Carton-forming apparatus

Claim 2

In a carton forming and filling machine having a plurality of stations, a forming apparatus for forming from carton blanks having bottom closures and top closures and for sealing the bottom closures thereof, comprising a forming turret, a plurality of evenly spaced mandrels on said turret projecting radially outward from the axis of rotation of said turret, carton stop means on each mandrel, means for intermittently driving said turret to advance said mandrels past said stations, means at one station for placing an erected carton on each mandrel with its bottom closure outermost and its top closure in engagement with said carton stop means, means at other stations for sealing the bottom closures of the cartons, means at an unloading station for withdrawing the cartons with their bottom closures sealed from the mandrels, and means for adjusting said carton stop means longitudinally of said mandrels for accommodating cartons of different sizes.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 and additionally comprising resilient carton clamping means secured to said stop means and adapted to engage the top closures of the cartons to hold the carton blanks on the associated mandrels in bottom closure sealing position.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said mandrels have slots in opposed longitudinal surfaces thereof, and wherein said means at said unloading station is a reciprocable unloading carrier which includes opposed stripper fingers movable in said opposed slots in each mandrel and arranged to engage the top closure of the carton on the mandrel to strip the carton from the mandrel.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said unloading carRier is reciprocated into the path of movement of the mandrels when the mandrels are stationary and when one mandrel is positioned at the unloading station, said carrier being moved out of the path of movement of said mandrels when the mandrels are moved between said stations, means for reciprocating said carrier in timed relation with the movement of said turrets, said opposed stripper fingers being pivotally mounted on said carrier, and resilient means for normally urging said stripper fingers into stripping position in said slots and into engagement with the top closure of the carton at the unloading station, said resilient means being arranged to yield to allow the fingers to ride over surfaces of the carton when the fingers are being moved into stripping position, and to engage the edges of the top closure and strip the carton from the mandrel when the carrier is moving toward the free end of the mandrel.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein means are provided for adjusting the reciprocable stroke of said carrier in accordance with the size of carton on said mandrel so that said fingers will be moved into stripping position immediately adjacent the finger engaging edges of the top closure thereby minimizing impact with said edges during the carton stripping operation.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one station is a mandrel loading station, said apparatus additionally comprising a magazine adjacent said mandrel loading station for supporting a plurality of flatfolded carton blanks, means for unloading and erecting one carton blank at a time from said magazine and for placing each blank in said mandrel loading station in the form of an open-ended tubular carton blank and reciprocable mandrel loading means driven in timed relation with the movement of said turret for loading each tubular carton blank onto a mandrel when the mandrels are indexed at the loading station.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6 and additionally comprising means for adjusting said magazine to handle carton blanks of different sizes, and means for adjusting said unloading means longitudinally of said mandrels for accommodating cartons of different sizes.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6 and additionally comprising means for overbending each carton blank as it is being moved between said magazine and said mandrel loading station.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6 and additionally comprising means on said mandrel loading means for effecting three point contact with the tubular carton blanks for evenly distributing the pushing force on said blanks.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7 and additionally comprising means for overbending each carton blank as it is being moved between said magazine and said mandrel loading station.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 10 and additionally comprising means on said mandrel loading means for effecting three point contact with the tubular carton blanks for evenly distributing the pushing forces on said blanks.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 6 and additionally comprising a guideway at said mandrel loading station for receiving each carton blank and for guiding each blank into the mandrel, a pivotal gate in said guideway adapted to be opened for receiving the carton blank and to be pivoted to carton confining position when the carton is being moved onto a mandrel to retain the tubular carton blank in a squared position.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 12 and additionally comprising means for adjusting said magazine to handle carton blanks of different sizes, means for adjusting said unloading means longitudinally of said mandrels for accommodating cartons of different sizes, and means for overbending each carton blank as it is being moved between said magazine and said mandrel loading station.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said erecting means includes a plurality of suction gripping means for gripping large carton blanks and for carrying the carton blanks from said magazine to said Mandrel loading station before releasing the blanks at said station, and means for deactivating one of said suction means when handling cartons blanks of a smaller size.

