GB2037697A

GB2037697A - Device for glueing a cardboard box flap on to a front side while the box is being continuously conveyed

Info

Publication number: GB2037697A
Application number: GB7939456A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: OCM SpA
Current assignee: OCM SpA
Priority date: 1978-11-27
Filing date: 1979-11-14
Publication date: 1980-07-16
Also published as: FR2442186B3; IT1100598B; IT7830228A0; DE2945980A1; FR2442186A1; GB2037697B; ES486731A1

Abstract

A device for glueing a cardboard box flap (10a) on to a side of the box while the box is being continuously conveyed comprises a glue applicator (32, 33) mounted on a carriage movable along a continuous circuit above a box conveyor (2) and obliquely to the conveying direction and a folder-presser (13) disposed downstream of the glue applicator and provided with box stops (37) and flap folders and pressers (38). Both the glue applicator and the folder- presser are synchronized with the box conveyor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for glueing a cardboard box flap on to a front side while the box is being continuously conveyed This invention relates to a device for glueing a cardboard box flap onto a front side while the box is being continuously conveyed.

In certain types of automatic manufacture, it is necessary to glue a cardboard box flap perpenidiculay to the line of motion of the box during its conveying.

Up to the present time, this operation has been carried out by halting the box, applying the glue by means of an applicator moving transversely to the conveying line, folding the flap to be glued by means of a suitable device, and keeping the box at rest for the entire time necessary for the glue to set.

If this operation, has to be carried out during a continuous manufacturing cycle, it is clear that the entire cycle is influenced by these down-times, and the number of boxes manufactured per unit of time is consequently reduced.

The object of the present invention is to obviate this drawback, and to provide a glueing device which is able to apply the glue and to glue the flap without interrupting the continuous motion of the cardboard box.

This object is attained according to the invention by a device comprising substantially a glue applicator and a folder-presser for the box flap to be glued, said device being associated with a continuously moving prong conveyor on which the cardboard boxes, suitably spaced apart, are fed with their flap to be glued disposed transversely to the feed direction on the top of the rear side of the boxes, the glue applicator being mounted on a carriage movable along a continuous circuit in a frame lying above the conveyor and disposed inclined to the running direction thereof, said continuous circuit comprising a lower horizontal working branch and an upper return branch, the speed of movement of said carriage being synchronised with that of the prong conveyor such that during its working stroke the glue applicator can follow the boxes one-by-one during their feed movement, the folder-pressure being disposed downstream of the glue applicator above the conveyor, and being constituted by a pair of endless chains disposed in parallel vertical planes and comprising lower horizontal working branches and upper return branches, and being driven in synchronism with the prong conveyor in the sense that the upper branches move in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveyor, said chains carrying, alternating with each other at predetermined distances apart, stops for the front sides of the boxes and articulated members acting as folders for the flaps to be glued and as accompanying pressers therefor.

With the device according to the invention, it is therefore possible to carry out, on the moving boxes, and without halting them, the operations of applying glue to a rear transverse side, folding the flaps to be glued, and pressing the flaps for the necessary time for the glue to set.

The device according to the invention is described hereinafter in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the entire device, Figure 2 is a plan view of the glue applicator alone, Figure 3 is a front view of the glue applicator in the direction of the arrow Ill of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a section on the line lV-IV of Figure 3.

As can be seen in Figure 1,a base 1 supports a prong conveyor indicated overall by 2 and constituted by a pair of chains 3 which carry the prongs 4 at predetermined regular distances apart and which are guided on deviation and tensioning wheels indicated by 5 and 6 respectively, the end to the left of Figure 1 not being shown.

A variable speed motor 7 drives the conveyor 2 with continuous motion by way of a wheel 8 and chain 9, so as to feed from the left to the right of Figure 1 the cardboard boxes to be processed, indicated by 10, 10' and 10".

Aframe 11 lying above the base 1 supports both the glue applicator, indicated overall by 12, and the folder-presser, indicated overall by 13.

The chain 9 also drives the folder-presser, while a chain 14 driven by a further wheel 15 of the variable speed motor 7 transmits motion to a wheel 16 and, by way of a shaft 17, to a bevel gear pair 18 which drives the glue applicator.

