Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1()42398
This application i9 a divisional of our Canadian
Patent application No. 200,057 filed May 16, 1974.
Back round of the Invention
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Many commodities are packaged in containers, for example
corrugated paperboard boxes, wherein the top of the box is formed
by flaps which are foldably connected to the sides of the box.
However, when packaging certain commodites, it is desirable to
use tops or lids which are not integral with the box. Such a
situation may arise when the box is so large that it would be
impractical or impossible to obtain a box blank that included
top flaps. Alternatively, it may be desirable to employ a
separate lid which has flaps connected thereto and wherein the
length af the flaps is equal to the height of the box. Such
box-lid combinations are-known to the packaging art and are
often employed where it is desired to obtain a box or container
- which has increased stacking strength. Thus, if a lid is employed
which includes flaps having a length equal to the height of the
box, the flaps on the lid will, when adhesively secured to the
sides of the box, function as an additional wall and will thereby
-~ provide increased stacking strength.
;= An example of an instance wherein it has been found
~' 20 desirable to use a corrugated paperboard box in combination with
a lid having flaps connected thereto is the packaging of large
quantities of meat, for example 100 to 150 pounds. Although
~; containers of the type described above have been desi~ned and can
be effectively used to package large quantities of meat, a problem
is presented with respect to the mounting of the lid on the box.
Thus, if such a box-lid combination is to be useful, a reasonably
; automated system is required whereby a separate lid with flaps
can be automatically and quickly mounted on a box which is filled
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with meat. The method and apparatus disclosed herein provides a
solution to this problem.
- Additionally, the method and apparatus disclosed herein
provides a ~olution to a number of other problems which often arise
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when a large quantity of relatively hea~y material is to ~e
packaged in a box of the type described above. More specifically,
one of the problems which often occurs in such a pacXaging operation
is the distortion of the container. For example, the unlidded
~r~ box may be filled with the commodity to be packaged and a sub-
stantial period of time may elapse before the lid is applied to
~ the box. As a result, the filled, unlidded box is subjected to
r ` an outward pressure from the material contained therein. As a
result, when the lid is then applied to the box, the open top box
may be substantially distorted, i.e. the side walls thereof may
be bowed outwardly. When such a distortion of the box occurs,
it is difficult to obtain an acceptable adhesive bond between
the entire surface of the flaps and the side walls of the box.
The method and apparatus disclosed herein also provides a solution
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` to this problem.
, ~ Summary of the Invention
-~-' In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
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~ ~ method and apparatus of this invention, a machine is provided
I~i 20 wherein a box lid having side flaps and end flaps may be auto-
~ matically mounted on and secured to a filled, open top box. ~he-
;~ , machine preferably includes:
a. a frame;
-~ b. a mandrel reciprocally mounted on said frame for
holding the central panel of a lid on a filled container
positioned under said mandrel;
, ~ c. means mounted on said mandrel for compressing
- the end flaps of said lid against said container while said
mandrel is holding said lid;
~ 30 d. first and second transverse compression sections;
! e. mean~ intermediate said first and second trans-
verse compression sections for folding down said side flaps;
and
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f. means for moving said container through said
first and second compression sections after said end flaps
have been compressed against said container.
The means for compressing the end flaps may be
squeezer plates actuated by double acting cylinders mounted
on top of the manarel. 1-
In operation of the machine, means such as a
double acting cylinder causes the mandrel to descend which
pushes a lid past a lid support section and onto the top of
- 10 the box. The mandrel presses down on the central portion of
. the-lid and thus holds the lid in
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place on top of the box. While the lid is so disposed, the double
acting cylinders on the mandrel are actuated causing the squeezer
; plates to move into parallel relation. ~hus, the end flaps on the
lid, which have an adhesive disposed on the under side thereof,
are secured to the end panels of the box.
Thereafter, after the mandrel has been withdrawn, the
box may be moved horizontally. During such horizontal movement,
the box is subjected to a first transverse compression wherein any
outward bulging of the box is removed. Adhesive is then deposited
on the side flaps and the side flaps are folded down adjacent to
the side walls of the box. The side flaps and the box are sub-
jected to a second transverse compression.
