Box positioning and transfer mechanism

Claim 2

A carton erecting mechanism comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of collapsed folding cartons; suction cup means for removing one of said collapsed folding cartons from said magazine and opening said collapsed folding carton at a first work station; first piston and cylinder means with the piston movable along an axis having a vertical component for pushing the minor flaps of said carton into a closed position while the carton is located at said first work station; second piston and cylinder means for pushing the carton from said first work station; carton transfer means comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers arranged, when driven, to transport a box inserted at one end along a transfer path, one end of said box transfer means being arranged adjacent to said first work station to receive said carton from said second piston and cylinder means; means constructed and arranged to control said second piston and cylinder means to push the box from said first work station to insert it into one end of said carton transfer means after said first piston and cylinder means has closed the minor flaps of said carton; means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means when the carton is inserted at one end of the transfer path to propel the carton until it reaches a second work station, said pairs of rollers supporting said carton at said second work station; means for performing carton assembly operations at said second work station; and means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means after completion of carton assembly operations at said second work station to remove the carton from said second work station.

Claim 3

Apparatus of the class described in claim 1 wherein additional control means are provided for delaying the driving of the pairs of rollers after insertion of the carton into one end of said carton transfer means until any box remaining at said second work station has been removed from said second work station.

Claim 4

A carton erecting mechanism comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of collapsed folding cartons; suction cup means for removing one of said collapsed folding cartons from said magazine and opening said collapsed folding carton at a first work station; first piston and cylinder means with the piston movable along an axis having a vertical component for pushing the minor flaps of said carton into a closed position while the carton is located at said first work station; second piston and cylinder means for pushing the carton from said first work station; carton transfer means comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers arranged, when driven, to transport a box inserted at one end along a transfer path, one end of said box transfer means being arranged adjacent to saiD first work station to receive said carton from said second piston and cylinder means after the piston has been extended by less than one-half of the length of the carton along the axis defined by the transfer path; means constructed and arranged to control said second piston and cylinder means to push the box from said first work station to insert it into one end of said carton transfer means after said first piston and cylinder means has closed the minor flaps of said carton; means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means when the carton is inserted at one end of the transfer path to propel the carton until it reaches a second work station; means for performing carton assembly operations at said second work station; and means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means after completion of carton assembly operations at said second work station to remove the carton from said second work station.

Claim 5

A carton erecting mechanism comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of collapsed folding cartons; suction cup means for removing one of said collapsed folding cartons from said magazine and opening said collapsed folding carton at a first work station; first piston and cylinder means with the piston movable along an axis having a vertical component for pushing the minor flaps of said carton into a closed position while the carton is located at said first work station; second piston and cylinder means for pushing the carton from said first work station; carton transfer means comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers arranged, when driven, to transport a box inserted at one end along a transfer path, one end of said box transfer means being arranged adjacent to saiD first work station to receive said carton from said second piston and cylinder means after the piston has been extended by less than one-half of the length of the carton along the axis defined by the transfer path; means constructed and arranged to control said second piston and cylinder means to push the box from said first work station to insert it into one end of said carton transfer means after said first piston and cylinder means has closed the minor flaps of said carton; means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means when the carton is inserted at one end of the transfer path to propel the carton until it reaches a second work station; means for performing carton assembly operations at said second work station; and means for driving said pairs of rollers of said carton transfer means after completion of carton assembly operations at said second work station to remove the carton from said second work station.

Claim 6

A box transfer mechanism for receiving a partially made-up box at a first work station for performance of one or more box assembly operations, for transferring the box to a second work station for one or more additional operations and for removing the box from the second work station, comprising: box delivery means for delivery a partially made-up box to the first work station for the performance of at least one box assembly operation; means for performing at least one box assembly operation on the box at said first work station; a plurality of pairs of rollers mounted for rotation about parallel vertical axes and arranged to form a box transfer path having a path width related to the width of the box after completion of the box assembly operations at said first work station such that each of the pairs of said plurality of pairs of rollers is constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the sides of the box without slippage; push means for urging the box from said first work station into frictional engagement with a pair of said plurality of pairs of rollers; controlled drive means for driving said plurality of pairs of rollers to propel the box along the transfer path defined by said plurality of pairs of rollers; first control means for activating said controlled drive means after completion of the box assembly operations at the first work station; second control means for deactivating said controlled drive means after the box arrives at the second work station; means for performing at least one additional box assembly operation on said box at the second work station; and third control means for activating said controlled drive means to propel the box along the box transfer path and away from the second work station after said additional box assembly operation has been performed.

Claim 7

A box transfer mechanism for receiving a partially made-up box at a first work station for performance of one or more box assembly operations, for transferring the box to a second work station for one or more additional operations and for removing the box from the second work station, comprising: box delivery means for delivery a partially made-up box to the first work station for the performance of at least one box assembly operation; means for performing at least one box assembly operation on the box at said first work station; a plurality of pairs of rollers mounted for rotation about parallel vertical axes and arranged to form a box transfer path having a path width related to the width of the box after completion of the box assembly operations at said first work station such that each of the pairs of said plurality of pairs of rollers is constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the sides of the box without slippage; push means for urging the box from said first work station into frictional engagement with a pair of said plurality of pairs of rollers; controlled drive means for driving said plurality of pairs of rollers to propel the box along the transfer path defined by said plurality of pairs of rollers; first control means for activating said controlled drive means after completion of the box assembly operations at the first work station; second control means for deactivating said controlled drive means after the box arrives at the second work station; means for performing at least one additional box assembly operation on said box at the second work station; and third control means for activating said controlled drive means to propel the box along the box transfer path and away from the second work station after said additional box assembly operation has been performed.

Claim 8

Apparatus of the class described in claim 4 wherein said first control means delays actuation of said controlled drive means subsequent to completion of box assembly operations at said first work station until any box remaining at said second work station has been removed from said second work station.

Claim 9

Apparatus of the class described in claim 4 wherein said push means is a pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement arranged to exert a force on said box in a direction along the box transfer path.

Claim 10

Apparatus of the class described in claim 5 where the movement of the box, due to the action of the pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement prior to engagement with said plurality of pairs of rollers, is less than one-half of the length of the box.

Claim 11

Apparatus of the class described in claim 4 wherein the plurality of pairs of rollers is constructed with adjustable path width to accommodate boxes of varying dimensions.

Claim 12

Apparatus of the class described in claim 8 wherein the initial position of the push means is adjustable to accommodate boxes of varying dimensions.