By means of this linkage, the speeds of the prong conveyor 2, glue applicator 12 and folder-presser 13 becomes related to each other.

The glue applicator 12 is supported in a frame 19 which in its turn is mounted on the frame 11 lying above the base 1. As is shown particularly in Figure 2, the frame 19 is inclined to the feed direction of the cardboard boxes on the prong conveyor 2.

A pinion 20 is driven by the bevel gear pair 18, and by way of a chain 21 kept taut by a roller 22 (see Figure 3) it transmits motion in two double pinions 23 and 24. These latter rotate two chains 25,26 which are deviated by pinions 27,28 and guided by suitable supports 29,30.

A plate 31 is rigidly connected to the chains, 25, 26 and supports the glue application apparatus 32. This apparatus is of known type and is not described herein in detail. It is sufficient to note that it comprises nozzles 33 which can be remotely control led in order to expel jets of glue.

The apparatus 32 together with the plate 31 follows the chains 25,26 during their rotary motion, so as to travel through a path which is partly horizontal and partly vertical. The horizontal path lies in two planes of different height. During its travel in the lower plane, the apparatus 32 sprays glue on to the cardboard box (see Figure 4), whereas during its return travel in the upper plane, the apparatus 32 is inactive.

The speed of movement of the prong conveyor 2 and glue applicator 12 are synchronised such that the applicator follows the cardboard box 10 as it is urged by a conveyor prong in its feed motion, while spraying glue on the rear side of the box transverse ly to its direction of movement and below the flap 10a which is to be glued, and which projects horizontally from the upper edge of the cardboard box (see Figures 1 and 2). When the applicator has reached the end of its stroke (in the lower plane), the glue has been applied over the entire width of the cardboard box 10 belowtheflap 10a.The return stroke ofthe applicator takes place in the upper plane in order to enable a new cardboard box to enter the zone of application of the glue.

After it leaves the zone of application of the glue, the cardboard box, still urged by a prong 4 of the conveyor 2, enters the zone of action of the folderpresser 13.

This is constituted by a pair of endless chains (only one of which is visible in Figure 1 and is indicated by the reference numeral 34) disposed in parallel vertical planes and with lower horizontal working branches and upper return branches. The chains 34 are guided over wheels 35, 36, of which the wheels 36 are driven by the chain 9.

The chains 34 carry, alternating with each other at uniform predetermined distances apart, stops 37 for the front sides of the cardboard boxes 10 and articulated members 38 controlled by levers 39 for folding the flap 10a of each cardboard box 10 against its rear side where the glue has previously been applied, and for accompanying the cardboard box through a certain distance while maintaining the folded flap pressed against the rear side of the cardboard box in orderto enable the glue to set.

It is apparent that with the device according to the present invention, down-times are completely eliminated as the feed movement of the cardboard box suffers no interruption between the glueing of the box flap and the setting of the glue.

Claims

A device for glueing a cardboard box flap on to a front side, comprising a glue applicator and a folder-presser for the box flap to be glued, and being associated with a continuously moving prong conveyor on which the boxes, suitably spaced apart, are fed with their flap to be glued disposed transversely to the feed direction on the top of the rear side of the boxes, the glue applicator being mounted on a carriage movable along a continuous circuit in a frame lying above the conveyor and disposed inclined to the running direction thereof, said continuous circuit comprising a lower horizontal work ing branch and an upper return branch, the speed of movement of said carriage being synchronised with that of the prong conveyor such that during its working stroke the glue applicator can follow the boxes one-by-one during their feed movement, the folder-presser being disposed downstream of the glue applicator above the conveyor, and being constituted by a pair of endless chains disposed in parallel vertical planes and comprising lower hori zontal working branches and upper return branches, and being driven in synchronism with the prong conveyor in the sense that the upper branches move in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveyor, said chains carrying, alternating with each other at predetermined distances apart, stops for the front sides of the boxes and articulated members acting as folders forthe flaps to be glued and as accompanying presserstherefor.