US3740030A - Apparatus for producing cartons - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus comprising a side seaming device adapted to fold a prescored carton blank along two score lines and to provide an adhesively secured side seam to form a flat tube. The apparatus also includes a carton blank feeding device preceding the side seaming device for feeding blanks to the latter and a device following the side seaming device for reverse folding the flat tube along the remaining two score lines.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Scully June 19, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARTONS 2,710,752 6/1955 Fergnani 271/35 3,270,628 9/1966 Clem 271 32 [751 Invent Scully RaWham Mass- 3,612,511 10/1971 Godlewski 27135 [73] Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Qumcy Mass Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby [22] Filed: July 12, 1971 Attorney-Robert T. Gammons 211 App]. No.1 161,613

Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT [62] Division of Ser. No. 813,172, April 3, 19 69,

abandoned- Apparatus comprising a side seaming device adapted to fold a prescored carton blank along two score lines and [52] US. Cl. 271/35, 271/41 to provide an adhesive), Secured Side Seam to form a [51'] '1" Cl B65h 1/66 B65h 3/06 flat tube. The apparatus also includes a carton blank [58] Fleltl of Search 271/32, 35, 39, 12, feeding device preceding the d seaming device for 271/41 feeding blanks to the latter and a device following the 1 side seaming device for reverse folding the flat tube [56] References cued along the remaining two score lines.

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,878 2/1931 Wagner 271/35 4 Claims, 24 Drawing Figures 26 5 ,6 so 4 IO 22 B 174 2 4 228 2 14s \1 I76 ,IG4IGZ! 32 16 1 I '32 2 1, 1 I 222 21 294 o /3 334 o 40 "1 2 l66' 112 ,1115 5 2 '8 H, 274 0 9g 58 52 I: 295

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ATTORNEY PATENIED JUN! 9 P973 sum (NW 13 I48 I46 .8 w 23 l 88 I 5 24 I6 26 I24 l2 I J 1/77 g, a o 6 84 O K I08 j I P 52 6216 64 .I 53 I I as 78 58 1 35.9 3

313F366 59 O f 360 57 w I s 60 35s 68 M/VENTOR J. W S u/ a) C 0/ ATTORNEY PAIENIEDJUNIQW 3.140.030

Slit! 07!! 13 INVENTOR 8y JWScu/W ATTORNEY Parana-111 V 3.740.030 sum 08 8F 13 INVENTOR J. W. Sew/y ATTORNEY PAlimwJ m 3.740.030

sum '0 13 ATTORNEY PATENIEB WI 10 U 13 INVENTOR B J. W Saw/y y I @M fi aaul ATTORNEY PMENIED JUN 1 9 Q Em INVE/VTUR J. W Sac/fly ATTORNEY PATENIEBJUMSISH I sum 12W 13 ATTORNEY memmm mmm mm mm 0% N3 3 vmm mmm

mmm 0mm INVENTOR J. W Scu//y fwcmm ATTORNEY Apparatus For Producing Cartons. 7

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the packaging art and contemplates novel apparatus for feeding, folding, side seaming and reverse bending flat tubular cartons, known in the art as knockdown cartons, prepared from prescored carton blanks. The feeding mechanism is arranged to withdraw successive lowermost carton blanks from a stack thereof and to present successive blanks to a continuously moving conveyor where the blanks are first provided with a strip of adhesive along a seam forming portion. The prescored panels on either side of the blank are then folded inwardly to join the marginal edges and to form a tube provided with a side seam. The side seam is then pressed to firmly set the adhesive.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention provision is made for transferring successive flat tubular cartons from the tube forming conveyor to a reverse folding or bending device arranged to open the flat folded cartons and to refold the same 180 in the opposite direction along the score lines which were previously unfolded. In operation, the cartons thus reverse folded are transferred directly to a bottom sealing machine, not shown, where each carton is squared up and applied to a mandrel or forming block whereupon the bottom flaps are folded and adhesively secured to provide a bottom closure. Alternatively, the flat tubular cartons may be stacked and stored for future use.