Claim 16

In a carton forming and filling machine having a plurality of carton manipulating stations, a forming section for forming from thermoplastic blanks cartons having bottom closures and top closures and for sealing the bottom closures thereof comprising, a forming turret, a plurality of evenly angularly spaced mandrels on said turret projecting radially outward from the axis of rotation of said turret, adjustable means on each mandrel for handling cartons of different sizes, means for intermittently driving said turret for advancing said mandrels past said stations and for indexing said mandrels at each of said stations in turn, means at one station for placing an erected carton blank on each mandrel with its bottom closure outermost, means at a preforming station for engaging flaps of the bottom closure of each carton for folding said flaps inwardly, bottom heating means at a preliminary bottom heating station and at a final bottom heating station cooperating to heat certain thermoplastic portions of the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature while said bottom closure flaps are at said heating stations, bottom sealing means at a preliminary bottom sealing station and at a final bottom sealing station cooperating to squeeze the bottom closure flaps between said sealing means and said mandrels to seal the bottom closures, said final bottom heating station being angularly spaced from said preliminary bottom sealing station the same amount as the angular spacing between adjacent mandrels, means for folding the bottom closure flaps into sealing position prior to entering said preliminary sealing station, and means at said discharge station for discharging the cartons from said mandrels, said folding means being disposed between said final bottom heating station and said preliminary bottom sealing station and being effective to fold the bottom closure flaps of the cartons together while being moved between said final heating station and said preliminary bottom sealing station for minimizing heat loss from the bottom closure flaps.

Claim 17

In a carton forming and filling machine having a plurality of carton manipulating stations, a forming section for forming from thermoplastic blanks cartons having bottom closures and top closures and for sealing the bottom closures thereof comprising, a forming turret, a plurality of evenly angularly spaced mandrels on said turret projecting radially outward from the axis of rotation of said turret, adjustable means on each mandrel for handling cartons of different sizes, means for intermittently driving said turret for advancing said mandrels past said stations and for indexing said mandrels at each of said stations in turn, means at one station for placing an erected carton blank on each mandrel with its bottom closure outermost, means at a preforming station for engaging flaps of the bottom closure of each carton for folding said flaps inwardly, bottom heating means at a preliminary bottom heating station and at a final bottom heating station cooperating to heat certain thermoplastic portions of the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature while said bottom closure flaps are at said heating stations, bottom sealing means at a preliminary bottom sealing station and at a final bottom sealing station cooperating to squeeze the bottom closure flaps between said sealing means and said mandrels to seal the bottom closures, said final bottom heating station being angularly spaced from said preliminary bottom sealing station the same amount as the angular spacing between adjacent mandrels, means for folding the bottom closure flaps into sealing position prior to entering said preliminary sealing station, and means at said discharge station for discharging the cartons from said mandrels, said folding means being disposed between said final bottom heating station and said preliminary bottom sealing station and being effective to fold the bottom closure flaps of the cartons together while being moved between said final heating station and said preliminary bottom sealing station for minimizing heat loss from the bottom closure flaps.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said preforming means includes a pair of opposed rollers movable toward and away from the mandrel positioned at the preforming station for engaging and rolling along the outer surface of a pair of opposed bottom closure flaps to deflect said flaps inwardly without scratching the outer surface thereof, and means for resiliently urging said rollers toward each other and against the opposed bottom closure flaps.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bottom sealing means includes a main body and an associated pressplate, and resilient means connecting each plate to its associated body for applying equal sealing pressure to all bottom closures regardless of variation in the thickness of bottom closure walls, and for self-aligning each pressplate with the surface of the bottom closure being sealed.

Claim 20

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom former for bending the bottom closure flaps of a tubular carton blank inwardly, said bottom closure flaps including an opposed pair of scored flaps provided with V-shaped score lines to encourage inward bending of said flaps and an opposed pair of interconnecting flaps; comprising the combination of a plurality of mandrels, each mandrel supporting a tubular carton blank in a predetermined position with its bottom closure flaps projecting outwardly, carton stop means on each mandrel, a forming head mounting plate, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said plate, a roller journaled on one end of each of said arms in position to engage an associated one of the scored flaps, resilient means connected to said arms for urging the rollers toward each other, a pair of flap-engaging plows secured to said plate and having converging inner surfaces for engaging said inTerconnecting flaps, means for reciprocating said plate toward and away from said mandrel causing said rollers to engage and commence bending the scored flaps inwardly prior to said interconnecting flaps being bent inwardly by said plows, and means for adjusting said carton stop means longitudinally of said mandrels for accommodating cartons of different sizes.

