Apparatus for erecting and forming initially collapsed cartons into containers

Claim 2

Case forming apparatus for erecting a collapsed case having a shell including closure flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the panels of said shell, comprising: a. conveyor means for advancing such collapsed case horizontally with the closure flaps of said case extending laterally of said conveyor means; b. deflector means, including a member movable in a direction substantially normal to the plane of said flaps, disposed along said conveyor means, and adapted to engage an upper flap of said advancing case and deflect it relative to an adjacent upper flap thereby moving a lateral edge of said upper flap away from the adjacent lateral edge of said adjacent upper flap to expose said adjacent lateral edge, said movable member being operative to subsequently disengage from said case; c. pivotally movable hook means swingable upwardly and forwardly, disposed along said conveyor means, for engaging said exposed lateral edge and raising said shell to a fully erected tubular state; d. means for disengaging said hook means from said shell when said shell is raised to a fully erected tubular state; e. stop wall means at the end of said conveyor means for abuttingly receiving said fully erected shell from said conveyor means; and f. clamp means on said stop wall means for engaging said fully erEcted shell and holding said shell fully erected adjacent said stop wall means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pivotally movable hook means is operatively responsive to movement of said advancing case.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pivotally movable hook means is operatively responsive to included mechanical means.

Claim 5

Case forming apparatus for erecting a collapsed case having a panel body shell including overlaying upper and lower closure flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the panels of said shell, comprising: a. conveyor means, including track means for slidably supporting said collapsed case, for advancing said collapsed case horizontally along said track means with the closure flaps of said case extending laterally of said track means; b. deflector means, disposed fixed along said track means, including a movable finger for slidably engaging the upper leading flap of said advancing case and depressing it relative to the adjacent upper trailing flap thereby moving the interior lateral edge of said upper leading flap away from the adjacent interior lateral edge of said adjacent upper trailing flap to expose said adjacent interior lateral edge and form a V-shaped opening between said separated edges, said finger subsequently entering said opening between said separate flaps and slidably engaging the upper faces of the lower of said separated flaps to hold a lower portion of said case against said track means as said case advances; c. pivotal arm means swingable upwardly and forwardly and having a hook at the end thereof for engaging said exposed lateral edge and raising said shell to a fully erected tubular state, said pivotal arm being disposed above said upper flaps and movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said upper flaps and substantially at right angle to said interior lateral edges; d. means for disengaging said pivotal arm means from said shell when said shell is fully erected; e. stop wall means at the end of said track means for abuttingly receiving said fully erected shell from said conveyor means; and f. clamp means on said stop wall means for engaging said fully erected shell for releasably holding said shell fully erected adjacent said stop wall means.

Claim 6

Case forming apparatus for erecting a collapsed case having a panel body shell including overlaying upper and lower closure flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the panels of said shell, comprising: a. conveyor means, including track means for slidably supporting said collapsed case, for advancing said collapsed case horizontally along said track means with the closure flaps of said case extending laterally of said track means; b. deflector means, disposed fixed along said track means, including a movable finger for slidably engaging the upper leading flap of said advancing case and depressing it relative to the adjacent upper trailing flap thereby moving the interior lateral edge of said upper leading flap away from the adjacent interior lateral edge of said adjacent upper trailing flap to expose said adjacent interior lateral edge and form a V-shaped opening between said separated edges, said finger subsequently entering said opening between said separate flaps and slidably engaging the upper faces of the lower of said separated flaps to hold a lower portion of said case against said track means as said case advances; c. pivotal arm means swingable upwardly and forwardly and having a hook at the end thereof for engaging said exposed lateral edge and raising said shell to a fully erected tubular state, said pivotal arm being disposed above said upper flaps and movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said upper flaps and substantially at right angle to said interior lateral edges; d. means for disengaging said pivotal arm means from said shell when said shell is fully erected; e. stop wall means at the end of said track means for abuttingly receiving said fully erected shell from said conveyor means; and f. clamp means on said stop wall means for engaging said fully erected shell for releasably holding said shell fully erected adjacent said stop wall means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pivotal arm means is operatively responsive to the movement of said advancing case.

