Improvements in the Method and Apparatus Employed in Staying or Strengthening and Covering Card or Straw Board Boxės.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1899-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Apparatus Employed in Staying
or Strengthening and Covering Card or Straw Board Boxės.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, in the County
of London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention, as communicated to me from abroad by Clarence Whitman
Hobbs, of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturing
Engineer, relates to the manufacture of card or straw board boxes, and it consists
of improvements in the method and apparatus employed in staying the corners
and applying the covering paper of the said boxes, as described more in detail
below.
In the several processes of manufacturing the aforesaid boxes by machinery,
two separate machines have hitherto been used, after the previous cutting and
scoring of the card or straw board. The first machine was for use in applying
the stays or strips of fabric at the angles of each box, for fastening or supporting
the same; and after leaving the staying machine the boxes were taken to the
second or covering machine, by which the outer paper was applied in covering
the exterior surface of the boxes.
By the improvements herein referred to both these operations are performed
simultaneously in one machine, thus effecting a great economy of labour, and
of the space occupied in the work room.
In carrying the invention into effect, a machine is employed which is con-
structed as an ordinary box covering machine, a reel of covering paper being
mounted thereon, and also a glue roll for coating the under surface of the cover-
ing paper with a suitable adhesive substance. There is also mounted on the
said machine a rotatable box form, on which the box to be stayed and covered is
placed. But in addition to these devices a secondary apparatus is mounted on
the said machine, about midway between the reel of covering paper and the box
form. This secondary apparatus consists of a reel of staying material, such as
paper or cloth, a glue roll and pan for coating the under side of the staying
material with the adhesive substance, cutting off and actuating devices, a guide
roll, a bar for carrying stripping off points used in taking the staying material
from the glue roll, and a contact roll (above the latter) arranged in a swing
bearing. On the rotatable box form four pins are set in the radii from the pivot to
the four corners of the form, and a rod extending from a part of the cutting
devices towards the box form.
In the operation of the machine, the covering paper is carried from its reel
over the glue roll and a fixed knife, and under a guide roll to the box upon the
form, all as done in the ordinary covering machine.
The staying material is carried forward over its glue roll against the roughened
surface of which it is held by the contact roll. The forward end of the stay
strip is carried over the bar to the edge of a fixed cutting knife. The box form
is then revolved, either by hand or other power, and the covering paper drawn

page_text: forward from its recl as above stated. As the form rotates, the radial pins
successively engage with a dog carried by the rod previously mentioned, carrying
it forward and drawing down the blade of a movable knife, while a hook on the
opposite end of the rod engages with the ratchet wheel on the glue roll causing
it to turn to a slight extent, and feeding forward the glued strip of staying
material under a fixed knife. When the box form has sufficiently rotated, the
dog is released from the corresponding pin, a spring attached to an arm on the
cutter suddenly retracts and causing the knife or cutter to cut off
a sufficient amount of the stay strip previously fed forward, as above
stated, and carrying the severed pieces of staying material up against the glue
coated surface of the strip of covering paper to which it adheres. This operation
is repeated as each of the four pins upon the box form successively engage with
the dog on the rod before mentioned, and thus all four pieces of the staying
material are attached to the strip of covering paper. With the pins properly
placed, and the apparatus dealing with the staying material properly situated with
respect to the box form, the several pieces of staying material will be found
located on the strip of covering paper at such distances apart and in such positions
that they fall upon the corners of the box as the strip of covering paper is wound
thereon by the revolution of the box form; and consequently each box subjected
to the process is stayed and covered by the one operation.
The box form, and the pins, are made adjustable to suit all requirements as
above stated; and furthermore, the box form may be adjusted or arranged for
the different sizes or forms of the boxes to be operated upon.
Dated this Oth dox of trout
1000
Improvements in the Method and Apparatus Employed in Staying
or Strengthening and Covering Card or Straw Board Boxes.
I, JOSEPII SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, in the County
of London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:.
This invention, as communicated to me from abroad by Clarence Whitman
Hobbs, of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturing
Engineer, relates to the manufacture of card or straw board boxes, and it consists
of improvements in the method and apparatus employed in staying the corners
and applying the covering paper of the said boxes, as described more in detail
below.
In the several processes of manufacturing the aforesaid boxes by machinery,
two separate machines have hitherto been used, after the previous cutting and
scoring of the card or straw board. The first machine was for use in applying
the stays or strips of fabric at the angles of each box, for fastening or supporting
the same; and after leaving the staying machine the boxes were taken to the
second or covering machine, by which the outer paper was applied in covering
the exterior surface of the boxes.
