US2765713A - Mechanisms for freeing flaps and cutouts and for breaking score lines - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1956 R. w. ANNESS MECHANISMS FOR FREEING FLAPS AND CUT-OUTS AND FOR BREAKING SCORE LINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

$155544 Mum/#nmwas,

ATTORNEYS.

1956 R. w. ANNESS MECHANISMS FOR FREEING FLAPS AND CUT-OUTS AND FOR BREAKING SCORE LINES Filed May 29, 1952 INVENTOR. {555.421. ,WLLMM flwvsss,

Claw- 4% ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 9, 1956 R w, ss 2,765,713

MECHANISMS FOR FREEZING FLAPS AND CUT-OUTS AND FOR BREAKING SCORE LINES Filed May 29, 1952 4 .Sheets-Sheet 3 Q l in! I N V EN TOR. final. #4410? flwvfss,

ATTORN EYS.

Oct. 9, 1956 R w ANNESS 2,765,713

MECHANISMS FOR FREIEING FLAPS AND CUT-OUTS AND FOR BREAKING SCORE LINES Filed May 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N V EN TOR. $155521. M; 4/4/11 %/wvs.ss,

BY Y

ATTORNEYS,

2,755,7l3 Fatented Oct. 9, 1956 NIECHANISMS FOR FREEHNG FLAPS AND CUT- OUTS AND FOR BREAKING SORE LINES Russell William Anness, Middletown, Cthio, assignor to The Gardner Board and Carton Co, Middietown, (Ethic, a corporation of Ohio Application May 29, 1952, Serial N 290,732

9 Claims. (Cl. 93-36) My invention relates to means for treating carton blanks adapted for installation on any carton folding and gluing machine. As the description proceeds it will be evident that the principles of the invention are of advantage in connection with the preparation of any carton blanks for carton formation and subsequent use, and in particular where cartons are to be erected, closed and sealed by automatic machines. With this in mind, but in order to make an exemplary showing of my invention, I shall describe it in connection with operations performed upon paperboard milk bottle blanks and the like since these present some of the problems in an exaggerated form.

This application is a continuation-impart application of my copending application Serial No. 105,544 entitled Mechanism for Freeing Flaps and Cut-Outs, which copending application was filed July 19, 1949, and has since issued as Patent Number 2,655,841.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and dependable mechanism for freeing carton flaps from each other so that chance attachment of cut edges of the flaps to each other will not interfere with the closing operations to which the cartons will ultimately be subjected.

In the ordinary manufacture of paperboard cartons, where printed sheets of paperboard are cut and scored on any of the conventional cutting and scoring presses, it frequently happens that by reason of worn dies or vagaries of operation of the cutting and scoring press, adjacent flaps at the end or ends of a seal-end carton will be connected to each other by a thin web of material. It has been the practice in the art to take precautions to free these flaps; but the procedure hitherto adopted has involved the taking of a stack of preformed blanks and the bending of adjacent flaps relative to each other in the stack by hand. Not only is this inconvenient and time consuming, but in the case of cartons for food products where contamination may be a factor, the hand-bending of the flaps is undesirable. So far as I am. aware, there has never hitherto been provided any mechanism whereby adjacent flaps may be freed of each other on a carton handling machine, such as a carton folding and gluing machine; and it is one of the objects of my invention to produce amechanism for this purpose.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a mechanism which will not only free adjacent flaps one from the other but which will also cause these flaps to be broken along various score lines provided therein It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism which is simple and positive in its action, which is inexpensive in first cost, and which takes up so little room longitudinally of the machine upon which it is to be installed, that it may be installed on any standard machine without prolongation of. the machine length.

