Machine for creating divider structures such as are used as internal partitions within a box

Claim 2

A machine for creating a divider structure in which a group of first slotted partition strips is interlocked with a group of second slotted partition strips by portions of the strips fitting within slots in other of the strips, which machine comprises: transfer means for individually receiving the first strips at a first location, for holding the first strips received by it separate from one another and for conveying the first strips held by it to a second location where the first strips are held by it separate and parallel to one another and where periodically a group of the first strips can be simultaneously removed from it, advancing means for periodically receiving a group of first strips from the transfer means and for advancing each group of first strips received by it away from the transfer means while holding the strips in such group parallel to and spaced from one another in positions in which the slots in the first strips in such group are in aligned rows, a portion of said advancing means being located adjacent to said second location, and inserting means located above another portion of the advancing means for inserting a second strip into each of said rows in each such group of first strips advanced by said advancing means so that the slots in each inserted second strip fits over a portion of each of the first strips in such group and so that each inserted second strip extends through a row of slots in the first strips in each of such group.

Claim 3

A machine as claimed in claim 1 including: supply means for creating individual of the first partition strips from a substantially continuous length of material and for supplying individual of the first strips to the transfer means at the first location as the individual of said strips are created, the supply means being located adjacent to said first location of said transfer means.

Claim 4

A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the supply means includes, means for propelling the continuous length towards the transfer means, means for slotting the length as it is propelled so as to create the slots in the first partition strips, and means for severing the length into individual of said first strips as the extremity of the length is received by the transfer means.

Claim 5

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the transfer means includes, a plurality of holders, each of said holders being capable of holding a first partition strip supplied to the transfer means, and means for progressing the holders in an endless path between the first and second locations.

Claim 6

A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein: each of the holders is capable of resiliently holding a first partition strip.

Claim 7

A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein: the means for progressing comprises endless belt means and wherein, said holders are supported by the belt means so as to extend parallel to one another and are spaced from one another.

Claim 8

A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein: the transfer means also includes, intermittent drive means for intermittently driving the means for progressing so that each of the holders is held at the first location and so that a series of the holders is held at the second location at periodic intervals during the operation of the transfer means.

Claim 9

A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein: each of the holders is capable of resiliently holding a first partition strip, the means for progressing comprises endless belt means and wherein, said holders are supported by the belt means so as to extend parallel to one another and are spaced from one another, the transfer means also includes, intermittent drive means for iNtermittently driving the means for progressing so that each of the holders is held at the first location and so that a series of the holders is held at the second location at periodic intervals during the operation of the transfer means.

Claim 10

A machine as claimed in claim 1 including: moving means for simultaneously moving a group of the first strips from the transfer means at the second location and for conveying all of the removed strips together to the advancing means.

Claim 11

A machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein: the moving means includes, engaging rollers mounted so as to be capable of being moved so as to engage the first strips of a group held at the second location of the transfer means, and means for rotating said engaging rollers so as to cause the engaging rollers to propel the first strips engaged by them from the transfer means to the advancing means.

Claim 12

A machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein: the moving means also includes, conveying rollers for assisting strips removed from the second location of the transfer means by the engaging rollers towards the advancing means, and guide means for deflecting strips passing between said engaging rollers and the conveying rollers towards the advancing means.

Claim 13

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the advancing means includes, a separate track means for each of the strips of a group of strips to be received by the advancing means, a push bar for engaging and pushing each group of first strips received by the advancing means along the length of the tracking means, and propelling means for advancing the push bar along the track means.

Claim 14

A machine as claimed in claim 12 wherein: the propelling means comprises, chain drive means for pushing a plurality of the push bars along a part of the length of the advancing means, and indexing bar means for pushing the push bars intermittently along the remainder of the length of said advancing means adjacent to said inserting means.

Claim 15

A machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein: the indexing bar means comprises, reciprocal rods ratchet means on the rods for periodically advancing a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means, and holding means for engaging a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means during one direction of reciprocation of the rods.

