US3831343A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for automatically finishing and grouping packaging containers
Assignee: RIC RESEARCH INVESTMENT Corp
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Filing: 1973-06-19
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Granted: 1974-08-27
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Expires: 1993-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A device for automatically folding and fastening the four ears of prismatic containers, as they issue from a forming machine, upon two opposite lateral faces thereof, and for grouping together the so finished containers, including a stationary table having a container receiving and a container discharging end; a movable plate reciprocable relatively to the table between feed strokes directed from the receiving towards the discharging end and oppositely directed return strokes; preparatory units rigid with the stationary table to prepare the opposite lateral surfaces for the fastening of the ears thereupon; folding and fastening units rigid with the table to fold and fasten the ears upon the faces; rows of pawl means on the movable plate to transfer in succession during the feed stroke the containers on the stationary table stepwise towards the preparatory units, thence to the folding and fastening units and therefrom to the discharge end of said table and to release them at the beginning of each return stroke; and gripping means on said movable plate, located correspondingly to the receiving end of said table, to grip the four ears of each incoming container and transfer it during said feed stokes within reach of the first pawls of said rows and release them before the beginning of said return strokes.
Inventors
- 👤 A Dominici
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:12
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B61/00; B65B61/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A device for automatically folding and fastening the four ears of prismatic containers, as they issue from a forming machine, upon two opposite lateral faces thereof, and for grouping together the so finished containers, which device comprises a stationary table having a container receiving and a container discharging end; a movable plate reciprocable relatively to said table between feed strokes directed from said receiving towards said discharging end and oppositely directed return strokes; preparatory units rigid with said stationary table to prepare said opposite lateral surfaces for the fastening of said ears thereupon; folding and fastening units rigid with said table to fold and fasten said ears upon said faces; rows of pawl means on said movable plate to transfer in succession during said feed stroke said containers on said stationary table stepwise towards said preparatory units, thence to said folding and fastening units and therefrom to the discharge end of said table and to release them at the beginning of each return stroke; and gripping means on said movable plate, located correspondingly to the receiving end of said table, to grip the four ears of each incoming container and transfer it during said feed strokes within reach of the first pawls of said rows and release them before the beginning of said return strokes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
215 words
A device for automatically folding and fastening the four ears of prismatic containers, as they issue from a forming machine, upon two opposite lateral faces thereof, and for grouping together the so finished containers, which device comprises a stationary table having a container receiving and a container discharging end; a movable plate reciprocable relatively to said table between feed strokes directed from said receiving towards said discharging end and oppositely directed return strokes; preparatory units rigid with said stationary table to prepare said opposite lateral surfaces for the fastening of said ears thereupon; folding and fastening units rigid with said table to fold and fasten said ears upon said faces; rows of pawl means on said movable plate to transfer in succession during said feed stroke said containers on said stationary table stepwise towards said preparatory units, thence to said folding and fastening units and therefrom to the discharge end of said table and to release them at the beginning of each return stroke; and gripping means on said movable plate, located correspondingly to the receiving end of said table, to grip the four ears of each incoming container and transfer it during said feed strokes within reach of the first pawls of said rows and release them before the beginning of said return strokes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
118 words
A device according to claim 1, further comprising: a pivoting table oscillating from a horizontal position, wherein it lies level with said stationary table, to receive and group together the containers issuing from said stationary table, to an inclined position, wherein it discharges said grouped containers for further handling; said pivoting table having slots extending from its side adjacent to said stationary table; temporary supports hinged to said discharge end of said stationary table; actuating means to lift said temporary support means through said sLots into a horizontal position when said pivoting table swings into its inclined position and to lower said temporary support means into a vertical position when said pivoted table reverts to a horizontal position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the folding and fastening units comprise: a pneumatic cylinder; two arms actuated by said cylinder to swing towards each other to a closed position and away from each other to an open position; folding and sealing platelets at the end of each arm, to abut against said container ears and press them against the lateral faces of said containers when said arms are swung into their closed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device according to claim 3, further comprising vertical lateral plates rigid with said reciprocable plate and vertical lateral plates rigid with said stationary table to keep said ears pressed against said container faces during the successive feed strokes of the device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping means comprises: a bracket at either side of said movable plate; a horizontal inward projecting tongue at both ends of each bracket; two arms on each bracket pivoted thereto intermediate their ends, one end of each arm cooperating with the tongue adjacent to it to form ear gripping means, the other end being linked to a common pneumatic cylinder to be actuated by it from an ear gripping position during said feed stroke to an ear releasing position during said return stroke.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
A device according to claim 5, further comprising: a support mounted on said reciprocable plate; an upper plate having one end hinged to said support and its other end resting on the upper arm of said brackets to be lifted by said arms when these are actuated into an ear releasing position; rows of pawls on said upper plate engaging said containers during the feed stroke of said reciprocable plate and being lifted from said containers during its return stroke.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the drive to impart to said movable plate a reciprocating motion comprises a rack rigid with said plate, a sector gear meshing with said rack; a cam coacting with said sector gear to impart to it, by its rotation, a rocking motion, thereby causing said reciprocation of the movable plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein the mechanism to actuate said pivoting table comprises: a revolving shaft; a cam freely mounted on said shaft; clutch means coupling said cam to said shaft to entrain it in rotation therewith; a lever linked to said pivoting table and engaged by said cam to lower said table to said inclined position when said cam is coupled to said shaft and to return said table to said horizontal position when said cam is uncoupled; and means responsive to the completion of a group of containers on said table to cause said clutch to couple said cam to said shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device according to claim 8, wherein said clutch means comprise a recessed disc keyed to said shaft, a second disc integral with said cam and freely rotatable with it, pawl means pivoted on said second disc and biased to engage said recessed disc.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A device according to claim 8, wherein the means responsive to the completion of a group of containers on said pivoting table are feeler means on the free end of said pivoting table and a control element actuated by said feeler when contacted by a container to cause said pawl to engage said recessed disc.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2863268A
Cited
US3763629A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |