Apparatus and method of making cartons

Claim 3

The method of making pre-printed cartons set forth in claim 1 wherein said single corrugations are disposed in predetermined relationship to said reference marks.

Claim 4

Apparatus for forming web material into foldable box blanks comprising: supply means forming a preprinted web, a reciprocating press including dies engagable with said web to cut and score blanks for forming boxes, said press reciprocating continously at a substantially uniform rate, feed means continuously delivering said web intermittently to said press in timed relationship to the reciprocation of said press, an accumulator mechanism interposed between said supply means and said feed means to hold a length of web and intermittently deliver it to said feed means, power means for said supply means to vary the rate of deliver of said web from said supply means between a minimum and a maximum rate and a minimum rate to vary the length of web material in said accumulator mechanism between a maximum length and a minimum length, and control means responsive to a minimum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to increase the speed of said power means and responsive to a maximum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to decrease the speed of said power means, said control means being engageable with said web when the length of web in said accumulator mechanism is at a maximum and movable out of engagement with said web when said accumulator mechanism is at a minimum, said accumulator mechanism including resilient means supporting said web.

Claim 5

Apparatus for forming web material into foldable box blanks comprising: supply means forming a preprinted web, a reciprocating press including dies engagable with said web to cut and score blanks for forming boxes, said press reciprocating continously at a substantially uniform rate, feed means continuously delivering said web intermittently to said press in timed relationship to the reciprocation of said press, an accumulator mechanism interposed between said supply means and said feed means to hold a length of web and intermittently deliver it to said feed means, power means for said supply means to vary the rate of deliver of said web from said supply means between a minimum and a maximum rate and a minimum rate to vary the length of web material in said accumulator mechanism between a maximum length and a minimum length, and control means responsive to a minimum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to increase the speed of said power means and responsive to a maximum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to decrease the speed of said power means, said control means being engageable with said web when the length of web in said accumulator mechanism is at a maximum and movable out of engagement with said web when said accumulator mechanism is at a minimum, said accumulator mechanism including resilient means supporting said web.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said resilient means includes flexible members engaging the underside of said web and suspending it in elevated position above said control means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said resilient means are elongated flexible members having a generally U-shaped configuration with the free ends supported at opposite sides of said web and the bight portion engaging the underside of said web.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said flexible rod is made of fiberglass reinforced resin.

Claim 9

Apparatus for making printed corrugated boxes comprising: means for making a corrugated web of single-backed paper, means for printing a continuous web of material with uniformly spaced areas of printing, means bonding said single-backed web and printed web together to form a corrugated continuous printed web, a conveyor for transporting said corrugated continuous web continuously and at a speed varying between minimum and a maximum, a reciprocating press including dies engageable with said web to cut and score a blank for forming a box, said press being reciprocated continuously at a substantially uniform rate, supply means operable to deliver said web to said press, means for sensing said areas of printed material on said web for regulating the speed of said supply means in timed sequence with said press, accumulator means between said conveyor and said supply means for receiving and storing a variable length of said continuous printed web in a draped condition between said conveyor and said supply means, and means sensing the length of web in said accumulator means and operative to control the rate of delivery of said web from said conveyor to said accumulator means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for making printed corrugated boxes comprising: means for making a corrugated web of single-backed paper, means for printing a continuous web of material with uniformly spaced areas of printing, means bonding said single-backed web and printed web together to form a corrugated continuous printed web, a conveyor for transporting said corrugated continuous web continuously and at a speed varying between minimum and a maximum, a reciprocating press including dies engageable with said web to cut and score a blank for forming a box, said press being reciprocated continuously at a substantially uniform rate, supply means operable to deliver said web to said press, means for sensing said areas of printed material on said web for regulating the speed of said supply means in timed sequence with said press, accumulator means between said conveyor and said supply means for receiving and storing a variable length of said continuous printed web in a draped condition between said conveyor and said supply means, and means sensing the length of web in said accumulator means and operative to control the rate of delivery of said web from said conveyor to said accumulator means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the web received in said accumulator means varies between a maximum and a minimum length, control means responsive to the maximum length of said web to decrease the speed of said conveyor and responsive to a minimum length of said web to increase the speed of said conveyor.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control means is engageable with said web when the length of web in said accumulator means is at a maximum and is movable out of engagement with said web when the length within said accumulator means is at a minimum.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7 and further comprising scoring means operative on said single-backed web to form a transverse line of weakening for permitting folding of said double-backed web at said accumulator means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said scoring means includes a means for crushing a single corrugation of said single-backed web at a predetermined spacing relative to each of said areas of printing.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means bonding is operative to apply adhesive to all corrugations of said single-backed web except said single corrugations to form said lines of weakening.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said supply and conveyor are spaced from each other and wherein said web between said supply and conveyor is longer than said spacing between said supply and conveyor to form a vertically extending loop, said control means including sensing means responsive to the minimum and maximum vertical height of said loop to respectively increase and decrease the speed of said power means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said web received from said conveyor is bendable longitudinally over a predetermined maximum radius without folding and wherein the spacing between said supply and conveyor is no less than four times said predetermined radius of said web.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 and further comprising a space formed below the level of said supply and conveyor to receive said loop.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said sensing means comprise photoelectric cells.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein separate photoelectric cells sense the maximum and minimum vertical height of said loop formed in said web.

Claim 21

Apparatus for forming web material into foldable box blanks comprising: supply means forming a preprinted web, a reciprocating press including dies engageable with said web to cut and score blanks for forming boxes, said press reciprocating continuously at a substantially uniform rate, feed means continuously delivering said web intermittently to said press in timed relationship to the reciprocation of said press; an accumulator mechanism interposed between said supply means and said feed means to hold a length of web and intermittently deliver it to said feed means, power means for said supply means to vary the rate of deliver of said web from said supply means between a maximum rate and a minimum rate to vary the length of web material in said accumulator mechanism between a maximum length and a minimum length, and control means responsive to a minimum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to increase the speed of said power means and responsive to a maximum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to decrease the speed of said power means, said control means including a control motor for selecting the rate at which the speed of said power means is changed.

Claim 22

Apparatus for forming web material into foldable box blanks comprising: supply means forming a preprinted web, a reciprocating press including dies engageable with said web to cut and score blanks for forming boxes, said press reciprocating continuously at a substantially uniform rate, feed means continuously delivering said web intermittently to said press in timed relationship to the reciprocation of said press; an accumulator mechanism interposed between said supply means and said feed means to hold a length of web and intermittently deliver it to said feed means, power means for said supply means to vary the rate of deliver of said web from said supply means between a maximum rate and a minimum rate to vary the length of web material in said accumulator mechanism between a maximum length and a minimum length, and control means responsive to a minimum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to increase the speed of said power means and responsive to a maximum length of said web in said accumulator mechanism to decrease the speed of said power means, said control means including a control motor for selecting the rate at which the speed of said power means is changed.