Blank feeder apparatus

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine said feed means including an endless chain having a longitudinally extending upper run extending beneath at least the rear portion of the stack of blanks, means for mounting the chain and driving the chain to have the upper run move in a forward direction, a wedge mounted on said chain to be carried thereby, said wedge having a ramp surface inclined relative the chain to extend closer to the chain in the direction of chain travel, said wedge ramp surface being transversely arcuately curved to have transverse opposite side portions and a transverse central portion that extends more remote from the chain than the transversely corresponding parts of the side portions, and a ledge mounted on said wedge to extend further outwardly of the chain than said ramp surface, adjacent the ramp surface and rearwardly thereof relative the direction of chain travel for positively engaging the rear edge of the lowermost blank on the slide means to move the lowermost blank forwardly as the chain is driven, said slide means having a longitudinal elongated slide surface portion located in a plane generally parallel to the path of movement of the lowermost blank thereover as the blank is fed forwardly, said wedge when on the upper run having a front surface portion that is located beneath said plane and a rear surface portion that extends above said plane, means on the frame and adjacent the front of the stack of blanks for blocking the movement of the stack of blanks other than the lowermost blank to said machine, and hold down means on the frame for constantly resiliently urging rear end portions of at least the lowermost part of the stack downwardly toward the slide means.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, said feed means including an endless chain having a longitudinally extending upper run extending beneath at least the rear portion of the stack of blanks, means for mounting the chain and driving the chain to have the upper run move in a forward direction, a wedge mounted on said chain to be carried thereby, said wedge having a ramp surface inclined relative the chain to extend closer to the chain in the direction of chain travel, and a ledge mounted on said wedge to extend further outwardly of the chain than said ramp surface, adjacent the ramp surface and rearwardly thereof relative the direction of chain travel for positively engaging the rear edge of the lowermost blank on the slide means to move the lowermost blank forwardly as the chain is driven, said feed means including a plurality of additional wedges and ledges mounted on the chain such that the wedges are in equal spaced relationship along the length of the chain, said drive means includes a continuously driven mechanism that is synchronized with the drive to the machine, driven means drivingly connected to the chain, and means for drivingly connecting the driven mechanism to the means drivingly connected to the chain for a period of time that one ledge is moved from a position just rearwardly adjacent the lowermost blank rear edge to a position that the adjacent trailing ledge on the chain is just rearward of and adjacent the rear edge of the next to lowermost blank of the stack and then interrupting the drive to the means drivingly connected to the chain, means on the frame and adjacent the front of the stack of blanks for blocking the movement of the stack of blanks other than the lowermost blank to said machine, and hold down means on the frame for constantly resiliently urging rear end portions of at least the lowermost part of the stack downwardly toward the slide means.

For successively moving the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means and into the processing machine, and a magazine on the frame for retaining the stack in aligned relationship while permitting the lowermost blank being fed forwardly, said magazine having vertically elongated escape bars for abutting against the front transverse edges of the blanks in the stack, said bars having lower terminal edges, said slide means including a pair of longitudinally elongated, transversely spaced slide members, each slide member having a front, generally horizontal top edge portion extending forwardly of the escape bars, an elongated rear top edge portion rearwardly of the front edge portion and inclined downwardly and rearwardly at a substantial angle to the horizontal and a curved top edge portion located a short distance longitudinally rearwardly of the escape bars, at a lower elevation of said terminal edges, and joining the top and rear edge portions, the rear top edges being located in a blank slide plane that intersects with the escape bars, said slide members having vacuum ports opening through the top edge portions for applying a vacuum to the lowermost blank front portion to pull it below the terminal edges of the escape bars.