By the improvements herein referred to both these operations are performed
simultaneously in one machine, thus effecting a great economy of labour, and
of the space occupied in the work room.

page_text: In the further description of this invention, reference is made to the accom-
panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a box covering machine
embodying the principal points of the apparatus herein referred to, but having
an ordinary rotatable solid box form thereon; Fig. 2 is a plan of a secondary
apparatus, which carries the material for staying or strengthening the corners of
the boxes as well as the adhesive substance employed in connection therewith,
the side elevation thereof being shown in position on the bed of the machine in
Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan; and Fig. 4 a side elevation with the end plate removed
of a well known clutch device by which the gumming and feeding devices are
actuated; Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the secondary apparatus shown
in Figs. 1 & 2, taken on the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1, to show the
cut-off, box form, and actuating mechanism; Fig. 6 is a plan of the cutting off
device and actuating mechanism in detail, and Fig. 7 a side elevation of part of
the same.
Fig. 8 is a plan of levers, cam roll, and worm of the cut-off mechanism.
Fig. 9 is a back plan of the box form to show the tripping pins, and Fig. 10 is
a section through the centre thereof, while Fig. 11 is a elevation of the trigger
or dog used in connection therewith. Fig. 12 is a plan, and Fig. 13 a sectional
view of an adjustable box form.
Fig. 14 is a section of the side adjusting screw, Fig. 15 an elevation of a
segment of the rack guides in the adjustable box form, Fig. 16 is a view of the
sleeve and gearing which control the movement of the racks, and Fig. 17 the
holder carrying the two bevelled intermediate gear wheels.
This
In carrying the invention into effect, a machine is employed which is constructed
as an ordinary box covering machine, as shown in Fig. 1. On the bed of this
machine a frame a, carrying a reel a¹ of covering paper, is mounted thereon at
one end, together with a glue roll and pan a³, for coating the under surface of the
covering paper with a suitable adhesive substance as it passes from the recl a¹
over guides or supporting rolls a to a rotatable box form, mounted at the other
end of the machine, on which the box to be stayed and covered is placed. But in
addition to these devices a secondary apparatus 6 is mounted on the said machine,
about midway between the reel of covering paper and the box form.
secondary apparatus consists of the frame b, carrying a reel 6' of suitable staying
material, such as paper or a woven fabric, a glue roll and a pan 62 for coating the
under side of the staying material with adhesive substance, a cutting-off device c c
and mechanism for actuating it, a guide 63 across the frame, a bar 6 for carrying
stripping off points, used in taking staying material from the glue roll 62, and
a contact roll b, mounted above the glue roll, arranged in a swing or moveable
bearing. The rotatable box form e carries four pins d', respectively set at points
upon lines radiating from the centre on which the box form rotates to the corner
of the form, while a rod connection is made to extend from a certain part of
the cutting mechanism towards the box form.
In the operation of the machine, the covering paper is drawn from the reel a¹
over the glue roll a², guides a³, and a fixed knife c, thence to the box upon the
form, all this was done in the ordinary covering machine.
In the present invention, the staying material is carried forward from its
reel over the secondary glue roll 2, against the roughened surface of which
it is held by the contact roll 6, in order that the adhesive substance may be
applied to its under surface. A series of grooves are turned in the glue roll 7,
as shown in Fig. 2, slightly deeper than the roughened surface wherein the
points 6 of a series of fingers or guides rest, (indicated by full and dotted lines
in Fig. 5), which serve to strip the staying material off the glue roll. Above
the guides a fixed blade c of the cut-off device is secured, and closely adjacent
thereto and projecting in front is a guide bar 63, with an adjusting screw,
beneath which the covering paper is caused to pass. The end of the staying
material is carried forward to the bar and edge of the fixed cutting knife c,
working in conjunction with the moveable knife c', while the box form o is caused
to revolve, either by hand or other power, thus automatically drawing a sufficient

page_text: amount of the covering paper from its reel a¹ to equal the circumference of the
box, in addition to which the operator draws a little more off the reel to make
the lap, which is then cut off.
