cage means.

Turning now to the features of the improved cage means 25, according to this invention, specific reference is made to FIGS. 2 through 8 of the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the cage means 25 is supported on the staging table 40 of the forming machine and disposed between the suction feed means 24 and the carton feeder magazine 22. More specifically (see FIGS. 4 and 5) cage means 25 comprises a three-sided rectangular box formed by a rigid rectangular side wall member 130 fastened to a rectangular rear wall member 131 by an elongated piano-type hinge means 132. Thus wall 13% is pivotal about the hinge 132 relative to the rear wall 131. In a similar fashion, a second rigid side wall 133, opposite wall 130, is hinged to the opposite lateral edge of the rear wall 131 by a second hinge means 134, so that the second side wall likewise pivots relative to the rear wall of the cage means.

The several Walls 131133 for the cage means 25 are of substantially identical rectangular dimensions and preferably made of light metal, such as aluminum, with the thickness of the two side Walls being substantially less than that of the rear wall 131. Provision for mounting the cage means on the indexing table of the forming machine comprises an L-shaped mounting bracket means 135 (see FIG. 2) projecting from the back face of rear wall 131 and securely fastened thereto. Mounting bracket 135 is further secured to the upper face of the staging table 40 so as to rigidly affix the cage means 25 in an upright or vertical position as illustrated.

From FIGURE 4 in particular will be noted that the rear wall member 131 of the cage means is provided with three circular openings therethrough, indicated at 135, 137 and 138. These openings are adapted to permit the passage of the three suction cup members 101 and the suction conduits 100 associated therewith in accordance with the reciprocating activity of the suction feed means 24, as above related. Thus it will be appreciated that the suction feed means actually passes through the rear wall 131 of the cage means 25.

Side wall 130, as particularly illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, is distinguished by a roller block means 140 affixed to the outside of wall 130, near the latters lower end; such block 140 being disposed on a horizontal axis and fastened to the side wall adjacent the latters leading edge 141, as by fastening screw means 142, 142 (see FIG. 5). Block means is engaged by an actuator roller 143 rotatably mounted at the outer end of an actuating crank arm 144, the purpose and operation of which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. (See FIGS. 3, 6 and '7).

Side wall 130 is also equipped with an elongated gripper means 145 which extends over the leading edge 141 thereof, substantially from the upper end of wall 130 to a point adjacent the bearing block 140 thereon. It will be noted that the gripper guide means 145 includes a finger portion 146 which extends past the plane of wall member 130 and comprises a partial barrier over the normally open front end of the cage means. At the upper end of the gripper means 145 is a secondary guide shoe 147 which extends past the finger portion 146 near the upper end of the cage means to form an additional partial barrier along one border of the cage means; shoe 147 being utilized with narrower cartons such as quart size. Both the finger portion 146 and the guide shoe 147 are chamfered or sloped inwardly toward the cages interior along those portions thereof which project beyond the plane of the wall 130 to guide the insertion or movement of a carton blank into the interior of the cage in response to the activity of the suction feed means. It is further to be noted that both the guide means 145 and the shoe means 147 are attached to the side Wall member 13% by means of cantilever leaf spring members 148 and 149 disposed respectively near the upper and lower reaches of the guide means; such spring members being affixed to the wall 130 as by screw means 150 (see FIG. 5). In this manner the means 145 is flexibly movable about its anchor points on wall 130 as determined by the attachment screw means 150 so as to escape or move laterally of the opened interior of the cage means for purposes of permitting carton blanks to move therepast into the interior of such cage means. After carton loading the guide means 145 springs back to its normal position whereat the same extends partially across the open front end of the cage means, as viewed in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, to keep the carton in the cage means.

