Box blank folder

Claim 2

A machine for folding paperboard box blanks as the blanks are moved in a plane along a predetermined path, comprising a conveying means, means for moving end panels of the blank on the conveyor means out of the said plane so that they overlie adjacent panels and are adjoined to each other, said means including a contact member extending generally parallel to said path and adapted to engage the blank end panel and fold it out of said plane, separate positioning means at spaced points along the path and coupled to spaced portions of said member for positioning said portions substantially equal distances from a fold line on the blank, means for simultaneously shifting said contact member transversely of said path in synchronism with transverse movement of the conveyor means.

Claim 3

A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the positioning means is connected to a side plate for movement therewith, and the conveyor means being connected to the side plate for transverse movement therewith.

Claim 4

A machine for folding paperboard box blanks comprising a pair of movable conveying means for supporting box blanks as the blanks are moved in a plane along a predetermined path, means for moving end panels of the blanks supported by said conveying means out of the said plane so that they may overlie adjacent panels and be joined to each other, said last-mentioned means including a pair of contact members extending generally parallel to said path, each contact member being adapted to engage one blank end panel and fold it out of said plane and through an arc of approximately 180*, a pair of side plates one on each side of the conveyor means, means coupling each conveyor means to one of the side plates adjacent thereto for movement as a unit in a direction transverse to said path, means coupling each contact member to a side plate on the opposite side of the machine so that transverse movement of each side plate will result in a proportional transverse movement of the contact member on the opposite side of the machine and in an opposite direction, and motor means connected to each side plate for moving the side plates transversely of said path.

Claim 5

A machine for folding paperboard box blanks comprising a pair of movable conveying means for supporting box blanks as the blanks are moved in a plane along a predetermined path, means for moving end panels of the blanks supported by said conveying means out of the said plane so that they may overlie adjacent panels and be joined to each other, said last-mentioned means including a pair of contact members extending generally parallel to said path, each contact member being adapted to engage one blank end panel and fold it out of said plane and through an arc of approximately 180*, a pair of side plates one on each side of the conveyor means, means coupling each conveyor means to one of the side plates adjacent thereto for movement as a unit in a direction transverse to said path, means coupling each contact member to a side plate on the opposite side of the machine so that transverse movement of each side plate will result in a proportional transverse movement of the contact member on the opposite side of the machine and in an opposite direction, and motor means connected to each side plate for moving the side plates transversely of said path.

Claim 6

A machine in accordance with claim 3 including a transversely movable carriage coupled to each side plate and the conveyor means associated therewith, each carriage being supported for movement toward and away from each other.

Claim 7

A machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a motor connected to a side plate by a pair of transverse shafts, and a shaft coupled to one of said transverse shafts and to one of said positioning means.

Claim 8

A machine in accordance with claim 3 including a plurality of positioning mechanisms coupled to each contact member at spaced locations therealong, said motor means including a separate motor for each side plate, a shaft coupled to each mechanism associated with respective ones of said members, and means connecting each shaft to a separate one of said motors.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 7 including positioning a folding edge on the conveyors below and opposite one of the fold lines on the box blank.

Claim 12

A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said engaging of panels by said contact members is accomplished in a manner so that one member has line contact at a location spaced from the adjacent fold line by a distance substantially less than the corresponding distance between the line contact of the other contact member and its adjacent fold line.