Prior to the present invention it has been the practice for those in the packaging trade to purchase the flat tubular cartons from a carton manufacturer, and in practice, such cartons are transferred from a magazine into the pocket of a bottom sealing machine where the carton is squared up and applied to a forming block to be bottom sealed. One transfer mechanism widely used in the packaging industry comprises a reciprocating bladelike device which is inserted within a flat knockdown carton in a magazine and then moved-to open the carton and to present the same between rollers which deliver the carton to the squaring pocket of the bottom sealing machine. The prior art apparatus for feeding the side seamed cartons to a bottom sealing machine is exemplified generally inthe U.S. Pat. issued to S. R. Howard, No. 1,916,425, July 4, 1933. While such prior devices have operated successfully over a long period of time, it was found that in practice if the cartons supplied by the manufacturer were not of uniform shape and size, or were slightly displaced in the magazine, there would be times where the bladelike device would fail to transfer a carton to the bottom sealer. The expedient of side seaming the cartons, reverse bending the same and feeding them directly into the bottom sealing machine in accordance with the present invention, gives the user better control of the product and also results in a saving in that the cartons do not have to be stacked and stored for future use and then again handled when ready for use. Furthermore, the expedient of forming the side seam in the packaging plant rather than purchasing the side seamed cartons resulted in a saving in the initial cost of the cartons.

Accordingly, the present invention has for one object to provide apparatus for producing flat tubular cartons from prescored carton blanks characterized by novel structure adapted to produce the cartons in a rapid, efficient and economical manner.

The invention has for another object to provide novel and improved apparatus of the character specified characterized by novel carton blank feeding mechanism arranged to withdraw successive carton blanks from a stack thereof at a rapid rate.

The invention has for a further object to provide novel and improved apparatus of the character specified having novel provision for opening and reversely folding a flat tubular carton in a rapid and efficient manner.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the apparatus for producing cartons: and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus for producing cartons embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIGS. 3 to 7 illustrate in perspective the different steps followed in producing a side seamed carton from a prescored carton blank;

FIG. 8 is a perspective .view of a carton provided with a bottom seal;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the carton blank feeding device;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the parts in a different position of operation;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view at a larger scale of the lower end of the magazine showing a blank partially withdrawn;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the carton blank feeding device as seen from the line 12-12 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the receiving end of the carton folding and side seaming conveyer;

FIG. 14 is a detail view of the carton blank transfer rolls shown in a different position of operation;

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 1;v

FIG. 17 is a front elevation, partly in cross section, of the side seam pressing mechanism as taken on the line 17-17 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a view in side elevation of the side seam forming mechanism and the carton opening and reverse folding mechanism disposed at the discharge end of the side seam conveyer;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 18; and

FIGS. 20 to 24 are detail views in plan elevation showing the different positions of operation of the reverse folding and carton advancing or discharge mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, in general the present apparatus includes carton blank feeding mechanism adapted to withdraw successive lowermost carton blanks 12 from a stack 14 thereof supported in a magazine 16. The upright stack is arranged at an angle of about 40 from the vertical for convenience in loading the magazine and also to reduce the height of the unit.

The carton blanks 12 are prescored and, in operation, successive blanks withdrawn from the stack are advanced longitudinally to present the leading ends thereof first between advancing rolls 18, and then between transfer rolls 22, 24, the latter being arranged to present the cartons to a horizontal conveyer indicated generally at 26 wherein a marginal edge, comprising the side seam flap 27, of the blank is provided with adhesive by a glue applying roller 28 during the advance of the carton blank. The side wall panels along the outer edges of the carton, including a narrow panel 29 on one side and a wider panel 31 on the other side, are then folded inwardly by folding rails indicated generally at 30 to present the longitudinal marginal edges in overlapping and adhesive engagement. The carton is thus folded along two score lines and provided with a side seam, the latter being firmly pressed to set the seal by a presser roll 32 during the continuous advance of the blank.