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and magazine means on the frame for retaining the blanks in the stack on the slide means in generally vertical alignment while permitting the lowermost blank being fed forwardly, said feed means including a first gear, means for driving said first gear, a second gear, a cage member including gear members for drivingly connecting the first gear to second gear, said first and second gears and cage member being mounted for angular movement about a common axis, means drivenly connected to the second gear for moving the lowermost blank forwardly, an eccentric having a shaft that has a central axis, an eccentric mount having a central axis mounting said shaft to have the shaft axis parallel to and offset from said mount axis and permitting said shaft being selectively rotatably positioned relative to the mount, a link having one end pivotally connected to the eccentric offset from the shaft axis and an opposite end pivotally connected to the cage for pivoting the cage first in one angular direction and then the other angular direction as the eccentric is rotated about the mount axis, said first gear and mount having cooperating means for rotating the mount about its axis as the first gear is driven, and adjustment means for retaining the shaft in selected adjusted angular positions relative the mount for varying the rate of acceleration and deceleration imparted from the first gear through the cage member to the second gear.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, having a given blank linear speed, blank feeder apparatus comprising longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank along the slide means into the processing machine, magazine means on the frame for retaining the blanks in the stack in aligned relationship while permitting the lowermost blank being fed forwardly and means for driving the feed means, the drive means including a first shaft rotatably mounted on the frame, means for drivingly connecting the first shaft to the feed means, a clutch housing on the frame, a second shaft mounted for limited axial movement by the housing, a continuously driven third shaft, dog means rotatably mounted on the second shaft and drivingly connected to the third shaft, a solenoid mounted on the frame and having a reciprocal solenoid member, mechanical means connected to solenoid member and to the second shaft for moving the second shaft in one axial direction as the solenoid member is moved in one direction, a sprocket mounted in the housing in a fixed axial position and rotatably about the second shaft, means for drivingly connecting the sprocket to the first shaft, a dog mounted on the second shaft for rotatable movement relative thereto, means mounting the dog on the sprocket for axial movement relative thereto between a position to provide a driving connection between the dog and dog means and breaking the driving connection therebetween and connected to the sprocket for rotating the sprocket when the dog means is being rotated and the dog is in the position providing the driving connection, means for resiliently urging the dog to said driving connection position, said second shaft having means for moving the dog to its second position as said second shaft is moved in said one direction.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and magazine means on the frame for retaining the blanks in generally vertical stacked relationship while permitting the lowermost blank in the stack being fed forwardly on the slide means into the processing machine, said magazine means having a front escape member, a vertically elongated hold down member having serrations for abutting against the rear edge of the stack, and means mounting the hold down member for limited vertical movement and resiliently urging the hold down member downwardly, the feed means including an endless chain having a longitudinally extending upper run extending both rearwardly and forwardly of the rear edge of the stack, several wedges mounted in evenly spaced relationship along the length of the chain, each wedge having a ramp surface for elevating the adjacent part of the stack as the wedge moves forwardly, a ledge mounted on each wedge to extend further outwardly from the chain than the wedge on which it is mounted for engaging the rear edge of the lowermost blank as it is moved forwardly along the upper run, and drive means for driving the chain upper run to move it in a forward direction.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and magazine means on the frame for retaining the blanks in generally vertical stacked relationship while permitting the lowermost blank in the stack being fed forwardly on the slide means into the processing machine, said magazine means having a front escape member, said feed means including an endless chain having a longitudinally extending upper run extending both rearwardly and forwardly of the rear edge of the stack, several wedges mounted in evenly spaced relationship along the length of the chain, each wedge having a ramp surface for elevating the adjacent part of the stack as the wedge moves forwardly, a ledge mounted on each wedge to extend further outwardly from the chain than the wedge on which it is mounted for engaging the rear edge of the lowermost blank as it is moved forwardly along the upper run, and a feed wheel rotatable about a transverse axis and mounted to engage the lowermost blank lower surface longitudinally rearwardly of and adjacent the front of the stack, said wheel having a first circumferential portion, and a second circumferential portion angularly spaced from the first portion that has a substantially higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the first portion, the slide means including a longitudinally elongated bar having a top edge blank slide surface transversely adjacent the feed wheel and a vacuum port opening through said top edge surface for pulling the blank into radial conformity with the transversely adjacent parts of the feed wheel, and drive means for driving the chain upper run to move it in a forward direction, said drive means being drivingly connected to said wheel for drivingly rotating said wheel so that as said second portion engages the blank it exerts a forward pulling force on the lowermost blank.