In certain types of cartons there are also small tabs or cut-outs which must be removed from the carton blanks .as an incident to the manufacture of cartons in the finished, knocked down condition. Such tabs or cut-outs are normally formed by the die used for cutting and scoring the carton blanks. Ordinarily, the cut-out or tab is produced by a cutting rule which, in the die, is bent to surround the area of the cut-out and has its ends approaching or substantially contacting each other. It is not desirable, however, to have the die so constructed as actually to remove the tabs or cut-outs since under these circumstances the removed material would remain in the cutting die and interfere with subsequent cutting operations. As a consequence, the die is so constructed that the cut-out or tab will remain an integral part of the blank and leave the cutting and scoring press with the blank. Ordinarily this occurs automatically because the ends of the cutting rule do not quite come together, leaving a small portion of the material connecting the tab or cut-out with the main body of the blank. Where the die is so constructed as not to do this, it is common practice to nick the cutting rule in one or more places to provide connections which will insure the tab or cutout remaining a part of the blank. As a consequence, where blanks contain such tabs or cut-outs there has in the past been a separate operation for their removal which also is time consuming and inconvenient. This is especially true when the tab or cut-out is very small in area, special tools being required for the purpose. So far as I am aware, there has never hitherto been devised any mechanism which, as :an app'urtenance to a carton blank treating machine such as a carton folder and gluer, would operate to remove such. tabs and cut-outs in a positive and efiicient manner. It is an object of this invention to provide such a mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide simple conjoint devices having common driving means for all of the purposes set forth above.

These and other objects of the invention which will be mentioned hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that construction and arrangement of parts and in those operations of which I shall now describe an exemplary embodiment, in connection with the paperboard milk bottle set forth above.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view ofa portion of a carton folding and gluing machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a paperboard blank taken along the section line 2-2 in Figure 1, prior to the removal of a cut-out or tab.

Figure 3 is a partial .sectional view of la paperboard blank taken along the section line 3-3 in Figure 1, after the removal of the tab or cut-out.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionalview of the mechanism of Figure 1 taken along the section line 4I-4 in that figure.

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken along the section line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken along section line 66 of Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same apparatus taken along the section line '77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modification of my invention wherein the mechanism disclosed includes means for breaking various of the flaps along score lines provided therein.

Figure 9 is a detailed perspective view of that portion of the mechanism of Figure 8 which operates on the flaps at the forward end of the carton as moved.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing the mechanism as it operates on the flaps at the rear end of the carton blank as moved.

In Figure 1 I have shown paperboard blanks for milk bottles in several positions. These blanks are cut and scored to provide body walls 8, 9, and 11 articulated together, the wall 11 being provided with a glue flap 12. At one end of the carton seal-end- type flaps 13, 14, 15 and 16 are articulated by score lines to the lower ends of the body walls.

At the opposite ends of the body wall there are ele ments 17, 18, 19 and 29 in the nature of extensions, articulated to the body walls and to each other, and scored to provide a gable-top closure with an upstanding rib and closure flaps as is well understood in the paper milk bottle art. In one of the body walls, such as the body wall 10, and in the adjacent element 19, a lift-tab 21 is formed by a substantially U-shaped cut; but at the base of the U there is formed a small tab or cut-out 22 which is designed to be removed entirely from the carton blank. Later on in the carton folding and gluing machine, a cover member 23 having a hole 24 will be spotted over this portion of the wall 10 and element 19 so as to cover the tab 21. It will be understood by those familiar with the paper milk bottle art that when the carton has been formed, filled and closed and the user desires to dispense milk from it, he will engage the tab 21 and lift it, thereby uncovering the hole 24 as a pour-ing orifice. The removal of the tab 22 facilitates the engagement of the lower part of the tab 21 by the fingernail for the lifting of the tab. A mechanism for spotting the element 23 on the carton forms no part of the present invention and has not been illustrated herein. The mechanism hereinafter described serves the purpose of freeing the bottom seal-end closure flaps 13, 14, 15 and 16 from each other, and also the purpose of removing the small tab 22 from the blank. This is accomplished prior to the folding and gluing of the blank to make a knocked-down tubular carton structure; and the machine part of which is illustrated in the figures herein is conceived as a standard carton folding and gluing machine for this purpose.