In a generally similar fashion, the other side wall member 133 of the cage means is provided with a guide shoe means adjacent its upper end which has a finger portion 156 extending forwardly of the wall 133, but sloping rearwardly toward the interior of the cage means so as to assist the passage or entry of a carton into the cages interior. As with the finger portion 146 of the guide means 145, previously described, the finger portion 156 of the guide shoe means 155- also extends partially across or in front of the open front side of the cage means so as to assist in guiding and holding a carton within the cage. The finger portion 156 is further integrally formed with a mounting 'arm member v157 which extends rearwardly along the outside of wall 133 (see FIGURE 2); such; being pivotally mounted over a mounting pad 158 by a vertical pin pivot means 159 having a torsion spring 160 thereabout. Spring 160 acts to resiliently bias the guide shoe means 155 toward the wall member 133. Means for adjustably positioning the finger portion 156 thereof across the open front side of the cage is provided by an adjustment screw means 161 which threads through the arm portion 157 and is adapted to engage the outside of cage wall 133 (see FIGURE 5). Thus the guide means 155 is pivotally movable away from wall 133 against the biasing action of spring 160 about the pin means 159 and is adjustably regulatable to selected stop positions toward that wall by setting screw means 161, whereby the finger portion .156 thereon may be regulated in its movements.

As previously noted each of the side wall members 130 and 133 of the cage means is pivot'ally connected to the rear wall member 131 thereof so as to swing in gate fashion about a vertical axis with respect to the latter. In order to control this swinging movement of the side walls, a linkage system, indicated generally by numeral 164 in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6, is provided. As illustrated in such figures, the linking system 164 comprises a bell crank 165 having a long arm 166 affixed near the upper reaches of the side cage wall 130, by attachment screw means 167. Bell crank 165 also has a short arm portion 168 pivotally joined to one end of a linear transfer link 169 as by pivot means 170. The opposite end of the link 169 is similarly joined by pivot pin 171 to the outer end of a double or compound bell crank means 172 which is substantially S-shaped whereby a short arm portion 173 thereof, pivotally joined to link 169, is disposed parallel to a longer 'arm 174. Arm 174 in turn is rigidly afiixed or attached to the upper end of the cage side wall members 133 by screw means 175.

In assembly the arm portion 174 of the compound bell crank 172 resides parallel with the longer arm portion of the bell crank 165 so that the two side walls 130 and 133 are disposed parallel. A tension spring means 176 extends between the compound bell crank 172 and the bell crank 166; such spring being attached to said members by Openings 177 and 178 therein as illustrated best in FIGURE of the drawings. It will be noted that the spring means is aligned in a diagonal fashion between the two bell crank members and inside of the pivotal connections of such members with the transfer link 169 i.e., between the pivot link 169 and the rear wall 131 of the cage means. With this organization, movement of the cage side wall members clockwise (as viewed in plan as set out in FIGURE 5) to an operating position as seen in FIGURE 6, is opposed by the tension spring means 176 whereby the latter has a tendency to resiliently bias the two side walls and 133 back to their open cage positions as shown in FIGURE 5. In order to assure a desired right angular relationship of the parallel side walls 130 and 133 with rear wall 131 and to accommodate play in the linkage system v164, adjustment means comprising a threadingly movable bolt member 179 extends through the longer arm portion 166 of the bell crank and an adjustment pad or block 180 affixed to the outside face of the cages rear wall member 131. By adjustably regulating the bolt 179, the angular disposition of the side walls 130, 133 and the rear wall 131 is achieved preferably so as to dispose said side walls normal or at right angles to the rear wall.

In order to actuate the cage means 25 and move its walls from open to closed position, as illustrated in FIG- URES 5 and 6 respectively, means are provided for periodically actuating the roller arm 144 carrying roller means 143 which bears against the bearing block 140 as above described. Such actuating means are best seen in FIGURES 2, 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings. Initially considering FIGURE 9, the roller arm 144 is affixed to the upper end of a vertically disposed shaft which has its lower end afi'ixed to a crank link 186 thereby providing an offset drive in the form of a bell crank linkage which is periodically oscillated by a partially rotated drive shaft 187 supported in bearing spaced blocks 188 and 189 (FIGS. 7 and 8). A drive gear 190 is fixed to the lower end of shaft 187 and in driving engagement with a linear rack 191 responsive to actuation of the cage drive means 50.

As shown best in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the shaft means 187 and the supporting bearing blocks 188 and 189 therefore are supported on a vertically disposed frame plate member 192 comprising a portion of the support framing for the forming machine; the gear 190 and shaft 187 being disposed on one side of plate 192 and the rack member 191 on the opposite side of said plate and the gear 190 extending through an opening 193 in the vertical frame plate 192 as shown particularly in FIG- URES 2 and 8 of the drawings.

The cage actuating means 50, previously referred to, is best understood from FIGURE 9 of the drawings from which it will be recognized that drive means 50 comprises a yoke assembly (similar to the yoke means 47 previously described) for linearly reciprocating the drive rack means 191. More specifically the yoke assembly of drive means 50 comprises a pair of parallel spaced rigid slide rails 195 and 196 held in parallel spaced relationship to slide along opposite sides of a slide block 197 which is rotatably mounted on the main drive shaft 124 for the central drive cam means 44. As in the yoke assembly 47, the slide rails 196 are held in spaced parallel relationship at one end by a cam block means 198 carrying a cam roller 199 which engages a closed cam track 200 formed inwardly of an adjacent face of the central cam means 44. The opposite ends of the slide rails 195 and 196 are disposed adjacent the upper and lower sides of a rigid drive arm 201 to which they are aflixed so that the arm 201 reciprocatcs linearly with the yoke assembly relative to the slide block 197 in response to the following action of the roller means 199 in the cam track 200. In this latter respect rotational movement of the cam means 44 and shaft 124 is effected by suitable drive means associated with a main drive gear 202 keyed to the shaft 124, as schematically shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. It will be understood that drive gear 202 is rotated by a conventional driving source such as an electric drive motor or the like (not shown).

At the outer end of the drive arm 201 is a connector block member 205 slidably mounted on a slide rod means 206 formed integrally and extending axially outwardly of one end of the drive arm 201 and held thereon by lock nut means 207. The rack member 191 is affixed to the block member 205 so as to move with that block relative to the arm 201. As above-indicated the block 205 is slidable on the rod 206, but in order to cause the block 205 to move responsively with the rectilinear reciprocation movement of the drive arm 201 and yet permit such block to move relative to that drive arm in certain instances, a compression spring means 208 is mounted on a guide rod 209 disposed between the block 205 and an anchor pad 210 affixed to one side of the drive arm 201. By this arrangement thrusting action of the drive arm 201 is an advancing direction or that is toward the cage means 25, causes a corresponding responsive movement of the block 205 and rack 191 therewith; the compression spring 208 being of sufficient size and strength to hold the block 205 against nut 207 to provide a yieldable connection between the block member 205 and the arm 201, under normal operating circumstances. However, in the event a carton or some other foreign matter should jam cage means 25 or otherwise hold up the actuating linkage for driving actuator arm 144, the presence of the compression spring means 208 permits the block member 205 to move resilientlf along the drive arm 201 against the thrusting action of the spring means 208. This prevents breakage of the otherwise fixed mechanical driving connection between the actuator arm 144 and the central drive cam means 44.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that as the cam means 44 rotates, the drive means 50 responsively actuates periodically to advance the rack means 191 and withdraw the same in an apposite direction. In response to such reciprocating activity of the rack means 191, the actuator arm 144 is accordingly oscillated arcuately toward the bearing block 140 on the cage wall 130 to positively drive the two cage walls 130 and 133 from their normal open position to the closed position thereof as illustrated respectively by FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings. Upon the return or outward movement of the actuator arm 144, the spring means 176 associated with the 13 linkage system 164 on the cage means, returns the side walls 130 and 133 to their normal open position as illustrated in FIGURE 5. It will be recognized also that since the suction feeder means 24 and the means for actuating the cage closing actuator or arm 144 operate off the same cam means 44, but in separate tracks disposed on opposite sides thereof, such two systems are in positive mechanical synchronism to maintain proper timed relationship thereof. Briefly this synchronized sequence requires the suction feed means 24 to advance through the cage means 25, grab a carton blank from the stack in the feeder magazine and withdraw the same into the folding cage means 25.

