US3602107A - Carton flap folder - Google Patents

Carton flap folder Download PDF

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Publication number
US3602107A
US3602107A US835035A US3602107DA US3602107A US 3602107 A US3602107 A US 3602107A US 835035 A US835035 A US 835035A US 3602107D A US3602107D A US 3602107DA US 3602107 A US3602107 A US 3602107A
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United States
Prior art keywords
path
cartons
flap
carton
wheel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US835035A
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English (en)
Inventor
Richard C Zimmer
Robert F Lense
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Riegel Paper Corp
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Riegel Paper Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Riegel Paper Corp filed Critical Riegel Paper Corp
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Publication of US3602107A publication Critical patent/US3602107A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B50/00—Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B31B50/004—Closing boxes
    • B31B50/0042—Closing boxes the boxes having their opening facing in horizontal direction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B70/00—Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B2160/00—Shape of flexible containers
    • B31B2160/10—Shape of flexible containers rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents

Definitions

  • the carton passes by the retarder, and the leading flap is folded.
  • the wheel is rotated in timed relation with the advance of the cartons by a drive directly connected to the drive for a cutter rotor which is rotated in timed relation with the advance of the cartons.
  • the trailing flaps of the cartons are folded by a folding rotor which is driven in timed relation with the advance of the cartons by the same drive chain which advances the cartons.
  • This invention relates to a machine for folding flaps on cartons from extended positions to folded positions as the cartons are advanced rapidly along a predetermined path.
  • the primary object of the present invention is to fold the leading flaps of the rapidly advancing cartons gently at a relative rate of speed much slower than the advancement speed of the cartons to insure that all of the flaps are folded but not torn or bent out of shape.
  • the retarder in intersecting relation with the path moves in the same direction as the respective carton but at a slower speed causing the leading flap of the carton to catch up with and be engaged by the retarder to fold the leading flap rearwardly during the advance of the carton.
  • each retarder as a radially extending finger bent around to form a pocket which opens in the upstream direction of the path when the retarder is in intersecting relation with the path so that the finger engages the leading flap and guides the flap into and then out of the pocket thus folding the flap as the carton advances.
  • FIG. I is a fragmentary elevation of a machine embodying the novel features of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation similar to FIG. I but with framework removed for clarity and with parts shown in moved positions.
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation similar to FIG. 3 but with the parts shown in still further moved positions.
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the machine of FIG. I and showing the folding of both the leading and trailing flaps ofa series ofcartons.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 5 and taken substantially along line 6 of FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 7 is a partial cross section taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.
  • the invention is embodied in an automatic flap-folding machine operable to fold the lower hinged leading flaps 10 (FIG. 1) and trailing flaps ll of cartons 12 as the cartons are advanced continuously at a high rate of speed along a predetermined path.
  • the cartons are held in an upright position by carton holders 13, the latter being attached to and carried by a drive chain 14.
  • the cartons are of the type having hinges with a resilient memory normally causing the flaps to assume upright positions protecting downwardly from the cartons.
  • a continuous sealing strip 115 (FIG. 4) is heat sealed to the open bottoms of the cartons 12 and across the leading flaps 10 and trailing flaps 11 of each carton. To separate the cartons, the sealing strip is cut between the trailing flap of one carton and the leadlin g flap of the following carton.
  • a cutter wheel or cutter rotor 17 (FIG. 1) is mounted on an axle 18 (FIG. 2) to rotate about an axis extending laterally of and below the path of advancement of the cartons.
  • the cutter rotor is formed with four arms 19 (FIG. 3) extending radially outwardly from the axle and spaced angularly apart. Connected to the end of each arm is a cutter or cutting blade 20 which extends laterally of the path of carton advancement.
  • the cutter rotor is positioned below the path a distance such that the blades can be rotated into intersecting relation with the path.
  • the cutter rotor 17 rotates counterclockwise (FIG. 1) in timed relation to the advance of the cartons such'that one of the blades 20 rotates up and into the space between adjacent cartons thereby cutting the sealing strip 15 and separating the cartons. That is, the rotor is driven with a peripheral speed equal to the advancement speed of the cartons and thus successive blades move between successive cartons and cut the sealing strip as the rotor turns. This sequence is shown in progressive steps in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.
  • the axle 18 is journaled at one of its ends in a support plate 21 (FIG. 2), and the other end of the axle is journaled in a gearbox 22.
  • a drive shaft 241 (FIG. 1) which extends from and is supported by a frame member (not shown) and the gearbox is pivoted on the drive shaft for swinging back and forth through a limited range about the latter.
  • the rotor is adapted to be moved automatically out of intersecting relation with the path if one of the holders l3 presses against a blade 20 of the rotor.
  • a pair of parallel rods 25 and 26 extend between and are fastened rigidly to the support plate 21 and the gearbox 22 to join the gearbox and the support plate as a single unit for swinging movement together about the drive shaft 24.
  • This unit is urged in a clockwise direction about the drive shaft by a spring-biased rod 28 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is pivotally connected at one end portion to the support plate 211 at a level below the axis of the drive shaft.
  • a spring 29 is telescoped over the other end portion of the rod 28 and is biased between a nut 30 on the end of the rod and an L-shaped plate 31 through one leg of which the rod extends slidably, the other leg of the plate being bolted to a stationary frame member 32. If the rotor should jam, the force of the cartons 12 being moved along the path will swing the unit counterclockwise about the drive shaft against the force of the spring thereby to free the blades from the cartons. To hold the unit against clockwise swinging which would result due to the spring, a screw 35 (FIG. ll) threaded into a plate 36 on the frame member 32 contacts the rod 26 and may be adjusted to change the normal position of the unit.
  • the leading and trailing flaps 10 and 11 are pressed upwardly to horizontally extending positions and project forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, from the cartons.
  • the flaps are free to spring downwardly toward their normal upright positions as a result of the resilient memory of the flap hinges. Due to a number of factors, however, the flaps may remain in nearly horizontal positions thus making it difficult to engage and fold the flaps to closed positions over the bottoms of the cartons.
  • the memory of the flap hinges usually is weakened when uping strip.