The machine will be further understood to have an initial hopper and feeding means. Preferably these are of the form described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 105,543, now Patent No. 2,639,916, filed July 19, 1949, and entitled Timed Feeding Device for Carton Blanks, although other types of feeders may be employed. The carton blanks, fed from such a hopper, will be delivered to means for carrying them through the machine. Such means are shown in an exemplary fashion in Figure 1 as comprising a pair of chains 25 and 26, forming the main conveyor chains of the machine and provided with lugs 27 and 28 engaging the trailing ends of the carton blanks and serving to move them. In connection with such chains, rails 29, 30, 31 and 32 are ordinarily provided. Main side frames of the machine are indicated at 33 and 34. The mechanism herein described may be located at any part of the machine in which the blanks are still in unfolded condition, but is preferably located adjacent the feed hopper.

For the purpose of freeing the flaps 13, 14, 15 and 16 from each other, I journal across the machine an upper and a lower shaft. On these shafts I afflx cooperating pairs of rotating elements, there being an element to engage edge portions of two adjacent flaps. As to such a pair of elements, one will be an anvil member or support designed to prevent displacement of the flap which it engages, while the cooperating member engaging the next adjacent flap will be so shaped as to depress or raise the said flap with respect to the supported flap. Whether any particular flap is raised or lowered with respect to its adjacent flap, will depend upon the selection and placement of the elements just described, and this selection and placement may be chosen in accordance with particular circumstances appertaining to each such flap. For example, it will be apparent in Figure 1 that the lugs 27 and 28 engage the flaps 14 and 16, and

' provided therefor.

that these flaps overlie the chains 25 and 26. Thus the flaps 14 and 16 cannot be lowered by bending, and if an attempt were made to raise them, the result might be their disengagement from the lugs 27 and 28. Ordinarily therefore I employ in connection with flaps 14 and 16 supporting members from underneath to prevent displacement of these flaps or supporting members from above for the same purpose. The other two flaps 13 and 15 may then be displaced upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, and there will be a shearing action at the line of cuts between the several flaps.

There is a lateral platform 35 extending across the machine. The upper and lower shafts mentioned, and indicated at 36 and 37, are journaled at one end in a bearing bracket 38. At the other end, as most clearly shown in Figure 6, they are journaled in a gear housing 39 and are connected within the housing by gears 40 and 41. The shaft 37 bears a sprocket 42 beyond the gear housing, which sprocket is connected by a chain 43 to the main drive of the folding and gluing machine so that the shafts 36 and 37 will be rotated in timed relationship to the other elements of the machine.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 1, the lower shaft bears a segmental supporting element 44 which will underlie the edge of flap 16 which is adjacent flap 15. The upper shaft 37 bears a pair of deflecting elements 45 and 46 which will act to bend flap 15' downwardly. The lower shaft carries a segmental supporting element 47 underlying that edge of flap 14 which is adjacent flap 15. The upper shaft bears a segmental sup porting element 48 overlying that edge of flap 14 which lies adjacent flap 13. The lower shaft bears an upwardly acting deflecting element 49 which underlies that edge of flap 13 which is adjacent flap 14.

It will be understood that these supporting and depressing elements may be made adjustable along the length of the shafts 36 and 37 so that the machine may be set up for freeing the flaps of different sizes of cartons. The shapes of the supporting and deflecting elements will be best appreciated from Figures 4 and 5. The supporting elements 48 of Figure 5 or 44 of Figure 4 are segmental in shape having an operating edge of circular form about the axes of their respective shafts as a center. These elements do not deflect the flaps which they engage but merely support them during the action of the deflecting elements next to be described. The deflecting element 49 of Figure 5 or 45 of Figure 4 is a radially extending member having an operating edge which lies aslant as shown. The direction of motion of the supporting and deflecting elements is indicated in Figure 4 by arrows. The rotation of the shafts 36 and 37 is timed with the movement of the blanks and it will be evident from both of these figures that as these elements come into position with relationship to the flaps, a supporting element will hold the edge of one flap against deflection while a deflecting element will deflect the adjacent edges of the next flap in such a way as to produce a shearing action positively disconnecting adjacent edges of the flaps from each other, and breaking any connection webs that may exist therebetween. By reason of the flexibility of the flaps, it is quite possible to deflect one edge of flap 13, by way of example, while the opposite edge of the same flap is held in channel-shaped side guides conventional in carton folding and gluing machines but not shown in the drawings herein.

