US3699744A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carton closing apparatus
Assignee: Seymour Foods Inc
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Filing: 1971-04-26
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Granted: 1972-10-24
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Expires: 1991-04-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons which comprises a frame mounted above a horizontal table onto which a cellular carton with a hinged cover member is adapted to be deposited in open position, so that eggs may be placed therein by an operator, the frame having a cross bar assembly carrying a series of radial fingers mounted at the front thereof which is adapted to be rotated to engage the fingers with a hinged locking panel at the front edge of the carton and to swing the panel into position for locking engagement inside the front wall of the cover member when the latter is closed, the cross bar assembly being movable to advance the filled carton beneath a cover closing assembly which is spaced rearwardly of the front cross bar assembly and above the table and which includes a plate member with the forward edge disposed in the path of the cover member so as to swing it down into closed position and having spring fingers arranged to bear on the cover member and insure engagement of co-operating locking elements on the cover front wall and the locking panel as the carton is advanced by pressure of a succeeding carton which is subsequently advanced beneath the cover closing assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles H Willsey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:10
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B7/00; B65B7/16; B65B7/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons of the type having a bottom tray member and a cover member in the form of a tray hinged to a back wall of the bottom member with a locking flap hinged to the front wall of the bottom member and having locking elements for co-operation with locking elements on the front wall of the cover member, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed table forming member, spaced side wall forming members extending upwardly of said table member, a cross plate member connecting said side wall members with a bottom edge spaced above said table member a distance somewhat greater than the height of the closed carton, said side wall members having means to temporarily support the ends of an empty carton bottom member when deposited thereon so that the latter is spaced above said table member with the cover member resting on said cross plate member, said supporting means permitting the carton bottom member to be depressed so as to rest on said table forming member with the carton cover member being swung upwardly to approximately half closed position by engaging with the bottom edge of said cross plate member, and a combination locking flap folder and pusher assembly mounted for reciprocation at the forward end of said table member whereby said flap folder and pusher assembly may be advanced toward the carton to fold said locking flap into position and to push said carton beneath the bottom edge of said cross plate member so as to close said carton cover member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
265 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons of the type having a bottom tray member and a cover member in the form of a tray hinged to a back wall of the bottom member with a locking flap hinged to the front wall of the bottom member and having locking elements for co-operation with locking elements on the front wall of the cover member, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed table forming member, spaced side wall forming members extending upwardly of said table member, a cross plate member connecting said side wall members with a bottom edge spaced above said table member a distance somewhat greater than the height of the closed carton, said side wall members having means to temporarily support the ends of an empty carton bottom member when deposited thereon so that the latter is spaced above said table member with the cover member resting on said cross plate member, said supporting means permitting the carton bottom member to be depressed so as to rest on said table forming member with the carton cover member being swung upwardly to approximately half closed position by engaging with the bottom edge of said cross plate member, and a combination locking flap folder and pusher assembly mounted for reciprocation at the forward end of said table member whereby said flap folder and pusher assembly may be advanced toward the carton to fold said locking flap into position and to push said carton beneath the bottom edge of said cross plate member so as to close said carton cover member.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
240 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons which have a cellular bottom tray with a cover hinged along the top edge at the rear side and a locking panel hinged along the top edge at the front side, said apparatus comprising a table forming member, a frame mounted above said table forming member on which a carton is adapted to be initially deposited in upwardly open position so that eggs may be placed in the cells in the bottom tray, a cross bar assembly reciprocably mounted at the front of said frame which is adapted to be operated to engage the hinged locking panel at the front edge of the carton and to swing said locking panel into position for locking engagement inside the front wall of the carton cover member when the latter is closed, a device for closing the carton cover member mounted above said table forming member and spaced rearwardly of said cross bar assembly which cover closing device includes a cross member disposed in the path of said carton cover member so as to engage the latter and swing it down toward closed position when the carton is advanced beneath the same, and means for moving said cross bar assembly forwardly toward said cover closing device so as to push the carton along said table forming member and advance the same beneath said cover closing device thereby to close the carton cover member.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
