Method and apparatus for removing gussets from flat tubes
AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorAlberta M. Hollis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing longitudinal gussets from a flat tube of flexible material, such as paper, including a conveyor for conveying the flat tube along a guide path to a gusset removal station having means operative to separate opposite side panels of the flat tube at their leading edges while simultaneously effecting a drag on one of the side panels as one of the forward leading edges enters the nip of feed rolls so that the gussets are removed and lie substantially coplanar with the opposite side panels of the tube to enable subsequent forming of cuffs at one end of the tube preparatory to replacing the gussets and closing the opposite end of the tube.
Claims29
Apparatus for removing longitudinal gussets from a substantially flat tube of flexible material wherein the gussets are formed along opposite edges of the flat tube and each gusset includes a pair of connected gusset panels lying in juxtaposed relation between substantially flat side panels of the tube, said apparatus comprising, in combination, frame means, first feed means supported by said frame means and adapted to move a substantially flat tube in a predetermined direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube so as to define pairs of leading and trailing edges of the flat tube, edge separating means supported by said frame means for cooperation with a tube as it is moved along said predetermined direction, said edge separating means including gas diffuser means and tube lifter means cooperative to separate the leading edges of said tube, second feed means adapted to receive at least one of said separated leading edges so as to effect continued movement of the corresponding side panel of said tube in said predetermined direction, and tube holder means supported by said frame means for cooperation with said tube to apply a drag to the other of said side panels of the tube substantially simultaneously with feeding of said at least one of said separated leading edges into said second feed means so that continued movement of said corresponding side panel effects removal of said gussets panels from between the side panels so as to lie substantially coplanar with the side panels.
A system for removing longitudinal gussets from a substantially flat tube of flexible material wherein the gussets are formed along opposite edges of the flat tube and each gusset includes a pair of connected gusset panels lying in juxtaposed relation between substantially flat side panels of the tube, said system comprising, in combination,
- conveyor means for conveying said tube along a guide path in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube so as to define pairs of leading and trailing edges of the flat tube as it moves along the guide path, and
- a gusset removing station including first feed means adapted to receive a substantially flat tube from said conveyor means and effect continued movement of the tube in a predetermined direction,
- said gusset removing station further including means cooperative with a tube as it is moved in said predetermined direction to separate the leading edges thereof, second feed means adapted to receive at least one of said separated leading edges so as to effect continued movement of one of the side panels of said tube in said predetermined direction, and tube holder means adapted to apply a drag to the other of the side panels substantially simultaneously with said continued movement of said one of said side panels so as to effect removal of said gusset panels from their said juxtaposed relation between the side panels and cause said gusset panels to lie substantially coplanar with the side panels of the tube.
A method for removing longitudinal gussets from a substantially flat tube of flexible material having opposite side panels and wherein each gusset includes a pair of gusset panels connected to each other along a longitudinal fold line and connected to respective ones of the side panels along fold lines so that the gusset panels are foldable to lie in juxtaposed relation between said side panels, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) moving the substantially flat tube along a guide path in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube so as to establish leading and trailing edges,
- (b) separating the opposite side panels from each other at their leading edges while continuing to move the tube along said guide path while disposed generally transverse thereto, and
- (c) simultaneously restricting forward movement of one of said side panels while continuing to advance the other of said side panels so as to cause said gusset panels to be withdrawn from their folded positions between said side panels and lie in substantially coplanar relation with said side panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.