Claim 21

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom former for bending the bottom closure flaps of a tubular carton blank inwardly, said bottom closure flaps including an opposed pair of scored flaps provided with V-shaped score lines to encourage inward bending of said flaps and an opposed pair of interconnecting flaps; comprising the combination of a plurality of mandrels, each mandrel supporting a tubular carton blank in a predetermined position with its bottom closure flaps projecting outwardly, carton stop means on each mandrel, a forming head mounting plate, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said plate, a roller journaled on one end of each of said arms in position to engage an associated one of the scored flaps, resilient means connected to said arms for urging the rollers toward each other, a pair of flap-engaging plows secured to said plate and having converging inner surfaces for engaging said inTerconnecting flaps, means for reciprocating said plate toward and away from said mandrel causing said rollers to engage and commence bending the scored flaps inwardly prior to said interconnecting flaps being bent inwardly by said plows, and means for adjusting said carton stop means longitudinally of said mandrels for accommodating cartons of different sizes.

Claim 22

In a carton forming and filling machine having a plurality of stations, a bottom heater for simultaneously heating the bottom closure flaps of a plurality of thermoplastic carton blanks; comprising means for supporting a plurality of carton blanks at said bottom heating stations with their bottom closure flaps projecting outwardly; drive means for intermittently driving said carton supporting means for indexing the carton blanks at the heating stations for a predetermined interval and for thereafter moving the carton blanks away from said stations; a plurality of heating heads; each head being in alignment with a carton supporting means and being movable toward or away from the associated carton supporting means in timed relation with the movement of the carton blank supporting means; means for directing heat to said heads for heating the themoplastic material on the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature; and means for diverting a portion of the heat away from each of said heads in the event said drive means is deactivated and the carton blanks remain in said associated heating station for an interval in excess of said predetermined interval; said means for directing heat to said head including an air distribution manifold, means for directing a volume of sterile air into said manifold in excess of that required for heating the bottom closure flaps of the carton blanks to a bonding temperature, a plurality of open-ended heater housings connected between said distribution manifold and an upper valve housing, a heating element in each heater housing, a plurality of vent valves in said distribution manifold with each vent valve being associated with one of said heater housings, means for separately adjusting each vent valve to vent a certain portion of the air entering said distribution manifold so as to control the volume of air and accordingly the temperature of air flowing past the heating elements to that which will heat the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature, a lower valve housing having ports in its upper wall, a pivotal valve disc disposed between said upper valve housing and said lower valve housing and having a plurality of ports therein, said upper valve housing having a plurality of distribution ports in its lower wall in alignment with the ports in said lower valve housing and having vent ports for venting air to the atmosphere, means for directing the hot air in said lower valve housing to and through said heating heads for heating certain portions of the thermoplastic material on the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature, power means for normally holding said pivotal valve in position wherein certain ports therein register with the aligned ports in said upper housing and in said lower housing to direct all the hot air into said heating heads, said power means adapted to shift said pivotal valve to a position wherein said vent ports are open and said aligned ports are partially closed in the event said drive means is deactivated and the carton blanks remain in said associated heating stations for an interval in excess of said predetermined interval.