Claim 16

A machine as claimed in claim 1 including: providing means for creating individual of the second partition strips from a substantially continuous length of material and for providing individual of the second strips to the inserting means as the individual of said second strips are created, the providing means being located adjacent to said inserting means.

Claim 17

A machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein: the providing means includes, other means for propelling the continuous length of material towards the transfer means, other means for slotting the continuous length as it is propelled so as to create the slots in the second partition strip, and other means for severing the length into individual of the second strips as the extremity of the length is received by the inserting means and is inserted into a row of slots in a group of the first strips.

Claim 18

A machine as claimed in claim 1 including: supply means for creating individual of the first partition strips from a substantially continuous length of material and for supplying individual of the first strips to the transfer means at the first location as the individual of said strips are created, the supply means being located adjacent to said first location of said transfer means, providing means for creating individual of the second partition strips from a substantially continuous length of material and for providing individual of the second strips to the inserting means as the individual of said second strips are created, the providing means being located adjacent to said inserting means, and wherein: the traNsfer means includes, a plurality of holders, each of said holders being capable of holding a first partition strip supplied to the transfer means, and means for progressing the holders in an endless path between the first and second locations, moving means for simultaneously moving a group of the first strips from the transfer means at the second location and for conveying all of the removed strips together to the advancing means, the advancing means includes, a separate track means for each of the strips of a group of strips to be received by the advancing means, a push bar for engaging and pushing each group of first strips received by the advancing means along the length of the track means, and propelling means for advancing the push bar along the track means.

Claim 19

A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein: both said supply means and said providing means each include, means for propelling a continuous length, means for slotting the length propelled by it so as to create the slots in said partition strips and means for severing the length propelled by it into individual partition strips, the means for propelling of the supply means serving to propel the length thereby towards the transfer means, the means for propelling of the providing means serving to propel the length propelled thereby towards the inserting means and a group of first strips held by the advancing means, the means for severing of the supply means serving to sever the extremity of the length propelled by the supply means as this extremity of the length is received by the transfer means, the means for severing of the providing means serving to sever the extremity of the length propelled by the providing means as this extremity is inserted into a row of slots in a group of the first strips.

Claim 20

A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein: each of the holders is capable of resiliently holding a first partition strip, the indexing bar means comprises, reciprocal rods ratchet means on the rods for periodically advancing a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means, and holding means for engaging a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means during one direction of reciprocation of the rods.

Claim 21

A machine as claimed in claim 17 including: the means for progressing comprises endless belt means and wherein, said holders are supported by the belt means so as to extend parallel to one another and are spaced from one another, the transfer means also includes, intermittent drive means for intermittently driving the means for progressing so that each of the holders is held at the first location and so that a series of the holders is held at the second location at periodic intervals during the operation of the transfer means, the moving means includes, engaging rollers mounted so as to be capable of being moved so as to engage the first strips of a group held at the second location of the transfer means, and means for rotating said engaging rollers so as to cause the engaging rollers to propel the first strips engaged by them from the transfer means to the advancing means, the moving means also includes, conveying rollers for assisting strips removed from the second location of the transfer means by the engaging rollers towards the advancing means, and guide means for deflecting strips passing between said engaging rollers and the conveying rollers towards the advancing means, the propelling means comprises, chain drive means for pushing a plurality of the push bars along a part of the length of the advancing means, and indexing bar means for pushing the push bars intermittently along the remainder of the length of said advancing means adjacent to said inserting means, moving means for moving a plurality of articles held by a series of said holder means at said second location.

Claim 22

A machine as claimed in claim 20 wherein: said moVing means include a plurality of rotating rollers, said rollers being mounted adjacent to said second location so as to be movable towards and away from articles in said holder means at said second location, and means for moving said rollers so that they contact articles held by said holder means at said second location in order to move such articles out of engagement with the holder means holding them.

