Box sealer & closer

Claim 2

Apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes, said apparatus having movable sealing closing means, said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other, wherein the improvement comprises; means for closing a portion of the top of a box and sensing the height of such closed portion prior to entry into said sealing and closing means; height signal generating means responsive to said height sensing means, and, means for adjusting the height of said sealing and closing means, upwardly or downwardly in response to a height signal, said adjustment being completed prior to entry of said box into said sealing and closing means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including conveyor means for moving said box from said sensing means to said sealing and closing means, and control means for controllably driving said conveyor means, said control means being responsive to a height sensing signal to procure movement of said conveyor means only when said sealing and closing means are at the correct height to receive said box.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said height sensing means is mechanically connected to said sealing and closing means, and wherein movement of said sealing and closing means to vary the height thereof in response to a signal as aforesaid moves said height sensing means, and varies said height signal.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including conveyor means, forming part of said sealing and closing means, engagable with opposite sides of said box to drive same through said sealing and closing means, and means movably mounted said conveyor means for movement towards and away from opposite sides of said box, whereby to accomodate different sizes of box.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including glue applicator means for sealing said boxes, said applicator means being controllably operable to apply varying quantities of glue.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said height sensing means comprises an arm member swingably mounted on said movable sealing and closing means and power operated drive means for swinging same downwardly and upwardly into and out of contact with the top of a box.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said height sensing means is movable between an upper and lower position relative to said sealing and closing means, and wherein said signal generating means generates a signal above or below a predetermined position of said sensing means relative to said sealing and closing means said position being between its upper and lower position, said signal terminating when said sensing means reaches said predetermined position.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes, said apparatus being of the type having movable sealing and closing means, said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other, an improved flap closing means comprising; A spiral flap engaging member; Means mounting said spiral member for movement upwardly and downwardly, said spiral member being oriented at an angle between horizontal and vertical, and motor means for rotating said spiral flap member in a direction to engage and move a flap from an open to a closed position.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes, said apparatus being of the type having movable sealing and closing means, said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other, an improved flap closing means comprising; A spiral flap engaging member; Means mounting said spiral member for movement upwardly and downwardly, said spiral member being oriented at an angle between horizontal and vertical, and motor means for rotating said spiral flap member in a direction to engage and move a flap from an open to a closed position.

Claim 11

An improved flap closing means as claimed in claim 8 wherein the spiral flap engaging member comprises a rod member wound into a helical spiral, rotatably mounted at each end for rotational movement about the central axis of said spiral as aforesaid.

Claim 12

An improved closing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said spiral member is mounted on said movable sealing and closing means, and moves upwardly and downwardly in unison therewith.

Claim 13

An improved flap closing means, as claimed in claim 8 including height sensing means for sensing the height of the top of a box and producing a height signal controlling said movable mounting means and causing same to move upwardly or downwardly to correct the height thereof and control means for said motor means operating same when said mounting means is at the correct height.

Claim 14

An improved flap closing means as claimed in claim 8 wherein said movable mounting includes a support bar located at a predetermined angle, bearing means at each end of said bar offset therebeneath, said spiral member being rotatably mounted therebetween, and said motor means being fastened at one end of said support bar.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said spiral flap engaging member engages a rear top flap of said box and closes same and including height sensing means for closing a front top flap of said box while simultaneously sensing the height of the top of said box.

Claim 16

Apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes, said apparatus having movable sealing and closing means, said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other and having main conveyor means for engaging said boxes on opposite sides and moving them therethrough, and being movable inwardly and outwardly for boxes of different width, the improvement comprising; width sensing conveyor means for sensing the width of a box, movable towards and away from the sides of said box prior to entry thereof into said sealing and closing means and being driveable to convey a box towards said sealing and closing means; width signal generating means responsive to movement of said sensing means to generate a width signal; means for moving said main conveyor means inwardly or outwardly in respponse to said width signal to accomodate said box at said sensing means, and, drive means for driving said width sensing conveyor means when said movement of said main conveyor means is completed.

