Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Paper and like Boxes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Paper and like
Boxes.
I, FRANK MAX PETERS, of 1364, Wilton Avenue, in the City of Chicago, in the
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Attorney at Law,
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: —
-
This invention relates to paper box machines and has for its object to provide
means whereby boxes of paper or other like material of the type known as folding
or knock down boxes may be readily and expeditiously assembled or set up so
as to bring them into proper form and condition to receive their contents. The
apparatus is more particularly devised for the purpose of carrying out the method,
and producing the means for packing biscuit, crackers, or the like, set forth in
my prior Letters Patent No. 6671, March 28, 1899, but is adapted, of course, for
use in setting up folding paper boxes of various types and is not limited in its
application to the specific method and structure set forth in my above specified
prior patent. The present invention consists in certain novel features which I
will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims:
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention in one form;
Figure 2 is a side elevation, in section through the table, showing the machine
in the position it assumes before the beginning of operation;
Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 2, showing the position of the parts
during the operation of folding up the carton or blank into a box; and
Figure 4 is a similar view, showing the position of the parts after the operation
of folding the box in the machine has been completed and the former has been
raised to strip the box therefrom.
In the said drawings, 10 indicates a suitable table or bed, which may be sup-
ported in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the legs 11, and has mounted
thereon a standard 12, on which is pivotally mounted the box former carrying
arm 13. The forward end of this arm is extended downward, as indicated at 14,
and has secured to it the box former 15. Said former may be made of any suit-
able material and size and is of a shape and size substantially identical with that
of the interior of the box. In practice I have found it convenient to make this
former of wood and to secure it to the lower end of the arm 13 by means of a
disc 16 and fastening screws 17 passing through said disc into the former, so that
this latter may be readily removed if desired. The former is recessed at its ends,
as indicated at 18, for the purposes hereinafter described. I find it convenient to
provide the arm 13 with a counterweight 19 at its end opposite to that to which
the former is secured, in order to counterbalance this latter:
In order to provide means for moving the former 15 towards and from the table
10 I employ an operating rod 20, the upper end of which is pivotally connected
to the arm 13, said rod passing downward through a slot 21 in the table 10 and
being connected at its lower end to a foot lever 22, which is pivotally mounted on

page_text: a suitable support between its ends. The connection between the foot lever 22
and rod 20 is a lost motion connection, or one such as to permit of the free down-
ward motion of that end of the lever to which the rod is connected without
moving the rod, while upward motion of said end of the lever from its normal
position will cause said rod to move upward. A simple and effective means of
effecting this connection is that shown in the drawings, in which the rod 20 is
provided with a slot 23 in its lower end, and the lever 22 is provided with a pin 24,
which engages said slot and which, when pressed against the upper end thereof,
serves to lift the rod, the arm 13 and the former 15. The foot lever 22 is sup-
ported on a shaft or axis 25, which is in turn supported on cross pieces 26 con-
necting the legs 11, or said foot. lever may be supported in any other suitable
manner.
Upon the table 10 there is provided, immediately under the former 15 an
upwardly projecting block or platen 27, which is of a size substantially equal to
that of the bottom of the box and consequently to the under face of the former 15.
Immediately adjacent to said platen and rearward thereof there is located a
folding blade 28, which is pivoted at 29 by its edge nearest to said platen and is
adapted to lie normally horizontally upon the table, but being capable of being
swung up at right angles thereto, as indicated in Figure 3. In order to operate
this folding blade there is provided underneath the same an opening 30 in the
table 10 to receive a block 31 secured to the under side of the blade 28 and
Having a projection 32 to which is pivoted one end of a link 33. The other end
of the link 33 is pivoted to the front end of a lever 34, which lever is itself
pivoted between its ends to a downward projection 35 from the under side of the
table 10. To the rear end of the lever 34 is pivoted the upper end of a rod 35"
the lower end of which rod is connected to the rear end of the foot lever 22. The
connection between the rod 35" and foot lever 22 is similar to that between the
rod 20 and said foot lever 22, but reversed, being a lost motion connection which
will impart movement to the rod 35" when the rear end of the foot lever 22 is
depressed, but which will leave said end of said lever free to move upward without
imparting motion to said rod. As shown, this connection is effected by providing
the lower end of the rod 35" with a slot 36, while the foot lever is provided with
a pin 37 to engage said slot and bear against the lower end thereof when the
foot lever is depressed. In order to return the several parts just referred to to
their normal position when the foot lever is released, I provide a spring 38, which,
in the present instance, is shown as having one end connected to the under side of
the table 10, while its other end is connected to the upper end of the rod 35º. The
position and connections of the spring may, however, obviously be varied.
There is provided upon the upper side of the table 10 a rectangular gauge 39,
by means of which the position of the blank upon the table, relatively to the
platen and former, may be simultaneously determined, and I prefer to provide
upon said table a raised platform or bed 40, Figure 1 upon which the lining sheets
may be placed in case the machine is used in the forming of the packages set forth
in my prior specification herein before referred to.
In order to make clear the mode of operation of my machine I will explain
the manner in which the same is used in the operation of folding a paper
box into such shape and condition as to adapt it to receive its intended contents.
The parts being in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blanks, which are
indicated at 41, are placed in a pile at the right hand of the operator. The.
operator then raises the former 15 by depressing the front end of the foot lever 22
and thereby raising the rear end, thus imparting an upward motion of the rod 20
and causing the arm 13 to swing upward at its forward end, carrying with it the
former. The box blank is then placed upon the platen 27 and the foot lever is
released, permitting the former 15 to descend upon the blank and hold the same
firmly between it and the platen by that portion of said blank which will con-
stitute the bottom of the completed box. The front portion of the blank is then
folded up against the former 15, the fold occurring along the front line of the

page_text: bottom of the box, and the folded portion being retained in position by the pres-
sure of the thumbs of the operator. The end flaps of the front portion or the
blank are then folded against the ends of the former by the fingers of the operator,
said flaps being folded around the front vertical corners thereof, and the end
flaps of the bottom of the box are next folded vertically upward against the end
faces of the former around the bottom edges thereof. These several parts thus
folded being held in position by the thumbs and fingers of the operator, the back
portion of the blank is folded up by means of the folding blade 28. To accom-
plish this, the foot lever 22 is depressed at its rear end, whereupon, by means of
the rod 35", lever 34 and link 33, the folding blade 28 is swung up into the
position shown in Figure 3, thereby folding the box blank along the line of the
rear edge of its bottom, as shown in said Figure. Finally, the locking flaps of
the rear portion of the blank, which have thus been brought up into the grasp of
the operator, are folded forward and the locking tongues are tucked into the slits
formed to receive them in the front end flaps. It is during this tucking operation
that the recesses 18 are of particular utility, since they permit the material of
the blank to be pressed inward so as to cause the slits to open or gap and this
facilitates the introduction of the locking tongues. The box being thus prac-
tically completed to the point where it is ready to receive its contents, the
former 15 is withdrawn by again depressing the front end of the lever 22, while
the operator restrains the box from moving along with the former, whereupon
the box may be removed from under the former and a second blank placed in
position, or the former lowered, as may be desired. The raised platen 27 holds
the box blank above the table in such a manner that it may be readily and
quickly grasped by the operator and serves to prevent any fumbling of the blank
and consequent loss of time. The gauge 39 serves in an obvious manner to
properly centre the blank with relation to the platen and former, while the
folding blade properly folds the inaccessible rear portion of the blank while the
hands of the operator are engaged in holding the previously folded portions of
the blank.
Where packages such as those set forth in my prior patent are to be made up
by the aid of this machine, the lining sheets are placed upon the bed or plat-
form 40 and are removed therefrom and placed upon the platen simultaneously
with the blanks and folded along with them in the manner set forth in said
patent. While I prefer to employ the former in such a way as to clamp the box
blank on the table, yet it is not essential that it should actually do so, as it needs
only to be brought into juxtaposition thereof in order to form a guide in the
folding of the blank, and where lining sheets are interfolded with the box blanks
I prefer to arrest the movement of the former immediately above or adjacent to
the lining sheet in order that this latter will not be marred by any pressure from
the former.
I have shown a simple, inexpensive and efficient form of my improved machine,
but said form is shown as illustrative only, and I do not wish to be understood
as limiting myself strictly to the details therein set forth, which, while some of
them embody features of my invention, are merely illustrative of the form thereof
which I prefer. For instance, other mechanism than that shown may be
employed for moving the former towards and from the table and for actuating
the folding blade, and some of the features described may be dispensed with
without departing from the principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A machine for making boxes of fixed interior dimensions for packing
biscuit, crackers and the like, comprising a former having an outer contour sub-
stantially that of the inner fixed contour of the box to be formed, and a bed or
table having a flat continuous supporting surface for the blank, of an area equal

page_text: to at least that portion of the box-blank forming the bottom of the box when
folded, and the table and former having a relative movement, and suitable means
for actuating the movable member, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for forming boxes for biscuit, crackers and the like, the
combination with a bed or table having a flat continuous supporting surface for
the blank, of a movable former supporting above the bed or table and having
an external contour substantially like the interior contour of the box to be
formed, and means for moving the former into position over the blank to permit
the latter to be folded around it and for withdrawing it from the box when
formed, substantially as described.
3. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a bed or
table, a former movable towards and from said bed or table, and a swinging
folding blade pivotally supported on said table, of a foot lever, and connecting
mechanism whereby movement of said foot lever in one direction will actuate
the former, while movement of said foot lever in the opposite direction will
actuate the folding blade, substantially as described.
4. In a box machine, the combination, with a bed or table having a continuous
supporting surface on which a box blank may lie flat, of a former movable
towards and from said bed or table, said bed or table being provided with an
aperture adjacent to the former, a folding blade pivotally connected with the
table above said aperture and normally lying substantially in the plane of its
top, and a foot lever operatively connected with said folding blade to swing the
same upward towards the former and thereby fold the rear portion of the blank
against the same, substantially as described.
5. In a box machine, the combination, with a bed or table, of an arm pivotally
supported thereon and carrying a box blank, a folding blade pivotally supported
on said table, a foot lever, and operating rods connecting said foot lever with
the former carrying-arm and folding blade, said rods and foot lever having a pin
and slot connection whereby said foot lever is adapted to actuate either of said
rods without affecting the other, substantially as described.
6. In a box machine, the combination, with a bed or table on which the box
blank may lie flat and a former movable towards and from the same, of a folding
blade pivotally supported on said bed or table and normally lying substantially
in the plane of its top, a foot lever, connecting mechanism between said foot
lever and folding blade whereby the latter may be swung against the former,
and means for positively returning said blade to its normal position, substantially
as described.
7. In a machine of the character described, a box former having its faces,
which receive the tucking flaps of the box blanks, recessed to facilitate the
tucking of said flaps, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of Aucat 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.