In practice, the blanks thus folded and sealed to form a flat tube may be discharged from the apparatus and stored for future use, or the side seamed cartons may be fed directly to a magazine from which they are withdrawn and opened by conventional means to be delivered to a bottom sealing machine. However, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, novel provision is made for opening the carton and effecting reverse folding thereof along the two remaining score lines whereupon the carton is transferred directly to a bottom sealing machine. The carton opening, folding and transferring mechanism is indicated generally at 34 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and includes a guide roll 36 and a pair of advancing rolls 38, 40 which serve to press the reverse folds and to advance the cartons to the bottom sealing machine, not shown.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10 for a more detailed description of the carton blank feeding mechanism 10, it will be seen that successive lowermost carton blanks 12 in the stack are arranged to be withdrawn by engagement with a plurality of laterally spaced friction belts 42 arranged to run over spaced idler pulleys 44 fast on a shaft 46 and spaced drive pulleys 48 fast on a shaft 50. The friction belts 42 are run continuously and each belt comprises a rubber belt having a plurality of small upstanding resilient projections thereon.

In order to control the withdrawal of successive blanks in timed relation to the operation of the machine, a plurality of laterally spaced lifting rolls 52, which extend between the spaced belts.42, are arranged to alternately elevate the stack 14 to lift the lowermost blank 12 away from the belts and to lower the stack to present the lowermost blank in frictional engagement with the belts to effect withdrawal of a blank. The rolls 52 are mounted on a rod 53 carried by spaced arms 54 which are mounted on a shaft 56. A second arm 58 carried by the shaft 56 is connected by 'a link 59 to one arm 60 ofa bell crank mounted to rock on a shaft 62. The second arm 64 of the bell crank carries a roller 66 for cooperation with a cam 68 fast on a cam shaft 70.

As herein shown, a rear edge of the lower end of the stack 14 engages a roller 72 carried by an arm 74 which is adjustably mounted in the magazine 16. The roller 72 carries some of the weight of the stack and is extended slightly forwardly of the rear edge of the stack so as to cause the leading edges of the lowermost group of blanks to feather out forwardly as shown. The forward end of the stack carries a plurality of angular guides 76 against which the feathered edges of the lowermost group of blanks rests. The guides 76 are vertically adjustable and are arranged to cooperate with driven rolls 78 to assist in freeing the lowermost blank from the stack. In operation, the spacing between the lower ends of the guides 76 and the periphery of the rolls 78 is about one and one-half times the thickness of the carton blank. When the lifting rolls 52 are rocked to their elevated position, as shown in FIG. 10, the blanks are raised above the friction belts 42 and, conversely, when the stack is lowered by the rolls 52, as shown in FIG. 9, the lowermost blank is engaged by the belts and carried under the guides 76 into the grip of the driven feed rolls 18, 20 spaced a short distance forwardly of the front end of the magazine. In practice, the friction belts are operative to feed the forward end of the blank for a short distance only before the feed rolls 18, 20 take over the blank advancing operation, the rolls being driven at a surface speed equal to the linear speed of the belts 42. As shown in FIG. 11, the spacing between the guides 76 and the rolls 78 permits only one blank at a time to be withdrawn from the underside of the stack. In operation, the lifting rolls 52 must be actuated to elevate the stack before the trailing end of the blank being withdrawn leaves the magazine whereby to prevent release of a succeeding carton immediately following the first. In operation, the cam operated lifting rolls thus serve to control the spacing of the carton blanks in timed relation to the operation of the machine. FIG. 9 shows the lifting rolls 52 in their lowered position to permit withdrawal of the lowermost blank, and FIG. 10 shows the lifting rolls in their elevated position wherein the stack is lifted away from the friction belts 42.

The leading ends of successive carton blanks 12 advanced by the feed rolls 18, 20 are received between the continuously driven transfer rolls 22, 24 to be delivered to the horizontal conveyer 26. As herein shown, the upper transfer rolls 22 are provided with cutouts 23 to receive the leading ends of the blanks and to ease their transition from an inclined position to a horizontal position on the conveyer 26.