Thereafter the cage means is actuated in response to the arcuate activity of the actuator arm 144 first folding the cage side walls to closed or folding condition to overfold the carton blank, as illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, after which the cage walls are returned to their FIGURE or opened position.

Once the blank carton has been overfolded in response to the movement of the cage means to its FIGURE 6 position and the latter returned to its FIGURE 5 position, as above briefly described, a pre-formed carton is then ready to be fed to the over-disposed mandril means 27 of the fabricating machine. This transfer of the cartons from the folding cage means to the mandril is accomplished according to the activities and operation of the elevator means 42 and the actuator means 43 therefor as will now be described.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 2, 7, 8, and 10 of the drawings, it will be understood that the elevator means 42 constitutes a substantially square planar platform 211 disposed beneath the lower end of the cage means 25; such platform being aifixed to the upper end of a vertically reciprocating shaft 212 comprising a member of the elevator actuator 43. More specifically the elevator platform 211 moves through a square opening in a base member 213 mounted at right angles on the machines vertical support plate or frame member 192 so as to extend beneath the lower end of the cage means 25. The platform 211 further carries adjacent the forward edge thereof, guide lip means 214 (see FIG. 2) which is adapted to pass in front of the forward wall of a carton pre-formed in the cage means as the elevator platform moves upwardly to push the pre-formed carton onto the mandril of the fabricating machine. In this regard it will be understood that the elevator platform passes through the interior of the cage means in close adjacency to the three wall members thereof as it raises a carton onto a mandril.

In order to periodically elevate the elevator means 42 as above briefly described, the actuator means 43 therefor and more specifically the shaft 212 thereof is periodically raised and lowered or recriprocated along a vertical axis. Specifically shaft means 212 is supported by spaced mounting bearing blocks or pads 216 and 217 attached to frame plate 192 so as to accommodate the vertical reciprocating activity of the shaft 212. Shaft 212 is further equipped with a clamping collar 218, located near the lower bearing block 217, which is adjustably affixed to the shaft for purposes of adjusting the upper limit of elevation for the platform 211. The collar 218 in turn is connected to one end of a flexible link chain 220 which is trained upwardly from collar 218 over a first sprocket idler 221 mounted adjacently beneath the upper mounting block 216 for the shaft 212. After the chain 220 passes over the idler sprocket 221 it is trained downwardly to pass around another idler sprocket 222 rotatably mounted at the outer end of an arcuately movable or oscillatable arm 223 of the elevator drive means 46. The other end of the chain 220 is then trained upwardly and anchored to the frame of the forming machine as indicated at 224 in FIGURES 2 and 10 of the drawings.

With this arrangement the chain means serves to periodically raise and lower shaft 212 in response to the downward and upward movements, respectively of the .on the fabricating machine frame by pivot means 227.

Intermediate the ends of the arm 223 and extending toward the central drive cam means 44, is a roller means 228 comprising a cam follower which rides in and follows the cam track means 127. Thus the arm 223 is rocked periodically about pivot means 227 in response to the following action of the roller means in the track 127.

As a result of the above-described arrangement the outer or non-pivotall mounted end of arm 223 oscillates arcuately to correspondingly oscillate the idler sprocket 222 to actuate the chain means 220. This activity brings about a periodical elevating and lowering of the elevator means 42 for the discharge of cartons from the folding cage means 25 as desired; the ratio of movements between shaft 212 and the outer end of the rocker arm 223 being substantially 2: 1.

