Corrugated box forming, loading and sealing machine

There is illustrated and described a machine for setting up corrugated box blanks having four side panels folded double and sealed along their otherwise adjacent free edges and having top and bottom end flaps extending from each end of each side panel. The machine includes a magazine for holding a plurality of folded blanks, means for removing individual blanks from the magazine and opening same into vertically oriented four-sided tubes, first transfer means for moving the tubes laterally while closing the bottom leading end flap, means for closing the bottom trailing end flap, breaking the bottom side flaps and rotating the open-topped boxes to a loading position, separate, cooperating loading means for depositing product, such as cartons, bottles or the like, into the open-topped boxes, second transfer means for moving the loaded boxes laterally while closing the top leading and trailing end flaps and bringing the top side flaps into contact with converging rails, means for depositing an adhesive along each of the top and bottom oppositely disposed side flaps while the boxes are being moved, and means for compressing, and thus sealing, the top and bottom side flaps onto the respective leading and trailing end flaps, readying the boxes for discharge.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates generally to paperboard forming, loading and sealing 
machines and, more particularly, to such machines for forming from a 
blank, loading with a product, and sealing corrugated boxes. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Heretofore, various machine arrangements have been proposed and used to 
form, load and fill containers, such as corrugated boxes, from blanks 
which are manufactured and shipped in a flat state, wherein the first and 
fourth side panels are glued together along their adjacent edges, and the 
top and bottom flaps are extended outwardly as extensions of each end of 
the respective four side panels, connected to the latter by the usual 
unbroken score lines. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved corrugated 
box forming, loading and sealing machine for use with a conventional 
suitable "caser" or product filling machine, the latter serving to lower, 
say, twelve liquid carrying paperboard cartons into the corrugated box 
being formed by the machine of the present invention. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved compact and 
efficient corrugated box forming, loading and sealing machine. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a box forming, loading and 
sealing machine, including (1) a magazine for holding corrugated box 
blanks sealed at their vertical edges so as to form double thick blanks 
with side panels 1 and 2 and their respective end panels adjacent side 
panels 4 and 3 and their respective end panels, panels 1 and 4 being 
joined together, (2) an opening means for opening the blank into a 
rectangular or square cross-section tube, (3) means for closing the 
leading and trailing minor bottom flaps while the tube is being conveyed, 
(4) a loading section for the loading of product by a suitable caser into 
the partially formed tube, (5) a rotator for rotating the loaded, 
partially formed tube from one direction to a direction perpendicular 
thereto, (6) means for closing the leading and trailing minor top flaps, 
(7) means for gluing and closing the major or longitudinal top and bottom 
flaps to complete the formation of the corrugated box as a filled package, 
and (8) means for compressing and discharging the sealed box. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent 
when reference is made to the following description and accompanying 
drawings.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a 
corrugated box forming, loading and sealing machine 10 mounted within 
suitable framework 11 and generally including a corrugated box blank 
infeed section 12, a blank opening section 14, a minor bottom flaps 
closing section 16, a loading section 18, a major bottom flaps and minor 
and major top flaps closing and gluing section 20, a compressing and 
discharging section 22, a control panel 24, and an overhead "caser" or 
loading machine 25. 
The infeed section 12 includes a magazine 26 capable of holding a 
predetermined number of case blanks 28, and an opener arm 30 pivotally 
mounted on a pivot pin 32. Each blank 28 includes four side panels 
indentified hereinafter as sides 1, 2, 3 and 4. A pair of spaced suction 
cups 34 are secured to the opener arm 30 and adapted to contact side 1 of 
the front blank 28, as will be explained. 
A limit switch 36 is mounted on the magazine 26 and a pair of limit 
switches 38 and 40 are mounted on the framework 11 and positioned so as to 
be alternately contacted by the opener arm 30. A suitable cylinder means 
42 is connected by a piston rod 44 to the arm 30 and is operatively 
connected to the limit switch 36. 
Another pair of limit switches 39 and 41 (FIG. 2) are mounted on the 
framework 11 and positioned so as to be alternately contacted by a swing 
arm 31 bearing vacuum cups 13. A suitable cylinder means 43 is connected 
by a position rod 45 to the swing arm 31. A loading pusher plate 46 (FIG. 
1) is urged forward by suitable cylinder means 48 (FIG. 2) once the swing 
arm 31 contacts the limit switch 41. A projecting arm 50 is mounted on the 
bottom center of the pusher plate 46, extending forwardly therefrom for 
contacting and extending beneath the trailing bottom flap of each case 
blank 28. 
A rotator 52 includes four 90.degree. spaced support arms 54 extending from 
a central hub member 56. The support arm 54 which is aligned with the 
projecting arm 50 serves to bend the leading bottom flap of the case blank 
28 as the latter is pushed onto the aligned support arm 54 by the loading 
pusher plate 46 moving along a track 57. A limit switch 58 is operatively 
connected to the cylinder means 43 and mounted on the framework 11 such 
that it is actuated by movement of the tubular case therepast, while a 
limit switch 60 is mounted on the framework so as to be contacted by the 
leading side of the tubular case. Suitable cam means 62 is actuated by the 
limit switch 60, causing the rotator 52 to rotate through one 90.degree. 
index. After two more such indexes, the respective partially bottom-folded 
cases will have been moved from the receiving position to a discharge 
position 270.degree. away. 
Release of the limit switch 60 as a result of the rotation of the rotator 
52 and associated cases actuates the cylinder means 48, causing the pusher 
plate 46 to retract along the track 57 into contact with a limit switch 
64, to be retained until the next blank 28 is swung into contact with the 
limit switch 58. 
As may be noted in FIG. 2, a pair of converging guide rails 66 is mounted 
directly beneath each support arm 54 and positioned so as to be contacted 
by the side bottom major flaps of each case as it is pushed onto the 
respective support arm 54. 
At the above referenced 270.degree. discharge position, the partially 
bottom-closed case is positioned with its side panel 3 trailing and facing 
a discharge pusher plate 68, and in contact with a limit switch 70 mounted 
on the framework 11. The limit switch 70 is operatively connected to a 
suitable cylinder means 72 (FIG. 1) for causing the overhead "caser" 25 to 
lower and for moving the pusher plate 68 forward, moving the loaded box 
onto and along a stationary platform 73. An arm 74 extends forwardly from 
the framework 11, serving to bend the trailing top minor flap about the 
scoreline 28i (FIG. 3). A stationary rail 76 is located downstream of the 
case such that it is contacted by the leading top minor flap and bent 
about the scoreline 28j (FIG. 3). 
A limit switch 79 is mounted on the framework 11 so as to be contacted by 
the discharge pusher plate 68 while the latter is on its forward stroke. A 
limit switch 78 is operatively connected to upper and lower sets of glue 
guns 80. Still another limit switch 82 is mounted on a lower portion of 
the framework 11 such that it is actuated by a passing case and must be 
engaged before the limit switch 78 can be effective. A further limit 
switch 84 is located downstream of the switches 78 and 82, a predetermined 
distance before the end of the forward stroke of the discharge pusher 
plate 68. 
Two sets of upper and lower rails 88 and 90 diverge at their forward ends 
toward the rotator 52 and then straddle the discharge passage through the 
gluing station to converge at their rear ends apart from upper and lower 
conveyor rollers 92 and 94, respectively. A ramp 96 (FIG. 2) is located 
just ahead of the lower rollers 94, intermediate the latter and the lower 
rails 90. 
OPERATION 
Once the machine 10 is turned on by operator actuation of the control panel 
24, with no case blank 28 in contact with the limit switch 36, the opener 
arm 30 is caused to swing about the pivot pin 32 by the cylinder means 
until the suction cups 34 come into contact with side panel 1 of the first 
case blank 28 in the magazine 26, while the arm 30 simultaneously contacts 
the limit switch 40. Actuation of the latter causes the arm 30 to swing 
back to its original position, pulling the case blank 28 out of the 
magazine and thereby opening the blank into a square or rectangular tube, 
as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, this is accomplished by bending 
side panels 1, 2 and 3 of the case blank 28 about the vertical corner 
scorelines 28a, 28b, 28c, and 28d. Side panel 4 is stationary, without 
being rotated 90.degree. in the manner of side panels 1 and 3, or swung in 
an arc in the manner of side panel 2. When the tube is rectangular rather 
than square, side panels 2 and 4 are wider than side panels 1 and 3. 
