Patent GB-574683-A (GB)
Title: Device for opening and emptying cartons
IPC: B65B21/22
Filed: 1943-07-13
Abstract: 574,683. Unpacking cartons. MARGOLIS, J. A. July 13, 1943, No. 11345. Convention date, July 14, 1942. [Class 94 (i)] [Also in Group XXX] Apparatus for opening and emptying cartons 2, Fig. 9, comprises a support, means for advancing the cartons in inverted position on the support, and means for opening the inner and outer sets of closure flaps 4, 5 at the underside of the cartons to permit discharge of the contents. As applied to the emptying of cartons, in which empty milk bottles are placed with their mouths downwards, the cartons are placed in an inverted position in a trough 176, Fig. 26, along which they are moved by an endless-chain conveyer 162 having cross pusher bars 163. The floor of the trough is depressed at 177 so that the outer flaps 5 drop slightly from the body of the container enabling a projecting tongue 178 to enter above the flaps 5. The sides of the tongue 178 diverge so that as the cartons advance the flaps 5 are spread laterally and the cartons are deposited on the floor 179 of a further conveyer with the flaps 5 open. A chain conveyer 183 with pushers 184 moves the cartons along the floor 179 between guide rails 182, and sections 187 at opposite sides of the floor are cut away permitting the inner flaps 4 to drop in succession under the weight of the bottles to deposit the bottles on to an underlying belt conveyer 185. Guide rails limit the movement of the flaps 4 which confine the released bottles on the belt 185. The bottles may pass to cleaning and bottling machines and be re-packaged in the cartons. In another form the inverted cartons are fed to a roller track and pass to an inclined channel 3 shown in plan in Fig. 10 having overlapping horizontal partitions 52, 58 with apertures A, B, C to allow the outer flaps 5 to fall and inclined parts 53, 58, 65 to guide these flaps into vertical channels 62, 64. The distance apart of the sides 21, 22 of the channel is adjustable by links 34 at each end and screws 31 operated by a handle through gearing 27 to accommodate different sizes of cartons. From the channel 3 the cartons pass to an inclined conveyer 69, Fig. 2, on which the inner flaps rest, the flaps 5 being guided by deflector plates 89 into horizontal troughs 91. As the cartons advance they leave the inclined conveyer 69 and are supported by the flaps 5 sliding in the troughs 91, the inner flaps 4 then' opening gradually under the weight of the bottles until they pass from engagement with the end of the conveyer 69, when they are fully opened and deposit the bottles on a downwardly extending belt conveyer 8, whence they pass to a cross conveyer 9, Fig. 3. The cartons slide along the horizontal troughs 91 above the conveyer 8, being guided by rails 98 and pass to a trough 113 the floor of which terminates in a diagonal downwardly inclined portion 115, which causes the cartons to overbalance and be inverted by contacting a transverse rod 17 so that they are deposited right way up on a belt conveyer 12 running parallel to the conveyer 9 for the bottles. To prevent internal partitioning members 6 from falling out of the cartons with the bottles, an endless chain 119 extends centrally between the troughs 91, contact of this chain with the bottles being prevented by a guard rail. The troughs 91 and rails 98 are mounted adjustably to suit cartons of different widths, being carried by uprights on four screwed rods 93, 94 simultaneously turned by sprocket wheels 95, 96 and an endless chain 99. The conveyer 69 is carried by a frame pivoted at 75 and angularly adjustable by a screw 76. The conveyer 8 for the bottles may be horizontal and the guide troughs 91 inclined upwardly so that the cartons are lifted from the bottles, the cartons being moved by a pusher conveyer. In a further modification the outer flaps 5 of the cartons are opened by a tongue 178, as in Fig. 26 and the cartons pass to another trough similar to the trough 176 with the floor centrally depressed and a further tongue similar to the tongue 178 opens the inner flaps 4 and allows them to fall to a vertical position. The flaps 4 are then guided to upwardly inclined troughs 91 to lift the cartons from the bottles which pass forward horizontally, the partitioning members 6 being retained by an endless cord extending parallel to the troughs 91. The channel 3, Figs. 2 and 10, may be replaced by an openwork trough comprising adjustable side rails and a central bottom rail with offset portions which allow the flaps to drop, leaf springs being provided to guide the flaps to the deflectors 89 and troughs 91.