In the particular embodiment disclosed in Figures 8 through 10 I have illustrated means by which adjacent carton flaps may be separated one from the other while at the same time being broken or bent along score lines Those parts in these figures which are similar to the embodiment just described are designated by like reference numerals. For the sake of clarity "a paperboard blank of somewhat different construction is shown being acted upon by the mechanism now to be described. Itis to be understood, however, that the mechanism of this invention is not limited to any particular type of paperboard blank.

In the embodiment of Figure 4 I illustrated an arrangement wherein a segmental support 44 was positioned to underlie one fiap near an edge thereof while a deflecting element was caused to strike the adjacent flap so that the flaps would be so moved with respect to one another as to insure a clean separation between the flaps. In the modification of Figure 8 the member 89 may be considered as generally corresponding to the segmental supporting element 44 just discussed. Similarly the member 81 may be considered as generally corresponding to the deflecting element 45. The elements 89 and 31 are shown as operated by the shafts 37 and 36 respectively.

The object of the means 8% and 81 is to not only separate adjacent flaps such as 82 and 83 but also to bend the flap 83 along its score line such as would correspond to the score line 84 of the flap 85 located at the rear of the blank as moved through the mechanism.

In order to accomplish the desired results certain lie just back of the score line provided for the flap 83 at the time member 81 and associated parts 87 and 88 moves to the position of Figure 9. It should be particularly noted that the laterally extending portion 88 of the member 81 lies across the whole width of the flap 83.

The lower edge of the member 88 will extend in its extreme position to a level slightly below the plane of the paperboard blank as moved through the mechanism.

In operation, the upper element (this element more or less replacing and corresponding to members 45 and 46 and extending the full width of the flap 83) strikes the flap 83 at such time as the lower member 89 (this member generally corresponding to the element 44 previously described) and bar 86 attached thereto are brought into position behind the flap 83, the said bar lying just in back of the score line. Since the flaps adjacent the flap 83 are supported at their edges so as to prevent their being deflected downwardly and since the member 87 extends downwardly below the plane of the paperboard blank, as does also the lower edge of the member 88, and since the body of the paperboard blank is supported at a point just back of the score line by the bar 86, it will be apparent that the result of this arrangement is to separate the flap 83 from those adjacent it and to at the same time bend the flap 33 along the score line provided therefor.

It will be understood that this same general arrangement may be repeated along the shafts 36 and 37 depending on how many flaps are to be engaged. Thus, in Figures 8 and 9 I have indicated a member 89 corresponding to the member 89 and a member 90 corresponding to the member 81.

Also in Figure 8 I have illustrated a second pair of shafts 91 and 92 corresponding to the shafts 36 and 37 respectively. It will be further understood that these shafts may be operated through the same mechanism as are the shafts 36 and 37. The purpose of the shafts 91 and 92 is to operate members 93 and 94 so as to care for those flaps along the rear edge of the paperboard blank as moved. Consequently, the member 93 is quite similar to the member 30 and the member 94 is quite similar to the member 81. The chief difference lies in the fact that the member 94 is provided with a laterally extending portion 95 and downwardly protruding portion 96 which is of opposite hand as the member 87. As before, the lower supporting element 93 will be provided with a laterally extending bar 96 adapted to lie ahead of the score line 84.