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and magazine means on the frame for retaining the blanks in generally vertical stacked relationship while permitting the lowermost blank in the stack being fed forwardly on the slide means into the processing machine, said magazine means having a front escape member, the feed means including an endless chain having a longitudinally extending upper run extending both rearwardly and forwardly of the rear edge of the stack, several wedges mounted in evenly spaced relationship along the length of the chain, each wedge having a ramp surface for elevating the adjacent part of the stack as the wedge moves forwardly, a ledge mounted on each wedge to extend further outwardly from the chain than the wedge on which it is mounted for engaging the rear edge of the lowermost blank as it is moved forwardly along the upper run, and a feed wheel rotatable about a transverse axis and mounted to engage the lowermost blank lower surface longitudinally rearwardly of and adjacent the front of the stack, said wheel having a first circumferential portion, and a second circumferential portion angularly spaced from the first portion that has a substantially higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the first portion, and drive means for driving the chain upper run to move it in a forward direction, said drive means being drivingly connected to said wheel for drivingly rotating said wheel so that as said second portion engages the blank it exerts a forward pulling force on the lowermost blank, the above mentioned drive means including first drive means for driving the wheel at a constant speed and driving the chain to accelerate the chain as a ledge engages the lowermost blank lower edge to move the lowermost blank forwardly and after the lowermost blank has been accelerated to the speed of the carton machine, decelerate the chain, second continuous drive means driven in synchronism with the machine, and means for drivingly connecting the second drive means to the first drive means and discontinuing the drive thereto after the ledge that engaged the lowermost blank rear edge has been moved along the chain upper run and in advance of the upper run in the path of movement of the chain.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and means on the frame and adjacent the front of the stack of blanks for blocking the movement of the stack of blanks other than the lowermost blank to said machine, said feed means including a feed wheel rotated about a transverse axis beneath the stack and in a position for engaging the lowermost blank front portion to aid in feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, cooperating rolls forming an entry nip forwardly of the blocking means, endless conveyor means for engaging the lowermost blank rear edge and feeding the lowermost blank to said entry nip, said endless means being entirely located rearwardly of the blocking means, and mounting and driving means for mounting said wheel, rolls and endless means and driving said wheel, at least one of said rolls, and the endless means in synchronism, the mounting and driving means including means for initially accelerating the endless means up to a speed to move the lowermost blank at the linear speed of the driven cooperating roll prior to the blank entering the entry nip and after the blanks entrance to the entry nip decelerating the endless means, and means for driving the driven cooperating roll at a constant rate while the accelerating and decelerating means is accelerating and decelerating the endless means.

For successively feeding the lowermost blank from a generally vertical stack of blanks, one after another, in a longitudinally forward direction into a processing machine such as a carton folding machine wherein each blank has a front portion and a rear portion, blank feeder apparatus comprising a frame, longitudinally extending slide means on the frame for supporting the stack of blanks, means on the frame for feeding the lowermost blank in the stack forwardly along the slide means into the processing machine, and means on the frame and adjacent the front of the stack of blanks for blocking the movement of the stack of blanks other than the lowermost blank to said machine, said blocking means having a lower terminal edge, said feed means including a feed wheel rotated about a transverse axis beneath the stack and in a position for engaging the front portion of the lowermost blank in the stack to aid in feeding the lowermost blank forwardly, cooperating rolls forming an entry nip forwardly of blocking means, endless conveyor means for engaging the lowermost blank rear edge and feeding the lowermost blank to said entry nip, said endless means being entirely located rearwardly of the blocking means and having a longitudinally extending upper run that extends both longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly of the lowermost blank in the stack, and mounting and driving means for mounting said wheel, rolls and endless means and driving said wheel, at least one of said rolls, and the endless means in synchronism, the mounting and driving means including means mounting the endless means for adjustable longitudinal movement between a first position and a second position more remote from the blocking means than the first position.