US3835619A

US3835619A - Apparatus for assembling tubular cartons

Info

Publication number: US3835619A
Application number: US00392476A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Reisman
Original assignee: J Reisman and Sons Inc
Current assignee: J REISMAN & SONS Inc A CORP OF NJ; J Reisman and Sons Inc
Priority date: 1972-10-30
Filing date: 1973-08-29
Publication date: 1974-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-17

Abstract

The lids of tubular cartons are assembled and secured into the ends of paperboard tubular cartons by disposing them in a recessed block against a prominent surface which is spaced from the sidewalls of the recess by an annular groove. Tabs, provided on the lids, engage into notches extending from the recess into the wall of the block to maintain the peripheries of the lids evenly spaced within the annular groove. When the tubular walls are pushed into the annular groove around the lids, the tabs are inwardly deflected through the notches within the walls. The tabs are secured to the walls by power-operated staplers which react against anvils disposed within the prominent surface. The block has its recess facing up in a manual form of the apparatus for assembling the first lid within the walls. The lids are manually laid on the prominent surface with their tabs inserted in exposed notches, before manual insertion of the tubular wall around it. The staplers are actuated by microswitches in the base of the annular groove contacted by the leading edge of the tubular wall. The second or carton sealing lid is assembled by a substantially automatic version of the apparatus in which the block is inverted with its recess facing down. The filled cartons are fed upwardly upon a pneumatically operated elevator. Lids are previously inserted within the recess from a lid storage magazine by a reciprocating carriage which pushes against the tabs of the lids to successively slide them through a slit in the side of the block against the prominent surface.

Description

United States Patent Reisman [111 3,835,619 [4 1 Sept. 17, 1974 [76] Inventor: Howard Reisman, c/o .I. Reisman &

Sons, Inc., Rt. 130,,Pennsauken, NJ. 081 10 [22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 392,476

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 302,264, Oct. 30, 1972, and a continuation-inpart of Ser. No. 328,479, Jan.31, 1973.

[52] US. Cl. 53/138 R, 53/264, 53/312, 93/55.l R [51] Int. Cl B65b 7/28 [58] Field of Search 53/138 R, 264, 287, 310, 53/311, 312, 319, 368; 93/391 R, 39.1 P, 55.1 R, 55.1 M, 55.11

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,711,838 5/1929 Goldie 53/310 1,958,306 5/1934 Bohbard 53/310 2,031,090 2/1936 Barnard 93/55.l R 2,060,967 11/1936 Anderson 53/310 2,154,691 4/1939 Mctzger 93/39.] R 2,696,612 12/1954 Riekus 93/55.] M X 2,703,952 3/1955 Perriguey 53/287 Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner l. Sipos Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Connolly and Hutz [57] ABSTRACT The lids of tubular cartons are assembled and secured into the ends of paperboard tubular cartons by disposing them in a recessed block against a prominent surface which is spaced from the sidewalls of the recess by an annular groove. Tabs, provided on the lids, en-

gage into notches extending from the recess into the wall of the block to maintain the peripheries of the lids evenly spaced within the annular groove. When the tubular walls are pushed into the annular groove around the lids, the tabs are inwardly deflected through the notches within the walls. The tabs are secured to the walls by power-operated staplers which react against anvils disposed within the prominent surface. The block has its recess facing up in a manual form of the apparatus for assembling the first lid within the walls. The lids are manually laid on the prominent surface with their tabs inserted in exposed notches, before manual insertion of the tubular wall around it. The staplers are actuated by microswitches in the base of the annular groove contacted by the leading edge of the tubular wall. The second or carton sealing lid is assembled by a substantially automatic version of the apparatus in which the block is inverted with its recess facing down. The filled cartons are fed upwardly upon a pneumatically operated elevator.

22 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING TUBULAR CARTONS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of copending applications for US. Pat. Ser. No. 302,264 filed Oct. 30, 1972 and Ser. No. 328,479 filed Jan. 31, 1973 by this same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tubular containers of fairly thick flexiblematerial, such as thin paperboard are very effective for packaging bagged snack food articles, such as pretzels and potato chips. Assembling apparatus to facilitate and expedite assembly of the lids of such cartons is highly desirable. An object of this invention is to provide such an apparatus which is simple and economical and efficient in operation.

