Improvements in Machines for Folding and Filling Cardboard Cases or the like, and Enclosing them within an Outer Case.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Machines for Folding and Filling Cardboard Cases
or the like, and Enclosing them within an Outer Case.
I, ALFRED GODFREY, of 14 Havergal Villas, Green Lanes, Hornsey, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
1
My invention relates to machines for folding and filling cardboard cases or the
like, and enclosing them within an outer case and has for its object the provision
of means for effecting the said operations automatically, the cardboard or like
blanks and the articles to be packed into the boxes being fed automatically to the
respective mechanisms or equivalently they may be fed by hand independently
if desired. This mechanism is particularly applicable for the packing of a pre-
determined number of cigarettes within a box or case, but may be used with other
classes of goods which can be packed in an equivalent manner.
To carry my invention into effect I arrange a mechanism for cutting and creasing
cardboard blanks which I feed into a special mechanism for folding the blank into
a box, although I may if desired effect the creasing operation during the operation
of folding.
The special mechanism for folding consists of a reciprocating compound plunger
having an outer surrounding portion adapted to slide upon the centre portion and
to be pressed downward by elastic pressure or other means such as independent
driving mechanism.
This compound plunger is adapted to co-act with a compound die consisting of
a series of plates having central holes therethrough of specific shapes. These plates
are superposed one on the other and are preferably separated by distance pieces.
The compound plunger is arranged to reciprocate from above the compound die
through the same so as to deliver the folded box from the bottom of the die.
Upon a blank of cardboard being placed between suitable guides on the upper
part of the die, the plunger in descending pushes the blank into the die, bending
the top end edges of the box to a right angle by means of the outer part of the
plunger, which outer part is restrained from further movement.
The centre portion of the plunger continues to move and forcing the blank
through another plate of the series bends the sides of the box to a right angle,
and then through another plate which bends the bottom corners of the box to a
right angle, and delivers the completed box through the bottom of the die clear
of the same. If desired corner pieces may be left at the ends of the sides to form
an abutment for the end flaps to rest against; these corner pieces would be bent
at the first bending operation, provision being made in the first die and outer
part of the plunger for the purpose.
Below the die I provide a channel or race into which the folded boxes are
delivered and I arrange a reciprocating pushing device which feeds the boxes along
the channel intermittently as they are delivered from the die.
At the side of this said channel I arrange a device which is adapted to advance
and retire for the purpose of opening the top flaps of the box and maintaining the

page_text: in that position while the filling operation is being performed, such opening device
being adapted to move together with the box if necessary as the latter travels
along the channel.
While the box is in the open position it comes within the sphere of operation of
the filling mechanism.
This filling mechanism consists of one or more receptacles which are filled
automatically from a magazine or by hand as may be desired.
These receptacles may be arranged about an intermittently revolving wheel or
moving band or may consist of one or more reciprocating receptacles adapted to
travel over the open empty box and deliver their contents therein. The cigarettes
or other articles may be retained within the filling receptacles by any convenient
means which latter are automatically operated at the proper time for delivery.
After boxes are filled it is necessary to provide means for folding down the top
flaps and inserting each filled box within an outer case.
This I effect by feeding the filled boxes end to end in a continuous stream one
by one into a position opposite a laterally moving pusher which is recipro-
cated from side to side.
At one or both ends of the stroke of this pusher I arrange a side recess adapted
to just contain the filled box. The upper side of the recess has angularly disposed
surfaces which are adapted to contact with the open flaps of the box as it enters
the recess and to gradually close them down by the time the whole of the box is
pushed into the recess.
In the case of a recess being arranged on each side the pusher is then in place
for filling the opposite recess with a box.
Adjacent to this recess or these recesses and in line therewith I provide open
sided chambers each to contain an outer case to embrace a filled box.
Adjacent to the case recess or recesses I arrange a magazine of superposed outer
cases and I make the aforesaid lateral pusher long enough to push the bottom
empty case from the magazine into an empty case recess ready to receive the box.
A pusher which may be operated by or form a part of the box feeding gear then
pushes the filled box into the outer case placed ready to receive it.
I may fit a spring or its equivalent to press down the top rear flap of the box
sufficiently to allow it to enter the outer case and prevent it from fouling the edge
thereof.
As the cases are filled they push one another out of the containing recess down
a delivery shoot. Provision is made to hold the box last delivered from the
receptacle in such a position as to form a temporary side of the recess and to act
as a guide for the succeeding empty case.
Dotad 1 101 T
1000
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Folding and Filling Cardboard Cases
or the like, and Enclosing them within an Outer Case.