Detscription of the Drawings
Figs. 1-3 are perspective drawings showing the steps
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I perormed to mount a lid on an open top box.
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Fig. 4 is a top view of a machine constructed in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the instant invention.
Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the
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section line 5-5 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the
section line 6-6 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 shows the apparatus elements of Fig. 6 in their
operative position.
Fig. 8 is a partial side view taken along the section
line 8-8 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along the
;. section line 9-9 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 10 is a partial sectional view taken along the
section line 10-10 of Fig. 4.
Descri~t;io~; ~f ~h~;-~re~ferred Embodiment
Figs. 1-3 suggest the general operations performed by
the machine disclosed herein. Thus, in Fig. 1, there is shown a
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box or container 15 which is a filled, open top box preferably made
of corrugated paperboard. Disposed on top of the box 15 is a lid
16 which has a central portion 1~, end flaps 18 and 19 foldably
connected thereto and a pair of side flaps 20, 21 which are also
foldably connected to the central portion 17. Although not shown
in Fig. 1, an adhesive is provided on the under surface of the
end flaps and the side flaps. As suggested in Fig. 1, the first
step in mounting or applying the lid 16 to the box 15 is to down-
wardly fold the endflaps 18 and 19 so as to compress them against
the walls of the box 15. When an adesive bond is secured, the
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side flaps 20 and 21 may be folded downwardly as suggested in Fig.
2. Similarly, the side flaps 20 and 21 are folded downwardly into
,
face abutting relation with the side walls of the box 15 and held
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dr compressed against the side walls until an adhesive bond is
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secured thus providing the box construction shown in Fig. 3. As
may be noted from a consideration of Fig. 3, the side flaps of
the lid 16 are the same height as the height of the container 15.
~; As such, if the side flaps are bonded to the side walls of the
container across their entire surface, the side flaps essentially
provide a second wall which, in turn, provides substantial stack-
ing strength. Additionally, since the side flaps are integral with
and foldably connected to the central portion 17, they help to
resist the outward forces imposed upon the box 15 by the material
packayed therein and thus assist in maintaining the container in
an upright configuration, i.e. the side flaps together with the
central portion 17 tend to prevent the container side walls from
being bowed outwardly.
Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown therein a top view
of a machine constructed in accordance with the preferred embodi-
i 30 ment of the instant invention and generally referred to in Fig. 4
by the reference number 25. The machine 25 includes a plurality
! of upright and horizontal members generally designated by the
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reference number 30 and, in combination, constituting a frame. Ingeneral, the machine 25 shown in Fig. 4 includes three sections,
namely, a lid supply and feeding section 31, a forming section 32
and a compression or second forming section 33.
The lid supply and feeding section 31 is generally
comprised of a conventional paperboard blank feeding mechanism.
Thus, only a brief description thereof ~ill be given since this
section will be familiar to those skilled in the art.
Attached to the horizontal frame members 30, which are
preferably angle iron members, are horizontally disposed support
plates 35. A quantity of lid blanks 16 are vertically stacked
at the right hand end of the lid supply section 31. The blanks
are supported by disposing end flaps 18 and 19 upon the horizontal
support members 35. Disposed below the plane defined by the
horizbntal support members 35 is a chain 40 which carries a kicker
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plate 41 and is driven by a motor 42. Additionally, below the
support members 35, there are mounted two vacuum cups 45, 46
connected to a vacuum source 47.
.
When it is desired to feed a lid to the forming section
32, the motor 42 and the vacuum cups 45, 46 are actuated. Thereby,
the lowermost lid in the stack is drawn downwardly and, as the
chain moves, the kicker 41 engages the right hand edge of the
lowermost lid and moves it to the left, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus,
a blank is fed-from the lid storage section 31 to the forming
section 42 and comes to rest in the forming section 42 where, as
shown in Fig. 4, the left hand edge of the side flap 20 abuts
the longitudinal frame member 30a. Preferably, the lid storage
- section 31 includes glue guns 50, 51 disposed as shown in Fig.
4 so as to deposit a quantity of adhesive material, e.g. a hot
melt glue, upon the under side of the flaps 18, 19 as the lid
is fed to the forming section 32. The glue guns 50, 51 may be
actuated by any conventional means, for example a switch or photo-
~ 4Z398cell which detects the movement of the end 1aps of a lid past
the glue guns.
Considering Figs. 4,5 and 6, it will be seen that the
forming section of the machine 25 includes a reciprocatingly
mounted mandrel plate 60. To provide the desired reciprocating
action, an overhead cross member 61 is mounted on the frame of
the machine as shown in Fig. 4. Mounted on the overhead cross
member 61 is a double acting piston and cylinder 62. As may be
seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the piston 62a is affixed, at its lower
end, to the mandrel 60 as shown at 63. Thus, when the double
acting piston and cylinder 62 are actuated, the mandrel 60 will
reciprocate between the horizontal support members 39.
Two shafts 68, 69 are transversely mounted on opposite
ends of the plate 60 and appropriately journaled for rotation.
f~ Also mounted on top of the plate 60 are a pair of longitudinally
disposed, double acting cylinders and pistons 70, 71 and 72, 73.
The end of the cylinder 70 is fixedly attached to the top of the
plate 60 as at 75. Similarly, the end of the piston 72 is fixedly
attached to the top of the plate 60 as at 76. The pistons 71, 73
are fixedly attached to collars 80, 81, respectively, which are
` mounted on the shafts 69, 68 respectively. Thus, when the double
acting cylinders 70, 72 are actuated, the shafts 69 and 68 will
rotate through a predetermined angle.
Also mounted on the shafts 68, 69 are collars 84, 85
and 86, 87 respectively. A pair of squeezer plates 90, 91 are
connected to the collars 86, 87 and 84, 8S by arms 92, 93 and 94,
95, respectively.
Considering particularly Fig. 6 of the drawings, it
will be seen that a box or container 15 has been positioned
beneath the mandrel 60 and is disposed upon a conveyor 100. The
conveyor belt 100 is trained over rollers 101, 102 which are
driven by a motor which is not shown in the drawings. A support
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1~4~98
plate lG3 is disposed beneath the top of the conveyor belt 100 and
is affixed to the frame 30 of the machine. When the machine 25 is
started, the conveyor 100 will be activated and will continue to
run until a filled container i5 fed to the conveyor. When a
container is introduced onto the conveyor 100 it will be moved
into the forming section 32. The longitudinally disposed guide
~- ~ bars 89, ~9 insure that the container is transversely aligned on
the ~onveyor. The conveyor 100 will continue to operate until
the container is positioned beneath the mandrel 60. To detect
that the filled container is in the desired longitudinal position
beneath the mandrel, a container position detector, such as
photocell 101 in Fig. 6, may be employed to generate a signal and
~,- stop the conveyor. In the event that the inertia of the container
, I causes it to move beyond the desired longitudinal location, rotat-
F; . ably mounted arms, shown in section at 106 and 107 in Fig.6, may
be provided on the frame of the machine and which, in response to
the signal from the container position detector 101, rotate so as
to abut the end walls of the container and thus positively insure
the longitudinal position of the container o..- the conveyor. Also
in response to the signal from the container position detector
101, a lid blank may be fed from the lid supply section 31 by
actuzting the motor 42 and the vacuum cups 45, 46.
Considering now the operation of the forming section 32
of the machine 25, the sequence of operations will commence after
a lid blank 16 has been fed to the forming section and is supported
below the mandrel 60 as shown in Figs. S and 6 and a filled, open
top box or container lS has been positioned thereunder. Thus,
referring specifically to Fig. 6, the double acting piston and
cylinder 62 is actuated, for example, in response to the delivery
of the lid blank, causing the mandrel 60 to move downward and
bear against the central portion 17 of the lid 16 and thus pushing
the lid 16 downwardly past the support members 39. Thus, the central
1~4Z398
portion 17 of the lid 16 is disposed upon the top of the container
15 and is maintained in position by the downward force of the
i mandrel 60 bearing against the central portion 17. While the lid
16 is thus held in position, the double acting pistons 70, 72 are
actuated with the result that the squeezer plates 90, 91 are moved
into parallel opposing relation and, in the-process thereof, bend
r the end flaps 19, 20 downwardly and into face abutting relation
with the end walls of the container 15. ~ecalling that an adhes-
ive had previously been deposited upon the under side of the end
10 flaps 19, 20 it will be appreciated that this movement of the
squeezer plates 90, 91 secures the end flaps 19, 20 to the end
walls of the container 15. Referring to Fig. 7, this configur-
~ ation of the container 15/ the squeezer plates 90, 91 and the
} end flaps 19, 20 will be seen. After maintaining the squeezer
` plates 90, 91 in the position shown in Fig. 7 for a period of
time sufficient to insure a secure adhesive bond, the double
acting cylinders 70, 72 are reverse actuated and thereby return
the squeezer plates 90, 91 to the position shown in Fig. 6. There-
after, the piston and cylinder 62 are reverse actuated and the
20 mandrel plate 60 is reciprocated upwardly leaving the container
15 in a condition wherein the lid 16 is mounted on the container
15 by the end flaps 19, 20. At this point in the process, it
will be appreciated that the side flaps 20, 21 are horizontally
disposed.
After the sequence of steps described above, the
conveyor belt lob commences to move and thus delivers the box 15,
- with the lid 16 thereon to the conveyor belt 110. Preferably,
the conveyor belt 110 is continuously operated whereas the c~n-
veyor belt 100 is discontinuously operated, i.e. with respect
30 to the conveyor belt 100, when a box is delivered to the machine
the conveyor belt 100 is actuated so as to position the box 15
below the mandrel 60 whereupon the conveyor belt 100 stops. After
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the forming sequence descrLbed above, the conveyor belt 100 is
again actuated to deliver the box 15 to the continuously running
conveyor belt 110.
Referring again to Fig. 4 and particularly to the
compression section 33 of the machine 25, it will be seen that
immediately downstream of the forming section 32, there are pro-
vided a plurality of vertically disposed, longitudinally aligned
rollers 115. Additionally, referring to both Pigs. 4 and 7, it
will be seen that two pairs of rods 116, 118 and 119, 120 are
fixed to the frame 30 and are horizontally disposed outwardly of
the rollers 115.
Referring now to Figs. 4 and 8, it will be seen that
downstream of the rollers 115, which define a first transverse
compression section, the rods 116, 118 and 119, 120 are arcuately
disposed so as to curve inwardly and downwardly such that at the
end of the rods, i.e. adjacent to the roller 125, the bottom rod
of each pair is somewhat inwardly disposed with respect to its
, respective top rod and each of the pair of rods, as shown in
Fig. 8, is disposed adjacent to the conveyor belt I10. As prev-
;. 20 iously indicated and as shown in Fig. 8, a hold down roll 125 is
rotatably mounted on the frame of the machine as shown in Fig. 8.
Referring again to Fig. 4, it will be seen that down-
stream of the hold down roll 125 there is provided a second
configuration of rollers, namely rollers 130 which are disposed
similar to the configuration of the rollers 115 and provide a
- second transverse compression zone. The conveyor belt 110, as
shown in Fig. 4, extends throughout the length of the compression
section 33 so as to move a container through the first and
, second compression sections defined above.
The following comments will describe the operation of
the compression section 33 of the machine 25. Referring to Fig.
7, after the squeezer plates 90, 91 have been retracted and the
mandrel 60 has been withdrawn above the level of the support
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1~4Z;~98
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shelves 39, the conveyor 100 is activated to deliver the container
15 to the compression section i.e. onto the top of the continuously
moving conveyor 110. A close inspection of Fig. 7 will reveal
that the vertically aligned rods 119, 120 definè a space there-
between which is longitudinally aligned with the horizontally
extending side flaps of the lid 16 on the box 15. Thus, as the
box 15 moves into the compression section, the side flaps are
maintained in a horizontal position by the vertically aligned
bars 119, 120 and 116, 118. As the box proceeds into the com-
pression section 33, it will be seen from an inspection of Fig.4 that the vertically disposed compression rollers 55 will compress
the side walls of the box 15. Thus, any deformation of the box
which has occurred because of the outward forces imposed thereon
by the contents of the box will be removed. Such a first or
initial compression is particularly significant when attempting
to seal a lid to a box which contains meat. Thus, it has been
found that large quantities of meat, when packaged in a container,
tend to settle over a period of time and thus impose outward
forces upon the walls of the container. However, it has also
been found that large ~uantities of meat in a package display
somewhat plastic properties. Thus, although meat may settle in
a container and thus push the side walls outwardly, it has been
found that if the container is then subjected to a transverse
compression, the meat will be slightly compacted and will main-
tain this compacted state for a short period of time. Thus, the
function of the vertically aligned rollers 115 is to subject
the side walls of a box 15 to a first transverse compression
whereby the symmetry of the box is regained through compressing
the contents of the box.
As previously indicated, while the box is passing
through the first compression stage, the side flaps of the lid
are maintained in a horizontal position by the bars 119, 120, and
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1~4'~398
116, 118. As the box exitc frQm the rollers llS, upwardly
directed glue guns 150, lSl are providea on the frameof the machine
as shown in Fig. 4. Through the use of appropriate sensing devices,
for exa~ple photocells or switches, the glue guns lS0, 151 may
be actuated so as to apply or spray an adhesive on the under
surface of the side flaps as they pass the glue guns as shown
in Fig. 9.
As the side flaps of the lid pass the glue guns 150,
lSl ~uetO movement of the container lS on the conveyor 110, the
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flaps enter the section of the compression section 33 wherein
the bars 116, 118 and 119, 120 curve inwardly and downwardly.
The purpose of providing this arrangement of the bars is to fold
or plow down the side flaps 20, 21. Thus, as shown in Figs. 4
and 9, the side flaps 20, 21 are folded downwardly towards the
side walls of the box 15. Thereafter, the box passes beneath
the hold down roller 125 which subjects the box to a vertical
compression and the box then enters a second transverse compress-
ion section which is,defined by the longitudinally aligned,
vertically disposed rollers 130. At this point, it will be
appreciated that when the box enters the second compression section,
the side flaps 20, 21 have had glue applied to their under
surface and have been folded downwardly adjacent to the side
walls of the container. Thus, as the conveyor belt 110 moves
the box lS between the rollers 130, the rollers compress the
side flaps 20, 21 against the side walls of the container as
shown in Fig. 10 and thus a uniform and secure adhesive bond
is obtained between the side flaps 20, 21 and the sides of
the,container lS. Thereafter, referring to Fig. 4, the con-
veyor belt 110 delivers the sealed container to a delivery
station 135. Containers delivered to the station 135 will
appear as shown in Fig. 3.
Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has
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hereinbefore been described, it will be appreciated that numerous
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my
invention. For example, in the preferred embodiment of my machine
as described above, adhesive is deposited upon the under side of
the end flaps when the lid blank is fed to the forming section.
Similarly, in the above described machine, adhesive is applied
to the under surface of the side flaps during movement of the
container through the compression section 33. As those skilled
in the art will appreciate, a number of different, but equivalent,
method steps or apparatus elements may be used to provide the
necessary adhesive for sealing the flaps of the lid. For example,
rather than depositing adhesive on the under side of the flaps,
an adhesive may be applied to the side walls or end walls of
the container at an appropriate location within the machine.
Similarly, machine elements other than rollers may be employed
` to provide the desired transverse compression as a container
moves through the machine. Thus, it will be understood that
the scope of my invention is to be determined by the claims
appended hereto.
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