Since the drive means 46 for activating the elevator means 42 is driven off of the central control cam means 44, as are the suction feed means 24 and the cage operating means 50, these three mechanisms are maintained in a desired operating relationship and timed sequence; the raising of the elevator means 42 to discharge a carton from cage means 25 occurring after the latter means has operated and pre-formed a carton as above described.

Having thus described the various elements, means, and mechanisms which are combined in the present invention, the operation thereof to open, preform and feed a carton blank to the forming machine will now be described with specific reference being made at this time to FIG- URES 11 through 17 of the drawings:

As schematically shown in FIGURE 11 of the drawings, the cage means 25 at the start of an operating cycle is positioned in its normal condition, with the side walls 134) and 133 thereof parallel and at right angles to its rear wall 131 ready to receive a carton blank 21a from the leading end of the feeder means 22. The suction feeder means 24, thereafter advances through the cage means 25, and grips and withdraws the leading carton blank 21a from the feeder means 22 as diagramed in FIGURE 12 of the drawings. As also shown in the FIG- URE 12, after initial engagement of the blank carton and more specifically, one of the side panels 230 thereof (see FIGURE 14) feeder means 24 is reversed and moves toward the cage means drawing the carton blank across the abutment members 91, causing the carton to partially open into a diamond shape cross-sectional configuration as illustrated in FIGURE 12. Also as the carton is drawn toward the open front of the cage means 25, the small abutment button 93 (see FIGURES 5, 9, and 14) on the bottom wall portion 53 of the feeder means engages a flap portion 231 which is formed at the lowermost end of a second rectangular carton panel 232. Flap portion 231 drags over the button 93 and serves to further open the carton blank to a substantially rectangular formation. The carton is thus conditioned to be guided by the guide means and into the interior of the open cage means 25 as the suction feeder means retracts through the openings 136-138 in the cage rear Wall 131 (see FIG. 13). This is substantially the condition and arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings Whereat an opened blank carton 21b, inserted into the cage means 25, is indicated in dotted lines.

To assist in a better understanding of the above-described operations, reference is now made to FIGURES 14 and 15 of the drawings showing the layout of the typical rectangular milk carton blank designated at 21a in such figures. As will be understood from FIGURES 14 and 15 the carton blank, as previously mentioned, originally resides in a substantially planar condition in the magazine 22 with the one front wall panel 230, thereof lying in parallel contacting opposition to a side wall panel 236 thereof. Similarly rear wall panel 232, opposingly contacts the second side wall panel 237 thereof; wall 236 lying coplanar with wall 237 and wall 232 coplanar with side wall 236 (see FIG. 15). It will be understood that the various wall panels 230, 232, 236 and 237 are defined between parallel fold lines which eventually comprise the four corners of the opened carton 216 as shown in FIG- URE 16 of the drawings.

Once the carton blank is partially opened and inserted into the cage means 25 as above-described (see FIG. the actuator arm I43 and roller 1 44 move to swing the one cage side wall 130 about its hinge 132 toward the rear wall 131 thereof, while by operation of the linkage system 164, the opposite side wall 133 of the cage means similarly swings about its hinge 134 away from the rear wall of the cage. As a consequence the open configuration of the cage means is altered into an overfolded nearly flat condition as illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. That is to say, the several panels of the carton blank move about the corner fold lines thereof in such a manner as to pivot the side wall panel 237 thereof into close proximity with the front wall panel 236- while the rear wall panel 232 similarly approaches the side wall panel 236. After this overfolding operation, the cage side walls are returned to their FIGURE 5 position of right angular relationship with the cage rear wall, causing the carton walls to follow and assume a similar configuration. It will be noted that from the original fiat condition of the carton blank, the opening and overfolding operation performed thereon causes the various wall or panel portions of the carton to effectively move through nearly a straight angle or that is between 90 and 180 relative to one another. This overfolding operation in particular serves to sufficiently define the four corner folds of the formed carton, so that when the same is released from cage means 25, the wall portions thereof remain substantially at right angles to one another, instead of assuming a somewhat diamond shape cross-sectional configuration according to previous practice as illustrated in FIGURE 17 of the drawings.

