Patent ID: 8287440

Claim:
An apparatus for erecting ribbed cardboard for use in protecting packed products, and for placing the erected ribbed cardboard in a tray compartment of a packing line, the apparatus comprising: a collecting device having gripping means adapted to move between a gripping station and a folding station, for gripping a single blank sheet of ribbed cardboard located in a store at the gripping station and moving the sheet to the folding station; a folding matrix, arranged in the folding station, the folding matrix having a plurality of fixed folding means adapted to receive the single sheet of ribbed cardboard supplied by the collecting device; a forming punch having a support and punch gripping means; a transfer device hingedly bearing the support, for moving the forming punch horizontally and vertically so as to transport the forming punch between the folding station and a releasing station, the transfer device moving the forming punch so as to place the forming punch above an upper surface of the ribbed cardboard received on the folding matrix, and for moving the forming punch downwardly to force the sheet against the plurality of fixed folding means, thereby folding opposite lateral flaps of the sheet by contact with the fixed folding means, the punch gripping means of the forming punch retaining the sheet in a folded configuration, the transfer device adapted to move the forming punch with the retained folded sheet to the releasing station, the tray compartment located in the releasing station, the punch gripping means releasing the folded sheet in the tray compartment of the packing line; wherein the transfer device comprises a main moving mechanism for moving the forming punch between the folding station and the release station, and a trim corrector mechanism for maintaining the forming punch in a horizontal position during the moving of the forming punch with the folded sheet from the folding station to the releasing station, the main moving mechanism having a pair of oscillating arms which are parallel to each other, the pair of oscillating arms being pivotable about a fixed rotation axis, the main moving mechanism having a bracket including a pair of tabs, the bracket rotatably borne between the oscillating arms, the bracket rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the fixed rotation axis, a transversal arm projecting from the bracket hingedly bearing the support of the forming punch; the trim corrector mechanism having a shaft located between the tabs of the bracket, a tie rod having an end hinged to a transversal lug of the shaft, the tie rod having another end hinged to the support of the forming punch such that rotation of the oscillating arms about the fixed axis displaces the shaft for moving the tie rod connected to the support for the folding punch, thereby pivoting the support for maintaining a horizontal orientation thereof regardless of whether the forming punch is moved vertically or horizontally.