Machine for closing the top end flaps of boxes having folding flaps

Claim 1

Machine for closing the top end flaps of boxes with overturnable flaps comprising a supporting plane for the boxes, means for advancing the boxes along said supporting plane and, located above said supporting plane along the path of travel of the boxes, a first closing member for the front end flap of the boxes and a second closing member for the rear end flap of the boxes, said closing members being born by a single support rotatable on command from a first to a second position, in said first position said first closing member being inserted in the path of travel of the top end flaps of the boxes to engage from the front the front flap and overturn it to the closing second position and said second closing member being outside said path, in said position said first closing member being outside the path of travel of the top end flaps of the boxes and said second closing member being inserted in said path with a combined descent and advance movement at a speed greater than that of the boxes to engage from behind the rear flap and overturn it to the closing position, said second closing member being made up of a vane pivoted on said support and further restrained at a fixed point of the machine by flexible connection means which react to the rotation of said support from said first to said second position in such a manner as to bring about a reverse rotation of said vane from a rest inclined position to a horizontal working position, which allows said vane to accompany the rear flap until it is completely overturned to the closing position, characterized in that said rotatable support is made in the form of a boxed disc extended for three quarters of a circle and pivoted on its central axis, a front end of said disc bearing and constituting a housing for said first closing member and a rear end of said disc bearing in a turning manner said vane in such a manner as to constitute a housing therefore when it is in said rest inclined position.