GB1284625A - Box assembling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1284625 Making boxes; stapling STAPLING MACHINES CO 16 Sept 1970 [23 Sept 1969] 44330/70 Headings B4C and B5D A box making machine for boxes made from wirebound flats in which the flats are assembled round box ends comprises means for automatically presenting the ends to each flat, raising the ends so that the flat is folded therearound to form two sides and further raising the assembled box through three dwell periods so that three staples are inserted at each box corner, the box ends sloping slightly inwardly in an upward direction on the completed box. Box ends E are stored in hoppers 44 and the lowermost is removed by a stripper block 124 on a chain 48 and turned by guides through approximately 90 degrees and subsequently engaged by pusher element 166 on the chain 48 and fed to an elevator assembly Fig. 9A. An exit gate gate on the hoppers is spring-loaded to avoid jamming. At the elevator rises, members 172 lift the ends E into engagement with flat M. Each flat has previously been placed manually on a table 52 where cam operated fingers 58 push it between nip rolls 62, 66 so that it is fed across the path of the rising end pieces E. The elevator is raised by cam (198, Fig. 2B) and associated levers (202, 212, Fig. 2B) the cam being shaped to give the initial rising movement and three subsequent dwells for the stapling The flats are supported on ramp plates 284, Fig. 9A, and folding members 298, Fig. 10, fold down the flat against the ends E. Springs 300 urge the members 298 inwardly and rollers 306 engaging cams 304 move them outwardly as the elevator descends. Previously assembled boxes C, Fig. 9A, are raised by lower boxes subsequently formed and are held by pawls 450, the uppermost box being removed to an exit plate by rollers 460 on push arms 70 driven intermittently by a chain 364. The drive means comprises a main motor 50 and a motor 64 driving the flat feeding means. If either of the end pieces of the flat are absent sensing switches will stop the machine. Similarly any jam-up of the conveyer chain 48 will cause a chain-overload switch to be operated to stop the machine. A stapling mechanism is provided at each box carrier and draws wire W from a reel and feeds it by rolls 408, 418, Fig. 13, to a tube 442 and then to a former 346 which bends the wire to U-shape Fig. 17 adjacent the box ends E. A driver 348 inserts the staple and in so doing rocks the former 346 so that its nose is withdrawn from the staple. The staple former and driver are cam operated and the former is set 60 degrees in advance of the driver. The box walls are inclined slightly towards their tops consequently each stapling mechanism is moved slightly inwardly between each of the three staple insertions, this is accomplished by cam plates (338, Fig. 11A) the boxes being assembled with their bases uppermost.