Claim 8

Case forming apparatus for erecting a collapsed case having a panel body shell including overlaying upper and lower closure flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the panels of said shell, comprising: a. conveyor means, including track means for slidably supporting said collapsed case, for advancing said collapsed case horizontally along said track means with the closure flaps of said case extending laterally of said track means; b. deflector means, disposed fixed along said track means, including a movable finger for slidably engaging the upper leading flap of said advancing case and depressing it relative to the adjacent upper trailing flap thereby moving the interior lateral edge of said upper leading flap away from the adjacent interior lateral edge of said adjacent upper trailing flap to expose said adjacent interior lateral edge and form a V-shaped opening between said separated edges, said finger subsequently entering said opening between said separated flaps and slidably engaging the upper faces of the lower of said separated flaps to hold a lower portion of said case against said track means as said case advances; c. pivotal arm means swingable upwardly and forwardly and having a hook at the end thereof for engaging said exposed lateral edge and raising said shell to a fully erected tubular state, said pivotal arm being disposed above said upper flaps and movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said upper flaps and substantially at right angle to said interior lateral edges; d. means for disengaging said pivotal arm means from said shell when said shEll is fully erected; e. stop wall means at the end of said track means for abuttingly receiving said fully erected shell from said conveyor means; f. clamp means on said stop wall means for engaging said fully erected shell for releasably holding said shell fully erected adjacent said stop wall means; g. flap fold means, on said stop wall means, having a movable arm operative to engage the uppermost flap on one end of said fully erected and held shell and move it to a closed position relative to said one end and to releasably hold said flap in said closed position; h. pivotal uprighter means, at said stop wall means, operative laterally of said track means and pivotal from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position adjacent said folded upper closed flap, said pivotal uprighter means being operable to engage the lowermost flap on said one end and move it to a closed position relative to said one end responsive to the upward movement of said uprighter means; i. grab means on said uprighter means operative to releasably grasp said fully erected shell when said uprighter means is swung adjacent said uppermost closed flap; j. second conveyor means disposed to receive said grasped shell, in an upright position, from said uprighter means when said uprighter means swings down to its substantially horizontal position; and k. bar means fixedly disposed in the path of the remaining closure flaps on said one end and responsive to the movement of said shell on said conveyor to move said remaining flaps into a closed position relative to said one end.

Claim 9

Case forming apparatus for erecting a collapsed case having a panel body shell including overlaying upper and lower closure flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the panels of said shell, comprising: a. conveyor means, including track means for slidably supporting said collapsed case, for advancing said collapsed case horizontally along said track means with the closure flaps of said case extending laterally of said track means; b. deflector means, disposed fixed along said track means, including a movable finger for slidably engaging the upper leading flap of said advancing case and depressing it relative to the adjacent upper trailing flap thereby moving the interior lateral edge of said upper leading flap away from the adjacent interior lateral edge of said adjacent upper trailing flap to expose said adjacent interior lateral edge and form a V-shaped opening between said separated edges, said finger subsequently entering said opening between said separated flaps and slidably engaging the upper faces of the lower of said separated flaps to hold a lower portion of said case against said track means as said case advances; c. pivotal arm means swingable upwardly and forwardly and having a hook at the end thereof for engaging said exposed lateral edge and raising said shell to a fully erected tubular state, said pivotal arm being disposed above said upper flaps and movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said upper flaps and substantially at right angle to said interior lateral edges; d. means for disengaging said pivotal arm means from said shell when said shEll is fully erected; e. stop wall means at the end of said track means for abuttingly receiving said fully erected shell from said conveyor means; f. clamp means on said stop wall means for engaging said fully erected shell for releasably holding said shell fully erected adjacent said stop wall means; g. flap fold means, on said stop wall means, having a movable arm operative to engage the uppermost flap on one end of said fully erected and held shell and move it to a closed position relative to said one end and to releasably hold said flap in said closed position; h. pivotal uprighter means, at said stop wall means, operative laterally of said track means and pivotal from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position adjacent said folded upper closed flap, said pivotal uprighter means being operable to engage the lowermost flap on said one end and move it to a closed position relative to said one end responsive to the upward movement of said uprighter means; i. grab means on said uprighter means operative to releasably grasp said fully erected shell when said uprighter means is swung adjacent said uppermost closed flap; j. second conveyor means disposed to receive said grasped shell, in an upright position, from said uprighter means when said uprighter means swings down to its substantially horizontal position; and k. bar means fixedly disposed in the path of the remaining closure flaps on said one end and responsive to the movement of said shell on said conveyor to move said remaining flaps into a closed position relative to said one end.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pivotal arm is operatively driven by included mechanical means.