Again it will be understood that the operation of the modification of Figure 10 is such that the member 94 and portions 95 and 96 will strike the flap at such time as the member 93 and support 97 has been moved into position just ahead of the score line 84. Since the lower edge of the member extends slightly below the plane of the blank as moved the result will again be to bend the flap 85 about its score line 84 while at the same time freeing the lateral edges of the flap 85 from the flaps adjacent thereto. As before, a plurality of such mechanisms may be placed along the shafts 91 and 92 as needed.

In my mechanism, the same shafts 36 and 37 (or shafts 8t), 81, 91 and 92 as the case may be) operate means for the positive removal of tabs or cut-outs such as discussed above. To this end I provide on the shaft 36 an element 50 which is so positioned on the shaft longitudinally and radially that its end will turn into a position coincident with the tab or cut-out 22 of the carton blank. This element 50 has a head 51, as most clearly shown in Figure 7, which head may have, if desired, a friction facing 52. Both the head and the member 59 are perforated as at 53 for the passage of air, and this perforation connects With a passageway 54 in the shaft 36. At the end of the shaft, as most clearly shown in Figure 6, I provide an internal sleeve 55 engaged in an enlargement of the perforation or bore 54 in the shaft. A packing gland 56 is engaged between the end of the sleeve 55 and the shoulder of the bore in the shaft. The sleeve 55 passes outwardly from the gear box 39 through a fitting 57. Within this fitting I provide a coil spring 58 bearing against a collar 59 on the sleeve 55, and serving to keep the sleeve pressed against the gland member 56.

The sleeve 55 is connected with a valve 69 supplied with air or other gas under pressure through a conduit 61, from a suitable source (not illustrated). The valve has an operating element 62 provided with a cam follower 63. The cam follower bears against a cam element 64 affixed to the shaft 37, and the coaction of these parts is such that a blast of gas will issue from the orifice in the head 51 of the member 50 when this member has turned. into the position illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and lies directly above the tab or cut-out 22. The result of the blast of gas is to deflect the tab or cut-out downwardly, or even to blow it out entirely if it is free enough.

For detachment I provide a positive gripper which pulls the tab oil or away from the blank and which will next be described. This gripper comprises a body 65 attached to the shaft 37 in such radial position as to coact with the member so in the way shown in Figures 6 and 7. The body 65 is hollow. V'Jithin it I pivot as at 66 a gripping finger 67, biased to gripping position by a spring engaging it and. an abutment 69 on the body 65. The end of the gripping finger e7 coacts with a gripping surface 79, also formed on the body es. The pivoting shaft as of the nipping finger 6'7 extends outwardly from the body 65 and is provided with a lever arm 71 and a cam following roller 72. This cam following roller bears against the surface of a cam 73 and is actuated thereby so as to move the gripping finger 67 from nongripping to gripping position. Since the element 65 will be rotating with the shaft 37 the cam member 73 must be stationary, and to this end i mount it on a bracket 74 athxed to the platform 35. For adjustment purposes, the cam is rota'tively mounted on a sleeve 75 on the bracket and held in place by a flange 76. The adjustment means for the cam comprises a rod 77 pivoted thereto as at 73, extending downwardly through a perforation 79 in the platform 35 and actuated (as shown in Figure 4-), by a thumb screw 80 mounted on a bracket 81 affixed to the platform 35 and engaging a threaded end of the rod 77. The adjusting nut 89 is, of course, rotatively mounted on the bracket 81 but is not axially moveable with respect thereto.

It will be seen that upon proper adjustment of the cam 73, it will so operate the gripping finger 67 that when the blast of gas from the member 50 has deflected the tab or cut-out 22, the tab or cut-out will be engaged between the end of the finger 67 and the gripping surface 70. The shape of the cam 73 is such that this gripping action persists during a considerable part of rotation of the member 65; and during this rotation, the gripped tab is pulled off or away from the carton blank. Thereafter the shape of the cam 73 is such as to release the gripping engagement and the removed tab will then be deposited by the gripping mechanism in a container or chute (not shown) associated with the platform 35.