The drives to the carton blank feeding device 10 include a chain and sprocket drive 80 from the cam shaft 70 tothe shaft 50 on which the pulleys 48 are mounted. The shaft 50 is connected by spur gears 82, 84, 86 to a shaft 88 on which the rolls 78 are mounted for cooperation with the guides 76. The shaft 50 is also connected by spur gears 90, 92 to a shaft 94 which carries the upper feed rolls 18. The shaft 94 is carried by spring pressed lock bearings 96 slidingly mounted in the side frames and the shaft 46 on which the pulleys 44 are mounted is also carried by block bearings 98 adjustably mounted in the frames to serve as a belt tightener.

The cam shaft 70 is driven by a chain and sprocket connection 100 to a shaft 102 which latter is connected by bevel gears 104, 106 to a longitudinally extended shaft 108. The latter shaft is connected by bevel gears 110, 112 to a driven shaft 114. The shaft 114 is connected by spur gears 116 to a shaft 118 which in turn is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 120 to a main cam shaft 122 forming a part of a bottom sealing machine to which reference has been made.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the horizontal conveyer 26 includes a pair of laterally spaced chains 124 provided with longitudinally spaced lugs or flights 126 arranged to engage the rear or trailing edges of a blank 12 delivered to the conveyer by the transfer rolls 22, 24. The chains 124 are continuously driven and are arranged to run over upper sprockets 128, 130 mounted on shafts 132, 134, respectively, at each end of the conveyer; lower sprockets 136, 138 mounted on shafts 102, 114; and intermediate guide sprockets 140, 142. The sprockets 138 are fast on the shaft 114 to effect driving of the chains 124. The shaft 132 is connected by spur gears 144 to the shaft 146 on which the upper rolls 22 are mounted. The upper rolls are supported in block bearings 148 slidably mounted in the supporting frame.

In operation, the surface speed of the transfer rolls 22, 24 is faster than the linear speed of the chains 124 of the conveyer 26 so that a carton blank 12 deposited on the conveyer comes to rest momentarily after leaving the transfer rolls until the chain lugs 126 engage the trailing end to start the blank forward to carry it through the machine. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, the drive to the shaft 132 on which the lower roll 24 is mounted comprises a chain and sprocket drive 145 from the shaft 102. It will be understood that the sprockets 128 on shaft 102 over which the carrier chains 124 run comprise idlers and that the chain and sprocket drive 145 is designed to effect rotation of the shaft 132 at a rate such that the carton blank 12 will be deposited on the conveyer 26 prior to arrival of the lugs 126. As herein shown, the blank is guided between side guides 150, 152 and under hold down rails 154, 156. The blank is first carried past the adhesive applying roller 28 where the underside of the side seam flap 27 is provided with a coating of adhesive.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 18, the adhesive applying roller 28 is relatively narrow and is mounted for adjustments on a shaft 158 arranged to be rotated in timed relation to the advance of the carton by chain and sprocket connections from the shaft 114 including a connection 159 to a shaft 160, a second connection 161 to a shaft 162 and a final connection 164 to the shaft 158. In practice, the roller 28 is rotated at a surface speed slightly less than the linear speed of the conveyer chains 124 so that the trailing end of the carton side seam flap will not receive a surplus of adhesive such as would occur if the applying roller were traveling faster than the blank. The applying roller 28 is arranged to run in a glue pot 166 provided with a quick setting'hot melt adhesive. As herein shown, the glue pot is carried by parallel arms 168 arranged to be lowered by a handle 170 to permit convenient cleaning and servicing of the same. One of the guide rails, 152, is provided with a short rail 172 overlying a portion of the applying roller and under which the side seam flap 27 extends, the rail 172 serving to retain the flap in operative engagement with the applying roller during the adhesive applying operation.