In practice it is found desirable to employ moveable blades for the covering
paper cut-off, which swing away from the path of the covering paper and admit
the hand of the operator to draw extra from the reel, for the lap, and this arrange-
ment is shown in detail in Fig. 6, in addition to its representation in Figs. 5
and 1. It will be seen on reference to the said figures that pivoted cranked arms
carrying knife blades c¹ and c², have cutting knives attached, the arms being
controlled as described hereinafter for severing the covering paper. As the box
form e rotates, radial pins e¹, el (shown in Figs. 9 & 10) successively engage with
a dog (Fig. 11), carried by one end of the rod (e) previously mentioned, carrying
it forward, and acting through the lever 3 drawing down the blade of the move-
able knife c', while a hook at the other end of the rod engages with a ratchet
wheel on the glue roll 62, causing it to turn to a slight extent, and feeding forward
the glued strip of staying material under the fixed knife c. When the box form
has sufficiently rotated, the dog is released from its corresponding pin, a spring
attached to the arm 3 suddenly retracts, thus by means of the moveable knife c
cutting off a sufficient amount of the staying material previously fed forward, as
above stated, and carrying the severed pieces of staying material, (similarly cut
off in succession by contact with the other radial pins e¹), up against the glue
coated surface of the strip of covering paper to which it adheres. This operation
is repeated as each of the four pins c, of the box form e, successively engage
with the dog on the rod e, so that the four pieces of the staying material, corre-
sponding to the four corners of the box, are attached to the strip of covering
paper. With the pins properly placed, and the secondary apparatus b, dealing
with the staying material properly situated or adjusted in position upon the bed
of the machine with respect to the box form e, the several pieces of staying
material will be found located on the strip of covering paper at such distances
apart, and in such positions, that they automatically fall upon the corners of the
box as the strip of covering paper is wound thereon by the revolution of the
box form; consequent upon which, each box subjected to the process is stayed
and covered at the same time by the one operation.
g on
The box form e, and the radial pins e¹, are both made adjustable to suit any
required size and proportions of square or rectangular boxes, although a solid
box form of rigid dimensions may be used for each standard size of box (as
shown in Fig. 1) as may be required. In the adjustable form shown in Figs. 12
and 13, a central spindle f passes through a tubular shaft f towards one end,
and through a sleeve at the other end, which latter carries a spur wheel
the right hand end of the Fig. 13, and a spur and bevel gear g¹ at the other end.
Upon an outer but shorter sleeve f³ are similarly mounted a spur wheel g² and
bevel wheel g³. The bevel wheels g¹ and g³ face each other, and between them
is an intermediate bevel wheel g, indicated by the dotted lines in the section
Fig. 13, and the whole arrangement in the elevation Fig. 16. A block is also
mounted on the sleeve f³ to carry the said bevel gears and is also shown as carrying
an additional gear 96, (shown in Fig. 17, which engages with segments h, (shown
in Fig. 15), which in turn are secured to rack guides he and h³ (shown in Fig. 13).
These guides, together with other two rack guides and he hold two racks each,
being and which engage with the spur wheels g¹ and g³, and engaging
with spur wheels g³ and g. The racks are pivoted in alternate pairs at opposite
extremities of the box form o to corner pieces joined together on the exterior
surface by a pivoted and sunken linkwork j, let in flush on the outer surface
with the corner pieces of the box form e, so as to permit an extension or recession
of the corner pieces when adjusting the form to the size of the box in that
direction for length, and also affording a flush support to the said box during the
staying and covering process. The two corner pieces at one end of the form
are connected by a screw (shown also in Fig. 14) with a retaining collar

page_text: attached to one corner piece, working within a nut also threaded on its
exterior, the latter engaging with a screwed holder forming a part of or
screwed to the opposite corner piece. By turning the screw with a suitable key,
adjustment is made in the box form for width, the pivoted racks working within
the guides conforming to these movements.
Radially arranged cross pieces 3, which carry the tripping pins e, are also
mounted as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 13, and held in position on the box form by
pivoted guide rods m, providing for adjustment of the pins el; while a clamping
nut m on the screwed end of the shaft f secures all the parts in their relative
positions. In adjusting the form to the desired size of a box, the clamping nut
is loosened, and a socket wrench or key is applied to the squared stem of the
spindle to which the bevel wheel g is secured, (shown in Figs. 16 and 17) by which
that wheel and the rest of the gearing in connection therewith is caused to rotate,
whereby the sleeves f and f³ revolve in opposite directions and the racks i, 2,2ª,.
and working in their guides h², h³, h³, and h³, engaging with the spur wheels
upon the sleeves, are actuated to move the corner pieces in or out for length, all
as aforesaid. To adjust for width a key is similarly applied to the recessed end
of the screw k, as previously mentioned, whereby the corners of the box form
are moved to or fro, the pivotal movement of the racks within their guides
admitting of the extension or contraction, and communicating the movement from
the side or end of the box form at which the screw is located, (shown in Figs. 12
and 13) to the opposite side or end thereof, the segments h, secured to the rack
guides and h³, and connected by the bevel gearing aforesaid, consisting in
keeping the parts square with each other and their movement uniform.