Claim 17

Apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes, said apparatus having movable sealing and closing means, said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other and having main conveyor means for engaging said boxes on opposite sides and moving them therethrough, and being movable inwardly and outwardly for boxes of different width, the improvement comprising; width sensing conveyor means for sensing the width of a box, movable towards and away from the sides of said box prior to entry thereof into said sealing and closing means and being driveable to convey a box towards said sealing and closing means; width signal generating means responsive to movement of said sensing means to generate a width signal; means for moving said main conveyor means inwardly or outwardly in respponse to said width signal to accomodate said box at said sensing means, and, drive means for driving said width sensing conveyor means when said movement of said main conveyor means is completed.

Claim 18

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said width sensing conveyor means comprises a pair of conveyor belts mounted on drive means so as to engage opposite sides of said box and contact sensors associated therewith for sensing contact with said sides of said box and means for moving said conveyor belts inwardly and outwardly, said drive means being operable to drive said belts thereby moving said box towards said main conveyor means after sensing the width thereof.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 including stop means between said conveyor belts and said main conveyor means to check a box between said belts, and power operated means for moving said stop means to permit such movement.

Claim 20

Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 including bottom flap releasing means located between said width sensing conveyor means operable to permit two bottom side flaps of said box to swing downwardly, and product support means movable upwardly against the bottom rear and front flaps of said box to support the same, and preventing release of the contents of the box.

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 including control switch means on one of said conveyor belts and said main conveyor means, operable to procure either inward or outward movement of said main conveyor means, and switch contact means on the other of said conveyor belt and said main conveyor means, relative movement between said switch means and said contact means caused by inward movement of said conveyor belts to the width dimension of a box therebetween procuring movement of said main conveyor belts to a corresponding width dimension.

Claim 22

Apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes said apparatus having movable sealing and closing means said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other the improvement comprising; means for sensing the height of a box prior to entry into said sealing and closing means; height signal generating means responsive to said height sensing means; means for adjusting the height of said sealing and closing means in response to a height signal said adjustment being completed prior to entry of said box into said sealing and closing means; main conveyor means forming part of said sealing and closing, and engageable with opposite sides of said box to drive same through said sealing and cLosing means; means movably mounted said main conveyor means for movement towards and away from opposite sides of said box, whereby to accomodate different sizes of boxes; width sensing means movable towards and away from the sides of said box prior to its entry into said sealing and closing means, said width sensing means producing a width signal, and, means for moving said main conveyor means inwardly and outwardly in response to said width signal whereby to move said main conveyor means to the correct width to accept said box.

Claim 23

Apparatus for sealing and closing boxes of different sizes said apparatus having movable sealing and closing means said boxes moving into said movable sealing and closing means in sequence one after the other the improvement comprising; means for sensing the height of a box prior to entry into said sealing and closing means; height signal generating means responsive to said height sensing means; means for adjusting the height of said sealing and closing means in response to a height signal said adjustment being completed prior to entry of said box into said sealing and closing means; main conveyor means forming part of said sealing and closing, and engageable with opposite sides of said box to drive same through said sealing and cLosing means; means movably mounted said main conveyor means for movement towards and away from opposite sides of said box, whereby to accomodate different sizes of boxes; width sensing means movable towards and away from the sides of said box prior to its entry into said sealing and closing means, said width sensing means producing a width signal, and, means for moving said main conveyor means inwardly and outwardly in response to said width signal whereby to move said main conveyor means to the correct width to accept said box.

Claim 24

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said height sensing means is movable between an upper and lower position relative to said sealing and closing means, and wherein said signal generating means generates a signal above or below a predetermined position of said sensing means relative to said sealing and closing means said position being between its upper and lower position, said signal terminating when said sensing means reaches said predetermined position.

Claim 25

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said height sensing means is operable to contact and close the front top flap of the box and to sense a height of the top of the box, and including a spiral flap engaging member for engaging and closing the rear top flap of the box and drive means for rotating the same.

Claim 26

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said width sensing means comprises a pair of conveyor belts mounted on drive means so as to engage opposite sides of said box and contact sensors associated therewith for sensing contact with said sides of said box and means for moving said conveyor belts inwardly and outwardly, said drive means being operable to drive said belts thereby moving said box towards said main conveyor means after sensing the width thereof.

Claim 27

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 including glue applicator means for sealing said boxes said applicator means being controllably operable to apply varying quantities of glue, and being movable to apply glue in varying patterns depending upon the size of the box.