Patent GB-1290902-A (GB)
IPC: B65B11/00
Filed: 1969-11-12
Abstract: 1290902 Forming a package by folding a prescored blank around a stack of articles UNILEVER Ltd 12 Nov 1969 [15 Nov 1968] 55336/69 Heading B8C In a method of manufacturing a box completely filled with articles 2 by folding a flat box blank 1, scored to have botton 87, side 88, 89, and top 90 panels all with end flaps 74, 69, respectively, around a stack of the articles, a vertical stack is formed of a number of superimposed layers of the articles 2 and the flat box blank 1 is first presented in a vertical plane to a lateral face of the stack with the bottom panel 87 of the blank 1 engaging the lateral face. The blank 1 and the stack are then tilted simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to said vertical plane to bring the blank into a horizontal plane with the stack resting upon the blank bottom panel 87, the side panels 88, 89 of the blank being folded up against the stack during the tilting movement. The end flaps 69 are also folded against the stack during the latter movement of the stack, the top panel 90 and the end flaps 74 being folded when the blank, with the articles, subsequently moves in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the plane of tilting. As shown, a double row of articles is pushed horizontally on to a tiltable loader 4, and a blank 1, which has previously been delivered from a magazine A by pinch rollers 40, 41 and over inclined arms 22, 22 and 56, 57, is swung by a tiltable platform 21, consisting of a flat plate 23 and two arms 26 pivotally mounted about a shaft 20, into a vertical position against a side of the stack of articles as the latter is deposited, vertically, on a further tiltable-platform 19, the loader 4 having been swung through an arc of 90 degrees by a cam-operated linkage 6, 9, 12, 13. As the platform 21 returns to its initial position, carrying the Blank and the articles 3, the tiltable platform 19 follows its movement, Fig. 7 (not shown), and immediately the platform reaches the plane of the arms 22, 22 and 56, 57 the latter are pivoted upwardly to assume a horizontal position, the arms 22 folding up the sides 88, 89 of the blank against the arms 22 being also pivoted inwardly towards each other as they rise. The platform 21 descends to its original position in the plane of plates 51-54 of a fixed support so that the panel blank 1 rests upon the latter. During the erection of the panels 88, 89 their flaps 69 are also gradually folded inwards-by strap members 70, 77 attached to the aims 22. As the tiltable platform 19 is rapidly pivoted back to its initial position, a pusher flight- 64, carried between a pair of endless chains 61, pushes the partlyformed box in a transverse direction over conveyer rollers 55 in the fixed support 51-54 so that the top panel 90 of the blank is folded over as it passes beneath one of the arms 22 and the flaps 69 are completely closed as they pass rails 71, 78 carried by the rods 56, 57. Before the flaps 69, 74 of the bottom and top panels 87, 90 are folded down on to the flaps 69 by plates 72, 73, 79, their inside surfaces are glued by gluing heads 75, 76. The completed box is subsequently tilted through 90 degrees by a tilting device (100, 101), Fig. 3 (not shown), and is then pushed through pairs of vertical, and horizontal, belts 94, 95 and 96, 97, the belt 95 folding the tab 98, which has been previously glued, over the box, and the belts 96, 97 keeping the flaps 74 pressed down until the glue has hardened. The tab 98 is glued during its discharge from the magazine A.