US3507210A - Methods for container taping - Google Patents

Description

A ril 21, 1970 T. BARNICKEL METHODS FOR CONTAINER TAPING .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10. 1968 INVENTOR. THOMAS BARNICKEL ATTORNEYS A ril 21, 1970 T. BARNICKEL 3,507,210

METHODS FOR CONTAINER TAPING Filed April 10, 1968 .4 Sheets-Shet z I N VEN TOR. THOMAS BARN/CK E L ATTORNEYS April 9 0 T. BARNICKEL. 3,507,210

METHODS FOR CONTAINER TAPING Filed April 10, 1968 .4.YSheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR. THOMAS BARNICKEL BY W) ATTORNEYS April 21, 1970 T. BARNICKEL METHODS FOR CONTAINER TAPING .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 10, 1968 FIG. 12

I N VENT OR. THOMAS BARNICKEL ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,507,210 METHODS FOR CONTAINER TAPING Thomas Barnickel, 265 Main St., Ridgefield Park, NJ. 07660 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 660,863, July 27, 1967. This application Apr. 10, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. B6511 13/02, 13/24; B32b 13/04 I US. Cl. 100-2 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus and methods for applying and securing closure tape to containers wherein an endless tape is fed from a single source, wrapped around the container, fastened to itself and severed from the source.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 660,863, filed in the United States Patent Office on July 27, 1967, by the applicant herein, now Patent No. 3,420,159 which issued Jan. 7, 1969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to container closures generally and specifically to apparatus and methods for closing containers by wrapping them with a generally flat, endless tape extending from a single source until the tape meets itself, fastening the tape to itself where it meets, and severing the tape from the source.

' In the aforesaid co-pending application, there were described and claimed, methods for automatically wrapping containers with endless tape extending from two independent sources, the tape from one. source extending around one half of the container and the tape from the other source extending around the opposite half of the container, the two segments of tapes being fastened at the two points where they met.

When tape is fed from a single source, rather than from two independent sources, means must be provided for grasping the free end of the tape during the wrapping operation, which means releases the free end of the tape after the fastener has been applied, severing the tape between the container and the source but regrasping the newly created free end of the tape to condition the apparatus for the next container.

Synthetic wrapping tape such as oriented polypropylene has extremely high tensile strength and other qualities which make for a superior container wrap. Nevertheless, in the past, it has been extremely difiicult to employ such tape in automatic machinery since synthetic tape of the character described cannot be thermally field to itself and yet provide a bond strong against both shear and tensile stress. Thus, in order to employ such tape in automated machinery, mechanical means of some character must be provided for fastening the tape to itself. In the copending application, mechanical fastener means were disclosed and claimed. The same said fastener means are disclosed herein as useful but are not specifically claimed.

Thus, it is among the objects and advantages of the present invention to provide methods for automatic container taping wherein an endless tape is wrapped around the container to meet itself, fastened to itself Where it meets and severed from the source.

Another object of the invention is to provide methods for automatic container wrapping as aforesaid in which the endless tape is fed from a single source.

A further object of the invention is to provide methods for automatic container wrapping as aforesaid in which 3,507,210 Patented Apr. 21, 1970 "ice SUMMARY OF INVENTION A container taping device comprising pairs of terminally opposed clamping members terminally engageable and disengageable by relative longitudinal movement in opposition to each other; the terminally opposed pairs of clamping members being movable. toward and away from each other by relative latitudinal movement; a source of endless tape; tape holding means, latitudinally spaced apart from the pairs of terminally opposed clamping members which grasp the terminal end of the endless tape while the said clamping members are latitudinally most distantly spaced apart from each other; said holding means releasing the terminal end of the tape as the clamping members move latitudinally toward each other to their most proximately spaced apart position; means for re-engaging the holding means to the tape intermediate a tape-wrapped container and feed source as the clamping members return latitudinally to their most distantly spaced apart position; and means for severing the regrasped tape from the source intermediate the holding means and the tape-wrapped container.

A method for taping containers comprising grasping the terminal end of an endless tape extending from a single source of supply; intruding a container transversely between the source of supply and the grasping point sufiiciently to wrap the tape at least partially around the container; engaging the tape to itself to complete wrapping of the container; releasing the said terminal end of the tape and securing the tape to itself at the point of engagement; regrasping the tape between the container and the source of supply; and severing the tape from the source of supply intermediate the container and the grasping point.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the methods described and claimed herein, wherein the apparatus is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the container taping device claimed herein illustrating a stationary base and a vertically movably head;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the stationary base illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the head illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the base and head taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURES 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are side elevational views of the base and head illustrating the sequence of operation for taping a container;

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of a spring loaded, pivotal arm on the base defining tape holding the regrasping means;

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of a fastener employed to secure the tape to itself after wrapping the container;

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the fastener illustrated in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a view in perspective of the fastener illustrated in FIGURE 11 showing a loop of the tape engaged to itself in prefastening position in dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGURES 1 through 4 inclusive, the container taping device comprises a stationary base 11 and a vertically movable head or top 12 positioned for engagement and disengagement with the base 11.

The base 11 comprises a generally rectangular, fiat bottom 13 having a pair of generally parallel, upstanding, spaced apart, rigid side walls 14 and 15. For clarity, side wall 15 has been removed in FIGURE 1. A rigid, upstanding end wall 16 extends between the side walls 14 and 15 along one end of the base 13. End wall 16 defines a rigidly immovable clamping member which will be described in greater detail hereafter.

A latitudinally movable, upstanding wall 17, generally parallel to the end wall 16, extends between side walls 14 and 15. Latitudinally movable wall 17 defines another clamping member.

A connecting rod 18 is attached to the latitudinally movable wall 17 and extends generally parallel to and along the latitudinal axis of the bottom 13 in a direction opposite the end wall 16. The connecting rod 18 extends slidably through an immovable central support wall 19 and immovable end wall 20. The connecting rod 18 terminates external to the base 11 where it is connected to a piston rod 21 of a double acting pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 22. Cylinder 22 functions to drive the movable wall or clamping member 17 toward and away from the rigidly immovable end wall or clamping member 16.

The head 12 comprises a flat, generally rectangular top 21 which functions as a mount or support for a generally U-shaped carrier 22. Carrier 22 defines a pair of generally parallel, latitudinally spaced apart, immovable walls 23 and 25.

A pair of spaced apart, generally parallel slide rods 24, 24 are mounted on and extend between the rigidly immovable walls 23 and 25. A latitudinally movable wall 26 is slidably mounted on the slide rods 24, 24 intermediate the immovable walls 23 and 25. Latitudinally movably wall 26 defines yet another clamping member.

Coil springs 57, 57 are mounted on the slide rods 24, 24 intermediate immovable wall 23 and the latitudinally movable intermediate wall 26, normally urging said walls apart. Stop bolts 27, 27 threadably mounted in wall 25 and extending in the direction of latitudinally movable wall 26, limit the extent of movement of wall 26 in the direction of wall 25 and function to maintain vertical registration between latudinally movable Wall 26 on the head 12 and latitudinally movable wall 17 on the base 11.

The head 12 is vertically movable into engagement and disengagement with the base 11 by means of a connecting rod 29 attached at one end to the top 12 and at the opposite end to some suitable prime mover not illustrated. The walls or clamping members 16, 17, 23 and 26 are provided with generally fiat, elongated terminal ends respectively 30, 31, 32 and 33, each of which are disposed at substantially the same angle to the horizontal. Terminal ends 30 and 31 on the base 11 slope downwardly at an angle to the horizontal toward each other whereas opposing and complementary terminal ends 32, 33 on the head 12 slope upwardly from the horizontal in a direction opposite each other. The slope of terminal ends 30-31 may be alternated as apair with the slope of terminal ends 32, 33. The slope of the terminal ends is adapted to impart a loop in the wrapping tape when the respective terminal ends are in clamping engagement with each other with the tape therebetween and the latitudinally movable walls moved toward the latitudinally immovable walls as will be more completely described hereafter.

The base 11 and the head 12 are normally spaced apart suflicient to permit the intrusion of a container therebetween. Since a principal object of this invention is to provide a container taping device in which a single source of endless tape is employed rather than a double source as described and claimed in copending application, Ser. No. 660,863, means must be prgvided for grasping the free 4 end of the tape 34 as is illustrated in FIGURE 5. The tape 34 extends from a roller source 35 downwardly to the grasping point and transverse to the path of direction of a container 36. As the container 36 is intruded between the base 11 and head 12 transverse to the tape 34, the tape 34 feeds from the supply roll 35 to surround at least three sides of the container 36 after it has passed between the base 11 and head 12 as is illustrated in FIG- URE 6. The means for propelling the container 36 are a matter of choice and are well known in the art.

After the container 36 has travelled to a point immediately beyond the end walls 16 and 24 of the base 11 and the head 12 respectively, the head 12 is moved vertically downwardly toward the base until the respective pairs of terminal ends 30, 32 and 31, 33 tightly engage, trapping and grasping the tape 34 therebetween as is illustrated in FIGURE 7. The downward movement of head 12 also functions to wrap the tape 34 around the fourth or end side of the container 36.

Piston 22 is then energized to force latitudinally movable wall 17 of the base 11 in the direction of immovable wall 16. The slanting terminal ends 31, 33 of the latitudinally movable walls 17 and 26 define a clutch engagement whereby movement of Wall 17 causes simultaneous movement of wall 26. Of course if the direction of slant of the respective terminal ends 30-32 and 31-33 were alternated, wall 26 would have to be driven in order to carry wall 17. Such an arrangement is contemplated as within the scope of the present invention.

As latitudinally movable walls 17 and 26 approach immovable walls 16 and 23 respectively, with the tape 34 tightly trapped therebetween, a loop 37 is imparted to the tape 34 between the aforesaid walls as is illustrated in FIGURE 8. When the respective terminal ends, 30-32 and 31-33 are oriented as illustrated, the loop 37 extends downwardly. If the orientation of the said terminal ends was reversed, the loop 37 would extend upwardly.

Walls 16 and 17 of the base 11 are each provided with a horizontal groove 39 which are disposed in opposition to each other immediately beneath the terminal ends 30 and 31. A fastener 38, illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12 and 13 is slid through the grooves 39, 39 to engage the loop 37 as illustrated in FIGURE 13.

The tape 34 is pulled so slightly about the container 36 when the head 12 moves downwardly to engage the base 11, the tap slightly stretches elastically and the container tends to crush resiliently. Thus, when the fastener 38 is applied, the short distance between the loop 37 and the container 36 defined by the thickness of the engaged walls 16 and 24 of the base 11 and the head 12 respectively is taken up when the head 12 reciprocates upwardly to release the tape. Thus, the tape 34 remains tightly wrapped around the container 36.

The basic concept of wrapping the container 36 by use of the base 11 and head 12 to form the loop 37 and the subsequent application of the fastener 38 is set forth in the aforesaid copending application. However, since the present invention contemplates a single source of endless tape 34, means must be provided to perform functions not contemplated in the copending application.

Firstly, since a single source of tape 34 is employed, the free end of the tape must be fixed in position so that the intrusion of the container transverse to the tape 34 beween the base 11 and head 12 will cause the tape 34 to feed out from the roller 35 and extend around at least three sides of the container 36 as is illustrated in FIGURE 6. After the loop 37 has been formed and the fastener 38 applied, the tape 34 must be severed from the source of supply 35. However, at the same time, the newly created free end of the tape 34 must be regrasped by the same said means as initially grasped the first free end of the tape 34 in order that the next container 36 may be intruded. Such means are contemplated as Within the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

Cooperative means on both the base 11 and the head 12 are provided to perform the aforesaid functions. The means comprise a generally L-shaped carrier 40 keyed for movement with the connecting rod 18 intermediate the walls 19 and 20 of the base 11. The upstanding, generally vertical leg 41 of the carrier 40 is displaced to one side of the latitudinal axis of the base 11. An angular pressure arm 42 is pivotally mounted in proximity to the top of the vertical leg 41 as is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. The arm 42 is spring loaded and normally rests in a position transverse to and extending across the latitudinal axis of the base 11 in position to intercept the tape 34 extending from the supply roll 35. A resilient pressure pad 43 is mounted on the end wall 20 in general opposition to the arm 42.

