Dauber-type adhesive applicator for folding box machines

Claim 1

In a device for forming a glued folding box from a flat blank, the device comprising a folding die open at both ends; a blank transport device including a carriage, a collapsible suction cup mounted on said carriage, and vacuum duct means for applying vacuum to, and relieving vacuum at, said cup, the mouth of said suction cup being in retracted position when said cup is collapsed under vacuum and being in an extended position when vacuum is relieved, and actuating means for moving said carriage in a direction substantially normal to the plane of a blank held by said suction cup, as the carriage approaches the die during its terminal portion of the delivery motion; a plunger for moving through the die a blank deposited at the entrance of the die; and an adhesive dauber for applying a spot of adhesive to the blank at the mouth of the die, the dauber comprising a reservoir of liquid adhesive, an applicator submersible below and raisable above the liquid level in said reservoir sufficiently high, in raised position, to apply a spot of adhesive to the undersurface of the blank, and means for submerging and raising, respectively, said applicator in timed relationship with said transport device, the improvement consisting in the provision of a counter element mounted on, and movable with, said carriage for bearing against, and engaging, the top surface of the blank during the period of adhesive application to the bottom surface of the blank, the blank engaging portion of the counter element being positioned substantially in the plane of the mouth of the suction cup in extended condition and being in advance of the mouth, considering the cup in collapsed condition, said engaging portion being in a position laterally offset with respect to said applicator, so as to cause the blank to flex when contacted by the applicator in its raised position.

Claim 4

A device for forming a glued folding box from a flat blank comprising wall panels and flaps articulated to certain wall panels, the device comprising, in combination, a folding die open at both ends; a blank transport device comprising a carrier, a suction cup on said carrier in a position to grasp at least one of such blank panels, and operating means for reciprocating said carrier between a blank pickup station at which said cup grasps the blank and a deposit station at the entrance of the die, toward which entrance said operating means moves said carrier and blank by a motion substantially normal to the plane of a blank held by said cup, a plunger movable in timed relationship to said transport device for moving through the die a blank deposited at the die; a reservoir for liquid adhesive adjacent the die, an applicator submersible below the level of adhesive in said reservoir and raisable above the liquid level to contact, and daub at the deposit station, a quantity of adhesive to the undersurface of a flap of the blank articulated to said cup-held panel; means for raising and lowering said applicator in timed relationship with said transport device, and a counter element mounted on said carrier in a position laterally spaced with respect to said applicator, said counter element comprising a blank engaging portion positioned substantially in the plane of the mouth of the suction cup, considering said mouth in the condition of a blank being sucked thereagainst, said counter element bearing down on the upper surface of said flap during the period the applicatOr contacts the lower surface of said flap and at a point sufficiently far from the line of articulation of the flap to cause said flap to flex at the point of engagement by said applicator.

Claim 5

A device for forming a glued folding box from a flat blank comprising wall panels and flaps articulated to certain wall panels, the device comprising, in combination, a folding die open at both ends; a blank transport device comprising a carrier, a suction cup on said carrier in a position to grasp at least one of such blank panels, and operating means for reciprocating said carrier between a blank pickup station at which said cup grasps the blank and a deposit station at the entrance of the die, toward which entrance said operating means moves said carrier and blank by a motion substantially normal to the plane of a blank held by said cup, a plunger movable in timed relationship to said transport device for moving through the die a blank deposited at the die; a reservoir for liquid adhesive adjacent the die, an applicator submersible below the level of adhesive in said reservoir and raisable above the liquid level to contact, and daub at the deposit station, a quantity of adhesive to the undersurface of a flap of the blank articulated to said cup-held panel; means for raising and lowering said applicator in timed relationship with said transport device, and a counter element mounted on said carrier in a position laterally spaced with respect to said applicator, said counter element comprising a blank engaging portion positioned substantially in the plane of the mouth of the suction cup, considering said mouth in the condition of a blank being sucked thereagainst, said counter element bearing down on the upper surface of said flap during the period the applicatOr contacts the lower surface of said flap and at a point sufficiently far from the line of articulation of the flap to cause said flap to flex at the point of engagement by said applicator.