H-section carton forming machine

Abstract

A machine for forming an H-section carton (19) from three corrugated blanks--two section blanks (21a and 21b) and a main body blank (23)--is disclosed. The machine has a generally L-shaped silhouette, with one leg of the L shape generally defining the path of travel of the section blanks and the other leg defining the path of travel of the main body blank. A supply of vertically oriented section blanks are located on opposing sides of the section blank leg. The two section blanks facing one another are simultaneously moved toward the main body blank leg, along parallel paths. The section blanks are first moved past glue heads (61a and 61b), which apply glue to the center region (22a and 22b) of the facing surfaces of the section blanks. Then, section forming mandrels (85) ram the section blanks toward one another into a U and H-section forming die (87). More specifically, the section modules first deform the section blanks into a U-shape. Then, the cross-members of the U-shaped sections are pressed together, whereby an H-shaped section is formed. While the H-section is being formed, a main body blank is removed from a supply of vertically oriented main body blanks and moved past glue heads (63a), which apply glue to edge tabs (49, 51, 53, 55, 57 and 59). Main body blank movement stops when the main body blank lies in front of a final forming die (94), which die is aligned with the H-section. When H-section formation is completed, an expandable mandrel (91) having a vertical slit picks up the H-section and rams it into the main body blank. Continued movement of the expandable mandrel rams the H-section and the main body blank into the final forming die, causing the edge tabs of the main body blank to be bent around the outer surface of the legs of the H-section. Thereafter, the expandable mandrel expands so as to press the legs of the H-section against the edge tabs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.