Patent GB-1388329-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for erecting carton blanks
IPC: B31B5/78
Filed: 1972-10-23
Abstract: 1388329 Setting-up knocked-down cartons; feeding sheets EMHART CORP 23 Oct 1972 [1 Nov 1971] 48643/72 Headings B8C and B8R In an apparatus for setting up knocked down cartons all the bottom closure flaps F, H, K and M of the carton are folded in one direction and at right angles to the common plane occupied by the side wall panels A, B, C and D, and while at least one of the thus folded bottom flaps is retained in this position, at least one of the bottom flaps is folded back through 180 degrees. to lie in substantially the same plane as the retained flap(s). The carton is opened up by grasping one of the bottom flaps and swinging this flap about an axis coincident with one of the primary fold lines through 90 degrees. The apparatus includes a magazine which supplies the knocked-down cartons to a folding station whereat a rocking bar 71 folds all the bottom flaps F, H, K and M in the one direction, a rocking bar 75 retain the folded bottom flaps H, K and a vacuum device 78 may be provided to retain the folded bottom flap M. The rocking bar 71 folds back the bottom flap F, and the bottom flap M if it is not retained, during its return movement. A support guide 73 which is rocked into position below the flaps H, K and M, supports these flaps when they are released by the rocking bar 75 and the vacuum device 78. The folding station further includes a rocking bar 61 which folds all the top closure flaps E, G, J, L, which flaps may be interconnected in pairs, to lie at right angles to the common plane of the side wall panels A, B, C, D, and a vacuum device 68 which holds the folded top flaps J, L while the rocking bar 61 folds the top flaps G, E back through 180 degrees. A guide 63 holds the top flaps J, L when they are released by the vacuum device 68. The knocked-down carton so folded, as shown at 100 in Fig. 3, is moved by a flight bar 40 mounted on endless belts 44 into an erection station. During this movement the top flaps E, G, J, L are folded down against their associated side wall panels by a fixed guide 104 and a pivoted guide 106 mounted on a crank arm structure 108. At the erection station the bottom flap H is gripped by a vacuum device 120 which forms part of the crank arm structure 108, and swings the bottom flap H to open-up the knocked-down carton on a dead plate 122. The opened-out carton is moved by an arm 126 mounted on an endless belt 128 over a cam controlled flap tucking device 132 which can fold the leading bottom flap M into a bottom forming position. The bottom flaps F and K are folded inwardly by fixed ploughs 140 after passing over segmented glue rollers 138. The carton then moves below a reciprocating plunger which compresses the carton bottom. The magazine comprises three driven feed screws 10, 12, 14, on which a stack of the knockdown cartons is supported on edge and a fixed lateral guide 18. The endmost knocked-down carton is stripped from the remainder of the stack and fed between driven roller 38 by a device mounted on an air cylinder and piston assembly 34.  The above apparatus may be used for opening up cartons prior to filling them with bottles.