By the provision of the relatively simple timed mechanism hereinabove described, which may readily be installed on any conventional carton blank treating machine, I have arranged not only for the automatic freeing of adjacent closure flaps from each other, but also for the positive removal of cut-outs or tabs from the blanks, as well as for the breaking of certain flaps along their score lines. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the treatment of cartons or carton blanks of the precise form shown in the drawings; but the elements described may be moved along the shafts 36 and 37 to positions to accommodate the blanks of different sizes; that the supporting deflector and tab removal elements may be multiplied as desired to free any number of flaps from adjacent flaps, and to remove any number of tabs or cut-outs with which a particular blank may be provided. While the operating elements have been shown as acting upon seal-end closure flaps at the trailing edge of a carton blank, it will be understood that the mechanism may be timed in such a way asto cause these elements or similar ones to act upon closure flaps at the leading edge of the carton blank or at both edges, depending upon the type of carton blank being treated. Thus various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in an exemplary embodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a carton blank treating machine, a conveyor for moving carton blanks in timed relationship in a path of travel, a pair of shafts extending across said path of travel, one shaft of the pair lying on one side of said path and the other shaft of the pair lying on the other side of said path, driving means for said shafts timed in connection with the movements of said conveyor and a pair of operating devices, one on each shaft, shaped to provide relative movement of said flap edges in a shearing fashion to free said edges from each other, one of said operating devices comprising a supporting means and the other of said operating devices comprising a deflecting means, the combined lengths of said supporting means and of said deflecting means being greater than the distance between said shafts, said supporting and deflecting means being spaced axially on said shafts to engage respectively adjacent edges of closure flaps of carton blanks moving along said conveyor, said machine including a pair of coacting means, one on each of said shafts, for the removal of a cut-out element from said blanks, said operating means timed for coincidence with said cut-out as the blanks move between said shafts, one of said operating means being a perforated element for delivering a blast of gas against said cut-out to deflect it to the opposite side of a blank, and the other of said operating means having a gripper for engaging the cut-out so deflected and removing it during the rotation of said operating means.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft on which said first mentioned operating means is mounted is provided with a central gas delivery bore connected with a valve and wherein said valve is operated by a timed cam to deliver said blast of gas when said first mentioned i 8 operating member'rotates into coincidence with said outout.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft on which said first mentioned operating means is mounted is provided with a central gas delivery bore connected with a valve and wherein said valve is operated by a timed cam to deliver said blast of gas when said first mentioned operating member rotates into coincidence with said cutout, and wherein said second mentioned operating means has a gripping surface and a gripping finger coacting therewith and pivoted to said operating means and wherein a stationary cam is Provided for operating said gripping finger to cause it to engage said deflected cut-out, remove it from the carton blank during further rotation of said second mentioned operating means, and then release the removed cut-out.

4. In a carton folding and gluing machine, a conveyor for moving carton blanks in timed sequence, a pair of transverse shafts extending across said conveyor, one shaft of the pair lying beneath the conveyor and the other shaft of the pair lying above the conveyor, said shafts being geared together, and driven in timed sequence with said conveyor, a segment-shaped supporting means attached to one of said shafts and a non-segment-shaped deflecting means coacting therewith and attached to the other of said shafts, the combined lengths of said supporting means and of said deflecting means being greater than the distance between said shafts, said supporting and deflecting means being spaced axially on said shafts to engage respectively adjacent edges of closure flaps of carton blanks moving along said conveyor, and a pair of operating elements one attached to each of the said shafts and positioned to coincide with a cut-out in carton blanks moving along said conveyor, one of said last mentioned operating elements having an orifice for the delivery of a blast of gas and the other of said operating elements having a mechanically actuated gripping means for engaging and removing a cut-out deflected by said blast of gas.

