Patent ID: 7404554

Claim:
Apparatus for regulating pressure exerted by carton blanks being fed toward a pick face of a carton-forming machine, comprising: at least one first endless conveying device and at least one first pressure control element, wherein the at least one first endless conveying device is configured to engage a bottom edge of a first portion of the carton blanks and the at least one first pressure control element is configured to engage peripheral edges of the first portion of the carton blanks so as to feed the first portion of the carton blanks toward the pick face; at least one second endless conveying device and at least one second pressure control element, wherein the at least one second endless conveying device is configured to engage a bottom edge of a second portion of the carton blanks and the at least one second pressure control element is configured to engage peripheral edges of the second portion of the carton blanks so as to feed the second portion of the carton blanks toward the pick face, the second portion of the carton blanks being opposite the first portion of the carton blanks; at least one motor configured to drive the at least one first endless conveying device, the at least one first pressure control element, the at least one second endless conveying device and the at least one second pressure control element; at least one first pressure sensor assembly located proximate the pick face to be engaged by said first portion of the carton blanks; at least one second pressure sensor assembly located proximate the pick face to be engaged by said second portion of the carton blanks; the first pressure sensor assembly being connected to discontinue operation of the first endless conveying device and the first pressure control element when said first portion of the carton blanks exerts a predetermined value of pressure on said first pressure sensor assembly; and the second pressure sensor assembly being connected to discontinue operation of the second endless conveying device and the second pressure control element when said second portion of the carton blanks exerts a predetermined value of pressure on said second pressure sensor assembly.