After the above described overfolding operation is completed it will be understood that the several wall panels of .the carton blank are disposed in right angular relationship and held in such relationshipby the three rigid walls of the folding cage. In this connection the finger means 146 and 156 of the respective guide means 145 and S serve :to prevent the opened carton from moving out through the open front of the cage means by engaging marginal portions of the panel 232 thereof as oriented in FIGURES .5 and 13 of the drawings. In this regard it will be appreciated that as the cage means commences to return from its overfolding position of FIGURE 6 to its normal open position as shown in FIGURE 5, the finger portions 146 and 156 of the guide means move in behind the corner folds between the rear panel 232 of the carton blank 21b and the side panels 236 and 237 thereof to hold the carton walls in relatively close fitting conformity with the interior of the cage means until eventually the latter returns to its static open position, illustrated in FIGURE 5. At that stage the now pre-formed carton is ready for application to an over-disposed mandril 27.

As described heretofore, after completion of the overfolding operation of the cage means, the elevator means 42 is automatically elevated to engage the bottom end of the pre-formed carton within the cage means, thrusting the same upwardly onto and over the four walls of the mandril 27 indexed over the cage means by the index means 28 of the forming machine. This elevating movement of the pre-formed carton is regulated by the upward vertical movement of the elevator platform 211 and is SUfilClfllI. so that when the carton is mounted on the mandril it clears the upper regions of the cage means. It is also to be noted that the upward thrusting movement of the pre-formed carton onto the mandril 27 is sutficient to engage the upper end of the carton with the adjustable stop means 33 comprising a band member extending around the outside of the mandril, as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. In certain instances the stop means 33 may also comprise resilient gripper finger members (not illustrated) for catching or gripping the upper end of the carton to assist in maintaining the carton on the mandril during the subsequent folding, forming and sealing operations to be performed by the fabricating machine.

After loading of the pro-formed carton on a mandril as above outlined, the elevator means then returns to its battery or retracted position and the opening and pre-forming operation of the cage means is again initiated according to the automatic cycling of the central control cam means 44 and the attendant operations of the forming machine 20.

From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in this art will readily recognize and appreciate the advancements and improvements exhibited by the present invention and will also readily understand that while the present invention has been described in conjunction with the opening and pre-forming of milk cartons, the same is obviously adapted for similar functions with other classes of containers without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Additionally while the present invention has been described herein as it appears with a particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiment is obviously susceptible to change, modification and substitution of equivalents without departing from the scope of this invention. As a consequence the present contribution to the art is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing description and illustrated embodiment except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use with a container fabricating machine adapted Ito form enclosed oarton containers from tubes having pllanar wall panels thereof related at right angles to one anoither, improved means for forming s'a id ltufbes from substantially planar car-ton blanks, having like wall panels defined by parallel spaced fol'd lines, comprising: open ended cage means having one open side and two opposed walls movable about parallel spaced axes toward and away from a third wa-ll thereof, feeder means movable through said cage means for automatically insenting a canton blank through said open side thereof and into said cage me'ans, means for periodically moving said .two walls in unison !to open said blank and fold the panels thereof about said fold lines and thereby form the same into a three dimensional tube in which the panels lthereof are related at right angles to one another, and means for discharging a folded said tube from said cage trneans.

2. For use with a fabricating machine adapted lto form enclosed canton containers from tubes hav'ing wall panels disposed at righ't angles to one another, improved means for forming said tubes from substantially planar carton blank s having planar panel portions marginally defined by panallel spaced fo ld lines comprising: ithree sided cage means having two sides thereof defined by opposed wall members mounted for pivotal movement about parallel spaced axes toward and away from an intervening third wall member thereof, feeder means reciprocally movable through said oage means for automatically inserting a carton blank itherein'to land for effecting 'pantial opening of said blank, means for periodically moving #s'aid two Wall members to fold the panels of a carton blank about said fold lines and lto fully open and form the same into a three dimensional tube having the panels lthereof stabilized talt nighlt angles tto one another, and means for discharging a said tube from said cage means comprising an elevator means reciprocally movable lengthwise 1 7 through staid cage means and including 'actuaitor means therefor, operable periodically to raise and lower the same.

3. For use with a container 'fiabnic'alting machine, the combination comprising: open ended folding cage means adapted to accept pant-ially open :tubular container blanks within its interior via one open side thereof !and including a pair of pivota-lly movable wall members mounted for movement about parallel spaced |aXes relative to a third w all member thereof, feeder magazine means adapted to store a plurality of substantially planar collapsed conflainer blanks and .to successively ra dviance rthe same to a stop position opposite the open side of said cage means, means operalbly movable through the interior of said cage means for periodically transferring collapsed Icontlainer blanks, successively, from said stop position into the interior of said cage means and for depositing the same thereat; means for effecting partial opening of said collapsed blanks as they are being Itnansferred into said cage means, and means for periodiclally actuating staid pivo'ta-lly movable wall members of said Icage means so as to fold all side walls of said container blank about parallel fold lines thereby to complete the opening of said blank and form the same into a stable open ended tube having transversely related side walls.

4. In a container fabricating machine land the like, the combination comprising: folding \cage means adapted to receive partially open container blanks comprising io ur Wall panels marginally defined between parallel cfold lines, means for periodically imovin-g t-wo opposed walls of said ca'ge means labouJt parallel spaced axes .to effect folding movement of the wall panels of a container blank mounted therein about said fol d lines and to thereafter positively position and hold said wall panels at right angles to one another, and means mowable through said cage means for periodically elevating a carton blank folded by said cage means from the latter onto [an over-disposed mandril means of the fabricating machine while positively holding said panels lat right angles to one another.

5. Means 'for opening and forming three dimensional, open end-ed tubes fro-m canton blanks each having four like wall panels marginally defined between parallel fold line's comprising: cage means having only three wall members enclosing three sides thereof and adapted to receive canton blanks through an open cfiounth side thereof, means pivotal-1y mount-ing two of said wall members for varcuate movement about parallel spaced axes relative to the third wall member; means for periodically so moving said two wiall members, and means fior positively holding a cant-on blank within said cage means so as to fold and position the said four panels thereof labonit said told line's responsively with the movements and positioning of said two Wall members.

6. Means for iorrning a three dimensional, open ended tube from a planar carton blt'ank having four similar planar wall panels defined between par allel spaiced fold lines comprising: cage means having three planar wall members enclosing three sides thereof and adapted to receive cia-rton blanks through the open foirr'th side thereof, means pivotally mounting two opposing said wall memhere for la-rou a te movement about parallel spaced axe's relative to said third wall member; means for periodically so moving said two wall members in unison and for arresting the same at a predetermined limit, and means for positively holding a canton blank within said cage means so as to move and position the four panels thereof about said fold lines according to the movements and positioning of said wall members.

7. The combination of claim- 6, and adjustable means providing an adjustable limit to the movement of said two wall members in one direction and for regulating the angular disposition of s'aid two wall members relative to said third wall member when at said limit.

