US3146566A

US3146566A - Flap closer

Info

Publication number: US3146566A
Application number: US171740A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald J Roth
Original assignee: Bemis Brothers Bag Co
Current assignee: Bemis Brothers Bag Co
Priority date: 1962-02-07
Filing date: 1962-02-07
Publication date: 1964-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-01

Description

D. J. ROTH FLAP CLOSER Sept. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

Filed Feb. 7, 1962 .J Y mww T R WJ M wwA MW w United States Patent Ofice 3,145,556 Patented Sept. -1, 1964 3,146,566 FLAP CLOSER Donald J. Roth, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Benris Bro. Bag Company, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 7, M62, Ser. No. 171,740 7 Claims. (Cl. 53-374) This invention is a device for closing the flaps on a carton that is traveling on a conveyor. This device is employed with cartons being moved on a conveyor after they have passed a filling station. It is novel in having a pivoted hook and shoe arrangement which closes the leading flap on a carton and a traveling roller structure which engages and pushes closed the trailing flap by moving at a higher rate of speed than the carton moves on its conveyor. Specifically the trailing flap closure means consists of a pair of spaced rotating means and an endless means reeved around them. A break in the endless means receives the trailing carton flaps in a timed relationship and allows it to extend upward and into the path of the endless means which then forces the flap shut by moving at a speed in excess of the conveyor. Still more specifically the trailing flap closing means consists of spaced sprockets on a pair of spaced shafts and having chains reeved over them with shaft carrying rollers extending between the chains. At one point in the chains, the shaft and/or the roller may be eliminated creating a break in the endless chain shaft roller structure into which the trailing edge of the carton fiap may project and thereby be engaged by the rollers and forced into a closed position.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel flap closing structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flap closing structure that is arranged almost entirely directly above the line conveying a carton.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flap closure that oifers very little resistance to the movement of the carton along the line.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fiap closure that positively closes the trailing flap, with regard to the direction of the motion of the car-ton, without the necessity for slowing down or stopping the progression of cartons while this is done.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a flap closure that applies closing forces almost exclusively parallel to the direction of travel of a carton being worked upon.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flap closure that applies flap closing forces at right angles to the fold lines of leading and trailing flaps of a carton on a conveyor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flap closure that is gentle in folding the flaps of a carton closed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a flap closure that closes the trailing and leading flaps of a carton being conveyed after the side flaps are closed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a flap closure that permits very rapid conveyor speeds.

Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent and apparent in the apparatus as described, pictured and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to the same parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the flap closure mechanism with portions thereof omitted for simplicity and hidden elements shown with broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a fragment of the flap closure mechanism shown in a different position to illustrate the operation of the flap closing mechanism with a broken line representing the chain drive;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2 except that the parts are shown in a different relative position illustrating the operation of the flap closing structure;

FIGURE 4 is a still more fragmentary view of the flap closure shown in a still more advanced position;

FIGURE 5 is a view like FIGURE 4 with the carton completely closed; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the flap closure mechanism with portions thereof broken away to illustrate its construction more fully and hidden parts shown with broken lines.

Referring to the drawings and specifically first to FIG- URE l, the flap closer, generally designated 10, is shown positioned adjacent to the conveyor 11 of a machine that fills cartons. The rails 11R of the conveying mechanism are spaced on either side of a chain 12 reeved around a sprocket 14 which is driven in any suitable manner as by the shaft 15. A carton supporting pocket as shown at 16 provides a means by which the cartons such as the one 17 are supported on the conveyor 11 and driven by the chain 16 at a constant speed around the machine track.

At the stage of proceedings in which we are interested, two of the flaps of the carton have already been folded in on the top of the carton and its contents and only the flaps 18, which is the trailing flap with reference to conveyor motion, and 19, which is the leading flap in the direction in which the carton 17 is moving, remain to be closed. Prior also to the operation of the flap closure illustrated herein, the two flaps which have already been closed and the

flaps

18 and 19 have had glue applied to them by a non-inventive structure and therefore not disclosed herein. This is the reverse of the usual flap closing order and renders closing of the leading and trailing flaps more difiicult, because the two closed flaps must be held in place while

flaps

18 and 19 are being closed.

Turning now to FIGURE 6, the flap closer 10 will be seen to comprise a pair of spaced shafts 2i? and 21 on each of which is a pair of spaced

sprockets

22 and 24 on shaft 2%) and 25 and 26 on shaft 21. Around the

sprockets

22 and 25 is reeved the chain 27 and a similar chain 28 is reeved around the

sprockets

24 and 26. Supported between the chains is a series of shafts such as the ones 29 on which are supported rollers as at 30. Shaft 21 is provided with a sprocket 31 which is connected via a chain 32 to the sprocket 34. A safety shield 33 of suitable configuration covers the chains.

Sprocket 34 is supported on shaft 35 from reduction gear housing 36. Reduction gear housing 36 is connected to shaft 15 and powered simultaneously with the conveyor chain 12. The gearing of gear housing 36 and the relationship between

sprockets

34 and 31 and the sprockets 25 and 26 (see FIGURE 1) is such that the chains 27 and 2% have a linear speed somewhat greater than the linear speed of chain 12. Depending on the installation requirements of the flap closure, this variation in speed may be somewhat different from time to time, but in the installation illustrated herein the

chains

27 and 28 have a linear speed approximately two and one-half times the linear speed of chain 12.

As shown in FIGURE 1 at 37, one of the shafts 29 that extend between the

chains

27 and 28 has been eliminated.

Likewise the shaft 298 is without a roller 36 on it. Since the conveyor chain 12 and the

conveyor chains

27 and 28 are secured together by a non-slip or positive timing arrangemcnt, the

chains

27 and 28 may be timed in connection with the movement of the pockets 16 and hence the boxes 1'7 on conveyor 11 to precisely co-ordinate therewith. As shown in FIGURE 1 the natural spring of the flap 13 causes it to tip up as far as the rollers 29 will permit.

With the timing of the pockets 16 such that the opening 37 and the rollerless shaft 298 arrive at the location of the pocket 16 as shown in FIGURE 1, the end of flap 18 tips up into the path of one of the rollers 29 immediately to the rear of opening 37. Since the

chains

27 and 28 are moving more rapidly than chain 12, the rollers immediately following the opening 37 overtake the box 1'7, as it is moved along the conveyor 12 as shown partially in FIGURE 2 where flap 18 has been tipped up to a nearly vertical position. Continuing movement of the chains and rollers causes flap 18 to be pushed down into an entirely fiat position in time for the free edge thereof, to fit under the shoe 3% and to be held down fiat thereby, as shown in FIGURE 3. At the same time that this roller structure acts first to close the trailing flap, it also acts to hold down the previously closed side flaps.

As disclosed herein, the flap closure closes only one fiap in each complete revolution. Since it travels at a speed of two and one-half times that of the conveyor 12, the

chains

27 and 28, measured over the rollers 3d, are two and one-half times as long as the distance between the centers of the pockets carrying the boxes 17 and 17A in FIGURE 3. The speed of the fiap closer relative to the conveyor may be generalized to be the quotient of the distance between flap receiving breaks in the endless means of the flap closer divided by the distance between carton centers on the conveyor.

This form of fiap closure moves parallel to the direction of conveyor motion and applies closing force at right angles to the fold line of fiap 18. It is also very gentle in its action which permits high speed operation of the device without distorting or damaging the carton flaps. Actually the relative velocity between the rollers 30 and the carton is low. For this reason weaker boxes and ones with perforated tear lines or retuck slots may be closed without injury even at rather high conveyor speeds.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 momentarily, the flap is, or the leading fiap, as well as the two side flaps, are held down by rollers 29 as the box 17 proceeds in the direction of the travel of the conveyor. Just beyond the chain roller portion of flap closure structure ltl, there is a pivoted hook 39 which pivots about shaft 40 that in turn is supported by arm 41. Arm 41 is mounted on a bracket 42 as shown in FIGURE 6 which is connected to a stationary portion of the machine such as gear housing 36. As the box 17 is moved progressively along the conveyor 11 the leading flap 19 enters its leading edge into the pivoted hook 39. Continued movement of box 17 as shown in FIGURE 3 causes the pivoted hook to be pivoted upwardly and in so doing lifts the leading edge of flap 19.

A further movement of the box by the conveyor eventually causes the plow 43 to engage the leading flap 19 near its point of hinge joinder to box 17 as shown in FIGURE 4. Still further movement of box 17 under the influence of conveyor 11 produces an interaction between the box flap and the plow causing the flap to be completely closed as shown in FIGURE 5. Plow 43 is also supported by arm 42 via vertical support 44. The plow 43 has a holddown rail or shoe 45' extending beyond it so that once both flaps are closed, as shown in FIGURE 5, the holddown rail continues to hold the flaps in this position until the conveyor carries the carton to a conventional pressure roller area which assures a good seal of the flaps.

As box 17 is having its leading flap 19 lifted by the pivoted hook 39, a second box 17A is proceeding into position under the box-flap closure with flap 19A extending forward and flap 18A extending rearward. This is the posi- 4 tion of the box shortly before it reaches the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 where the cycle is repeated and the fiaps of the box closed.

As flap 19 passes the vertical point and tends to be pushed down fiat by plow 43 as shown in FIGURE 5, the pivoted hook 39 can swing back to its previous vertical position as shown in FIGURE 5 ready to receive the fiap 19A of the next carton in line on the conveyor 11.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed.

1. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising in combination, a conveyor consisting of a plurality of carton support members spaced longitudinally from one another and mounted upon said conveyor for movement therewith to carry said cartons along a predetermined path, a fiap closing structure positioned upon said apparatus directly over the path taken by said support members when traveling upon said conveyor including an endless flap closing means mounted upon said flap closing structure and adapted to contact said fiap as the later moves with said container support members beneath said endless means, and said endless means also including an opening therein adapted to receive said flap as the endless means moves relative to said carton, driving means for said endless means and for said conveyor means, timed means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyor and said endless 5621115 whereby said opening will move relative to said carton to receive a trailing flap thereof, a hook means pivoted to said apparatus above said path and positioned relative to said endless means in the direction of movement of said support members, said hook being adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of said conveyor, the lower end of said hook being positioned to engage the free end of a leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the carton passes below said hook, and a plow member positioned on the opposite side of said hook from said endless means and located at a distance therefrom slightly greater than the pivot radius of said hook.

2. A fiap closing device for use with a carton conveyor on which cartons having flaps requiring closing are conveyed after being filled comprising in combination an endless conveyor means including a plurality of spaced parallel rollers mounted for rotation thereon, said endless conveyor means being mounted above said carton conveyor, said endless conveyor means having an opening therein consisting of one of said rollers being omitted from said endless conveyor means, said endless conveyor means being operatively connected to said carton conveyor for movement at a speed greater than the speed of movement of said conveyor, said endless conveyor means and said carton conveyor being synchronized with each other whereby a carton flap trailing the motion of the carton will coincide with the opening in the endless conveyor means, a hook member pivotally mounted at the outlet of said endless means in downwardly depending position for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the movement of said carton conveyor, said hook being adapted to engage the free end of a leading flap to move the same upwardly as the hook rotates about said pivot, and a plow member spaced toward the outlet end of the apparatus from the hook at a distance slightly greater than the radius of pivotal movement of the hook member.

3. A box or carton closing apparatus comprising in combination a conveyor consisting of a plurality of carton support members spaced longitudinally from one another and mounted upon said conveyor for movement therewith to carry said cartons along a predetermined path, an endless flap closing means positioned upon said apparatus directly over the path taken by said supporting members when traveling upon said conveyor, said endless means including a pair of spaced shafts, a pair of spaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain sup ported by being reeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reeved around the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extending between and secured to said chains at regular intervals along their lengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break in said shaft and roller structure consitsing of the omission of a shaft and roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omission of a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft and roller are omitted, driving means for said endless means and for said conveyor means, means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyor and said endless means whereby the latter moves at a somewhat greater speed than said conveyor, a hook means pivoted to said framework above said path and located relative to said endless means in the direction of movement of said support members, said hook being mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of said conveyor, the lower end of said hook being adapted to engage the free end of a leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the carton passes below said endless means, a plow member spaced on the opposite side of said hook from said conveyor at a distance therefrom slightly greater than the pivot radius of said hook.

4. In a box or carton closing device, a conveyor consisting of pockets supported by rails and secured to a chain reeved around a sprocket, a flap closing structure positioned directly over the path of said pockets when conveyed by said conveyor, a pair of spaced shafts, a pair of spaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain supported by being reeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reeved around the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extending between and secured to said chains ,at regular intervals along their lengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break in said shaft and roller structure consisting of the omission of a shaft and roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omission of a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft and roller are omitted, positive driving means interconnecting one of said spaced shafts with the driving means for said conveyor in timed relationship, a first plow rigidly mounted at the outlet end of said flap closing structure for holding said trailing flap in a closed position, a support arm extending upwardly from said first plow means, a pivot positioned at the upward end of said arm, a flap closing hook extending downwardly from said pivot a slight distance below the lower surface of said first plow means whereby the free edge of a leading flap will be engaged by said hook means, and a second plow spaced from said hook in the direction of travel of said carton a distance slightly greater than its radius of pivoting.

5. In a box or carton closing device, a conveyor consisting of pockets supported by rails and secured to a chain reeved around a sprocket, a flap closing structure positioned directly over the path of said pockets when conveyed by said conveyor, a pair of spaced shafts, a pair of spaced sprockets on each of said shafts, a chain supported by being reeved around one sprocket on each of said shafts, a second chain reeved around the other sprockets on each of said shafts, shafts extending between and secured to said chains at regular intervals along their lengths, rollers rotatably mounted on each of said shafts, a break in said shaft and roller structure consisting of the omission of a shaft and roller at one point along the length of said chains and the omission of a roller from a shaft adjacent the point at which both a shaft and roller are omitted, a hook pivoted to said conveyor beyond said trailing flap closing structure in the direction of travel of said conveyor, a plow spaced from said hook a distance slightly greater than its radius 6 of pivoting and positive driving means interconnecting one of said spaced shafts with the driving means for said conveyor in timed relationship.

6. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising in combination, a conveyor having carton sup porting means thereon disposed longitudinally of said conveyor for movement therewith to carry said cartons at a predetermined spacing along a predetermined path, a flap closing structure positioned upon said apparatus directly over the path taken by said supporting means when traveling upon said conveyor, said structure including an endless flap closing means adapted to contact said flap as the latter moves with said container supporting means beneath said endless means, and said endless means including an opening therein adapted to receive said flap as the endless means moves relative to said carton, driving means for said endless means and for said conveyor, timed means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyor and said endless means whereby said opening will move relative to said carton to receive a trailing flap thereof, a flap engaging and lifting member pivoted upon said apparatus above said path and positioned relative to said endless means in the direction of movement of said supporting means, said member being adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of said conveyor, the lower end of said member being positioned to engage the free end of a leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the carton passes below said member, and a plow member positioned on the opposite side of said member from said endless means for folding the flap to a closed position after said flap has been raised by said member.

7. An apparatus for closing the flap of a carton or box comprising in combination, a conveyor having a plurality of car-ton support members spaced longitudinally from one another and mounted upon said conveyor for movement therewith to carry said cartons along a predetermined path, a flap closing structure positioned upon said apparatus directly over the path taken by said support members when traveling upon said conveyor including an endless flap closing means mounted upon said flap closing structure and adapted to contact said flap as the latter moves with said container support members beneath said endless means, and said endless means also including an opening therein adapted to receive said flap as the endless means moves relative to said carton, driving means for said endless means and for said conveyor means, timed means for synchronizing the movement of said conveyor and said endless means whereby said opening will move relative to said carton to receive a trailing flap thereof, a hook means pivoted to said apparatus above said path and positioned relative to said endless means in the direction of movement of said support members, said hook being adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the path of movement of said conveyor, the lower end of said hook being positioned to engage the free end of a leading flap of said carton to raise the same as the carton passes below said hook, a guide means positioned adjacent the endless means and upstream from the hook for placing the free end of said flap in a position aligned with the free end of the hook immediately prior to its engagement by said hook, and a plow member positioned on the opposite side of said hook from said endless means and located at a distance therefrom slightly greater than the pivot radius of said hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,991,223 Ledig et al. Feb. 12, 1935 2,425,062 Johnson Aug. 5, 1947 2,902,810 McGitton Sept. 8, 1959 2,915,868 Copping Dec. 8, 1959 2,918,773 Krupp et al. Dec. 29, 1959 2,929,183 Magna Mar. 22, 1960 2,939,260 Ogle et al. June 7, 1960 3,077,062 Brumbaugh Feb. 12, 1963

Claims

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE FLAP OF A CARTON OR BOX COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A CONVEYOR CONSISTING OF A PLURALITY OF CARTON SUPPORT MEMBERS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND MOUNTED UPON SAID CONVEYOR FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH TO CARRY SAID CARTONS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, A FLAP CLOSING STRUCTURE POSITIONED UPON SAID APPARATUS DIRECTLY OVER THE PATH TAKEN BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS WHEN TRAVELING UPON SAID CONVEYOR INCLUDING AN ENDLESS FLAP CLOSING MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID FLAP CLOSING STRUCTURE AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID FLAP AS THE LATER MOVES WITH SAID CONTAINER SUPPORT MEMBERS BENEATH SAID ENDLESS MEANS, AND SAID ENDLESS MEANS ALSO INCLUDING AN OPENING THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID FLAP AS THE ENDLESS MEANS MOVES RELATIVE TO SAID CARTON, DRIVING MEANS FOR SAID ENDLESS MEANS AND FOR SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, TIMED MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR AND SAID ENDLESS MEANS WHEREBY SAID OPENING WILL MOVE RELATIVE TO SAID CARTON TO RECEIVE A TRAILING FLAP THEREOF, A HOOK MEANS PIVOTED TO SAID APPARATUS ABOVE SAID PATH AND POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID ENDLESS MEANS IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID HOOK BEING ADAPTED TO PIVOT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR, THE LOWER END OF SAID HOOK BEING POSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE FREE END OF A LEADING FLAP OF SAID CARTON TO RAISE THE SAME AS THE CARTON PASSES BELOW SAID HOOK, AND A PLOW MEMBER POSITIONED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID HOOK FROM SAID ENDLESS MEANS AND LOCATED AT A DISTANCE THEREFROM SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE PIVOT RADIUS OF SAID HOOK.