  • the strip itself underlies the flaps and tends to resist downward swinging of the latter.
  • Any sticky product which may have accumulated around the flaps also may tend to keep the flaps in generally horizontal positions.
  • the flaps thus may remain positioned closely adjacent the holders l3 and, when the cartons are being advanced at high speeds, difliculties are encountered in folding the flaps to closed positions without tearing or distorting the flaps.
  • the advancement of the leading flap of each carton 12 is retarded smoothly and gradually in a manner which allows the leading flap to advance along the path but at a slower speed than the carton, and the leading flap is folded by being guided downwardly from a forwardly extending horizontal position, through a vertical position, and then rearwardly toward a rearwardly extending horizontal position as the carton moves past the flap due to the difference in advancement speed between the carton and the flap.
  • a wheel 40 (FIG. 1) with a number of retarders 41, herein four, on the periphery thereof is mounted to rotate about an axis extending laterally of and below the advancement path of the cartons such that the retarders are rotated counterclockwise (FIG.
  • each leading flap is engaged and folded slowly while the carton is being advanced at a high speed resulting in a gently folding action and the substantial elimination of tearing, ripping, etc. which normally occurs if the flap is engaged by a stationary flap folder.
  • a support frame 43 Extending upwardly at an angle in a downstream direction and attached to thesupport plate 21 by a pair of bolts (FIG. 1) is a support frame 43 (FIG. 2) in which a drive shaft 45 is journaled, and the wheel 40 is rigid with one end portion of the drive shaft to rotate with the latter.
  • the wheel is advantageously driven directly from the axle 18 of the cutter rotor 17 at the same angular speed as the rotor.
  • a chain 46 (FIG. 2) is trained around a first sprocket 47 mounted on the axle and a second sprocket 48 mounted on the end portion of the drive shaft 45 opposite the end portion on which the wheel 40 is mounted. As shown in FIG.
  • the drive shaft 45 is located above the axle l8 and thus nearer the path of advancement. Since the distance to the carton path is shorter, the diameter of the wheel is less than that of the cutter rotor causing the wheel, which is rotated at the same angular speed as the rotor, to rotate with a slower peripheral speed than the rotor. Since the peripheral speed of the rotor is equal to the advancement speed of the cartons, the peripheral speed of the wheel is less than the advancement speed of the cartons.
  • Each retarder 41 in this instance is formed as a finger 49 (FIG. I) curved around to form a mouth or pocket 50 which when the retarder is positioned in intersecting relation with the path, opens in an upstream direction.
  • One retarder is rotated into intersecting relation with the path of the cartons 12 just ahead of each leading flap 10.
  • the leading flap catches up with the retarder which is being rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 1) or away from the leading flap. Because the leading flap extends downwardly slightly below horizontal, the trailing edge of the finger 49 can engage the upper side of the flap and can guide the flap into the pocket 50.
  • the thickness of the trailing edge portion of the finger is relatively small and, when the finger engages the leading flap, the trailing edge of the finger is just barely below the bottom 51 (FIG. 1) of the body of the carton to engage and draw the flap downwardly.
  • One particular advantage to this arrangement is that while the downward angle that the leading flap makes with the horizontal may be very small, as for the reasons mentioned above, the finger will still engage the upper surface of the flap ensuring that no leading flap remains in an extended position.
  • the drive chain 14 to use the latter additionally to fold the trailing flaps 11 by driving a folding rotor 53 (FIG. 6) in timed relation with the advance of the cartons 12.
  • the folding rotor turns about a vertical axis a positioned laterally of the advancement path of the cartons.
  • a bearing housing 54 is fixed to the end of a cantilevered arm 55 which extends horizontally from the frame 32.
  • Within the bearing housing is a bearing 56 in which a shaft 57 is journaled to rotate about the axis a, and a washer 58 is welded around the shaft near the upper end of the shaft to prevent the latter from falling through the bearing.
  • a sprocket 60 with a downwardly extending hub 61 is telescoped on and connected to the lower end portion of the shaft by a splined connection.
  • a screw 64 extends through the retainer plate and intothe end of the shaft to hold the plate, hub, and disc on the shaft.
  • Three screws 65 (two shown in FIG. 7) extend upwardly through and lock the retainer plate, the disc and into the hub together thus causing the disc to rotate with the hub and sprocket.
  • Four radially extending folding blades 67 are angularly spaced at intervals about the periphery of the disc 62 and, as the disc turns in response to rotation of the sprocket by the drive chain, these blades are swung one at a time into intersecting relation with the path of the advancing cartons.
  • the folding blades 67 move with a greater speed than the advancement speed of the cartons 12 causing each blade to overtake the carton immediately ahead of that blade when the latter enters the path.
  • the folding blade thus catches up with, engages, and folds the trailing flap ll forwardly as the blade moves through the path, and this is accomplished gently because. the differential in the speed of the folding blade and the carton is relatively small.
  • the angular position of the disc 62 can be adjusted with respect to the sprocket 60.
  • a series of arcuate slots 68 (FIG. 6) are formed in the disc at the location for each screw 65. Before the screws are tightened to join the retainer plate 64, the disc 62, and the sprocket 60, the disc can be shifted angularly with respect to the sprocket to the extent of the slots.
  • the folding rotor 53 is located immediately downstream of the wheel 40. Just downstream of the folding rotor is a plow 70 (FIG. 5) which forces the folded leading flaps l0 and trailing flaps ll tightly up against the bottoms 51 of the cartons 12.
  • said mechanism for advancing the carton includes a power-driven carrier chain
  • said machine further including means for folding the hinged trailing flap of said carton from an extended position in which the flap projects from the carton to a folded position as the carton is advanced along said path, said last-mentioned means comprising a folding rotor mounted to turn about an axis perpen dicular to but laterally offset from said path, a folding blade on said rotor and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said carrier chain being operably connected to said folding rotor to rotate the latter and move said blade into intersecting relation with said path in timed relation with the advance of said carton to engage said trailing flap and fold the latter from said extended position to said folded position.
  • a In a machine for folding the hinged flaps of successive cartons as the cartons are advanced in spaced relation along a predetermined path, the combination of, a support, a powerdriven chain on said support for advancing said cartons along said path, a folding rotor mounted to turn about an axis perpendicular to but offset from said path, angularly spaced folding blades on said rotor and extending radially outwardly therefrom, a sprocket fastened to and coaxial with said rotor and having its periphery located radially inwardly of the free ends of said blades, and said chain extending tangentially of and meshing with said sprocket to rotate said rotor and move said blades into intersecting relation with said path in timed relation with the advance of the cartons whereby said blades engage and fold said flaps.