8. A combination of elements for opening and forming three dimensional tubes from planar car-ton blanks,

each comprising four integral planar wall panels having lateral margins thereof defined by and between parallel spaced fold lines comprising: magazine means for storing a plurality of carton blanks, means for successively feeding said blanks to one end of said magazine, three dimensional open ended folding cage means, enclosed on three sides by three planar Wall members, and having the fourth side thereof open; means mounting said cage means opposite said one end of said magazine for receiving carton blanks therefrom, feeder means movable through one wall member and the open fourth side of said cage means and operable to automatically transfer a carton blank directly from said one end of said magazine means to the interior of said cage means via said open fourth side thereof, means positively holding and positioning a transferred carton blank in said cage means so that three of said wall panels thereof are registeringly opposed by the said three wall members of said cage means, means for moving two of said wall members to fold each wall panel of said carton blank substantially through about the fold lines at its margins, and means periodically movable lengthwise of said cage means for automatically discharging folded cartons axially from said cage means and through one open end thereof.

9. A combination of elements for forming a three dimensional tube from a planar carton blank having four integral planar wall panels defined at their lateral margins by parallel spaced fold lines comprising: magazine means for storing a plurality of carton blanks, means for automatically feeding said blanks, successively, to one end of said magazine means; open ended folding cage means enclosed on three sides by planar wall members and having the fourth side thereof open, means mounting said cage means with the open side thereof opposite one end of said magazine for receiving carton blanks therefrom, feeder means movable through said cage means and said open side thereof to automatically transfer a carton blank at said one end of said magazine means through said open side to the interior of said cage means and deposit the same therewithin, means positively holding and positioning a carton blank in said cage means so that three of said wall panels thereof are substantially coextensively opposed by the said three wall members of said cage means, means for periodically moving two of said wall members to fold each wall panel of said carton blank substantially 180 about the fold lines at its margins, means statically positioning said two wall members at right angles to said third wall member thereby to correspondingly position the wall panels of said carton blank therein, and means automatically discharging folded carton blanks through one end of said cage means in a direction transverse to the direction of transferring carton blanks thereinto.

10. The combination of claim 9, and means interferringly engaging one panel of each carton blank as the same is being transferred from said magazine means to said cage means by said feeder means whereby to effect partial opening of said carton blank from its planar condition by positively separating the wall panels thereof prior to its entry into said cage means.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said feeder means comprises suction cup means communicating with air evacuator means, drive means for periodically advancing said cup means through said cage means and into proximity with the leading carton blank at said one end of said magazine means whereby said leading carton blank is pneumatically gripped by said cup means; said drive means automatically retracting said cup means through said cage means whereby said carton blank engaged thereby is pulled into said cage means through the said open fourth side thereof and deposited therewithin.

12. In a container fabricating machine adapted to fabricate fluid-tight containers from substantially planar container blanks and having a pre-forming station, the combination comprising: magazine means for storing a plurality of container blanks including means for advancing said blanks opposite the pre-forming station, overfolding cage means mounted at said pre-forming station and having movable walls operable to fold a carton blank about previously scored fold lines thereon so as to form said blank into a statically stable open ended tubular member having right angularly related wall panels, means movable through said cage means for transferring carton blanks, one at a time, from said magazine means into said cage means; cooperating means adjacent said cage means engageable with said blanks for eflecting partial opening thereof as the same are transferred into said cage means, means for periodically moving said walls of said cage means to form a carton blank therein into a tubular member as aforesaid, mandril means adapted to be indexed registeringly opposite one end of said cage means, means for positively aligning a tubular member formed in said cage means coaxially with said mandril means, and periodically operable means adjacent the other end of said cage means and movable through said cage means for mounting a said tubular member therewithin onto said mandril means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,064,543 11/1962 Peters 93-53 3,091,995 6/1963 Allison 9353 3,269,798 8/1966 Vadas 9353 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,368,462 February 13, 1968 Raymond W. Guzzardo It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 30, for "prpearatory" read preparatory column 7, line 57, for "and" read and bottom line 60, for "to" read of column 8, line 9, for "into" read into a column 12, line 59, for "resilientlf" read H resiliently column 14, line 4, for "e46" read 46 column 20, line 14, for "3,269,798" read 3,269,279 Signed and sealed this 15th day of April 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer

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