The cut off device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as mounted in a framework n is
placed on the arm or extension of the bed of the machine which carries the box
form, and is made capable of sliding to and fro thereon, and also adjustable
vertically by the screw n¹, to correspond with the path of the covering paper as
it is led forward either to a small or large box. The cut off is shown in a normal
position in Fig. 1, with the manner of opening both blades c and c², and an
enlarged view of the opposite side in Fig. 5. The method of imparting movement
to the blades c¹ and is shown in Fig. 6 with a side view and plan of the actuating
mechanism in Figs. 7 and 8 respectively. The cranked and swinging blades e
and are connected to the opposite bevel gears n² and n³ by means of a spindle and
hollow shaft respectively, with an intermediate gear at the top of a vertical
shaft which, passes through the eyes or hubs of two levers, the upper one, n³,
being free to turn on the vertical shaft, but the lower one, no engages with the
shaft by a feather or other equivalent means. The lever 26 carries a cam roller
(as shown in Figs. 7 and 8) which works in a cam forming part of a worm wheel o
engaging with a worm on the power shaft p, and the two levers are connected
together by a small spring (as in Fig. 8), the lower lever being connected to the
framework n by a strong spring n². The power shaft is further connected to
the box form to revolve the same by the second worm and wheel as shown
in Fig. 5.
The blades of the cut off are normally held open as shown in Fig. 1, and the
covering paper is passed between them. The cut-off apparatus is adjusted in
position upon the arm or extension of the bed so that the paper will fall properly
upon the box when it is severed. When power is applied to the power shaft p
by means of the well known treadle (shown in Fig 1) and clutch device (shown
in Figs. 3 and 4) in the pulley thereof, the box form is made to revolve, the cam o
and worm gear moving simultaneously therewith. When the cam roll on the
lever no falls into a depression on the cam, the blades c¹ and c² are drawn quickly
together by the spring n³, thus cutting the paper, but opening immediately to
their fullest width to permit the operator's hand to pass between and seize the
end of the paper for the next box.
The object in keying the lower lever to the shaft, while the other n is free to
move thereon is that the blades may be worked by hand when it is required to

page_text: cut the covering paper while the cam roll is bearing against the cam; and when
thus worked the small spring is stretched which retracts when the hand pressure
is removed. The advantages of the cut-off devices shown are its adjustability,
the blades for the operator's hands to reach the paper, and there is no cross shaft
or other impediment to scrape the adhesive substance from the paper, or to
displace the pieces of staying material adhering to its surface.
The advantages of the adjustable form are the support of opposite corners by
the racks, making the side adjustment by the screw which locks it in position,
and the longitudinal adjustment by the gearing which also keeps the parts square,
and locking the parts by the nut m¹. There is nothing new in the treadle motion,
or clutch gear used in this class of machinery, so that it is unnecessary to describe
them.
D
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. The herein described method and apparatus employed in staying or
strengthening and covering card or straw board boxes in one continuous operation,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The herein described machine for preparing and cutting off the covering
paper employed in the manufacture of card or straw board boxes, combined with
a secondary apparatus for preparing and cutting off the material for staying or
strengthening the corners of the said boxes, and applying the same simultaneously,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A secondary apparatus adapted to apply adhesive material to a suitable fabric
used for strengthening the corners of card or the like boxes, and to cut off the
said material in suitable lengths, the said apparatus being mounted upon and
combined with a box covering machine, substantially as and for purpose herein
described and shown in the drawings.
4. The adjustable form for boxes comprising the combination and parts sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein described and shown by the drawings
Figs. 9, 10, 12, 13 14, 15 and 16.
5. A cut-off apparatus having cranked and pivoted arms upon the same axial
line, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and shown by the
drawing Fig. 6.
6. In box covering and strengthening machines the combination of parts form-
ing the improved apparatus substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and shown by the drawings Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.