I, ALFRED GODFREY, of 14 Havergal Villas, Green Lanes, Hornsey, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to machines for folding and filling cardboard cases or the

page_text: like, and enclosing them within an outer case and has for its object the provision
of means for effecting the said operations automatically, the cardboard or like
blanks and the articles to be packed into the cases being fed automatically to the
respective mechanism or equivalently they may be fed by hand independently
to each particular mechanism if desired.
This mechanism is particularly applicable for the packing of a predetermined
number of cigarettes within a box or case, but may be used with other classes of
goods which can be packed in an equivalent manner.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed
to describe the same in relation to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts in the various figures.
Figure 1 is a plan of a machine for automatically folding and filling cardboard
cases and enclosing them within an outer case.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line XX, Figure 2, looking in the direc-
tion indicated by arrow No. 1.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on the same line XX, looking in the direction
indicative by arrow No. 2.
Figure 5 is a plan of the folding mechanism to an enlarged scale.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the same.
Figures 7, 7, 7, 7%, and 7, show in plan the various plates composing the
folding die.
Figure 7 show plan and elevation of the outer portion of the plunger.
Figures 7, and 7 show a plan and side elevation of the central part of the same.
Figure 8 is a plan of the switch arrangement of the case enclosing mechanism.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 10 is a front elevation of an adjustable folding plunger and die.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 11 is a view showing in section a pair of cutting edges fitted to the
plunger and die for cutting blanks of cardboard from a continuous strip.
Figure 12 is a plan of the adjustable die and channel or race running from the
forming device to the case enclosing device.
Figure 13 is a side elevation of a modified form of device for filling the cases
with goods.
Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17 illustrate in plan and sectional elevation the respective
steps in the folding operation performed by the plunger and die.
Figures 18, 18, 18, 18° and 18" show the various steps in the formation of the
box from a blank.
Figs. 19, 19, 19", 19° and 19° show similar steps with a box having turned in
corners.
To carry my invention into effect, I arrange upon a framework A a folding
mechanism B into which the cardboard blanks are fed, which consists of a recipro-
cating plunger B' having a central portion B2 and an outer surrounding portion B
adapted to slide upon the central portion and be pressed down thereon by means
of springs B, or equivalently it may be operated by an independent driving
mechanism. The plunger B is operated by a connecting rod 135 actuated by a
cam 16 mounted upon a shaft C journalled in the frame A. This compound plunger
is adapted to co-act with a compound die 1) consisting of a series of plates D¹ D2 D'
and I having central holes therethrough of specific shapes which are shown in
Figs. 777 and 7°. These plates are superposed one on the other and so form
the compound die which is mounted on the table of the machine and raised slightly
therefrom by means of packing pieces D5, Figures 6 and 7, so as to deliver the
folded box through the bottom of the die. A feed table E is arranged level with
the top of the die and is provided with two slots E¹ through which work the feeding
fingers E2. These fingers are pivotably mounted upon a travelling carrier E³
adapted to move to and from the die by means of the cam E mounted on the

page_text: shaft C. This cam E has a partial flange which, during its revolution, contacts
with the arm E of the fingers E2 and raises them above the surface of the table
during the forward stroke and allows them to sink beneath the surface during the
backward stroke so that, on a cardboard blank being placed on the table E, the
fingers E engage it and push it onto the die into a registered position. When such
a blank has been placed as shown in Figures 14 and 18, the plunger B' in descend-
ing first pushes the blank into the plate I) of the die 1 bending the top end edges
of the box to a right angle by means of the end projections De of the
outer part 1 of the plunger, as shown in Figures 15 and 18. The
said outer part 133 now bearing on plate 11 is restrained from further
movement but the central portion 12 continuing to move pushes the blank through
the distance piece D2 and the next plate 13 bending the sides of the box to a right
angle as shown in Figures 16 and 18" and then through the next plate D' which
bends the bottom corners of the box to a right angle as shown in Figures 17
and 18 and delivers the completed box as shown in Fig. 18" through the bottom
of the die D clear of the same. If it is desired to have corner pieces at the ends
of the sides to form an abutment for the end flaps to rest against, these corner
pieces would be bent when the blank is passing through plate D suitable edges D
being provided on the plate and recesses 18 provided on the plunger to receive the
turned over ends when the sides are bent, this operation is shown in Figures 15
and 16, also in Figs. 19, 19, 19, 19, and 19º.
