Apparatus and method for automatically feeding and erecting folded cartons

A method for receiving, transporting and presenting for withdrawal and the erection of folded cartons for use in case packing apparatus and the like, said steps including:

• (a) providing a fixed frame including side guides establishing a support surface for receiving and maintaining folded cartons in a substantially side-by-side condition;
• (b) reciprocating a frame movable in a rectangular pattern and within the fixed frame, the reciprocating movement includng a vertically movable portion bringing the frame into a lifting engagement of at least one-eighth of an inch of the reciprocating frame above the fixed frame with at least a substantial portion of the folded cartons carried forwardly with a forward movement of the reciprocable frame, the movement pattern further including a lowering of the frame of at least one-eighth of an inch of the reciprocating frame below the fixed frame to bring the frame below the support surface of the fixed frame and during this lowered movement moving the reciprocable frame rearwardly, the raising and lowering of the reciprocable frame including carrying this frame by a pair of axles having eccentrically formed ends which provide an eccentric motion of at least one-eighth inch throw and with antifriction rollers mounted on these ends, said rollers carrying the reciprocable frame on portions of the fixed frame so that when movable therealong the movable frame is moved in a path substantially parallel to the carton support surface provided by the fixed frame, and simultaneously rotating the axles so that the eccentric ends at one limit of rotation of the axles cause the rollers to lift the reciprocable frame and its carton support so that the surface cartons engaged and carried thereby are lifted above the carton support surface of the fixed frame support, and at the other limit of rotation the axles are positioned so that the eccentrically mounted rollers lower the carton support surface of the reciprocable frame below the carton support surface of the fixed frame, the moving forwardly and rearwardly of this movable frame including actuating a hydraulic cylinder and providing a limiting means on the hydraulic force applied whereby on the forward stroke a chute filled with folded cartons overcomes the propulsive force of the cylinder which is inhibited to the extent that a forward transport of the cartons does not occur as and until a sufficient amount of cartons has been withdrawn to permit other folded cartons to be moved forwardly to take the place of those withdrawn from the chute;
• (c) delivering the folded cartons from their vertically supported condition to a generally horizontal condition in a delivery chute;
• (d) providing a carton escapement apparatus in association with the delivery chute and reciprocably moving by a single means a carbon stop whereat in a forward limit of movement this stop supports a forward outer edge of the lowermost carton in the horizontally disposed stack of folded cartons and when this carton stop is moved to and near its other limit of movement, releasing the engaged edge of the lowermost carton and in a timed association with this movement of the carton stop providing an intermediate wedge-shaped entering blade and moving this blade counterflow to the movement of the carton stop, said blade disposed to enter that space between the lowermost carton and the next above carton as and before the carton stop is withdrawn from the stack supporting condition, and with a sufficient time interval occurring during the time the carton stop is withdrawn from supporting condition to support this immediately above and those additional above folded cartons, and (e) advancing the wedge-shaped entering blade a determined distance in from the edge of the folded carton to insure that the variations in carton construction are overcome and the entering blade positively engages the edge of the folded carton.

Apparatus for receiving, transporting and presenting for withdrawal and the erection of folded cartons for use in case packing apparatus having a fixed frame including side guides providing a support surface for receiving and maintaining folded cartons in a substantially side-by-side condition, and means for delivering the folded cartons from their vertically supported condition to a generally horizontal condition in a delivery chute, and in association with the delivery chute a carton escapement apparatus having a carton stop member reciprocably actuated by a single means whereat in one limit of movement this stop supports an outer edge of the lowermost carton in the horizontally disposed stack of folded cartons and when this carton stop is moved to and near its other limit of movement the engaged edge of the lowermost carton is released for removing from the stack and in a timed association with this movement of the carton stop there is provided an intermediate wedge-shaped entering blade which is moved counterflow to the movement of the carton stop, said blade movably disposed to enter that space between the lowermost carton and the next above carton as and with a sufficient time interval occurring before the carton stop is withdrawn from the stack supporting condition, and said apparatus including:

• (a) a pneumatic cylinder carried by said apparatus and having a rod end providing a pivoted mounting means;
• (b) a link arm pivotally attached to one end to the rod end of the cylinder and its other end pivotally connected to said reciprocably movable lowermost carton stop member;
• (c) a spring means carried by this lowermost carton stop member and so mounted as to urge a blade portion of this stop member toward and beneath the outer lowermost edge of the stack of folded cartons;
• (d) means to limit the forward motion of this lowermost carton stop to a determined position below and inward of the stack of cartons, and (e) an intermediate slide member carried by the escape apparatus and providing on its inward end the wedge-shaped entering blade and carton abutment, this intermediate slide member pivotally connected to the link arm at an intermediate portion thereof so that with a forward motion of the cylinder rod end the intermediate slide member is moved to enter that edge space between the lowermost and next above carton until the carton abutment on this entering blade engages the carton whereat the forward motion of the intermediate slide member stops and against the bias of the spring means further forward motion of the link arms causes the lowermost carton stop members to move from a supporting condition of the lowermost carton and as and after the lowermost carton has been withdrawn the movement of the rod end of the cylinder is reversed with the lowermost carton stop as urged by the bias of the spring means moving into carton supporting condition before counterflow motion and withdrawal is achieved of the intermediate slide member and its wedge-shaped entering blade from the edges of the cartons.

A method for receiving, transporting and presenting for withdrawal and the erection of folded cartons for use in case packing apparatus having a fixed frame including side guides providing a support surface for receiving and maintaining folded cartons in a substantially side-by-side condition and for delivering the folded cartons from their vertically supported condition to a generally horizontal condition in a delivery chute and in association with the delivery chute providing a carton escapement apparatus having a carton stop member reciprocably actuated by a single means whereat in one limit of movement this stop supports an outer edge of the lowermost carton in the horizontally disposed stack of folded cartons and when this carton stop is moved to and near its other limit of movement the engaged edge of the lowermost carton is released for removing from the stack and in a timed association with this movement of the carton stop there is provided an intermediate wedge-shaped entering blade which is moved counterflow to the movement of the carton stop, said blade movably disposed to enter that space between the lowermost carton and the next above carton as and with a sufficient time interval occurring before the carton stop is withdrawn from the stack supporting condition, and said method including the steps of:

• (a) carrying a pneumatic cylinder on said apparatus and providing a rod end with a pivoted mounting means;
• (b) attaching pivotally a link arm at one end to the rod end of the cylinder and its other end pivotally connecting said reciprocably movable lowermost carton stop member;
• (c) carrying a spring means on this lowermost carton stop member and as mounted to urge a blade portion of this stop member toward and beneath the outer lowermost edge of the stack of folded cartons;
• (d) limiting the forward motion of this lowermost carton stop to a determined position below and inward of the stack of cartons, and (e) carrying an intermediate slide member by the escape apparatus and providing on its inward end the wedge-shaped entering blade and carton abutment and pivotally connecting this intermediate slide member to the link arm at an intermediate portion thereof so that with a forward motion of the cylinder rod end the intermediate slide member is moved to enter that edge space between the lowermost and next above carton until the carton abutment on this entering blade engages the carbon whereat the forward motion of the intermediate slide member stops and against the bias of the spring means further forward motion of the link arms causes the lowermost carton stop members to move from a supporting condition of the lowermost carton and as and after the lowermost carton has been withdrawn the movement of the rod end of the cylinder is reversed with the lowermost carton stop as urged by the bias of the spring means moving into carton supporting condition before counterflow motion and withdrawal is achieved of the intermediate slide member and its wedge-shaped entering blade from the edges of the stack of cartons.