Method and apparatus for folding container blanks

Apparatus for folding and gluing container blanks comprising:

• frame means having a blank loading end and a blank discharge end;
• conveyor means mounted for intermittment movement relative to said frame means along a straight-line horizontal path from the blank loading end of the frame means to the blank discharge end thereof;
• at least two gripper means on said conveyor means, each said gripper means having a gripper jaw mechanism adapted to receive and securely hold the leading edge of a container blank when the gripper means is located at the blank loading end of said frame means;
• dispensing means on said frame means downstream of said blank loading end for applying glue to a flap on said blank as said blank is conveyed away from the loading end of said frame means;
• folding means on said frame means downstream of said dispensing means and operable when said blank is stopped for folding said blank about parallel score lines to position said flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to a side panel of the blank;
• hold-down means on said frame means in alignment with said juxtaposed flap;
• means for moving said hold-down means between a clearance position and a position in engagement with said flap to bring the glue thereon into contact with the adjacent underlying area of the side panel of the blank;
• compression means on said frame means downstream of said hold-down means and operable when said blank is stopped for holding said flap against said side panel, whereby said flap is adhered to said side panel;
• release means on said frame means downstream of said compression means for opening the gripper jaw mechanism and releasing said blank therefrom;
• and abutment means associated with the following gripper means engageable with a trailing edge of the released blank for discharging the folded and glued blank from the discharge end of the frame means.

The method of serially converting a scored container blank into a folded and glued form comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of flat corrugated blanks, each blank having two outer side panels connected to inner side panels of the blank by parallel score lines, one of said outer panels having an outwardly extending flap thereon for adhering said one outer panel to the other outer panel of the blank;
• feeding blanks one at a time from said supply into a gripping mechanism having gripper jaw means configured to open by insertion of the leading edge of said blank therein for securely gripping the leading edge of said blank with said gripping mechanism;
• conveying said gripped blank along a work path including a glue applying station, a folding station and a pressure applying station;
• applying glue to said blank at said glue applying station;
• folding said outer panels inwardly about said score lines at said folding station to position said outwardly extending flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to the other outer panel;
• applying pressure to said flap against said other outer panel at said pressure applying station until the glue on said blank bonds said flap to said other outer panel;
• therafter releasing said gripping mechanism to free the folded and glued blank for movement independent of said gripping mechanism;
• and discharging said folded and glued blank out of said work path to a discharge zone.

Apparatus for folding and gluing container blanks comprising:

• frame means having a blank loading end and a blank discharge end;
• first conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means along a first straight-line work path from the loading end of the frame means to the blank dischage end thereof;
• at least two gripper means on said first conveyor means, each said gripper means having a gripper jaw mechanism adapted to receive and securely hold the leading edge of a container blank when the gripper means is located at the blank loading end of said frame means;
• dispensing means on said frame means downstream of said blank loading end for applying glue to a flap on said blank;
• second conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means along a second straight-line work path perpendicular to said first straight-line work path adjacent to the blank loading end of said frame means;
• releasable gripper means on said second conveyor for transporting a liner into superposed relationship with respect to said blank;
• folding means on said frame means downstream of said dispensing means for folding said blank and superposed liner about parallel score lines to position said flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to a side panel of the blank;
• compression means on said frame means downstream of said folding means for holding said flap against said side panel, whereby said flap is adhered to said side panel;
• release means on said frame means downstream of said compression means for opening the gripper jaw mechanism and releasing said blank therefrom;
• and abutment means associated with the following gripper means engageable with a trailing edge of the released blank for discharging the folded and glued blank from the discharge end of the frame means.