Below the die I) I provide a channel or race F into which the folded boxes
are delivered one by one the distance pieces D forming the end of the race under
the die and I arrange a reciprocating pushing device which is actuated by an
arm F2 which carries a roller F3 engaged by the cam F on the shaft C. and is
adapted to feed the boxes along the channel intermittently as they are delivered
from the die. While the boxes are in the open position with their ends standing
vertical, they one by one come within the sphere of operation of the filling
mechanism G, which consists of a vertical container or receptacle G' having pro-
jecting ribs G2 upon the inside faces of two opposite sides which serve to divide
the cigarettes G into independent vertical columns. The container G is adapted
to reciprocate vertically into and out of the case to be filled by means of the pivoted
arms G and lever G7 actuated through the cam G on the shaft G.
At the lower end of the container I provide a pair of dividing fingers on
plates G8 which simultaneously move transversely into and out of the container G
alternately by means of the pivotted arms G9 and lever Go actuated by the cam Gu
on the shaft Go.
These fingers G8 divide off and deliver a predetermined number of cigarettes at
each operation into the case to be filled. The number of rows delivered can be
varied by separating the fingers from one another vertically so as to divide one,
two or more rows from the superincumbent columns. The object of allowing the
container G¹ to pass into the box is to ensure the proper packing of the cigarettes
which is initially controlled by the dividing ribs G².
After the boxes are filled I provide means for folding down the top flaps and
inserting each filled box within an outer case. This I effect by feeding the filled
boxes end to end in a continuous stream one by one into the transverse switching
device H which is reciprocated from side to side by means of the cam H¹ carried on
the shaft H. This switching device H is provided with a vertical rib H which on
one stroke pushes a filled box to one side and on the other stroke the next box in
sequence to the opposite side. Directly the box has reached its position at the
side, one of the oscillating arms H carried by the shaft H mounted on adjustable
arms H7 and actuated by its levers H8, radius rod H and connecting rod H
carrying a roller H engaging with its cam H2 on the shaft C, turns downward
and closes the back flap of the box, immediately this is effected a reciprocating
pusher H3 carried and actuated by the same mechanism as the reciprocating
pusher F is ready to push the filled box into its case as hereinafter described.
Adjacent to the switching device and in line therewith I provide the outer case

page_text: delivery mechanism K which consists of a magazine K¹ of superposed empty outer
cases so that the vertical rib H3 of the switching device H extends right under
the magazine K¹ and in its lateral movement moves the bottom outer case sideways
simultaneously and coincident with the movement of the filled box. When the
movement is finished, the pusher H" starts its motion and pushes the filled box
into the outer case opposite to it. This goes on alternately on each side as the
switching device is reciprocated from side to side, a filled box enclosed in an outer
case being delivered at each stroke by the vertical rib H3 by means of the next
empty outer case. As in some cases it is undesirable that the empty outer case should
push the filled cases out of the machine owing to the risk of distorting the empty
outer case by such duty, I provide on each side a pivotted arm L which has a
projecting finger L' adapted to engage itself behind the filled box so as to pull it out of
the machine. These arms are carried by the switching device H and each arm is
pivotted and adapted to be raised on the return stroke high enough to clear the
box which the rib H has removed on the previous stroke. This movement is
is effected by means of the lever L2 attached to the shaft L3 of the arm L which
is actuated by its cam L mounted on the shaft H2. The cams L4 are arranged
opposite to one another and therefore raise the arms alternately. In this case it
is necessary to give the switching device H a longer strake to the extent of the
thickness of the finger L¹ of the arm L but as the arms must only have a displace-
ment laterally equal to the width of an outer case, they are provided with a certain
amount of end movement in their bearings L against the pressure of springs L.
In order to ensure the fall of the bottom outer case of the superincumbent column
of empty cases being fair and parallel with the face of the bed of the machine
when the lowest outer case has been switched sideways, I arrange pivotted gripping
plates M on each side of the magazine K which grip the sides of the bottom outer
case. These plates are spring pressed by a spiral spring M carried between the
two plates so as to react on one another. One of the plates M is released from
engagement with the box at the end of the stroke at each operation of this switch-
ing device H by one of the adjustable screws M2 carried thereby.
In order to maintain the levers L2 in contact with their cams L, springs L' are
arranged upon the frame A, one end of each spring being attached to a lever L²,
similarly a spring His attached to the connecting rod Ho to maintain the
roller H in contact with the cam H.
The various mechanisms are operated from a first motion shaft N; the shaft C
being driven by bevel wheels C, the shaft G6 by spur wheels C, and the shaft He
by bevel wheels C³, fast and loose pulleys C being provided for strap driving from
some source of power.
