US 3,986,319 AGranted

Wrap-around packer

AssigneeEmhart Industries, Inc.

InventorsStanley J. Puskarz, Horst G. Lattke

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Arrays of articles are stacked one on top of another in a U-shaped shroud structure which includes vacuum means to retain the upper array while the lower array of articles is positioned therebeneath. A carton blank is simultaneously fed from a stack to a position over the pocket of a intermittently operated conveyor. A vertically reciprocable mandrel forms the flat blank into a U-shape in one of these pockets. Both the mandrel and shroud are mounted on a shifting carriage so that as the mandrel is moved to an inactive position, the shroud shifts the arrays of articles onto the bottom panel of the U-shaped carton blank. Flap folding devices then fold certain of the end flaps of the carton and the shroud is then raised clear of the partially formed box so that the top panel can be folded. The manufacturer's flap and certain other end flaps are then folded up and the box conveyed by the pocket chain conveyor to a horizontal compression unit. Another version of this packer is adapted to handle single arrays in nested configuration for achieving a very tight pack.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A method for forming a box around stacked arrays of generally cylindrical articles, and comprising the steps of,

a. providing a box blank at a box forming station, said blank having a bottom panel, a pair of side panels and end flaps carried by each of said side panels,
b. supporting the initially flat blank at spaced locations associated with its side panels, and pushing the bottom panel downwardly with respect to such supporting points whereby to fold the side panels upwardly to form a U-shaped box blank at said box forming station,
c. raising a first array of articles on an elevator into a transfer shroud at an article infeed station and holding the first array in the shroud while a second array is received on the elevator,
d. transferring both arrays horizontally out of the article infeed station and onto said bottom panel between said side panels of said U-shaped box blank at said box forming station,
e. folding the trailing end flaps associated with one side panel inwardly against the stacked arrays of articles at said box forming station,
f. moving the box blank and stacked arrays of articles horizontally out of said box forming station and the transfer shroud at right angles to said horizontal transferring step above,
g. successively forming boxes in a like manner and moving them horizontally into a compression section where each succeeding box engages a preceding one to hold the side panels in place.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/485,713Filed 3 Jul 1974 · division
Priority: 20 Feb 1973
Granted: 19 Oct 1976
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B65B 11/004
Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material: in blanks,…
B65B 11/12
To fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents: and then to form closing folds of similar form at opposite ends of the tube
B65B 35/38
By grippers: by suction-operated grippers
B65B
Machines, apparatus or devices for, or methods of, packaging articles or materials