Machine for opening, inspecting and packing a folding carton

Abstract

A machine for opening and inspecting a folding carton to break improper glue spots and to demonstrate that the carton opens properly. Vacuum cups engage opposite side panels of the carton as the carton advances through an inspection section. The vacuum cups advance with the carton and diverge from the path of the carton to separate the panels. As the carton reaches an inspection station, photocell devices inspect the carton to determine if the carton is properly opened. The carton is advanced to the inspection station by a conveyor which picks up the carton from an accelerator device. The accelerator device in turn picks up the carton from the bottom of a stack and accelerates the carton to conveyor speed. Before the accelerator device initiates advance of the carton in conveyor direction, a carton releasing device engages a side of the carton and advances the carton transversely of the direction of conveyor advance to free the carton from other cartons in the stack. As the carton leaves the inspection section, the carton is closed. The closed carton is fed to a stacking device which inserts the carton into a case. The cartons are delivered into the case transversely of an open side to be stacked on edge in the case. A tongue engages the stack in the case to meter case advance until the case is filled. The tongue is then withdrawn, and a carton advancing device advances the last cartons of the stack fully into the case and holds the cartons in the case as the tongue is withdrawn.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.