Carton magazine and means for loading the same

Claim 2

Apparatus comprising a magazine for supporting prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons in a horizontal column in which the cartons are constrained in said column upright on one edge face to back so that cartons may be removed from one end and added to the other, means for withdrawing a carton from the forward end of the magazine, a source of supply of prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons from which cartons are delivered in a horizontal position, and transfer means for taking the horizontally disposed cartons one-by-one from said source and delivering them one-by-one to the end of said magazine on edge so that in said column they stand upright, said transfer means comprising transversely spaced conveyor belts supported to provide a continuously upwardly facing surface for transferring the cartons from the source of cartons to the magazine, having a straight upwardly inclined run commencing at the source of supply, a straight downwardly inclined run terminating adjacent the magazine, and a convex curved run of large radius of curvature connecting the two, said belts having longitudinally spaced projections on their surfaces for engagement with the cartons to advance and maintain them in spaced apart relation, and top guide rails supported above, midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the runs of the belts for confining the cartons as they travel from the source of cartons to the magazine.

Claim 3

Apparatus comprising a magazine for supporting prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons in a horizontal column in which the cartons stand upright on one edge so that the cartons may be successively withdrawn from the forward end of the magazine and aDded to the rear end thereof, a source of supply of cartons wherein said cartons rest on one side in a horizontal position, transfer means for transferring the horizontally disposed cartons one-by-one from said source to the rear end of the magazine, said transfer means comprising transversely spaced conveyor belts supported to provide a continuously upwardly facing surface for transferring the cartons from the source of cartons to the magazine, having a straight upwardly inclined run commencing at the source of supply, a straight downwardly inclined run terminating adjacent the rear end of the magazine and a convex curved run of large radius of curvature connecting the two, said belts having longitudinally spaced projections on their surfaces for engagement with the cartons to advance and maintain the cartons in spaced apart relation, and top guide rails supported above, midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the runs of the belts for confining the cartons as they travel from the source of cartons to the magazine, and control means situated at said rear end of the magazine responsive to the length of the column of cartons to initiate operation of the source of supply of cartons when the length of the column reaches a predetermined minimum and to discontinue operation when the length of said column reaches a predetermined maximum.

Claim 4

Apparatus comprising a magazine for supporting prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons in a horizontal column in which the cartons stand upright on one edge so that the cartons may be successively withdrawn from the forward end of the magazine and aDded to the rear end thereof, a source of supply of cartons wherein said cartons rest on one side in a horizontal position, transfer means for transferring the horizontally disposed cartons one-by-one from said source to the rear end of the magazine, said transfer means comprising transversely spaced conveyor belts supported to provide a continuously upwardly facing surface for transferring the cartons from the source of cartons to the magazine, having a straight upwardly inclined run commencing at the source of supply, a straight downwardly inclined run terminating adjacent the rear end of the magazine and a convex curved run of large radius of curvature connecting the two, said belts having longitudinally spaced projections on their surfaces for engagement with the cartons to advance and maintain the cartons in spaced apart relation, and top guide rails supported above, midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the runs of the belts for confining the cartons as they travel from the source of cartons to the magazine, and control means situated at said rear end of the magazine responsive to the length of the column of cartons to initiate operation of the source of supply of cartons when the length of the column reaches a predetermined minimum and to discontinue operation when the length of said column reaches a predetermined maximum.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means comprises an electric circuit, a pair of switches operatively connected to control the source of supply, and means engageable with the rear end of the column to operate said switches upon contraction and expansion of the column to start and stop said source of supply.

Claim 6

Apparatus comprising a magazine for supporting prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons in a column in which they stand upright on one edge so that successive cartons may be withdrawn from the forward end of the magazine and added to the rear end thereof, carton producing means including means for feeding blanks thereto for supplying said prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons, and transfer means arranged to receive successive cartons as they are produced by said carton producing means and deliver them one-by-one to said magazine, said transfer means operating to rotate the cartons from said horizontal positions to upright positions for deposit in said magazine on edge, and comprising transversely spaced conveyor belts supported to provide a continuously upwardly facing surface for transferring the cartons from the source of cartons to the magazine, having a straight upwardly inclined run commencing at the source of supply, a straight downwardly inclined run terminating adjacent the magazine, and a convex curved run of large radius of curvature connecting the two, said belts having longitudinally spaced projections on their surfaces for engagement with the cartons to advance and maintain them in spaced apart relation, and top guide rails supported above, midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the runs of the belts for confining the cartons as they travel from the source of cartons to the magazine.