SUMMARY The lids of tubular cartons are assembled and secured into the ends of paperboard tubular cartons by disposing them in a recessed block against a prominent surface which is spaced from the sidewalls of the recess by an annular groove. Tabs, provided onthe lids, engage into notches extending from the recess into the wall of the block to maintain the peripheries of the lids evenly spaced within the annular groove. When the tubular wall are pushed into the annular groove around the lids, the tabs are inwardly deflected through the notches within the walls. The tabs may be secured to the walls by power-operated staplers which react against anvils disposed within the prominent surface. The block may have its recess facing up in a manual form of the apparatus for assembling the first lid within the walls. The lids are manually laid on the prominent surface with their tabs inserted in exposed notches, before manual insertion of the tubular wall around it. The staplers may be actuated by microswitches in the base of the annular groove when they are contacted by the leading edge of the tubular wall. The second or carton sealing lid may be assembled by a substantially automatically version of the apparatus in which the block is inverted with recess facing down. The filled cartons may be fed upwardly upon a pneumatically operated elevator type of pusher. Lids may be previously inserted with the recess from a lid storage magazine by a reciprocating carriage which pushes against the tabs of the lids to successively slide them through a slit in the side of the block against the prominent surface. The tapered mouth of the block is thus unbroken. The slit extends outside of the annular groove into the wall of the block to hold the lids suspended by their tabs within the recess. The lid-locating notches in the slit block are defined by: the terminal ends and outer sides of the slit and the top ends of the pusher rods on the reciprocating carriage. After the tabs are stapled to the wall, an ejecting finger assembly may eject the cartons. The carton elevator, reciprocating lid-feeding carriage and ejecting finger assembly may be operated by pneumatic motors. The stapler may be electrically actuated when the reciprocating carriage reaches its outward extremity of the travel. The pneumatic motors may have two operating conditions. Their control system may include a time delay switch which returns them to the initial normal condition a predetermined time after actuation to the operating condition, such as in from 4 to 12 seconds. In the initialformal condition .prior to actuation: the carton elevator is down, the reciprocating carriage is in the inserted condition and the ejecting finger assembly is retracted. In the operating position, the elevator has pushed a carton into the block and the reciprocating carriage is being withdrawn. The carriage strikes the staple operating switch at its outward extremity of travel to secure the tabs of the lids within the tubular walls. The carriage may actuate the ejector motor during the beginning of inward movement to cause it to strike the lid and eject the carton after the lid is stapled. Prior to ejection, the carton elevator has been lowered on its return by the time delay switch to the initial normal condition. The reciprocating carriage may insert the next lid within the recess in the block when it moves back to the initial normal position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar references characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the retracted position of the lid feeding carriage;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the inserted position of the lid feeding carriage;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged fragmental view in cross section of the stapling portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken throgh FIG. 2 along the line 7-7;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 11 along the line 14-14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 14, is shown a substantially automatic apparatus 10 for assembling lids 12 and tubular walls 14 into tubular cartons 16. Apparatus 10 includes a recessed block 18 shown in detail in FIGS. 5-7 having an internal recess 20 surrounded by an internal sidewall 22 and having a prominent surface 24 disposed within recess 20 and spaced from wall 22 by annular groove 26.

The primary function of partially automatic apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-10 and essentially manual apparatus 10A shown in FIGS. 11-14 is to assemble lids 12 and tubular walls 14 into tubular cartons 16, such as those described in the aforementioned copending US. patent application. Initial reference to substantially manual apparatus 10A facilitates a description of the essential features of this invention.

In FIGS. 11-14 is shown block 18A which is disposed with recess 20A facing up. Lids 12A are laid upon prominent surface 24A as shown in FIG. 12 with their tabs 30A similar to tabs 30 (shown in FIG. 10) inserted in notches 32A to evenly space their peripheries 34A from internal wall 22A of recess 20A. This maintains peripheries 34A' in position for insertion of tubular walls 14A into annular groove 26A around them. The insertion of tubular walls 14A into grooves 26A inwardly deflects tabs 30A through notches 32A into tubular grooves 26A as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Tapered or conical section surface 36A leading into recess 20A helps guide tubular walls into grooves 26A. A pair of power-operated staplers 38A are disposed outside of notches 32A. A pair of microswitches 40A for actuating staplers 38A are also positioned diametrically opposite each other in the base of groove 26A. A shaped anvil 41A is mounted within prominent surface 24A in line with staplers 38A and it has a pair of double concave heads 44A.

