Patent GB-923027-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for forming and affixing a divider in a box
Inventor: PEARCE LEWIS CASS
IPC: B31B11/00
Filed: 1960-06-13
Abstract: 923,027. Machine for forming and securing box partitions. AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION. June 13, 1960, No. 20651/60. Class 18. A machine for forming and securing divider members A2, B2 in boxes 14, Fig. 5, comprises a supply assembly A4, (Figs. 7, 8a) from which thermoplastic adhesive-coated sheet material 55 is fed through a scoring assembly A6, which scores the sheet longitudinally into three widths, and thence through assemblies A8, A10, A14 which successively bend the sheet about the score lines to form a strip L-shape in cross-section wherein two of the widths are overlapped to form one limb 24d the other width forming limb 24e. A strip feeding assembly A1 joined by a common drive to assemblies A6, A8 advances the strip intermittently through the machine and at heat sealing assembly A16 the overlapped widths of limb 24d are sealed by the advance of heatable heads (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7) transversely to the direction of movement of the strip, the strip having been initially fed and then folded so that the adhesive surfaces of the overlapped widths abut. Notching assembly A18 produces the bevelled edges 24m, (Fig. 5, 6a) by making an upwardly opening V-notch in limb 24d, one notch being produced at each feeding stroke. A second notching assembly A20 has two punch type die members 232 which produce two V-notches in limb 24e, one forming the beads 24n, Fig. 5, and the other notch 24j dividing limb 24e into elements 24g and 24h, Fig. 6a. A second scoring assembly A24 scores the divider member along the line 24k prior to arrival of the strip at a cut-off assembly A26 where a section is cut off from the end of the strip, the point of cut-off being such as form elements 24g, 24h, of approximately equal length. A forming and applying assembly A28 consists of a heatable head 260 about which the section of strip is wrapped, see Fig. 7, a folding arm 284 bending the section about the score line 24k to form the divider member A2 while a movable block 278 holds the section against one side of the head 260. To hold the member in its right-angular form after retraction of the block 278 and completion of the bending, head 260 is provided with vacuum ports, the vacuum being applied through hose 296, Fig. 8. The divider member is now applied to wall 14a of box 14, which has been brought to the required position by a conveyer assembly C. Head 260 is lowered and heated so that, since the lower surface of limb 24e is the adhesively coated surface, the member A2 adheres to the wall 14a; thereafter the vacuum is broken and the head raised. In addition the boxes 14 are preheated by heater plate 310, Fig. 7, before fixture of member A2 and a back-up plate 312, Fig. 8, movable downwardly action, the action of springs provides support against which the head 260 presses the wall 14a. A second unit B, Fig. 7, is essentially the same as the one described with most assemblies being mirror images of each other and has as purpose the applying of further divider members B2 spaced as required from members A2 so that each box is divided into at least two compartments.