US3866523A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for forming bulk containers from articulatable composite panels
Assignee: Lancaster Research and Development Corp
•
Filing: 1973-05-30
•
Granted: 1975-02-18
•
Expires: 1993-05-30
Abstract
Abstract An articulatable composite panel adapted for erection into an enclosure such as a bulk container or bin. The panel is of a stiff but compressible material at least approximately one half inch in thickness and has a substantial resistance to bending on any axis thereof, and is constituted by a core with facing sheets adhered to the opposite faces thereof. A plurality of pairs of opposed symmetrical scores are provided in the opposite panel faces substantially in registry each with the other traversing one panel dimension and defining a plurality of panel segments. Each of the opposed symmetrical scores has side walls defining therebetween an included angle which determines the minimum interior angle between panel segments adjacent thereto when articulated and provides sufficient facing sheet material to permit adjacent panel sections to be articulated through the corresponding exterior angle. Apparatus and methods for forming the articulatable panels and bulk containers are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert C Geschwender
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:39
CPC Classifications
B; B31; B31F; B31F1/00; B31F1/08; B31B; B31B50/00; B31B50/25; B31B50/252
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for forming a panel of stiff but compressible material at least about one-half inch in thickness with scoRes in both faces thereof spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of the panel so that the panel may be articulated at said scores, said panel comprising a core with facing material adhered to opposite faces of the core having substantial resistance to bending on any axis thereof; said apparatus comprising means at a scoring station operable between open and closed positions for forming a pair of scores extending transversely of the panel, one in each face of the panel, with the two scores substantially in registry, means operable intermittently to feed the panel lengthwise in a predetermined path in the plane of the panel through the scoring means at the scoring station with said scoring means open in increments corresponding to the desired spacing of the scores with a dwell between successive feeding operations, and means for closing said scoring means to form said pair of scores and then opening it during each dwell, the formation of the two scores during each dwell causing a drawing in of the panel on opposite sides of the scoring station, and said feeding means permitting said drawing in.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for forming a panel of stiff but compressible material at least about one-half inch in thickness with scoRes in both faces thereof spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of the panel so that the panel may be articulated at said scores, said panel comprising a core with facing material adhered to opposite faces of the core having substantial resistance to bending on any axis thereof; said apparatus comprising means at a scoring station operable between open and closed positions for forming a pair of scores extending transversely of the panel, one in each face of the panel, with the two scores substantially in registry, means operable intermittently to feed the panel lengthwise in a predetermined path in the plane of the panel through the scoring means at the scoring station with said scoring means open in increments corresponding to the desired spacing of the scores with a dwell between successive feeding operations, and means for closing said scoring means to form said pair of scores and then opening it during each dwell, the formation of the two scores during each dwell causing a drawing in of the panel on opposite sides of the scoring station, and said feeding means permitting said drawing in.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means disposed along the path of the panel and spaced at intervals corresponding to the spacing between successive pairs of scores and adapted to sense the position of the panel relative to the scoring station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further includes means for intermittently deactuating the feeding means in response to the sensing of panel movement past successive spaced sensing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for predeterminately delaying the reactuation of the feeding means subsequent to each scoring of the panel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the feeding means includes rolls adapted to be intermittently driven to feed the panel lengthwise and freely rotatable rolls lightly biasing the panel against the feed rolls thereby to permit the drawing in of the panel during the formation of said scores.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means at a beveling station operable between raised and lowered positions for forming bevels extending transversely of the panel at the leading and trailing ends thereof, said intermittently operable means feeding the panel through the beveling means at the beveling station with the beveling means raised between the respective arrivals of the leading and trailing ends of the panel at the beveling station with a dwell for the beveling operations of the beveling means, and means for lowering the beveling means to form the bevels and then raising it during the dwells for the beveling operations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising other means predeterminately disposed along the path of the panel for sensing the arrival of the leading and trailing ends at the beveling station thereby to respectively position the leading and trailing ends relative to the beveling station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 which further includes means for intermittently deactuating the feeding means in response to sensing the arrival of the leading and trailing ends at the beveling station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising means for predeterminately delaying reactuation of the feeding means subsequent to the beveling of the panel leading and trailing ends.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising means for preventing actuation of the beveling means when the panel is positioned to be scored and for preventing actuation of the scoring means when the panel is positioned to be beveled.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said beveling means comprises opposite beveling faces for respectively beveling the leading and trailing ends of the panel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a bed plate at the beveling station for supporting the leading and trailing ends of the panel when the bevels are formed, and means for biasing the leading and trailing ends into engagement with the bed plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a loading station onto which the panels are loaded for subsequent feeding along the predetermined path, and means at the loading station for aligning the panels with the predetermined path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the loading station further includes means for directing panels toward both the aligning means and the feeding means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