The carton blank is then guided under shoes 174, 176 whose outer edges are aligned with score lines 178, 180, respectively, of the carton blank and past stationary folding rails 182, 184 shaped and bent to effect inward folding of the side wall panels 29 and 31 through As herein shown, the hold down rails 154, 156 i and the shoes 174, 176 are mounted for lateral adjustment on rods 186 carried by arms 188. The arms 188 are clamped to a longitudinally extended rocker shaft 190 joumaled in bearing brackets 192 attached to the frame. The folding rails 182 on one side of the conveyer 26 are likewise carried by and adjustably mounted on arms 194 clamped to the rocker shaft 190. The folding rails 184 on the other side of the conveyer are carried by and adjustably mounted on arms 196 clamped to a rocker shaft 198. The side guides 150, 152 are adjustable on tie rods 191 extending between side rails 193. With this construction it will be seen that the operating elements of the side seaming conveyer are adjustable for different sizes of cartons within predetermined minimum and maximum limits. As shown in FIG. 19, the side seamed carton passes under a guide plate on one side and under a rod 197 on the other side which serve to complete the creased fold along the score lines 178, 180.

In practice, the hold down and folding elements are spring urged downwardly to a predetermined and ad justable stopposition as indicated in FIG. 16 and are capable of rocking upwardly in the event of a jam. Suitable controls, not shown, may be provided for stopping the machine when such a jam occurs. It will be understood that the wider side wall panel 31 comprises the first folded panel whereby to present the adhesive coated flap 27 face up whereupon the narrower panel 29 is folded down on top of the flap 27 to provide the side seam indicated at 200. Immediately thereafter, during the continued advance of the carton, the side seam 200 is subjected to a pressing operation by driven pressure rolls including the roll 32 previously referred to and a cooperating roll 204 arranged to spread and set the adhesive.

During the pressing operation, the carton is supported on a continuously moving belt 206 which is coextensive with the chain conveyer 26. The belt 206 and the driven rolls 32and 204 are arranged to travel faster than the carrier chains 124 in order to pull the carton ahead of the lugs 126 during the transfer from the chains to the belt. Thus, in practice, the pressure rolls -not only press the glue seam but also accelerate the carton away from the chain lugs and into a pocket 208 of a spider 210 forming a part of the carton opening, folding and transferring mechanism 34. As herein shown, the belt 206 runs over a drive pulley 212 fast on a drive shaft 222 and over a driven pulley 214 mounted to rotate on a stud 216 fast in a bracket .218. The drive shaft 222 is rotated by a chain and sprocket drive 220 from the carrier chain sprocket shaft 134 and is designed to effect a linear speed of the belt 206 at a faster rate than the linear speed of the carrier chains 124. The lower pressure roll 204 is also mounted on the pulley shaft 222. The upper roll 32 is mounted on a shaft 224 and is connected to rotate with the lower roll by spur gears 226. As herein shown, the upper roll shaft 224 is jour- I naled in a bracket 228 pivotally mounted at 230 and is rocked in a direction to urge the roll 32 into cooperating engagement with the lower roll 204 by a compression spring 232 coiled about a rod 233 and interposed between a yoke 234 forming a part of the bracket 228 and a shaft 236 journaled in spaced arms 238 extended from a bracket 240 attached to the machine frame. In practice, the rod 233 may extend through the shaft 236 and connections to the lower end of the rod may be made to effect manual rocking of the bracket 228 to an inoperative position when desired. As herein shown, the lower end of the rod 233 may be provided with a hub 235 having a cam surface at its upper end engaging the handle 237 and rocking of the handle will efiect rocking of the pressure roll 32 upwardly.