Thereafter, side panel 3 will lead, side panel 1 will trail while being 
pushed onto the aligned support arm 54, and side panels 2 and 4 will 
travel in parallel lines therebetween. 
At the end of the cylinder 43 stroke, the swing arm 31 contacts both (1) 
the limit switch 41 to hold the arm 31 and the tube in this position and 
(2) the limit switch 58 to cause the loading pusher plate 46 to move 
forward on the track 57, moving the tube forward. A projecting support arm 
50 on the front of the pusher plate urges the trailing bottom flap forward 
about horizontal scoreline 28e. As the tube is pushed forward, the leading 
bottom minor flap contacts the distal end of the aligned support arm 54 of 
the rotator 52, causing the flap to be bent about the horizontal scoreline 
28f, toward the other or trailing bottom minor flap. The tube is thus 
moved onto the first of the four 90.degree. spaced support arms 54 of the 
rotator 52. The pair of converging rails 66 just beneath the sides of each 
support arm 54 serve to "break" the side bottom major flaps about the 
horizontal scorelines 28g and 28h. 
As the tube is moved toward the rotator 52, its side panel 3 contacts the 
limit switch 60 which is held for the remainder of the stroke as side 
panel 2 moves therepast. This causes the rotator 52 to rotate 90.degree., 
carrying the tube away from the switch 60, causing the loading pusher 
plate 46 to retract. As the latter retracts, it contacts the limit switch 
64 which serves to retain the pusher plate in position until a next blank 
28 is swung into contact with the limit switch 58 to repeat the cycle just 
described. 
Once four partially bottom-formed cases 28 have been rotated by the four 
support arms 54 of the rotator 52, the first of the four cases is rotated 
into position in front of the discharge pusher plate 68 such that side 
panel 1 is now leading. Upon being retracted into contact with the limit 
switch 70, the caser 25 is caused to lower a full load of product, such as 
paperboard cartons, plastic jugs, or glass bottles, or the like, into the 
case, and the discharge pusher plate 68 is caused to engage side panel 3 
and move toward the discharge end of the machine. 
As the discharge pusher plate 68 moves forward, the projecting arm 74 
extending forwardly therefrom bends the trailing top flap downwardly about 
the horizontal scoreline 28i. The leading top flap is brought into contact 
with the stationary rail 76 and is thus caused to be bent downwardly about 
the horizontal scoreline 28j. 
Once the discharge pusher plate 68 contacts the limit switch 78, and so 
long as a case has contacted the limit switch 82, the upper and lower sets 
of glue guns 80 are actuated, spraying streams of glue to form parallel 
rows of glue along each of the bottom and top pairs of longitudinal flaps. 
Thereafter, the top side flaps contact the upper converging rails 88 and 
are urged downwardly about the scorelines 28k and 28l, while the bottom 
side flaps contact the lower converging rails 90 and are thus urged 
upwardly about the scorelines 28g and 28h. The folding is completed as the 
bottom flaps traverse up the ramp 96. Thereafter, top and bottom sealing 
is completed when the case becomes vertically confined by the upper and 
lower rollers 92 and 94, to thereafter be discharged onto any suitable 
conveyor system (not shown). 
At the predetermined distance before the end of the forward stroke, the 
pusher plate 68 contacts the limit switch 84 which causes the plate to 
return provided the overhead caser has indicated that there are enough 
containers ready to fill the next case. Otherwise, the pusher plate 68 
will continue forward until it contacts the limit switch 79, which will 
thereupon cause the plate to return. As a point along the return stroke a 
predetermined distance from the end thereof, the pusher plate 68 contacts 
a limit switch 91 which causes the pusher plate 68 to stop until the caser 
25 has completed its loading cycle of a case. When the caser 25 is in the 
uppermost position, the cylinder 72 moves the pusher plate 68 the 
remainder of the returning stroke, along with moving the cam 67 to cause 
the rotator 52 to rotate 90 degrees, aligning the next case to be loaded 
with the flap closing and gluing section 20. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
It should be apparent that the invention provides an automated, compact and 
efficient corrugated box packaging system, wherein any conventional caser 
25 may be adapted thereto to cooperate with corrugated blanks being formed 
into boxes, filled by the caser, and then sealed into a completed package 
for shipment. 
While but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, 
other modifications thereof are possible.