235 words
The method of forming a panel of stiff but compressible material at least about one-half inch in thickness with scores in both faces thereof extending transversely thereof spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of the panel so that the panel may be articulated at said scores, said panel comprising a core with facing material adhered to opposite faces of the core and having substantially resistance to bending on any axis thereof; said method comprising the steps of intermittently feeding the panel of said material forwardly lengthwise in a predetermined path through a scoring station in successive increments corresponding to the desired spacing of the scores with a dwell between successive feeding operations and, during each dwell, forming a pair of scores in the panel at said station, one in each face of the panel, the two scores extending transversely of the panel and being substantially in registry, the formation of the two scores during each dwell causing a drawing in of the panel on opposite sides of the scores, and the panel being sufficiently free of restraint on opposite sides of said station as to be capable of drawing in from each end thereof toward said station as the scores are formed, the initial length of the panel being selected to correspond to the desired final length plus the total shortening of the panel due to its being drawn in on each scoring step.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
235 words
The method of forming a panel of stiff but compressible material at least about one-half inch in thickness with scores in both faces thereof extending transversely thereof spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of the panel so that the panel may be articulated at said scores, said panel comprising a core with facing material adhered to opposite faces of the core and having substantially resistance to bending on any axis thereof; said method comprising the steps of intermittently feeding the panel of said material forwardly lengthwise in a predetermined path through a scoring station in successive increments corresponding to the desired spacing of the scores with a dwell between successive feeding operations and, during each dwell, forming a pair of scores in the panel at said station, one in each face of the panel, the two scores extending transversely of the panel and being substantially in registry, the formation of the two scores during each dwell causing a drawing in of the panel on opposite sides of the scores, and the panel being sufficiently free of restraint on opposite sides of said station as to be capable of drawing in from each end thereof toward said station as the scores are formed, the initial length of the panel being selected to correspond to the desired final length plus the total shortening of the panel due to its being drawn in on each scoring step.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 15, comprising the additional step of sensing movement of the panel along the path toward the scoring station and intermittently discontinuing feeding of the panel as successive increments of panel movement are sensed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the forming step further comprises forming during successive increments of panel movement immediately adjacent side-by-side pairs of scores in the panel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as set forth in claim 15 comprising the additional step of predeterminately delaying successive feeding operations subsequent to the formation of each pair of scores.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the additional step of feeding the panel in its predetermined path through a beveling station and forming a bevel at each of the leading and trailing ends of the panel with a dwell for the beveling operations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as set forth in claim 19 comprising the additional step of sensing the arrival of the leading and trailing ends of the panel at the beveling station and intermittently discontinuing the feeding operation when the leading and trailing ends are positioned at the beveling station.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 20 comprising the additional step of preventing formation of scores when the bevels are formed and preventing formation of the bevels when the scores are formed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as set forth in claim 20 comprising supporting the panel in its predetermined path at the beveling station, and biasing the leading and trailing ends of the panel downwardly at the beveling station to insure the support thereof upon the formation of the bevels.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as set forth in claim 20 comprising the additional step of predeterminately delaying successive feeding operations subsequent to the formation of the bevels.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the scoring step defines a plurality of panel segments and in which at least alternate segments of the panel have an additional panel segment extending from one edge thereof, and forming additionaL pairs of scores at right angles to the first said scores thereby to define said additional panel segments.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the core is honeycomb material formed of kraft paper or the like and the panel is compressed during each scoring step to about 15-25 percent of its thickness along the line of the score.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2949066A
Cited
US3039372A
Cited
US3163095A
Cited
US3137217A
Cited
US3380206A
Cited
US3603219A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |