A machine for erecting flat collapsed cartons and for filling and sealing the erected cartons

摘要

1,001,596. Packaging machines; cartons. EX-CELL-O CORPORATION. Nov. 6, 1961 [Nov. 7, 1960], No. 39597/61. Headings B8C and B8P. [Also in Division B5] Machine for forming filled cartons.-In a machine for setting up and filling initially openended collapsed tubular carbons formed from thermoplastic coated blanks of paperboard and in which a drive connected to the bottom forming means and a second drive connected to the top folding, closing and discharge means are normally coupled together for operation in unison, means are provided for uncoupling the drives, in the event of stoppage of the first, so that the second may operate independently. Carton type.-The carton blank prior to tubing and collapsing is as shown in Fig. 7 and is coated on both sides with the thermoplastic material, e.g. polyethylene. It is erected by the machine to form a gable-topped carton (Fig. 21). A non-adhesive strip 94 provides a weakened top seam to facilitate opening to form a spout. Blank loading and magazine.-A supply of the collapsed cartons is placed on a tray 124 (Fig. 1) which is then inverted to deposit these, top closure flaps downwards, on to a conveyer in the magazine loader 98. When the supply of blanks in the magazine 99 dwindles below a certain point a switch 134, in series with a switch 132 sensing blanks in the loader, advances the conveyer to feed more blanks to the magazine. The blanks are supported in the magazine of a skid 117 between rails 116 and against end abutments 120 (Fig. 9). The lower blank is removed by a suction cup 136 fixed to a swinging arm 135, and erects as it is pulled past a fixed guide 138. The erected blank is stripped on to a mandrel 141 by a dog 140 (Fig. 10) on a chain 139 when suction is withdrawn. Bottom forming.-The mandrel wheel (Fig. 10) rotates intermittently in a vertical plane below the magazine and the mandrels are water cooled to prevent the heated blanks adhering to them. At the bottom flap crease breaker 144, blades 175, 176 reciprocating towards the carton fold panels 64, 65 downwards (Fig. 11). Fingers 178, 179 (Fig. 11) are swung about axes 182, 184 to fold panels 66, 69 inwards. At stations 145-147 warm air is supplied to heads 212 (see also Fig. 14) to activate the thermoplastic coating on the bottom closure panels. The relative amounts of air supplied through walls 215-217 may be regulated by baffles 220. In the event of a stoppage of part of the machine the temperature and flow of air may be reduced or stopped, automatically. At the closing station 148 a reciprocating block 235 closes the bottom panels before sealing. The surface of the block is of shallow V form, with one surface undercut 238 so that panel 64 is tucked-in under panel 65. Guide rails 241, 264 ensure that the bottom remains closed as it continues its movement. At sealing stations 149, 150, pivotally mounted cooled pads 251 are urged against the mandrel to effect sealing. Cartons are stripped from the mandrel at the next station by an arm reciprocating on rod 269 and deposited in the preferred arrangement in receptacles 282 (Fig. 4b) on a conveyer 280 for passage of their open ends in front of a sterilizing lamp 284. The stripper co-operates with means for ejecting a sterilized carton from a receptacle 282. The sterilized carton is pushed from the receptacle into the basket 285 of an uprighting transfer arm means 300 just prior to the stripped carton entering it. An arm 291 swings the basket 285 from a horizontal to an upright position, and presents the carton to a rotary top crease breaker mechanism 108 (Fig. 1). The sterilizing unit may be omitted and the cartons stripped from the mandrels directly into the basket 285, motion of the carton through the machine is henceforth continuous. Top pre-forming and filling.-The cartons are carried in receptacles beneath a rotating head from which depend crease-breaking means, one for each receptacle. The breakers carry two generally triangular blades 306 (Fig. 20) which are lowered into the top of the carton on a camoperated plunger so that knees 308 are opposite the top horizontal score line. Triangular fingers 311, 312 are then swung inwards by by means of a rack-and-pinion arrangement on the plunger (Fig. not not shown), bend the the panels 85. The cartons are then filled at a unit 109 (Fig. 1) (no details given), and presented to a conveyer 110 for subsequent heat sealing. In order to again fold in the top closure panels a " Steepler " unit 111 (Figs. 1, 23) engages the top of the carton prior to heating. A member 330 is arranged to move parallel to itself while moving in an orbit over the cartons and applying folding pressure to the top during the lower movement of the orbit. As the member 330 is brought against the carton top, plates 331, 332 push the panels 78, 79 downwards while at the same time the central folder plate 334 pushes the panels 84, 85 (Fig. 21) inwards. Top sealing.-The carton is conveyed under electric heater sections 112 (a-d), Figs. 1, 25, suspended above the conveyer to activate the coating. If the machine jams, the heaters are automatically raised as a unit by pneumatic means 390, 391 to prevent damage to the cartons. The heaters may be hinged back from those above the conveyer for maintenance. The cartons are then conveyed so that their tops pass between water-cooled converging blades 370, 371 to close them before sealing. Closed cartons are received by a rotating turret 399 (Fig. 1) for final sealing of the top rib of the carton between pressure jaws 408, 409 (Fig. 29). A cam follower 428 engaging a fixed track 429 lowers fluid cooled jaw 409 which engages the top and one side of the carton's ribs 81a, 82a. A radial plunger 410 carrying the resiliently mounted jaw 408 is urged against the rib by a cam follower 416. A dating and delivery unit 441, Fig. 1, is mounted adjacent the sealing means, and marks the upstanding rib as it passes between a dating roller urged against a driven back-up roller (Fig. 32, not shown). Machine drive.-The main drive shaft 166, Fig. 4b, drives the mandrel wheel, top breaking means and filling unit while the secondary shaft 365 operating in unison with shaft 166 drives the " steepler " unit, heater conveyer, sealing and dating means. In the event of a machine stoppage the operator may disconnect the drives by a clutch 471 and operate the secondary drive separately, using motor 470, to complete processing of filled cartons. Means are provided to prevent re-starting of the machine until the drives have been re-coupled. The machine is provided with an operator's emergency stop-bar 104, and visual indicators 105, Fig. 1, of the performance of the various parts of the machine. Specifications 1,001,597, 1,001,598 and 1,001,599 are referred to.