Abstract:
Apparatus (200) for opening the closure flaps (22-25) of a carton (12), for presenting the carton (12) for loading, and for closing the closure flaps (22-25) is disclosed including a carrier (202) which initially receives the carton (12). The carrier (202) carries the carton (12) into a carriage (226), with the carton (12) sandwiched therebetween. The closure flaps (22-25) are opened by a device (242) including fingers (254-257) which are pivoted to an expanded position after their insertion through an opening (27) in the closure flaps (22-25). An elevator (212) raises the carton (12) in the carriage (226) while the carton (12) is still under compression, with suction cups (56,171-173) then being attached to the closure flaps (22-25). The carriage (226) can then be moved to a loading position and back where the closure flaps (22-25) of the loaded carton (12) are fan folded by a device (120). The elevator (212) can then be lowered where the closed carton (12) can be pushed therefrom.
Abstract:
Among other things, a case forming system is provided. The system includes a conveyance apparatus for conveying case precursors along a conveyance path and a case set-up apparatus characterized by a case forming member. Upstream case precursors are conveyed along the conveyance path for operation thereupon by the case forming member. A case forming mandrel of a mandrel assembly is movably mounted in relation to the conveyance apparatus for continuous motion with respect thereto. The continuous motion is delimited by travel of the case forming mandrel between an upstream locus and a downstream locus of the conveyance path, and reversible extension of the case forming mandrel towards case precursors during travel between the upstream locus and the downstream locus of the conveyance path.
Abstract:
Apparatus (10) for partially setting up a blank (12) is disclosed including first suction cups (122) for removing the first blank (12) from a magazine (96). The first suction cups (122) are pivotally mounted to the ends of pivot arms (110) to move the first blank (12) up and over actuators (102) of the magazine (96) as the first blank (12) is moved forward out of the magazine (96). After the lower edge of the first blank (12) passes over the actuators (102), the lower portion of the blank (12) is supported in an intermediate position upon an abutment bar (106). While still secured to the first suction cups (122), second suction cups (78) are secured to the blank (12). The second suction cups (78) tilt the blank (12) to be parallel to and move with upstanding lugs (36) of a conveyor assembly (34). A forming die (38) pushes the blank (12) into the lugs (36) as the forming die (38), blank (12) and the lugs (36) move at a constant speed. The end walls (22) of the blank (12) are slid under stationary guides (146) before the forming die (38) is slid from between the lugs (36) to allow movement of the partially set-up blank (12) with the conveyor assembly (34).
Abstract:
A container metering device (10) is disclosed including longitudinally split pins (12) having first and second portions (12a, 12b). The second portions (12b) are mounted to cross bars (16) mounted on and around a roller chain (18) in the form of an endless loop. The first portions (12a) are mounted to a shaft (70) rotatably mounted relative to the cross bars (16) for pivotal movement relative to the second portions (12b) between a first, abutting position insertable into the windows between adjacent containers (14) in a packaging lane and a second, open position. The cross bars (16) include cam followers (20) for engaging a cam track (26) of a cam support (24) for changing the pitch between adjacent pins (12) of the endless loop. Cam followers (74) are mounted on the free ends of crank arms (76) secured to the shafts (70) for engaging a second cam track (82) adjustably mounted on the cam support (24) for pivoting the first portions (12a) relative to the second portions (12b). In operation, the containers (14) moving on the conveyor (54) are held by the second portions (12b) and slide on the conveyor (54) until gradually released by the second portions (12b). As the second portions (12b) gradually release the containers (14), the first portions (12a) simultaneously pivot from their abutting position to their open position to mechanically separate the containers (14) so that the friction between the containers (14) and the conveyor (54) is not depended upon for consistent gap separation.
Abstract:
A tape applying apparatus (10) includes a plurality of pairs of vacuum heads (120, 122) extending axially at circumferentially spaced intervals on a disc (24) rotated about an axis by the extension of a cylinder (48) which is operatively connected by a cam follower (60) to a cam (40) rotatably fixed to the disc (24). The vacuum head (120) adjacent the free end of the tape includes a trough (126) including vacuum bleed holes (128) for drawing the tape segment extending over the trough (126) into the trough (126) to form a tab when desired. A slide (66) is reciprocated between retracted and extended positions by a further cylinder (72). A knife (98) is movably connected to the slide (66) for cutting the tape when the knife (98) reaches a cutting position, with the knife (98) stopping at the cutting position before the slide (66) reaches the extended position. The first ends of first and second arms (74) are pivotably mounted to the slide (66) about spaced pivot axes (76), and rollers (78) are rotatably mounted to the second ends of the arms (74). In the retracted position, the rollers (78) are spaced from the tape segment removably held by the last pair of vacuum heads (120, 122) and from the carton. As the slide (66) moves towards the extended position, the rollers (78) engage the tape and sandwich it against the carton and then roll on the sides of the corner to adhere the tape segment to the corner, with the tape segment being cut and then pulled from the vacuum heads (120, 122) after the rollers (78) are in their engagement position.