When the latitudinally movable wall 17 of base 11 is most distantly spaced apart from the immovable wall 16, the arm 42 tightly engages and compresses the resilient pad 43. When the tape 34 is intruded downwardly between the arm 42 and the pad 43 and the same are tightly engaged, tape holding means are defined as is illustrated in FIGURE 5.

After the container 36 has been intruded between the base 11 and head 12, the tape extends from the aforesaid holding means, the arm 42 and pad 43, transversely across the terminal clamping ends and 31 to and around three sides of the carton 36 and from thence, latitudinally again between the base 11 and head 12 to the supply roll 35 as is illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The head 12 is provided with a latitudinally stationary depending leg 44 having a horizontal foot 45 extending transversely across the latitudinal axis of the base 11. The segment of the tape 34 extending from the top of the container 36 rearwardly to the roll 35 engages the bottom of the foot 45 as is illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The head 12 is then moved downwardly until the respective pairs of opposed, terminal ends or clamping members 30-32 and 31-33 tightly engage as is illustrated in FIGURE 7. The foot 45 carries the tape 34 downwardly over the arm 42. At this point, the intial free end of the tape 34 remains tightly engaged between the arm 42 and pad 43. The tape 34 engages itself between the clamped terminal ends, 30-32 and 31-33. The piston 22 is energized to drive latitudinally movable walls 17 and 26 in the direction of latitudinally immovable walls 16 and 23 to generate the loop 37 as is illustrated in FIG- URE 8. Since the L-shaped leg 40 is keyed for movement with the connecting rod 18, the arm 42 mounted thereon is withdrawn from the resilient pad 43 thereby releasing the initial terminal end of the tape 34. However, tape 34 now extends from the supply roll 35 obliquely downwardly over the top of the arm 42 and downwardly beneath the foot 45 of the stationary leg 44 on the head 12. Tension on the roller 35 combined with movement of the L-shaped carrier 40 causes the spring loaded arm 42 to pivot outwardly as is illustrated in FIGURE 10. As soon as the arm 42 pivots sufiiciently far outwardly to clear the tape 34 the tape 34 drops flush against the pad 43. The arm 42 then swings in the opposite direction under its normal spring load bias to again assume a position in opposition to the pad 43. Movement of the carrier 40 has previously permitted disengagement of the initial free end of the tape 34 from between the arm 42 and pad 43 and has pulled that free end of the tape 34 from between these members.

The piston 22 is thereupon reversed drawing the carrier 40 in the direction of the end wall 20. The tape 34 is now positioned between the arm 42 and pad 43. When the arm 42 and pad 43 tightly engage, the tape 34 is regrasped therebetween and extends downwardly beneath the arm 42 to the carton 36.

However, the tape 34 is severed by means of a blade 46 mounted on the bottom of the resilient pad 43. As the arm 42 resiliently compresses the pad 43, it carries the tape 34 into engagement with the cutting edge of the blade 46 severing the tape from the container 36. The apparatus is now in a position to receive another container 36 with the newly created terminal end of the tape 34 tightly grasped between the arm 42 and the pad 43.

A principal function of the apparatus disclosed herein is to generate a loop in engaged segments of the tape. This is performed by clamping the engaged tape segments at two spaced apart points and thereafter moving the clamping points relatively closer to each other. In order to insure that the tapes will always loop in one direction, the clamping surfaces are angled in that direction intermediate the clamping points.

In the copending application, mating convex and concave clamping surfaces have been disclosed. While such surfaces function well, there is a premium on vertical registration. Vertical misalignment of the opposed terminal clamping ends tends to generate cutting pressures on the tape sometimes severing weaker tapes.

In the present application, fiat clamping surfaces disposed at an angle to the horizontal are disclosed and claimed. Such clamping surfaces do not put a premium on vertical alignment of the terminally opposed ends 30-32 and 31-33. In addition, they serve to unfailingly dispose the loop in one direction or the other according to the angle of the clamping surfaces.

While a mechanical fastener 38 has been disclosed in this application, it should be borne in mind that any means for securing the engaged tape together is contemplated as within the scope of the claims annexed hereto. For instance, some tapes will heat seal very successfully although oriented polypropylene requires a considerable thickness in order to be so sealed. The loop formed by the apparatus disclosed herein may be employed to generate the re quired thicknesses and tape disposition for heat or dielectric sealing. A heat generating element may be inserted between the walls 16 and 17 when most closely disposed to each other to compress the loop disposing the legs thereof into tight engagement for heat sealing.

The mechanical fastener 38 disclosed herein comprises a pair of flat, latitudinally rigid, spaced apart side legs 47, 48 interconnected at one end of each by a flat cross leg 49. A center leg 50 is resiliently formed on the cross leg 49 extending generally between the side legs 47 and 48 but normally lying in a plane displaced from the plane of the said side legs.

The side legs 47 and 48 are each provided with an inwardly extending detent respectively 51 and 52 generally at the end opposite the cross leg 49. Similarly, the free end 53 of the center leg 50 is flattened and thereby expanded laterally such that the most distant lateral extension of the free end 53 extends beyond the farthest inward extension of the detents 51 and 52 of the respective side legs 47 and 48. Thus, the center leg 50 is positively prevented from deflecting through the plane of the side legs 47 and 48.

The connection between the center legs 50 and the cross leg 49 is provided with a positive angle, illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13, the angle being between an increment in advance of zero degrees and less than ninety degrees to provide the center leg 50 with resilience from a pivot point above the plane of the side legs 47 and 48 and the cross leg 49. The space between the edges of the center leg 50 and the inwardly disposed edges of the side legs 47 and 48 define a pair of slots 54 and 55 which are dimensioned approximately twice the width of the tape 34 which extends therethrough as illustrated in FIGURE 13. In addition, the edge of the cross leg 49 opposite the center leg 50 is provided with a generally U-shaped recess 56 to accommodate pusher means for forcing the fastener 38 through the grooves 39, 39 in the walls 16 and 17.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for taping containers comprising,

(a) grasping the terminal end of an endless tape extending from a source,

(b) passing a container transversely against the tape between the source and the grasped terminal end sufficiently to at least partially wrap the tape around the container,

(c) engaging the tape to itself in close proximity to the container on the side opposite that first engaged to the tape, while releasing the terminal end thereof,

(d) fastening the tape to itself where so engaged,

(e) regrasping the tape intermediate the fastening point and the source, and

(f) severing the tape on the side of the grasping point opposite the source.

2. A method for taping containers comprising,

(a) the method in accordance with claim 1 and,

(h) generating a loop in the engaged tape in close proximity to the container, and

(c) fastening the tape to itself at the loop.

3. A method for taping containers comprising,

(a) the method in accordance with claim 2 in which,

(b) the loop is generated by clamping segments of the tape to itself at two spaced apart points, and

(0) moving the clamping points toward each other.

4. A method for taping containers comprising,

(a) the method in accordance with claim 3 in which,

(b) the loop is deflected consistently in the same direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,007 8/1897 Poulson 100-17 1,047,456 12/1912 Sonney 100-17 2,052,627 9/1936 Hermann 100-17 2,145,339 1/1939 Burns 100-17 2,361,742 10/1944 Bunn 100-17 2,741,885 4/1956 Allison 53-198 2,982,063 5/1961 Coleman et a1. 53-198 XR 3,104,606 9/1963 Kerrigan 100-17 XR 3,228,321 1/1966 Walters 100-17 3,364,847 1/1968 Francois 100-17 3,389,039 6/1968 Steckler 100-17 BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

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