Claim 23

In a machine for creating a divider structure in which a group of first slotted partition strips is interlocked with a group of second slotted partition strips by portions of the strips fitting within slots in the other of said strips, said machine having a transfer means, the improvement which comprises: said transfer means including: a plurality of holders each of said holders being capable of holding a first partition strip supplied to the transfer means, endless belt means for progressing said holders in an endless path between a first location where individual of said holders are capable of receiving individual first partition strips to a second location where the strips received by successive of said holders are held separate and parallel to one another, intermittent drive means for intermittently driving said belt means so that at periodic intervals each of said holders is held at said first location and a series of said holders is held at said second location, and roller moving means for simultaneously engaging and conveying a group of said strips together from said holder at said second location and for conveying all of the removed strips together to another part of said machine, said moving means being spaced from said belt means and said holders.

Claim 24

In a machine for creating a divider structure in which a group of first slotted partition strips is interlocked with a group of second slotted partition strips by portions of the strips fitting within slots in the other of said strips, said machine having a transfer means, the improvement which comprises: said transfer means including: a plurality of holders each of said holders being capable of holding a first partition strip supplied to the transfer means, endless belt means for progressing said holders in an endless path between a first location where individual of said holders are capable of receiving individual first partition strips to a second location where the strips received by successive of said holders are held separate and parallel to one another, intermittent drive means for intermittently driving said belt means so that at periodic intervals each of said holders is held at said first location and a series of said holders is held at said second location, and roller moving means for simultaneously engaging and conveying a group of said strips together from said holder at said second location and for conveying all of the removed strips together to another part of said machine, said moving means being spaced from said belt means and said holders.

Claim 25

A machine as claimed in claim 22 wherein: the moving means includes, engaging rollers mounted so as to be capable of being moved so as to engage the strips of a group held at the second location of the transfer means, and means for rotating said engaging rollers so as to cause the engaging rollers to propel the strips engaged by them from said holders.

Claim 26

A machine as claimed in claim 23 wherein: the moving means also includes, conveying rollers for assisting strips removed from the second location of the transfer means by the engaging rollers towards the advancing means, and guide means for deflecting strips passing between said engaging rollers and the conveying rollers toward the advancing means.

Claim 27

In a machine for creating a divider structure in which a first group of slotted partitions is interlocked with a group of second slotted partitions by portions of the strips fitting within slots in other of the strips, the improvement which comprises: an advancing means serving to periodically receive a group of first strips and to advance each group of first strips received by it while holding said strips in such group parallel to and spaced from one another in positions in which the slots in the strips of such groups are in aligned rows. said advancing means including, a separate track means for each of the strips of the group of strips to be received by the advancing means, push bars for engaging and pushing each group of strips received by the advancing means along the length of said track means, propelling means for advancing said push bars along the track means, said propelling means including drive means for periodically pushing successive push bars along and part of the length of said advancing means, and indexing bar means for pushing the push bars intermittently along the remainder of the length of said advancing means.

Claim 28

In a machine for creating a divider structure in which a first group of slotted partitions is interlocked with a group of second slotted partitions by portions of the strips fitting within slots in other of the strips, the improvement which comprises: an advancing means serving to periodically receive a group of first strips and to advance each group of first strips received by it while holding said strips in such group parallel to and spaced from one another in positions in which the slots in the strips of such groups are in aligned rows. said advancing means including, a separate track means for each of the strips of the group of strips to be received by the advancing means, push bars for engaging and pushing each group of strips received by the advancing means along the length of said track means, propelling means for advancing said push bars along the track means, said propelling means including drive means for periodically pushing successive push bars along and part of the length of said advancing means, and indexing bar means for pushing the push bars intermittently along the remainder of the length of said advancing means.

Claim 29

A machine as claimed in claim 25 wherein: the indexing bar means comprises, reciprocal rods ratchet means on the rods for periodically advancing a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means, and holding means for engaging a push bar being advanced by the indexing bar means during one direction of reciprocation of the rods.