Abstract:
An apparatus (10) for erecting collapsed, tubular cartons (12) is disclosed including a device (32) for removing the top carton (12) of a vertical stack of cartons (12) in a hopper (26) and moving it in a horizontal orientation to an operative position. In the operative position, the second side panel (16) of the collapsed carton (12) underlies at least the first end panel (18) which is in a linear arrangement with the first side panel (14). Suction cups (76) carried by a frame (74) are secured to the second side panel (16) in an attachment position and moved by a parallelogram linkage to an open position located vertically below and coinciding with the first side panel (14). The bottom closure flap (23) is folded upwardly by a bending rod (82) as the frame (74) moves the carton (12) to its open condition. After an unload arm (84) is secured to the first end panel (18), tucking arms ( 102, 104, 106) are pivoted to tuck the remaining bottom closure flaps (22, 24, 25), with the last tucking arm (106) carrying a taping machine (114) to apply a tape piece (116) to the carton (12). The unload arm (84) is then pivoted about a first axis from the pickup position to a drop position and is simultaneously pivoted about a second axis from a first condition to a second condition to place the erected carton (12) in a chute (118) at an offset location and in a horizontal orientation. In the most preferred form, the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the second axis by a crank arm (98) secured to the unload arm (84) and a connector (100) having its opposite end secured to a stationary reference point when the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the first axis.
Abstract:
A lane divider for automatically dividing a single row of objects into a plurality of rows is shown in its preferred form as including a diverting conveyor having an outfeed end movable between a plurality of lane positions. The diverting conveyor includes belts located on the faces of first and second elongated pivot bars to form an object passage channel. The elongated pivot bars are pivotally mounted in a parallelogram arrangement about fixed axes adjacent the infeed end and about axes adjacent the outfeed end which are reciproated. Opposite point deflection between the belts is minimized by changing the relative length of the drive chain between the drive shafts of the belts in response to the pivoting of the elongated pivot bars by pivotally interrelating the elongated pivot bars to a plate pivotally mounting idler sprockets on opposite sides of one of the drive shafts. Additionally, the pivot axes of the elongated pivot bars are located adjacent to the faces of the elongated pivot bars which are separate from and spaced inwardly of the drive and idler pulleys for the conveyor belts of the elongated pivot bars.
Abstract:
An apparatus (10) for erecting collapsed, tubular cartons (12) includes a device (32) for removing the top carton (12) of a vertical stack of cartons (12) and moving it in a horizontal orientation to an operative position, with the second side panel (16) of the collapsed carton (12) underlying at least the first end panel (18) which is in a linear arrangement with the first side panel (14). Suction cups (76) carried by a frame (74) are secured to the second side panel (16) in an attachment position and moved by a parallelogram linkage to an open position located vertically below and coinciding with the first side panel (14). After an unload arm (84) is secured to the first end panel (18), tucking arms (102, 104, 106) are pivoted to tuck the bottom closure flaps (22, 24, 25). The unload arm (84) is then pivoted about a first axis from the pickup position to a drop position and is simultaneously pivoted about a second axis from a first condition to a second condition to place the erected carton (12) in a chute (118) at an offset location and in a horizontal orientation. In the most preferred form, the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the second axis by a crank arm (98) secured to the unload arm (84) and a connector (100) having its opposite end secured to a stationary reference point when the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the first axis.
Abstract:
An apparatus (10) for erecting collapsed, tubular cartons (12) is disclosed including a device (32) for removing the top carton (12) of a vertical stack of cartons (12) in a hopper (26) and moving it in a horizontal orientation to an operative position. In the operative position, the second side panel (16) of the collapsed carton (12) underlies at least the first end panel (18) which is in a linear arrangement with the first side panel (14). Suction cups (76) carried by a frame (74) are secured to the second side panel (16) in an attachment position and moved by a parallelogram linkage to an open position located vertically below and coinciding with the first side panel (14). In a first preferred form, the folded closure flaps (22-25) are held by a tape piece (116) applied by a taping machine (114) carried by the last tucking arm (106). In another preferred form, the folded closure flaps (22-25) are fan folded by rotating and sliding folding arms (140-143) of a device (120) so that tape pieces (116) or similar agents to hold the closure flaps (22-25) are not needed. An unload arm (84) is then pivoted about a first axis from a pickup position to a drop position and is simultaneously pivoted about a second axis from a first condition to a second condition to place the erected carton (12) in a chute (118) at an offset location and in a horizontal orientation. In the most preferred form, the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the second axis by a crank arm (98) secured to the unload arm (84) and a connector (100) having its opposite end secured to a stationary reference point when the unload arm (84) is pivoted about the first axis.
Abstract:
A chain guide (10) secured to an attachment tab (22) of an attachment link (20) of a roller chain (12) is disclosed for stabilizing the roller chain (12) on a chain rail (14). Chain guide (10) is generally symetrical about longitudinal and lateral axes and includes a central, right parallelepiped portion (26) integrally formed intermediate end portions (34) having a cross section of an isosceles triangle. The surfaces (36) of end portions (34) pilot chain guide (10) onto the chain rail (14). The support surfaces (28) of portion (26) slideably abut the face (16) of the chain rail (14). A socket (46) is provided intermediate and parallel to the support surfaces (28) for slideably receiving the attachment link (20). In the most preferred form, chain guide (10) is secured to the attachment tab (22) by detents (56) formed on the sides (48) of socket (46) for a snap interlock with a hole (24) formed in the attachment tab (22).