240 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons which have a cellular bottom tray with a cover hinged along the top edge at the rear side and a locking panel hinged along the top edge at the front side, said apparatus comprising a table forming member, a frame mounted above said table forming member on which a carton is adapted to be initially deposited in upwardly open position so that eggs may be placed in the cells in the bottom tray, a cross bar assembly reciprocably mounted at the front of said frame which is adapted to be operated to engage the hinged locking panel at the front edge of the carton and to swing said locking panel into position for locking engagement inside the front wall of the carton cover member when the latter is closed, a device for closing the carton cover member mounted above said table forming member and spaced rearwardly of said cross bar assembly which cover closing device includes a cross member disposed in the path of said carton cover member so as to engage the latter and swing it down toward closed position when the carton is advanced beneath the same, and means for moving said cross bar assembly forwardly toward said cover closing device so as to push the carton along said table forming member and advance the same beneath said cover closing device thereby to close the carton cover member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 Wherein said carton cover closing device comprises a cross plate member having a portion thereof inclined upwardly relative to the plane of said table forming member and a reversely bent bottom edge disposed a distance above said table forming member which is greater than the depth of the carton when the cover member is closed thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said carton cover closing device comprises a cross member having a portion thereof in the form of an abutment edge on which the carton cover member will slide when the carton, with the cover member in open position, is advanced beneath the same so as to wipe the cover down toward a closed position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said carton cover closing device comprises a separable unit with upstanding, spaced, parallel side plates and a connecting cross plate having an abutment forming edge spaced above the table forming member a distance sufficient to be engaged by the top face of a carton cover member when a carton is advanced beneath the same with the carton cover member hinged to an upright position so as to swing the cover member downwardly about its hinged connection with the carton bottom member toward the closed position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cross plate has a portion inclined upwardly relative to said table forming member for co-operation with carton bottom end support members in providing initially a support for an empty carton in inclined position when the carton is dropped thereon in fully open position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cross plate has a reversely turned bottom side marginal portion and at least one spring member mounted thereon for pressing downwardly upon the cover of a carton when it is advanced on said table forming member beneath said cross plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cross plate has a reversely turned bottom side marginal portion forming an abutment edge extending across the path of an open carton cover member when a carton is advanced beneath the same so as to swing the hinged cover member toward a closed position and a plurality of spring members mounted on said marginal portion on a position to press down on the carton cover member when advanced beneath same thereby to fully close sad cover member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein a printer device is mounted at the discharge end of said table forming member with operating means for printing a date or the like on a filled and closed carton.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said table forming member has parallel, upstanding side members with guideway formations therein for receiving end portions of said cross bar assembly so as to guide said cross bar assembly when it is reciprocated in a path parallel with the table forming member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said cross bar assembly has a radially extending finger thereon positioned for engaging the carton locking panel and means is provided for initially rotating said cross bar assembly to swing the locking panel into the carton so that it will lie inside of the carton cover member when the latter is closed by advance beneath said cover closing device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for rotating said cross bar assembly comprises a cam follower on said cross bar assembly and a cam member disposed in the path of the same as said cross bar assembly is advanced to push a carton beneath said carton cover closing device.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons of the type having a cellular bottom tray member and a cover member in the form of a tray hinged to a back wall of the bottom member with a flap hinged to the front wall of the bottom tray and having locking means for co-operation with the front wall of the cover member, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed, table forming member, Spaced side wall forming members extending upwardly of said table member, a cross member connecting said side wall members with an edge formation spaced above said table member a distance somewhat greater than the depth of the closed carton, said side wall members having inwardly extending means to engage the ends of a carton bottom member when deposited thereon so that the latter is supported adjacent said table forming member with the carton cover member resting on said cross member, said inwardly extending means permitting the carton bottom member to be pushed down onto said table forming member with the cover member being swung to partially closed position by engaging with edge of said cross member, and a combination flap folder and pusher assembly mounted at the forward end of said table member which is movable so that it may be advanced toward the carton to hinge said flap inwardly of the carton and to push said carton beneath the edge of said cross member thereby to close said cover member.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for use in filling and closing egg cartons of the type having a cellular bottom tray member and a cover member in the form of a tray hinged to a back wall of the bottom member with a flap hinged to the front wall of the bottom tray and having locking means for co-operation with the front wall of the cover member, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed, table forming member, Spaced side wall forming members extending upwardly of said table member, a cross member connecting said side wall members with an edge formation spaced above said table member a distance somewhat greater than the depth of the closed carton, said side wall members having inwardly extending means to engage the ends of a carton bottom member when deposited thereon so that the latter is supported adjacent said table forming member with the carton cover member resting on said cross member, said inwardly extending means permitting the carton bottom member to be pushed down onto said table forming member with the cover member being swung to partially closed position by engaging with edge of said cross member, and a combination flap folder and pusher assembly mounted at the forward end of said table member which is movable so that it may be advanced toward the carton to hinge said flap inwardly of the carton and to push said carton beneath the edge of said cross member thereby to close said cover member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said inwardly extending means for initially engaging and supporting the ends of the carton bottom member comprises plate members extending downwardly and inwardly of top portions of said side wall forming members and having inclined rib formations on the inner surfaces which are spaced to engage the ends of the empty carton bottom member and which are mounted for limited outward movement when downward force is applied to said carton bottom member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3314214A
Cited
US3380230A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |