US 5,483,856 A · Apparatus and method for slitting corrugated paperboard boxes

Abstract

An apparatus and method for slitting a stack of folded corrugated paperboard boxes utilizes a thin slitting blade mounted for continuous movement through a slitting station and defining a vertical slitting plane. A stack supporting table straddles the slitting blade to support a stack of boxes in a stand-by position above the blade. Adjustable upstream and downstream squaring devices are operative to square and center the stack in the cutting plane and a vertically reciprocable ram operates to move the stack and the supporting table downwardly past the blade against a table biasing force to slit the stack into two half-size stacks. The squaring device is operable to re-square the slit half-size stacks prior to conveyance out of the slitting station. The slitting run of the continuous blade operates in a rigid blade holder which is adjustable to compensate for blade wear and to maintain the cutting edge of the blade in a fixed plane. The drum-like pulleys around which the slitting blade runs include a blade bias adjustment device which is used to maintain carefully monitored support of the blade in the blade holder to minimize wear and provide proper blade support along its full slitting run.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for slitting a stack of corrugated paperboard sheets having a pair of opposite parallel cut edges, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) moving the stack of sheets in a direction normal to the cut edges onto a stack supporting table in a slitting station;
(2) positioning a downstream squaring device in the path of movement in the slitting station to engage a stack face defined by the downstream cut edges of the stacked sheets;
(3) positioning an upstream squaring device in the path of stack movement adjacent the stack face defined by the upstream cut edges of a stacked sheets;
(4) mounting a slitting blade below the stack supporting table in the slitting station, said blade having a horizontally disposed slitting edge moveable transversely with respect to the path of sheet movement, said blade edge disposed upwardly and positioned in a vertical cutting plane parallel to the cut edges of the stacked sheets in the slitting station;
(5) moving said downstream and upstream squaring devices toward one another to engage the respective stack faces and center the stack in the cutting plane;
and,
(6) moving the stack supporting table and the stack of sheets vertically downward through the slitting edge of the blade to slit the stack in the cutting plane and form two stacks of smaller sheets.

4 more elements

An apparatus for slitting a stack of corrugated paperboard sheets having opposite parallel cut edges, said apparatus comprising:

a slitting station including a lower stack supporting table;
means for moving the stack in a direction normal to the cut edges onto the stack supporting table;
a downstream squaring device movable into the path of stack movement in the slitting station and having a first squaring face adapted to engage a stack face defined by the downstream cut edges of the stacked sheets;
a slitting blade mounted in the slitting station and movable transversely with respect to the path of stack movement, said blade having a horizontally disposed slitting edge positioned in a vertical cutting plane parallel to the cut edges of the stacked sheets in the slitting station;
an upstream squaring device movable into the path of stack movement in the slitting station and having a second squaring face adapted to engage a stack face defined by the upstream cut edges of the stacked sheets;
centering means mounting the downstream and upstream squaring devices for movement parallel to the direction of stack movement and for squaring and centering the stack in the cutting plane;
and,
means for moving the stack supporting table and the stack of sheets vertically relative to and through the slitting edge of the blade to slit the stack on the cutting plane and form two stacks of smaller sheets.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for slitting corrugated paperboard boxes

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for slitting corrugated paperboard boxes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15