In operation, it may be desired to limit the pressing operation to the side seam area 200 only as defined by the flap 27 of the carton blank 12, that is, to maintain the roll 32 elevated until the closing flap area at one end has passed and again lifting the roll before it engages the closing flaps at the other end of the carton so as to avoid squeezing glue out of the ends of the seam onto the closing flaps. This may be accomplished by rocking the upper roll 32 into and out of cooperating engagement with the lower roll 204 through cam operated linkage, not shown, connected to the rod 233. An-

other expedient employed to effect pressing along the side seam area only and not along the extended end closing flaps is to provide a cutout in the lower roll 204 to avoid cooperation with the upper roll except during that portion of each cycle when the side seam portion 200 passes between the rolls. In any event, the passage of the carton between the rolls 32, 204 also serves'to advance the carton to the carton opening, reverse folding and transferring device 34.

In order to further assist in advancing the carton into a pocket 208 of the spider 210, a roller 242 carried by an arm 244 is arranged to cooperate with the discharge end of the belt 206 adjacent the pulley 214. The arm 244 is mounted to pivot on a stud 246 and is pressed downwardly by a coil spring 248 carried between an extension 250 from the arm 244 and a second arm 252 clamped to the stud 246. The stud 246 is adjustably mounted in an elongated slot 254 formed in a bracket 256.

As herein shown, the spider 210 comprises spaced hub members 264 adjustably clamped to a shaft 258 and is provided with four equally spaced carton receiving pockets 208 arranged to be indexed through 90 each cycle of operation of the machine. Each pocket is defined by spaced elements 260 having V-shaped grooves facing toward each other. Each grooved element 260 is carried by a bracket 262 attached to its respective hub member 264. Each pair of elements 260 defining a pocket 208 are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width of the side seamed carton deposited therebetween so that the carton will be forced into a slightly open position. The receiving end of each pocket 208 is shaped to accept the full width of the leading end of the carton and then tapers inwardly for a short distance to a point where the spacing between the grooves is less than the full width of the carton. The leading end of the carton comes to rest against an adjustable stop 266 carried by each bracket 262.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, the shaft 258 which carries the spider 210 is arranged to be indexed 90 degrees each cycle of operation through connections including a Geneva drive mechanism, indicated generally at 268, and which includes a driving member 270 fast on a shaft 272 and a driven member 274 fast on a shaft 276. The shaft 272 is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 278 to the main drive shaft 122. The driven member 274 of the Geneva is fast on the shaft 276 and the latter is connected by a train of gears 282 to the spider shaft 258.

The purpose of the indexing mechanism is to bring successive cartons from a horizontal to a vertical or upright position in order to accommodate the bottom sealing machine which is arranged to receive the cartons in an upright position. After the carton has been indexed to a vertical position in its partly open condition, provision is made for removing or stripping the carton from its pocket; opening the carton to its squared up condition during such removal; and then folding the carton in a reverse direction as it leaves its pocket to be received between the driven rolls 38, 40 which serve to transfer the carton to the bottom sealing machine and also serve to crease the remaining score lines 288, 290, resulting in a carton that has been prebroken on all four vertical score lines and properly glued to produce the desired squared up shape in the completed carton As herein shown, a pair of spaced carton stripping or removing arms 292 are mounted on a shaft 294 and are adjustably secured to an arm 295 fast on the vertical rocker shaft 294 joumaled in a bracket 296. The shaft 294 is arranged to be rocked in timed relation to the movement of the pockets through cam operated linkage including an arm 298 fast on the lower end of the rocket shaft 294 and a link 300 connecting the arm 298 to a cam lever 302. The cam lever 302 is pivotally mounted at 304 in a bracket 306 and is provided with a cam roll 308 cooperating with a closed cam 310 fast on the cam shaft 122.

