Process and apparatus for manufacturing a box completely filled with a stack of articles

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of folding inwardly the end flaps of the side panels of the blank during the tilting step.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, and comprising the further step of applying glue to the end flaps of the top and bottom panels of the box blank during movement of the stack and the partly folded blank in the horizontal direction.

Claim 5

A machine for folding about a stack of articles a flat box blank slotted and scored to have bottom, side and top panels all with end flaps, comprising a first tiltable platform, means for pivoting said platform between horizontal and vertical positions, article feed means operative to deliver a stack of superimposed articles to said first tiltable platform when in its horizontal position, a second tiltable slotted platform pivotal about the same axis as the first tiltable platform between vertical and horizontal position, the relationship between the two platforms providing that the first platform when horizontal is edge-on to the second platform with the latter vertical, means for driving said platforms for them to pivot rearwardly in unison when the first platform is tilted from its horizontal to its vertical position but for the first platform to return to its horizontal position in advance of pivoting of the second platform upwardly to its vertical position, feed means for delivering a flat box blank to the second tiltable platform when said platform is in its horizontal position and prior to its upward pivoting towards the horizontal first platform to present a flat box blank in a vertical plane to a lateral face of a stack of articles on the first platform, and folding members located in the rearward pivotal path of the two platforms, in register with slots in the second platform, for erecting side panels of the box blank about the stack during the rearward pivotal movement of the two platforms.

Claim 6

A machine for folding about a stack of articles a flat box blank slotted and scored to have bottom, side and top panels all with end flaps, comprising a first tiltable platform, means for pivoting said platform between horizontal and vertical positions, article feed means operative to deliver a stack of superimposed articles to said first tiltable platform when in its horizontal position, a second tiltable slotted platform pivotal about the same axis as the first tiltable platform between vertical and horizontal position, the relationship between the two platforms providing that the first platform when horizontal is edge-on to the second platform with the latter vertical, means for driving said platforms for them to pivot rearwardly in unison when the first platform is tilted from its horizontal to its vertical position but for the first platform to return to its horizontal position in advance of pivoting of the second platform upwardly to its vertical position, feed means for delivering a flat box blank to the second tiltable platform when said platform is in its horizontal position and prior to its upward pivoting towards the horizontal first platform to present a flat box blank in a vertical plane to a lateral face of a stack of articles on the first platform, and folding members located in the rearward pivotal path of the two platforms, in register with slots in the second platform, for erecting side panels of the box blank about the stack during the rearward pivotal movement of the two platforms.

Claim 7

A machine according to claim 4, wherein the folding members consist of two parallel arms which are pivotal together about a first horizontal axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the platforms, and which are also pivotal towards and away from each other, each about an axis perpendicular to the first axis, means being provided for driving the arms to perform upward and inward pivotal movements simultaneously during the downward pivoting of the two platforms.

Claim 8

A machine according to claim 5, wherein folding elements are carried by the folding arms, and are located to engage and fold in end flaps of the side panels of the box blank as the folding arms pivot towards each other.

Claim 9

A machine according to claim 6, and further comprising a conveyor member, means for driving said conveyor member in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the tilting plane of the tiltable platforms, said conveyor member operating to advance the partly formed box and the stack along a horizontal path, and folding members disposed alongside said path for folding about the stack the top panel and the end flaps of the blank.