Apparatus for folding and gluing container blanks comprising:

• frame means having a blank loading end and a blank discharge end;
• conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means from the blank loading end thereof to the blank discharge end thereof;
• at least two gripper means on said conveyor means;
• each said gripper means having a gripper jaw mechanism adapted to receive and securely hold the leading edge of a container blank when the gripper means is located at the blank loading end of said frame means;
• dispensing means for applying glue to a flap on said blank;
• folding means on said frame means for folding said blank about parallel score lines and to position said flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to a side panel of the blank;
• compression means on said frame means for holding said flap against said side panel, whereby said flap is adhered to said side panel;
• release means on said frame means downstream of said compression means for opening the gripper jaw mechanism and releasing said blank therefrom;
• and abutment means associated with the following gripper means engageable with a trailing edge of the released blank for discharging the folded and glued blank from the discharge end of the frame means.

A gripper mechanism for use in a container blank folding and gluing machine comprising:

• a bracket having means thereof for attaching the bracket to a conveyor;
• a first blank clamping member fixedly secured to said bracket;
• a second blank clamping member pivotally mounted on said bracket, said second blank gripping member having a toothed blank gripping surface thereon facing a blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• means biasing said second blank clamping member to urge the toothed blank gripping surface thereon toward the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• whereby the leading edge of a blank may be inserted between said first and second blank clamping members whereby said blank engages and coacts with said second blank clamping member so as to pivot said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket, said blank being securely clamped between said blank gripping surfaces through the action of said biasing means;
• and abutment means on said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket against the bias of said biasing means and for moving said toothed blank gripping surface relative to the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member for releasing said blank gripping surfaces from clamping engagement with said blank.

A conveyor mechanism for use in a container blank folding and gluing machine comprising:

• a series of conveyor links connected to one another to form a closed conveyor loop;
• a bracket having means thereon for attaching the bracket to at least one of said conveyor links;
• a first blank clamping member fixedly secured to said bracket;
• a second blank clamping member pivotally mounted on said bracket, said second blank gripping member having a toothed blank gripping surface thereon facing a blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• means biasing said second blank clamping member to urge the toothed blank gripping surface thereon toward the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• whereby the leading edge of a blank may be inserted between said first and second blank clamping member whereby said blank engages and coacts with said second blank clamping member so as to pivot said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket, said blank being securely clamped between said blank gripping surfaces through the action of said biasing means;
• and abutment means on said second blank clamping member for pivoting said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket against the bias of said biasing means and for moving said toothed blank gripping surface relative to the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member for releasing said blank gripping surfaces from clamping engagement with said blank.

The method of serially converting a scored container blank into a folded and glued form comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of flat corrugated blanks, each blank having two outer side panels connected to inner side panels of the blank by parallel score lines, one of said outer panels having an outwardly extending flap thereon for receipt of glue for adhering said one outer panel to the other outer panel of the blank;
• feeding blanks one at a time from said supply into a gripping mechanism and securely gripping the leading edge of said blank with said gripping mechanism;
• conveying said gripped blank along a work path including a glue applying station, a folding station and a compressing station;
• applying glue to said outwardly extending flap at said glue applying station;
• folding said outer panels inwardly about said score lines at said folding station to position said outwardly extending flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to the other outer panel;
• compressing said flap against said other outer panel at said compressing station until the glue on said flap bonds said flap to said other outer panel;
• thereafter releasing said gripping mechanism to free the folded and glued blank for movement independent of said gripping mechanism;
• engagging the trailing end of said blank with the leading edge of a following gripping mechanism;
• and moving said following gripping mechanism to push said folded and glued blank out of said work path to a discharge zone.

The method of serially converting a scored container blank into a folded and glued form comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of flat corrugated blanks, each blank having two outer side panels connected to inner side panels of the blank by parallel score lines, one of said outer panels having an outwardly extending flap thereon for receipt of glue for adhering said one outer panel to the other outer panel of the blank;
• feeding blanks one at a time from said supply into a gripping mechanism and securely gripping the leading edge of said blank with said gripping mechanism;
• intermittently pulling said gripped blank along a work path including a glue applying station, a folding station and a compressing station;
• applying glue to said outwardly extending flap at said glue applying station;
• folding said outer panels inwardly about said score lines at said folding station while said blank is stopped to position said outwardly extending flap in overlapping relationship with respect to the other outer panel;
• compressing said flap against said other panel at said compressing station while said blank is stopped until the glue on said flap bonds said flap to said other outer panel;
• thereafter releasing said gripping mechanism to free the folded and glued blank for movement independent of said gripping mechanism;
• engaging the trailing end of said blank with the leading edge of a following gripping mechanism;
• and moving said following gripping mechanism to push said folded and glued blank out of said work path to a discharge zone.

A gripper mechanism for use in a container blank folding and gluing machine comprising:

• a bracket having means thereof for attaching the bracket to a conveyor;
• a first blank clamping member fixedly secured to said bracket;
• a second blank clamping member pivotally mounted on said bracket, said second blank gripping member having an arcuately shaped toothed blank gripping surface thereon facing a blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• means biasing said second blank clamping member to urge the toothed blank gripping surface thereon toward the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member;
• whereby the leading edge of a blank may be inserted between said first and second blank clamping members so as to pivot said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket, said blank being securely clamped between said blank gripping surfaces through the action of said biasing means, the free end of said first clamping member being inclined away from said toothed gripping surface to define an enlarged opening facilitating insertion of the leading edge of the blank;
• stop means inwardly of said enlarged opening for engaging the leading edge of the blank;
• abutment means on said second blank clamping member for pivoting said second blank clamping member relative to said bracket against the bias of said biasing means and for moving said toothed blank gripping surface relative to the blank gripping surface on said first blank clamping member for releasing said blank gripping surfaces from clamping engagement with said blank;
• and an upright pusher surface adapted to engage the trailing edge of a blank at an end of the gripper mechanism opposite from said enlarged opening.

Apparatus for folding and gluing container blanks comprising:

• frame means having a blank loading end and a blank discharge end;
• conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means from the blank loading end thereof to the blank discharge end thereof;
• at least two laterally spaced gripper means on said conveyor means, each said gripper means having gripper jaw means adapted to receive and securely hold the leading edge of a container blank when the gripper means is located at the blank loading end of said frame means, said gripper jaw means being configured to open by insertion of the leading edge of said blank into said gripper means whereby said blank is secured thereby;
• dispensing means on said frame means for applying glue to said blank for adhering a flap of said blank;
• folding means on said frame means downstream of said dispensing means for folding said blank about parallel score lines and to position said flap in juxtaposed relationship with respect to a side panel of the blank;
• pressure-applying means on said frame means downstream of said folding means for applying pressure to said flap whereby said flap is adhered to said side panel;
• release means on said frame means downstream of said pressure-applying means for opening said gripper jaw means and releasing said blank therefrom;
• and means for discharging the folded and glued blank from the discharge end of the frame means.

Apparatus for folding and gluing container blanks comprising:

• frame means having a blank loading end and a blank discharge end;
• first conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means along a first straight-line work path from the loading end of the frame means to the blank discharge end thereof;
• gripper means on said first conveyor means, said gripper means having a gripper jaw mechanism adapted to receive and securely hold the leading edge of a container blank when the gripper means is located at the blank loading end of said frame means;
• dispensing means on said frame means downstream of said blank loading end for applying glue to said blank;
• second conveyor means mounted for movement relative to said frame means along a second straight-line work path perpendicular to said first straight-line work path;
• releasable gripper means on said second conveyor for transporting a liner into superposed relationship with respect to said blank;
• folding means on said frame means downstream of said dispensing means for folding said blank and superposed liner about parallel score lines to position a flap of said blank in juxtaposed relationship with respect to a side panel of the blank;
• compression means on said frame means downstream of said folding means for applying pressure to said flap, whereby said flap is adhered to said side panel;
• release means on said frame means downstream of said compression means for opening the gripper jaw mechanism and releasing said blank therefrom;
• and means for discharging the folded and glued blank from the discharge end of the frame means.