Referring now to FIGS. 20 to 24, FIG. 20 shows a carton 12 supported along its folded score lines 178, between spaced V- groove elements 260, 261 with the carton partially open. The stripping arms 292 are shown in their retracted position in FIG. 20, and a stationary angle plate 312 is shown positioned intermediate the V-groove elements. The arms 292 are disposed above and belowthe V-groove elements, and in operation the adjacent extended edges of the carton are en gaged by grooved portions 314 formed in rounded members 316 carried by the arms 292, the opposite edge of the carton remaining in its V-groove element 260. Continued movement of the arms 292 .as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 opens the carton to a squared up position, the stationary angle plate 312 serving to support one side wall 291 of the carton at this time with the rounded members 316 bearing against an end wall 293 and with the opposite end wall 29 still in engagement with its V-groove element 261. Further movement of the arms 292 effects folding of the carton along the previously unbent score lines 288, 290 by pressure of the rounded members against the trailing end wall 293 while the carton is supported between the angle plate 312 and the V-groove element 261. As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the leading end of the carton now becomes free of the V-groove element 261 and the V-grooves 318 formed in the blocks 320 carried by the arms 292 become operative by engaging the newly folded trailing edge defined by the score line 288 and advancing the carton between guide rails 322, 324 and between driven rolls 38, 40 which form a part of the bottom sealing machine and by which the carton is delivered to the machine to be squared up and elevated onto a mandrel for supporting the carton during closing and sealing the bottom flaps of the carton. The driven rolls 38, 40 also serve to crease the newly folded edges defined by the score lines 288, 290 to break the carton along the score lines as described. A guide roll 36 is provided adjacent the rail 322 on one side of the carton, and a guide plate 332 movable into and out of operative engagement with the other side of the carton whereby to prevent opening of the carton during its transfer to the creasing and advancing rolls 38, 40. It will be understood that in practice successive cartons are advanced to the bottom sealing machine at the rate of about 100 cartons a minute. As shown in FIG. 18, the guide plate 332 is carried by a curved arm 334 fast on a shaft 366 journaled in a bracket 338. A second arm 340 fast on the shaft 336 is connected by a link 342 to one arm 344 of a cam lever pivotally mounted on a stud 346 carried by a bracket 348 attached to the machine frame. The second arm 350 of the cam lever is provided with a cam roll 352 cooperating with a cam 354 fast on the cam shaft 122.

Referring again to FIGS. 9 and 10, provision is made for latching the cam lever 64 in an upraised position to maintain the stack 14 in an elevated position when it is desired to discontinue feeding of the carton blanks. This may be done by a manual control or by an automatic control of any usual or preferred construction. In either event, a normally closed solenoid valve 356, see FIG. 9, which connects a source of air from a pipe 357 to an air cylinder 358 is actuated to open the valve 356 upon closing of the circuit 359. Opening of the valve effects extension of the stem 360 which engages one arm 362 of a bell crank pivotally mounted on a stud 364 carried by a bracket 366. The arm 363 is spring urged in a clockwise direction and the second arm 368 of the bell crank is connected to one arm 370 of the latch 371 by a rod 372 fixed in the arm 370 and slidingly mounted in the arm 368. The rod 372 is provided with a nut 373 to limit the sliding movement and to effect positive disengagement of the latch. A compression spring 374 coiled about the rod 372 is arranged to rock the latch in a counterclockwise direction on the stud 364 to present the latch 371 in the path of an extension 376 of the cam lever 64. This type of control is of advantage when it is desired to automatically discontinue the feed of the cartons in the event that a jam occurs in the side seaming device such as to cause elevation of the folding elements wherein a microswitch 378 may be placed to close the circuit 359 to the solenoid valve 356 in such event, or a manually operated switch may be provided in the circuit. Another form of control for discontinuing the feed of carton blanks, as illustrated in FIG. 9, may comprise a photoelectric scanning unit indicated at 380 which is arranged to detect an oversupply of completed cartons at a forward point in the packaging line, and to actuate the solenoid valve 356 whereby to effect latching of the cam lever 64.

From the above description it will be seen that the present apparatus is capable of producing flat tubular or side seamed cartons from prescored carton blanks in a rapid, efficient and economical manner. It will also be observed that the present apparatus provides novel carton feeding mechanism, and novel mechanism for transferring the cartons directly into the bottom sealing machine whereby to provide a continuous carton producing process lending itself to more accurate and trouble-free handling of the cartons as distinguished from the use of previously prepared side seamed cartons. While the apparatus illustrated and described is particularly adapted for feeding cartons directly into a bottom sealing machine, it will be apparent that the side seamed carton could be stacked and stored for future use, in which case the rate of production could be substantially increased.

