Packaging and blank handling systems
AssigneeMcDonough Manufacturing Company
InventorsDavid R. McDonough, Henry W. McDonough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Flat blanks are fed from a stack by bending back a flap to form an inside corner, engaging the corner with a puller bar and pulling the blank from the stack and along a path past plows which bend the blank to form it about a mandrel while a product to be packaged is moved along inside the mandrel in synchronism with the blank movement. Pusher element retraction means are also disclosed as are rotation means for rotating partially completed cartons to orient extended end tabs and flaps with stationary plows for effecting end closure of the cartons thus formed.
Claims26
A method of forming flat sheets, which have been precut and prescored as carton blanks, into a carton configuration, said method comprising the steps of bending a flap on said blank downwardly and back against said blank to form an inside corner between the flap and the blank, engaging said inside corner along its entire length with a puller element and pulling said blank along, and while so pulling said blank, engaging various panels thereof with plow elements causing said blank to be bent upwardly around predetermined bend lines toward a tubular configuration.
A method according to claim 32 wherein said product is moved along the inside of an open top trough while the carton blank conveyed along the outside of said trough and is bent therearound.
A carton forming machine in which flat sheets, which have been precut and prescored as carton blanks, are moved individually and in spaced apart relationship along a given path while being formed into a carton configuration, said machine comprising carton blank supply means for presenting said carton blanks, individually, with one flap of each blank bent back against the blank, a thin elongated puller bar, stationary blank bending means positioned at intermediate locations along said path, means for moving said puller bar continuously along said given path while maintaining said bar extended across said path to receive a carton blank presented thereto and to engage the carton blank along the entire length of an inside corner thereof formed between the bent back flap of said blank and an adjoining panel of said blank, said moving means being operative to move said puller bar, and a carton blank carried thereby, past said blank bending means so that outwardly extending panels of said blank engage said blank bending means and are forced by their movement past the blank bending means to bend about selected score lines thereon toward a tubular carton configuration, whereby said puller bar maintains the blank positively oriented while cooperating with said stationary blank bending means to form it into said carton configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.