The assembly of a first lid or bottom 12A within a tubular wall 14A is commenced as shown in FIG. 12 by laying a lid 12A on top of prominent surface 24A with tabs 30A engaged within notch 32A. The triple folded rim 42A of tubular wall 14A is then urged downwardly into groove 26A which deflects tabs 30A through notches 32A within tubular walls 14A. When the bottom of rim 42A strikes microswitch 40A, stapler 38A is actuated to move stapling head 46A into contact with rim 42A, and a staple 39A is thereupon forced through rim 42A of tubular wall 14A and inwardly bent tabs 30A. Impingement of the points of staple 39A on double concave head 44A of anvii 41A closes the staple around rim 42A and tab 30A. Stapler head 46A is actuated to move into firm contact against the assembled parts by any convenient type of actuation, such as manual or electrical. Staplers 38A may accordingly be either pivoted or have a solenoid-operated stapling head.

After tubular walls 14A and lower lids 12A have been assembled to each other as shown in FIGS. 11-14, contents are inserted within them, such as polyethylene bag 50, shown in FIG. 5, containing for example pretzels or potato chips. Apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1-10 assembles an upper lid 12 on carton 16 and seals it. Apparatus 10 includes a recessed block 18, similar to that described in FIGS. 11-14, but it is associated with various automated components which facilitate the final assembly.

Apparatus 10 has block 18 as shown in FIGS. 5-7 with recess 20 facing downwardly. Lid storage magazine 52 is mounted alongside block 18, and reciprocating carriage 54 successively inserts lids 12 from it into block 18 through slit 56 shown in FIG. 7. Cartons 16 are inserted into cavity 20 andurged into grooves 26 by a pusher means 58 comprising a plunger operated elevator including operating plunger 60 and platform 62.

A pair of staplers 38 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are mounted on the side of block 18 outside of internal notches 32 (later described). Staplers 38 are actuated by microswitch 40 disposed in the path of travel of pro- 5 jection 64 on reciprocating carrige 54, which actuate staplers 38 in a manner later described.

Ejecting finger assembly 66 is mounted above block 18 and as shown in FIG. 7 includes a pair of ejecting fingers 68 mounted on head 70 connected to ejecting plunger 72. Reciprocating carriage 54 is also driven by a reciprocating plunger 74.

Plungers

60, 72, and 74 are all for example of the pneumatic type operated by compressed air alternatively provided at both ends of the plungers to drive them in either of two directions of travel. The plungers are operated by a timed pneumatic switching device 76 which is actuated by a starting control 78. Time delay pneumatic switching device 76 is for example a two-condition control device operating on a time delay such as from 4 to 12 seconds. 8 seconds is for example a convenient operating period. Air is supplied to control device 76 through filter 80 and gauge 82 from a source of compressed air. The first condition of operation of device 76 is the operating condition which occurs when operating control 78 is actuated by pressing down on knob 84. The connections through which air flows in the operating condition are labelled by numeral I in the drawing as well as by arrows which indicate the direction in which air flows in the indicated plunger during this phase of operation. During the operation condition, plunger 60 moves upwardly to raise elevator platform 62 and cartons 16 upon it into recess 20 in block 18. At the same time, plunger 74 is actuated to the left, thus moving carriage 54 to the outer extremity of travel away from block 18 through the connection of carriage S4 to plunger 74 by L-shaped bracket 86. Valve actuating shoe 89 at the bottom of bracket 86 contact a pair of pneumatic valves A and B on air switch 87 which are attained to the A-1 and 8-] sides of ejection plunger 72. Air switch 82 is not, however, actuated in the outward stroke of carriage 54, because compressed air is not supplied to it in condition I. As previously mentioned, bracket 86 carries projection 64 which contacts microswitch 40 to operate staplers 38 when carriage 54 reaches its outward limit of travel, to apply staples 39. Pneumatic valve controls A and B and actuating shoes 89 are constructed and arranged to operate ejecting finger assembly 66 when compressed air is supplied to switch 87 during the beginning of the return movement of carriage 54. Valve contact A moves finger assembly 66 to the position shown in FIG. 7 in which fingers 68 move downwardly through passages 88 in block 18 to force an assembled carton 16 downwardly out of recess 20. Then ejecting finger assembly 66 is rapidly retracted. This rapid forward and backward movement of ejecting finger assembly 66 is accomplished by close successive actuation of valve operating elements A and B which first deliver air during the beginning of phase II to the top of plunger 72 to move it in the A-l direction downwardly and then back upwardly in the B1 direction as shown by associated arrows near plunger 72 in FIG. 1.

Just as carriage 54 reaches its outer limit of travel, timed control device 78 has switched over to the initial or normal condition in which air is supplied through fittings designated by numeral II to the indicated ends of

plungers

60 and 74 to drive these plungers in the directions indicated by the arrows near numerals II. This rapidly lowers platform 62 away from under carton 16 after microswitch 40 has actuated staplers 38. The lag in pneumatic operation by controls A and B to operate ejecting plunger 72 provides enough time for elevator 62 to move downwardly out of the way of an ejected carton 16 before ejecting plunger 72 is rapidly moved down and up. This occurs during the beginning of movement of carriage 54 back to the right during which it picks up a lid 12 from lid storage magazine 52.

The lid inserting function is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9. Lids are stored in a stack in front of rear vertical guide bar 90 with tabs 30 aligned between angle rods 92 mounted on lateral surfaces 94 on both sides of lid support surface 96. Lid support surface 96 is disposed below lateral surface 94 approximately the thickness of a single lid 12. Lid support surface 96 is separated from lateral surfaces 94 by pair of slots 98 within which are disposed rods 100, as shown in FIGS. 3, 8 and 10. Rods 100 are confined to slide in slots 98 by brackets 99. The tops of rods 100 are at the same level as lateral surfaces 94. The bottom lid 12 in magazine 52 thus rests upon lower lid support surface 96 and its tabs 30 thus drop freely below the bottoms of vertical angle guides 92. This permits the front ends of rods 100 to pick up the tabs 30 ofa lower lid 12 as shown in FIG. 2 and push it to the right under the bottom edges of angle rods 92 toward block 18.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, a slit 56 is provided through the side of block 18 in alignment with prominent surface 24 to permit a lid 12 to be inserted through block 18 against prominent surface 24. Slit 56 is slightly wider than annular groove 26 for example, by the extension of tab 30. The insertion of tabs 30 in the ledges provided by the portions of slits 56 within recess thus suspends lids 12 within recess 20 in position for engagement by upwardly moving tubular walls 14. Notches 32 are defined by: the forward extremity 103 of slits 56, the outer side 105 of slits 56 and the tip end 102 of rods 100. Tip ends 102 of rods 100 are arrested by the inner ends 101 of slots 98 within block 18 at the sides of slits 56. The tapered mouth 36 leading into recess 20 is thus unbroken and notches 32 are internally concaled.

FIG. 4 shows a lid 12 within recess 20 in position for engagement by an upwardly moving open topped carton l6. Notches 32 are disposed in block 18 within slits 56 and thus permit tabs 30 to be bent inwardly, from the position at which they are arrested by stop surfaces 103 within slits 56, and pulled out of slits 56 into annular groove 26.