Claim 7

Apparatus comprising a magazine for supporting prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons in a column in which they stand upright on one edge so that successive cartons may be withdrawn from the forward end of the magazine and added to the rear end thereof, carton producing means including means for feeding blanks thereto for supplying said prescored, folded and glued tubular cartons, and transfer means arranged to receive successive cartons as they are produced by said carton producing means and deliver them one-by-one to said magazine, said transfer means operating to rotate the cartons from said horizontal positions to upright positions for deposit in said magazine on edge, and comprising transversely spaced conveyor belts supported to provide a continuously upwardly facing surface for transferring the cartons from the source of cartons to the magazine, having a straight upwardly inclined run commencing at the source of supply, a straight downwardly inclined run terminating adjacent the magazine, and a convex curved run of large radius of curvature connecting the two, said belts having longitudinally spaced projections on their surfaces for engagement with the cartons to advance and maintain them in spaced apart relation, and top guide rails supported above, midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the runs of the belts for confining the cartons as they travel from the source of cartons to the magazine.

Claim 8

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge to form a horizontal column for delivery one-by-one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means having intake and discharge ends for receiving the folded, glued cartons from a carton folding and glueing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them one after another on edge in the magazine for advancement from the end of the magazine adjacent the discharge end of the transfer means toward the remote end thereof, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower ends of the cartons, longitudinally spaced end supports associated with the bottom support between which the cartons are deposited one after another to form a column of cartons between the end supports, the end support at the near end of the magazine being situated below the upper ends of the cartonS resting on the bottom support and forming with the rearmost carton a downwardly converging throat, and said transfer means comprising a pair of spaced parallel belts, portions of which at the discharge end travel downwardly at an angle toward the rear side of the rearmost carton, said portions terminating above the magazine, and a single belt supported between the pair of belts with an inclined portion extending from their terminal ends downwardly to a place opposite the rearmost carton in the region of the throat, and feed means supported opposite the inclined portion of the single belt for engagement with a carton moving therealong operable to force the carton downwardly between the rearmost carton and the end support at that end.

Claim 9

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge to form a horizontal column for delivery one-by-one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means having intake and discharge ends for receiving the folded, glued cartons from a carton folding and glueing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them one after another on edge in the magazine for advancement from the end of the magazine adjacent the discharge end of the transfer means toward the remote end thereof, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower ends of the cartons, longitudinally spaced end supports associated with the bottom support between which the cartons are deposited one after another to form a column of cartons between the end supports, the end support at the near end of the magazine being situated below the upper ends of the cartonS resting on the bottom support and forming with the rearmost carton a downwardly converging throat, and said transfer means comprising a pair of spaced parallel belts, portions of which at the discharge end travel downwardly at an angle toward the rear side of the rearmost carton, said portions terminating above the magazine, and a single belt supported between the pair of belts with an inclined portion extending from their terminal ends downwardly to a place opposite the rearmost carton in the region of the throat, and feed means supported opposite the inclined portion of the single belt for engagement with a carton moving therealong operable to force the carton downwardly between the rearmost carton and the end support at that end.

Claim 10

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them down on edge one by one in the magazine in a horizontal column so that the cartons may be removed from one end and added to the other, said magazine comprising a movable bottom support onto which the cartons are deposited on edge by said transfer means, and end supports between which the cartons are deposited for holding them upright on said movable bottom support, said movable bottom support being operable to advance the cartons deposited between said end supports against the end support at the forward end of the column as cartons are removed therefrom to permit succeeding cartons to be introduced between the rearmost carton and the end support at the rear end of the column, means for intermittently removing the foremost carton, means for intermittently advancing the movable bottom beneath the lower ends of the cartons in the column, a flat disc supported above the magazine parallel to the bottom and to the upper edge of the carton therein, and means for effecting reciprocation thereof perpendicular to the bottom to tamp the cartons downwardly comprising a cylinder containing a piston and a piston rod projecting from the lower end of the cylinder to the projecting end of which the disc is fixed.