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US835035A 1969-06-20 1969-06-20 Carton flap folder Expired - Lifetime US3602107A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US83503569A 1969-06-20 1969-06-20

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US3602107A true US3602107A (en) 1971-08-31

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US835035A Expired - Lifetime US3602107A (en) 1969-06-20 1969-06-20 Carton flap folder

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US (1) US3602107A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2030202A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1290756A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE341593B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4092906A (en) * 1976-11-12 1978-06-06 Ab Akerlund & Rausing Carton flap folding mechanism
US4571926A (en) * 1979-06-22 1986-02-25 Pneumatic Scale Corporation Apparatus for forming, filling and depositing filled bags into cartons
US5417032A (en) * 1993-01-19 1995-05-23 The Mead Corporation Convertible flap folding mechanism
US5634323A (en) * 1995-04-28 1997-06-03 Elopak Systems A.G. Carton end panel folding mechanism
US6381921B1 (en) * 1999-06-03 2002-05-07 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Wrapping wheel of a cigarette packing machine
US6571539B2 (en) * 1999-04-22 2003-06-03 The Mead Corporation Packaging machine and method of carton set up

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2268423A (en) * 1939-11-15 1941-12-30 Rose Brothers Ltd Packaging apparatus
US2625778A (en) * 1951-05-21 1953-01-20 Sutherland Paper Co Machine for closing cartons while the cartons are being translated

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2268423A (en) * 1939-11-15 1941-12-30 Rose Brothers Ltd Packaging apparatus
US2625778A (en) * 1951-05-21 1953-01-20 Sutherland Paper Co Machine for closing cartons while the cartons are being translated

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4092906A (en) * 1976-11-12 1978-06-06 Ab Akerlund & Rausing Carton flap folding mechanism
US4571926A (en) * 1979-06-22 1986-02-25 Pneumatic Scale Corporation Apparatus for forming, filling and depositing filled bags into cartons
US5417032A (en) * 1993-01-19 1995-05-23 The Mead Corporation Convertible flap folding mechanism
US5634323A (en) * 1995-04-28 1997-06-03 Elopak Systems A.G. Carton end panel folding mechanism
US6571539B2 (en) * 1999-04-22 2003-06-03 The Mead Corporation Packaging machine and method of carton set up
US6381921B1 (en) * 1999-06-03 2002-05-07 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Wrapping wheel of a cigarette packing machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1290756A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-09-27
SE341593B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-01-10
DE2030202A1 (de) 1971-01-07

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