FIG. 5 shows the engaged position of wall 14 at its folded rim 42 within groove 26 after tab 30 has been bent inwardly within it after being pulled out of internal notches 32. After full insertion of rims 42, staplers 38 have their heads 46 moved into engagement with tabs 30 to fire staples 39 through rims 42 and tabs 30 against anvil heads 44 to close them.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, staplers 38 include wire supply reels 104 which supply staple material 39 through guide tubes 106 to stapling heads 46 by actuation of feed rools 108 and pulley drives 110. Staplers 38 are any convenient power-operated staplers and the configuration shown is merely an illustrative example.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for assembling lids and tubular walls of fairly stiff flexible material into tubular cartons comprising a recessed block having an internal wall, a prominent surface disposed within and spaced from said internal wall providing an annular groove between them for inserting the edge of said tubular wall, said prominent surface being substantially flat for reacting against a lid disposed against it, said internal wall having notches extending outwardly from said recess for receiving tabs provided on the peripheries of said lids whereby said peripheries of said lids are evenly spaced from said internal wall within said annular space in position for insertion of said tubular walls into said annular groove around said lid whereby said tabs are inwardly deflected into said annular groove inside of said walls as said walls engage around said peripheries of said lids, and fastening means disposed in said block adjacent said notches for securing said inwardly deflected tabs to said tubular walls.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, where the wall of said block adjacent the edge of said recess is inclined to facilitate insertion of said tubular walls into said annular groove.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises stapling means, and anvil means disposed within said prominent surface opposite said stapling means.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said stapling means comprises power-operated stapling means.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the side of said block substantially aligned with said prominent surface includes a slit slightly wider than the tabbed width of said lids and thicker than said lids whereby said lids are laterally inserted into said recess and against said prominent surface with tabs inserted in said slits before said edge of said tubular wall is inserted into said annular space.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein a lid storage magazine is disposed adjacent said slit whereby said lids may be successively fed into said slit.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein pusher means is mounted adjacent said block, and said pusher means having a path of movement directed toward said recess whereby said tubular walls are pushed toward said recess and their edges are urged into said annular groove.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said recess is disposed below said block and said pusher means comprises elevator means.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein a reciprocating carriage is disposed adjacent said lid storage magazine, said reciprocating carriage having rods for engaging the tabs of lids at the bottom of said lid storage magazine and urging them through said slit into said recess, control means on said apparatus for actuating said pusher means to successively push said tubular walls into said recess and into said annular groove about the peripheries of previously deposited lids, and said control means operating said fastening means to secure the tabs on said lids within the tubular walls of said cartons.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein an ejecting finger assembly is mounted upon said block, said block having passages for insertion of said finger assembly into said recess in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion of said tubular walls, and said control means moving said ejecting finger assembly to dislodge said cartons from said recess after said lids are fastened to said tubular walls.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein pneumatic operating motors are provided for said pusher means, said reciprocating carriage and said ejecting finger assembly.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said fastening means comprises a power-operated stapling means, an actuating switch connected to said power-operated stapling means, and said actuating switch being mounted on said apparatus in the path of movement of said reciprocating carriage for operation when said reciprocating carriage is moved away from said recess.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said control means comprises a pneumatic timer, a pneumatic actuating element, said pneumatic operating motors having two operating positions, said pneumatic operating motors for said pusher means and reciprocating carriage being in an initial normal position before the cycle of operation of said control means is started, said control means being arranged to move said motors for said pusher means and reciprocating carriage to the operating position when actuated, and said timer being arranged to return said motors to said initial normal position after a predetermined delay period.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said pneumatic actuating element and said time delay device are constructed and arranged to operate in the following sequence: movement of said pusher means and tubular wall on it into said recess and annular groove, coordinated withdrawal of the lid-inserting reciprocating carriage, actuation of said power-operated stapling means, withdrawal of said pusher means, insertion of said ejecting finger assembly into engagement with said lid for ejecting said carton from said block and withdrawal of said ejecting finger assembly and return of said reciprocating carriage to the lid inserting position in said initial normal position.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein an actuating control is provided for, said ejecting finger pneumatic motor, said actuating control being constructed and arranged to be actuated by said reciprocating carriage in the beginning of its return to the initial normal position whereby the cycle of said ejecting finger assembly can occur after pusher means withdraws and before return movement of said reciprocating carriage to said initial normal position inserts the next lid within said recess.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said block is inverted with said recess and said pusher means disposed below it, said pusher means comprising an elevator platform, said reciprocating carriage means being horizontally disposed at the side of said block, and said lid storage magazine being disposed above said reciprocating carriage means adjacent said block.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said slit is wide enough to allow the tabbed width of said lids to pass through it and is wider than said annular groove, said power-operated stapling means being disposed on said block adjacent the junction of said slit with the outside of said annular groove, and said tabs being engaged in said slit whereby said lids are supported within said recess.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein a pair of slots are provided in the outer edges of said slit for allowing said rods to pass through said block.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said lid storage magazine has a lid support surface, said slots extending out of said block and being disposed alongside said lid support surface, the upper surfaces of said rods being disposed a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one of said lids above said lid support surface, said lid storage magazine having vertical guides contacting said tabs and the peripheries of said lids away from the direction of insertion of said lids into said block, and said vertical guides which contact said tabs terminating above the upper surface of said rods whereby the lid next to said lid support surface is free for movement by said rods into said slit.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein lateral surfaces are provided on both sides of said lid support surface and separated therefrom by said slots, said lateral support surfaces being disposed substantially in line with the upper surface of said rods, and said vertical guide surfaces for said tabs being mounted on said lateral surfaces.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said slits have forward extremities and outer sides, a reciprocating carriage mounted adjacent said block and having rods with tip ends which engage said lids by said tabs and urge them to said forward extremities of said slit, and said forward extremities and outer sides of said slits and said tip ends of said rods defining said notches.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said block is disposed in an inverting position with said recess in its lower surface and said slits providing means for supporting said tips by said tube when said tops are inserted in said recess.

Claims

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein an actuating control is provided for said ejecting finger pneumatic motor, said actuating control being constructed and arranged to be actuated by said reciprocating carriage in the beginning of its return to the initial normal position whereby the cycle of said ejecting finger assembly can occur after pusher means withdraws and before return movement of said reciprocating carriage to said initial normal position inserts the next lid within said recess.