5. In a carton blank treating machine, a conveyor for moving carton blanks in timed relationship in a path of travel, a pair of shafts extending across said path of travel, one shaft of the pair lying on one side of said path and the other shaft of the pair lying on the other side of said path, driving means for said shaft timed in connection with the movements of said conveyor and a pair of operating devices, one on each shaft, shaped to provide relative movement of said flap edges in a shearing fashion to free said edges from each other, one of said operating devices comprising a supporting means and the other of said operating devices comprising a deflecting means, the combined lengths of said supporting means and of said defleeting means being greater than the distance between said shafts, said supporting and deflecting means beingspaced axially on said shaft to engage respectively adjacent edges of closure flaps of carton blanks moving along said conveyor, one of said operating devices being provided with a laterally extending member adapted to lie adjacent a score line provided across one of said end flaps, and the other of said devices being provided with a laterally extending member adapted to contact said one end flap across its entire width adjacent its said score line,

an edge of one of said laterally extending members extending through the said path of travel, whereby said one end flap is bent along its said score line.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which that device provided with the laterally extending member having an edge extending through the said path of travel is also provided with a second member having a portion extending through the said path of travel, said second member being approximately parallel to the adjacent edges of the said two end flaps.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said second member defines a slightly obtuse angle with the said laterally extending member fixed to the same device.

8. In a carton gluing machine, a conveyor for moving carton blanks in timed relationship in a path of travel, a pair of shafts extending across said path of travel, one shaft of the pair lying on one side of said path and the other shaft of the pair lying on the other side of said path, driving means for said shafts timed in connection with the movements of said conveyor and a pair of operating devices, one on each shaft, shaped to provide relative movement of said flap edges in a shearing fashion to free said edges from each other, one of said operating devices comprising a supporting means and the other of said operating devices comprising a deflecting means, the combined lengths of said supporting means and of said deflecting means being greater than the distance between said shafts, said supporting and deflecting means being spaced axially on said shafts to engage respectively adjacent edges of closure flaps of carton blanks moving along said conveyor, said machine also including a pair of coacting means one on each of said shafts for the removal of a cut-out element from said blanks, said operating means timed for coincidence with said cut-out as the blanks move between said shafts, one of said operating means being a perforated element for delivering a blast of gas against said cut-out to deflect it to the opposite side of a blank, and the other of said operating means having a gripper for engaging the cut-out so deflected and removing it during the rotation of said operating means, one of said operating devices being provided with a laterally extending member adapted to lie adjacent a score line provided across one of said end flaps, and in which the other of said devices is provided with a laterally extending member adapted to contact said one end flap across its entire width adjacent its said score line, an edge of one of said laterally extending members extending through the said path of travel, whereby said one end flap is bent along its said score line.

9. In a carton gluing machine, a conveyor for moving carton blanks in timed relationship in a path of travel, a pair of shafts extending across said path of travel, one shaft of the pair lying on one side of said path and the other shaft of the pair lying on the other side of said path, driving means for said shafts timed in connection with the movements of said conveyor and a pair of operating devices, one on each shaft, shaped to provide relative movement of said flap edges in a shearing fashion to free said edges from each other, one of said operating devices comprising a supporting means and the other of said operating devices comprising a deflecting means, the combined lengths of said supporting means and said deflecting means being greater than the distance between said shafts, said supporting and deflecting means being spaced axially on said shafts to engage respectively adjacent edges of closure flaps of carton blanks moving along said conveyor, one of said operating devices extending the full width of one of said end flaps along a score line provided therefor and the other of said operating devices supporting a side edge of the other of said end flaps, said one operating device being capable of extending through said path of travel, and said other operating device having a laterally extending member arranged to lie adjacent said score line when said one operating device extends through said path of travel, whereby said one end flap is bent along its said score line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,007 Butler Aug. 16, 1898 1,987,224 Bergstein Jan. 8, 1935 2,125,147 Bergstein July 26, 1938 2,193,412 Southam Mar. 12, 1940 2,351,670 Desch et al a June 20, 1944 2,462,513 Kucklinsky Feb. 22, 1949

Images