While the blanks herein illustrated and described comprise unlined blanks, it will be understood that a lining material may be affixed to the prescored blanks to produce lined cartons.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, with a conveyor having a horizontal run and curved end runs, one of which leads into the receiving end of the conveyor, means associated with the horizontal run of the conveyor for producing flat tubular cartons from prescored carton blanks, and blank feeding means comprising means for supporting a stack of carton blanks in a rearwardly inclined position such that the lower end of the stack is inclined upwardly toward the receiving end of the conveyor in a plane tangent to said curved run at the receiving end, means movable in said inclined plane in frictional engagement with the successive lowermost blanks for initiating movement of the blanks one at a time from the lower end of the stack upwardly in said plane, means for gripping the leading ends of the blanks as they are advanced thereto for completely withdrawing the blanks from the magazine and moving them upwardly in said plane to a position such that the ends of the blanks project upwardly beyond the plane of the conveyor, and upper and lower transfer rolls tangent to each other and to the plane of the horizontal run of the conveyor at the place of tangency of the curved run with the horizontal run, said upper transfer roll containing a cavity for receiving the projecting ends of the blanks.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper transfer roll has a substantially radial edge at the rear side of the cavity therein cooperative with the lower transfer roll to grip the upwardly projecting end portions of the blanks rearwardly of their leading edges.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are longitudinally spaced cleatson the horizontal run of the conveyor for engagement with the trailing ends of the blanks, and wherein deposit of the blanks on the horizontal run of the conveyor are so timed that the trailing ends of the blanks are deposited on the horizontal run ahead of the cleats.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises spaced parallel chains wherein sprockets rotatable about predetermined axes support the curved end runs of the chains, wherein there are pairs of upper and lower transfer rolls and wherein the lower transfer rolls are rotatable about the axis of the sprockets at the receiving end of the conveyor and correspond substantially in radius to the radius of curvature of the curved ends of the conveyor chains at said end.

Claims (4)

1. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, with a conveyor having a horizontal run and curved end runs, one of which leads into the receiving end of the conveyor, means associated with the horizontal run of the conveyor for producing flat tubular cartons from prescored carton blanks, and blank feeding means comprising means for supporting a stack of carton blanks in a rearwardly inclined position such that the lower end of the stack is inclined upwardly toward the receiving end of the conveyor in a plane tangent to said curved run at the receiving end, means movable in said inclined plane in frictional engagement with the successive lowermost blanks for initiating movement of the blanks one at a time from the lower end of the stack upwardly in said plane, means for gripping the leading ends of the blanks as they are advanced thereto for completely withdrawing the blanks from the magazine and moving them upwardly in said plane to a position such that the ends of the blanks project upwardly beyond the plane of the conveyor, and upper and lower transfer rolls tangent to each other and to the plane of the horizontal run of the conveyor at the place of tangency of the curved run with the horizontal run, said upper transfer roll containing a cavity for receiving the projecting ends of the blanks.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper transfer roll has a substantially radial edge at the rear side of the cavity therein cooperative with the lower transfer roll to grip the upwardly projecting end portions of the blanks rearwardly of their leading edges.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are longitudinally spaced cleats on the horizontal run of the conveyor for engagement with the trailing ends of the blanks, and wherein deposit of the blanks on the horizontal run of the conveyor are so timed that the trailing ends of the blanks are deposited on the horizontal run ahead of the cleats.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises spaced parallel chains wherein sprockets rotatable about predetermined axes support the curved end runs of the chains, wherein there are pairs of upper and lower transfer rolls and wherein the lower transfer rolls are rotatable about the axis of the sprockets at the receiving end of the conveyor and correspond substantially in radius to the radius of curvature of the curved ends of the conveyor chains at said end.

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