US 5,624,369 AGranted

Method and apparatus for forming slotted and creased box blanks

AssigneeGriffin Automation, Inc.

InventorsJerald D. Bidlack, Igor Shmelkin

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Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus (26) for forming a box blank from a generally-rectangular sheet of material. The apparatus has a frame (28) for supporting and guiding the sheet; and endless advancement belt (31) for controllably moving the sheet relative to the frame through the apparatus; guide rails (32) extending generally across the sheet; a carriage (34) mounted on the guide rails for horizontal movement relative thereto; a cutting blade (35) mounted for horizontal movement with the carriage and operatively arranged to be rotated about an axis; a blade actuator (36) for selectively causing the blade to have a vertical component of movement relative to the carriage; a punch (38) mounted on the carriage and selectively operable to punch a hole in the sheet; a transverse creasing roller (39) mounted on the carriage; and a pair of adjustable longitudinal creasing rollers (40) mounted on the platform. As the sheet is moved relative to the frame, the transverse creasing roller may selectively crease the sheet in a transverse direction, the longitudinal creasing rollers may selectively crease the sheet in a longitudinal direction, and the cutting blade may selectively cut slots from both longitudinal edges.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An apparatus for forming a scored and slotted box blank from a generally rectangular sheet of material, comprising:

a frame for supporting and guiding said sheet;
advancement means for controllably moving said sheet relative to said frame through said apparatus along a longitudinal sheet travel direction;
guide means extending generally transverse to said longitudinal sheet travel direction;
a carriage mounted on said guide means for transverse movement along said guide means;
transverse slot cutting means mounted on said carriage for transverse movement with said carriage to transversely cut and form respective slots in said sheet, each slot having a slot root;
cutting actuator means mounted to said carriage for selectively causing said transverse slot cutting means to have a vertical component of movement relative to said carriage and said sheet;
punch means mounted to said carriage for selectively punching holes at said slot roots;
punch actuator means mounted to said carriage for selectively causing said punch means to have a vertical component of movement relative to said carriage and said sheet;
a transverse creasing roller mounted on said carriage adapted to selectively engage and transversely crease said sheet at selected locations;
and
at least one longitudinal creasing roller means mounted on said guide means adapted to selectively engage and longitudinally crease said sheet at selected locations;
whereby, as said sheet is moved relative to said frame, said transverse creasing roller selectively creases said sheet in a transverse direction, each longitudinal creasing roller selectively creases said sheet in a longitudinal direction, said transverse slot cutting means selectively cuts transverse slots in said sheet from both longitudinal edges and said punch means selectively punches holes at said slot roots.

9 more elements

The method of forming a scored and slotted box blank from a generally rectangular sheet of material comprising the steps of:

providing a frame for supporting and guiding said sheet;
placing a sheet of material on said frame, said sheet having first and second longitudinal edges;
providing guide means extending transverse to said longitudinal edges of said sheet;
providing a carriage mounted to said guide means for transverse movement along the guide means;
providing a transverse slot cutting means mounted on said carriage for transverse movement with said carriage to transversely cut and form predetermined slots in said sheet, each of said predetermined slots having a slot root;
providing punch means mounted to said carriage for selectively punching holes at said slot roots;
providing a transverse creasing roller mounted on said carriage adapted to transversely crease said sheet at selected locations;
providing at least one longitudinal creasing roller mounted on said guide means adapted to longitudinally crease said sheet at selected locations;
controllably moving said sheet in a longitudinal direction relative to said frame;
controlling said at least one longitudinal creasing roller to provide a first longitudinal score line at a predetermined position on said sheet as said sheet moves relative to said frame;
controlling said transverse slot cutting means to cut a first transverse slot in said sheet from said first longitudinal edge thereof to said first score line formed by said longitudinal creasing roller to define a first slot root;
controlling said punch means to longitudinally punch a first hole in said sheet at the first slot root;
controlling said transverse creasing roller to provide a transverse score line on said sheet;
and
thereby to provide a scored and slotted box blank.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.