In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown an adjustable plunger and die adapted to
make boxes of different sizes. In this case the central portion B2 of the plunger
is detachable so that one of specific size can be fitted as desired, but the outer
portion B is provided with hinged sides B6 adjusted by means of set screws Bi
and jamming screws 138 so that the bottom edges of the sides can be adjusted to
various distances from the centre within a reasonable range.
The die shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 is composed of adjustable sides and
plates D provided with slotted holes 10 and tightening bolts D which allow of
the sides and plates being adjusted to and from one another to accomodate the
plunger Bl
I arrange a spring platform D12 on each of two opposite sides of the die which
are adapted to hold the blank in conjunction with the outer plunger B³, firstly
and then with the central plunger B2 when the movement of the outer plunger B
has been arrested and when the platforms 112 are down upon the part 1 they
form the part of the die which bends the side flaps of the box as diagrammatically
shown in Fig. 16. Although I have not shown this spring platform in the die
illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 for sake of clearness, I would have it understood that
I prefer to use the said spring platform in either form of die. In Figure 12 I
show the sides of the channel F in part with the sides of the plate D³ of the die

page_text: arranged to be adjustable sideways on the bed of the machine to accommodate
the width of the channel to boxes of various sizes. In Figure 11* I show one of
the hinged sides B36 of the die with a cutting edge which coacts with another
cutting edge 11 mounted on the die to cut off blanks from a continuous length
of material.
In Fig. 13 I show a modified filling device for use with goods, such as cakes of
chocolate soap or other material of a like nature or shape. This consists of a
wheel mounted on a shaft 0 and operated by a ratchet (2 and pawl (³ driven
from any convenient reciprocating part of the machine.
Around the wheel I arrange receptacles P having one end closed and the other
end fitted with an end gripping device 12 pivotted on the pin 13 supported
on the wheel 0. These devices are spring pressed by springs P and are
operated by a fixed cam P5 so as to hold the contents of the receptacle until it
reaches the lowest position over an empty case in the channel F when it releases
the goods and allows them to fall into the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is-
1st A folding device for cardboard cases or the like consisting of a compound
plunger having a central part and an annular part adapted to coact with a com-
pound die consisting of a series of superposed plates so arranged as to bend the
blank into the desired form, substantially as described.
2nd A folding device as claimed in Claim 1 having elastically supported plat-
forms which receive the card and in coaction with the annular part of the plunger
hold it rigidly in place during the initial operation of folding, and with the central
part of the plunger during the succeeding bending operation substantially as
described.
3rd In a folding device as claimed in Claim 1, the combination of a compound
plunger having a detachable centre portion and an annular portion having adjust-
able sides with a die consisting of superposed plates in parts adapted with means
for lateral adjustment of the sides of the die, substantially as described.
4th. In a machine for folding cardboard cases or the like and enclosing them within
an outer case, in combination a plunger folding device as claimed in Claim 1 having
a channel or race beneath the die to receive the folded case, means for feeding the
said cases along the channel; a transverse reciprocating switch at the outer end
of the channel adapted to place each inner case opposite to an outer case an oscillat-
ing arm arranged to close the flaps of the inner case; means adapted to push one
case within the other and operative means for working the various mechanisms in
time, substantially as described.
5th In a machine for folding cardboard cases or the like and enclosing them
within an outer case, in combination a channel or race into which the inner cases
are fed, a transverse reciprocating switch at one end of the channel adapted to
place each inner case opposite to an outer case, means adapted to push one case
within the other and operative means for working the said mechanisms, sub-
stantially as described.
6th In a machine for filling cigarettes or other similarly shaped articles into a
cardboard case or the like, a receptacle containing a series of vertical dividing ribs,
in combination with means adapted to divide off and deliver a predetermined
number of articles into the case placed beneath the receptacle, substantially as
described.
7th In a machine for filling cigarettes or other similarly shaped articles into a
cardboard case or the like, a receptacle containing a series of vertical dividing
ribs, in combination with a pair of separating fingers adapted to divide off and
deliver a predetermined number of articles into the case placed beneath the recep-
tacle, the lower end of the said receptacle being adapted to enter the case at each
operation, substantially as described.

page_text: 8th In a machine for filling cardboard cases or the like with goods, a wheel or
its equivalent having a series of receptacles arranged about or upon its periphery
adapted with means for holding the goods in place, the said receptacles being
arranged with means to automatically deliver the goods into the cases fed beneath
the receptacles, substantially as described.
9th The arrangement and construction of a folding mechanism for cardboard
boxes and the like substantially as described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
10th The arrangement and construction of filling mechanism for filling card-
board or other boxes, substantially as described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
11th The arrangement and construction of mechanism for automatically placing
inner cases within outer cases, substantially as described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1898.
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.