Claim 11

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them down on edge one by one in the magazine in a horizontal column so that the cartons may be removed from one end and added to the other, said magazine comprising a movable bottom support onto which the cartons are deposited on edge by said transfer means, and end supports between which the cartons are deposited for holding them upright on said movable bottom support, said movable bottom support being operable to advance the cartons deposited between said end supports against the end support at the forward end of the column as cartons are removed therefrom to permit succeeding cartons to be introduced between the rearmost carton and the end support at the rear end of the column, means for intermittently removing the foremost carton, means for intermittently advancing the movable bottom beneath the lower ends of the cartons in the column, a flat disc supported above the magazine parallel to the bottom and to the upper edge of the carton therein, and means for effecting reciprocation thereof perpendicular to the bottom to tamp the cartons downwardly comprising a cylinder containing a piston and a piston rod projecting from the lower end of the cylinder to the projecting end of which the disc is fixed.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a pair of rollers mounted to turn on horizontal axes transverse to and parallel to the movable bottom support, the peripheral surfaces of which engage the upper edges of the cartons as they are moved forwardly beneath them.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the said peripheral surfaces embody friction engendering means. 9

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for intermittently removing the first carton is a picker, comprising rolls supported in engagement with the upper edge of the carton in the magazine for rotation about transversely disposed axes parallel to the bottom of the magazine, and means for effecting incremental movement of the rolls in consonance with that of the picker.

Claim 15

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge to form a horizontal column for delivery one by one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means having intake and discharge ends for receiving the folded, glued cartons from a carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them one after another upright on edge in the magazine for advance from the end of the magazine adjacent the discharge end of the transfer means toward the end remote therefrom, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower ends of the cartons and longitudinally spaced end supports associated with the bottom support between which the cartons are deposited, the end support at the near end of the magazine being situated below the upper ends of the cartons resting on the bottom support, said latter support means having a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface which in conjunction with the surface of the rearmost carton constitutes a throat at the rear end of the column, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a portion at it discharge end which inclines downwardly in a direction to deliver the lower ends of the cartons into said throat, and feed means situated at the discharge end of the conveyor for augmenting movement of the cartons into the throat between the rearmost carton in the magazine and said end support means, said feed means comprising a belt supported with a run inclined downwardly from the discharge end of the conveyor toward said throat.

Claim 16

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge to form a horizontal column for delivery one by one to a carton opening apparatus and transfer means having intake and discharge ends for receiving the folded, glued cartons from a carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them one after another upright on edge in the magazine for advance from the end of the magazine adjacent the discharge end of the transfer means toward the end remote therefrom, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower ends of the cartons and longitudinally spaced end supports associated with the bottom support between which the cartons are deposited, the end support at the near end of the magazine being situated below the upper ends of the cartons resting on the bottom support, said latter support means having a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface which in conjunction with the surface of the rearmost carton constitutes a throat at the rear end of the column, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a portion at it discharge end which inclines downwardly in a direction to deliver the lower ends of the cartons into said throat, and feed means situated at the discharge end of the conveyor for augmenting movement of the cartons into the throat between the rearmost carton in the magazine and said end support means, said feed means comprising a belt supported with a run inclined downwardly from the discharge end of the conveyor toward said throat.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein there is a guide member spaced from and parallel to said inclined run of the belt.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein there is a roller supported adjacent the belt and spring means yieldably biasing the roller toward the surface of the inclined portion of the belt.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein there is a support roller supported behind the inclined portion of the belt over which the belt runs, in a position opposite the spring-biased roller.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein there are transversely spaced brushes supported adjacent the opposite edges of the inclined portion of the belt and means for rotating the brushes so that these surfaces are travelling in the same direction as the belt.