Claim 23

In a carton forming and filling machine having a plurality of stations, a bottom heater for simultaneously heating the bottom closure flaps of a plurality of thermoplastic carton blanks; comprising means for supporting a plurality of carton blanks at said bottom heating stations with their bottom closure flaps projecting outwardly; drive means for intermittently driving said carton supporting means for indexing the carton blanks at the heating stations for a predetermined interval and for thereafter moving the carton blanks away from said stations; a plurality of heating heads; each head being in alignment with a carton supporting means and being movable toward or away from the associated carton supporting means in timed relation with the movement of the carton blank supporting means; means for directing heat to said heads for heating the themoplastic material on the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature; and means for diverting a portion of the heat away from each of said heads in the event said drive means is deactivated and the carton blanks remain in said associated heating station for an interval in excess of said predetermined interval; said means for directing heat to said head including an air distribution manifold, means for directing a volume of sterile air into said manifold in excess of that required for heating the bottom closure flaps of the carton blanks to a bonding temperature, a plurality of open-ended heater housings connected between said distribution manifold and an upper valve housing, a heating element in each heater housing, a plurality of vent valves in said distribution manifold with each vent valve being associated with one of said heater housings, means for separately adjusting each vent valve to vent a certain portion of the air entering said distribution manifold so as to control the volume of air and accordingly the temperature of air flowing past the heating elements to that which will heat the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature, a lower valve housing having ports in its upper wall, a pivotal valve disc disposed between said upper valve housing and said lower valve housing and having a plurality of ports therein, said upper valve housing having a plurality of distribution ports in its lower wall in alignment with the ports in said lower valve housing and having vent ports for venting air to the atmosphere, means for directing the hot air in said lower valve housing to and through said heating heads for heating certain portions of the thermoplastic material on the bottom closure flaps to a bonding temperature, power means for normally holding said pivotal valve in position wherein certain ports therein register with the aligned ports in said upper housing and in said lower housing to direct all the hot air into said heating heads, said power means adapted to shift said pivotal valve to a position wherein said vent ports are open and said aligned ports are partially closed in the event said drive means is deactivated and the carton blanks remain in said associated heating stations for an interval in excess of said predetermined interval.

Claim 24

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of means for supporting a carton blank with its bottom closure flaps folded in sealing position and for resisting sealing pressure applied to the flaps, a sealing head support bracket, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from said carton supporting means, a sealing Head, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket for movement with said bracket against the folded bottom closure flaps, and prestressed resilient means disposed between said bracket and said head for yielding after said head has been moved into sealing engagement with the bottom closure flaps so as to apply equal sealing pressure to the bottom closure flaps regardless of slight variations in thickness.

Claim 25

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of means for supporting a carton blank with its bottom closure flaps folded in sealing position and for resisting sealing pressure applied to the flaps, a sealing head support bracket, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from said carton supporting means, a sealing Head, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket for movement with said bracket against the folded bottom closure flaps, and prestressed resilient means disposed between said bracket and said head for yielding after said head has been moved into sealing engagement with the bottom closure flaps so as to apply equal sealing pressure to the bottom closure flaps regardless of slight variations in thickness.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said slidable connecting means also mounts said head for self-aligning movement relative to said bracket about axes normal to each other, and wherein said prestressed resilient means accommodates self-aligning movement of said head relative to the bottom closure flaps.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said slidable connecting means includes a plurality of bolts loosely received in said head and secured to said bracket for slidably connecting said head to said bracket and to permit self-aligning movement of said head relative to said bracket, and a plurality of compression springs with one spring being received around an associated one of said bolts and between said head and said bracket, said springs being prestressed to provide a predetermined sealing force and to permit self-alignment of said head relative to the bottom closure flaps.

Claim 28

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of means for supporting a carton blank with its bottom closure flaps folded in sealing position and for resisting sealing pressure applied to the flaps, a sealing head support bracket, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from said carton supporting means, a sealing head, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket for movement with said bracket against the folded bottom closure flaps, prestressed resilient means disposed between said bracket and said head for yielding after said head has been moved into sealing engagement with the bottom closure flaps so as to apply equal sealing pressure to the bottom closure flaps regardless of slight variation in thickness, said slidable connecting means also mounting said head for self-aligning movement relative to said bracket, said prestressed resilient means accommodating self-aligning movement of said head relative to the bottom closure flaps, a sealing head actuating body mounted for pivotal movement about an axis through a predetermined arcuate range, a stabilizing arm secured to said bracket and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a link pivotally connected between said arm and said sealing head actuating body for maintaining said sealing head substantially parallel to said folded bottom closure flaps, a crank having one end pivoted about a fixed axis, means pivotally connecting said bracket to the other end of said crank, an actuating lever secured to and projecting outwardly from said actuating body, a toggle linkage, a first pivot pin pivotally connecting one end of said toggle linkage to said crank intermediate the ends thereof, a second pin pivotally connecting the other end of said toggle linkage to said actuating lever, and means for pivoting said actuating body through a predetermined arcuate range wherein said first pivot pin, said second pivot pin and the axis of said actuating body lie in a common plane when sealing pressure is being applied against carton flaps thereby reducing the torque applied to said body to a minimum when applying the requisite sealing pressure to the flaps.

Claim 29

In a carton forming and filling machine, a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of means for supporting a carton blank with its bottom closure flaps folded in sealing position and for resisting sealing pressure applied to the flaps, a sealing head support bracket, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from said carton supporting means, a sealing head, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket for movement with said bracket against the folded bottom closure flaps, prestressed resilient means disposed between said bracket and said head for yielding after said head has been moved into sealing engagement with the bottom closure flaps so as to apply equal sealing pressure to the bottom closure flaps regardless of slight variation in thickness, said slidable connecting means also mounting said head for self-aligning movement relative to said bracket, said prestressed resilient means accommodating self-aligning movement of said head relative to the bottom closure flaps, a sealing head actuating body mounted for pivotal movement about an axis through a predetermined arcuate range, a stabilizing arm secured to said bracket and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a link pivotally connected between said arm and said sealing head actuating body for maintaining said sealing head substantially parallel to said folded bottom closure flaps, a crank having one end pivoted about a fixed axis, means pivotally connecting said bracket to the other end of said crank, an actuating lever secured to and projecting outwardly from said actuating body, a toggle linkage, a first pivot pin pivotally connecting one end of said toggle linkage to said crank intermediate the ends thereof, a second pin pivotally connecting the other end of said toggle linkage to said actuating lever, and means for pivoting said actuating body through a predetermined arcuate range wherein said first pivot pin, said second pivot pin and the axis of said actuating body lie in a common plane when sealing pressure is being applied against carton flaps thereby reducing the torque applied to said body to a minimum when applying the requisite sealing pressure to the flaps.

Claim 30

In a carton forming and filling machine a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of an intermittently driven turret, a mandrel on said turret movable by said turret between a preliminary sealing station and a final sealing station, said mandrel having a thermoplastic carton blank thereon with its bottom closure flaps heated to a bonding temperature and folded in sealing position, a preliminary sealing head support bracket at said preliminary sealing station, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from the mandrel indexed at said preliminary station, a sealing head having a flat unobstructed sealing plate thereon in position to engage the carton flaps, said sealing plate having a groove therein to accommodate overlapping portions of flaps being sealed together, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket, prestressed resilient means disposed between said head and said bracket, a final sealing head support bracket at said final sealing station, means for moving said final support bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from the mandrel indexed at said final station, a final sealing head having an embossed sealing plate thereon in position to engage the carton flaps, means for slidably connecting said final sealing head to said final sealing bracket, prestressed resilient means disposed between said final sealing head and said final sealing bracket, and means for intermittently driving said turret in timed relation with the movement of said heads so as to apply a substantially equal sealing force to all areas of the bottom closure flaps when the mandrel is at said preliminary sealing station and to apply localized sealing forces at specific areas of the bottom closure flaps when the mandrel is indexed at the final heating station.

Claim 31

In a carton forming and filling machine a bottom sealer for sealing the bottom closure flaps of a thermoplastic carton which flaps are heated to a bonding temperature and are folded into sealing position, the combination of an intermittently driven turret, a mandrel on said turret movable by said turret between a preliminary sealing station and a final sealing station, said mandrel having a thermoplastic carton blank thereon with its bottom closure flaps heated to a bonding temperature and folded in sealing position, a preliminary sealing head support bracket at said preliminary sealing station, means for moving said bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from the mandrel indexed at said preliminary station, a sealing head having a flat unobstructed sealing plate thereon in position to engage the carton flaps, said sealing plate having a groove therein to accommodate overlapping portions of flaps being sealed together, means slidably connecting said sealing head to said bracket, prestressed resilient means disposed between said head and said bracket, a final sealing head support bracket at said final sealing station, means for moving said final support bracket through a predetermined range toward and away from the mandrel indexed at said final station, a final sealing head having an embossed sealing plate thereon in position to engage the carton flaps, means for slidably connecting said final sealing head to said final sealing bracket, prestressed resilient means disposed between said final sealing head and said final sealing bracket, and means for intermittently driving said turret in timed relation with the movement of said heads so as to apply a substantially equal sealing force to all areas of the bottom closure flaps when the mandrel is at said preliminary sealing station and to apply localized sealing forces at specific areas of the bottom closure flaps when the mandrel is indexed at the final heating station.