Claim 21

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them on edge in the magazine in a horizontal column, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower edges of the cartons set down thereon, spaced support means associated with the bottom support for receiving between them a plurality of cartons delivered thereto successively and holding them upright on edge, the support means supporting the rearmost carton in the column comprising a pair of transversely spaced rollers supported for rotation about horizontal axes and above and parallel to the bottom of the magazine and below the upper edge of the rearmost carton in the column and providing in conjunction therewith a downwardly converging throat for receiving the leading end of a carton delivered downwardly thereto to introduce it into the magazine behind the rearmost carton, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a horizontal intake and an inclined discharge, said inclined discharge extending from above the magazine downwardly toward said throat such as to guide the leading end of a carton into said throat between the rearmost carton and said pair of transversely spaced rollers, and said intake being situated adjacent the discharge end of the carton folding and gluing apparatus for receiving the cartons in said horizontal positions, and said conveyor rotating the cartons from said horizontal positions to said inclined positions as it moves them from the intake end to the discharge end.

Claim 22

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them on edge in the magazine in a horizontal column, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower edges of the cartons set down thereon, spaced support means associated with the bottom support for receiving between them a plurality of cartons delivered thereto successively and holding them upright on edge, the support means supporting the rearmost carton in the column comprising a pair of transversely spaced rollers supported for rotation about horizontal axes and above and parallel to the bottom of the magazine and below the upper edge of the rearmost carton in the column and providing in conjunction therewith a downwardly converging throat for receiving the leading end of a carton delivered downwardly thereto to introduce it into the magazine behind the rearmost carton, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a horizontal intake and an inclined discharge, said inclined discharge extending from above the magazine downwardly toward said throat such as to guide the leading end of a carton into said throat between the rearmost carton and said pair of transversely spaced rollers, and said intake being situated adjacent the discharge end of the carton folding and gluing apparatus for receiving the cartons in said horizontal positions, and said conveyor rotating the cartons from said horizontal positions to said inclined positions as it moves them from the intake end to the discharge end.

Claim 23

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them on edge in the magazine in a horizontal column, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower edges of the cartons set down thereon, spaced supporting means associated with the bottom support for receiving between them a plurality of cartons delivered thereto successively and holding them upright on edge, the support means supporting the rearmost carton in the column comprising horizontally supported rolls the surfaces of which in conjunction with the rearmost carton define a downwardly converging throat for receiving the leading end of a caRton delivered downwardly thereto to introduce it into the magazine behind the rearmost carton, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a horizontal intake and an inclined discharge, said inclined discharge extending from above the magazine downwardly toward said throat such as to guide the leading end of the carton into said throat between the rearmost carton and the surfaces of the rolls, and said intake being situated adjacent the discharge end of the carton folding and gluing apparatus for receiving the cartons in said horizontal positions, and said conveyor rotating the cartons from said horizontal positions to said inclined positions as it moves them from the intake end to the discharge end.

Claim 24

Apparatus comprising a magazine for receiving folded, glued cartons on edge in a horizontal column for delivery one by one to carton opening apparatus and transfer means for receiving the folded, glued cartons from carton folding and gluing apparatus in horizontal positions and rotating them to positions to set them on edge in the magazine in a horizontal column, said magazine comprising a horizontal bottom support for supporting the lower edges of the cartons set down thereon, spaced supporting means associated with the bottom support for receiving between them a plurality of cartons delivered thereto successively and holding them upright on edge, the support means supporting the rearmost carton in the column comprising horizontally supported rolls the surfaces of which in conjunction with the rearmost carton define a downwardly converging throat for receiving the leading end of a caRton delivered downwardly thereto to introduce it into the magazine behind the rearmost carton, and said transfer means comprising a conveyor having a horizontal intake and an inclined discharge, said inclined discharge extending from above the magazine downwardly toward said throat such as to guide the leading end of the carton into said throat between the rearmost carton and the surfaces of the rolls, and said intake being situated adjacent the discharge end of the carton folding and gluing apparatus for receiving the cartons in said horizontal positions, and said conveyor rotating the cartons from said horizontal positions to said inclined positions as it moves them from the intake end to the discharge end.