US2536421A - Carton opener - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 E. c. BURHANS CARTON OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1948 FNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

E. C.. BURHANS Jan. 2, 1951 CARTON OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1948 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED *S TATES -ATENT OFFICE GARTON OPENER Eugene. G. Burhans, Lockport, N. Y.

-Application May 19, 1948,ISerial No. 27-,9.20

My invention relates in general to carton'open- :er-for opening the flaps along onesideof a sealed carton-to expose the contents thereof for inspection or for the application of a stamp, and relates especially to means for opening a carton of cigarette package's :for the purpose of exposing the ends of the packages for receiving State tax stamps.

The :pr-incipalobject of myxinvention is to provide a device through which cartons may be fed by hand for the purpose of cutting through the end' walls of thecartcnand breaking the adhesive which holds the flaps in position.

Another object is to provide a device in which the position and angle of the :cutting blade may be accurately adjusted.

Another -object is to provide a device which is safe to operate; one durable in construction; and one inexpensive to manufacture.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accom panying drawings, of which:

fig. 1 isa plan view'ofmy device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3-i's an enlarged 'end elevation of the device viewed from the discharge end thereof; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on lineIV-IV 'of Fig. 1.

While my device may be used in connection with cart'ons of any size or kind',-iin the :accom- :p'anying drawings 1' have shown it as applied to cartons containing packages of cigarettes. O'bv-iously, the device may be used alone as a cutter, and the severed cartonsmanipulated by hand, for thepui-pose ofstaniping, and rescaling the flaps, orit may be used in connection with an automatic stampingand sealing machine, :as shown and described "in my nowpending application "Serial Number- 782;80'7, filed October 29, 1947.

The device'compris'es a base 10 which extends preferably the full length thereof and along the front edge of which is arranged an outer guide wall I I. Extending rearwardly from aipoint substantially mid-way the length of the base is an inner guide wall I Z. This guide wall is'adjustable and iscarried by twoadjusting'angles l3 and 14, one arranged preferably near each end of the wall and adjustably secured to the base'byme'ans ofscrews i5 provided with knurled-heads 1 6 and each passing through -a:s1ot 28 formed in (each :of the angles.

-As shownin Fig. 3 the :innerrwall l zlisad-iusted in relation to the outer *wall 13 toaccomm'od'ate e carter; 2,14, {shown in dot and dash lines "in 2 Figs. *1 and 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3) for free passagebetween the walls. The outer guide wall H is preferably reduced in height across that portion which is opposite the inner wall 12 thereby forming a recess 22 for the reception of aspi ing guide '23. This guide has its innerend 2-4 offset with relation to the body thereof and is extended across the recess to the outer face of the outer guide wall i! where it securedbyascrew25. The spring-guide extends substantially the. full length of the recess 22 and has its outer end 26 preferably curved in, shape.

Mounted above the guide walls II and i2, is the cutter plate as of my device. This plate is mounted at its front edge upon twospring studs 3.! which pass through suitable aperturesformed 'inthe'plate and which .aresecuredat their lower ends to an anchor block 32. The anchor block is. preferably secured to the .outer surface of the outer guide wall Ii. Another spring stud 334s arranged near the rear .side of the cutter plate and passes through a suitable aperture .forrned in the rearward projection 34 thereof. The bottom end of this stud is secured to ananc hor block 35 carried b yth'e base 10 of the device. Each of the spring studs '3"! have a'knurled nut 36 carried on the upper end thereof, and the spring stud 33 has a knurled nut 46 carried by its upper end.

Arranged about each of the spring studs :3! is a supporting spring ii, and arranged about the spring stud 33 is a supporting spring (2. 'The springs 4! have their lower ends bearing against the anchor block 32 and their upper ends against the under surfacebz of the cutter plate; and the spring 32 has its lower end supported by the anchor block 35 and its upper end bearing against the under suriace of the rearward projection 34 of the plate. The cutter plate is provided with a rearwardly extending arm t3, the under surface 44 thereof being recessed for the reception of the "cutter blade l-:5 of the device. This cutter blade is secured in place within the recess by means of a screw-'46 which passes through the cutter "and into the arm and which is provided with a knurled head Eli. As is clearly shown in the drawings, the cutting edge 5] of the blade 'is spaced a slight distancebelo'w the under surface '52 of the plate substantially 'equalto the thickness of the upper flapiii of the carton (shown in Fig. 3 by'which arrangement the cutter blade will be guidedunder th upper flapand between this flap and the lower flap 5 thereby serving to break the adhesive therebetween. Obviously,

the cutter als'o "passes "through the end wanes:

carried by the studs 3! and 33 so that the cut ting edge 5| of the blade will pass between the flaps as the carton is fed through the device. When it is' necessary to sharpen or replace the 'knife blade, it is only necessary to remove the screw 46.

When the device is to be put into use, the carton 2! will be fed end to end into and through the device. The carton at the right of Fig. 1 is shown in position where its advance end wall :has been severed and where the flaps 53 and 54 are being separated. from each other. The first carton is being fed into and through the device by means of the second carton, whereby the operator is prevented from cutting himself by contact with the cutting edge of the blade. When the last carton is being fed through the device, it will have passed therethrough suiiiciently to be safely. grasped at the forward end by the operator and thereby withdrawn from the machine.

'I claim:

1. A cutting device comprising a base, spaced guide walls rising from said base and forming a channel through which cartons having two sealed longitudinal flaps may be fed, a single cutting blade mounted over one of said walls and having its cutting edge extending across the channel with its free end positioned short of the other wall, and means for adjusting the vertical distance between said base and said blade, whereby the seal between said flaps will be broken and only the end walls will be severed at points adjacent the said flaps.

2. A cutting device comprising a base, spaced guide walls rising from'said base and forming a channel through'which cartons having two sealed longitudinal flaps may be fed, a cutter plate mounted above said walls and in spaced relation with the top surfaces thereof, a single cutter blade secured at one end to said plate over one of said walls and havin its cutting edge extending across said channel with its opposite end positioned short of the inner surface of the outer wall, and means for vertically adjusting the horizontal plane of said cutting edge, whereby the seal between said flaps will be broken and only the end walls will be severed at points adjacent said flaps. a

V single cutting blade secured at one end to said plate over one of said walls and having its cutting edge extending across said channel with its opposite end positioned short of the inner surface of the other wall, plate studs carried by said base for'passage through apertures formed in said plate, a spring carried by each of said studs for supporting said plate, and adjusting nuts carried by said plate studs for tensioning said springs and for adjusting the height'of saidblade in re- ]lation to said base, whereby the seal between said 4 flaps. will be broken and only the end be severed at points adjacent said flaps.

4. A cutting device comprising a base, an outer wall fixed to the base, an inner wall adjustably carried by the base and in spaced relation to the outer wall, a cutter plate disposed over the walls and in spaced relation to the base, said plate together with the walls and the base forming a channel through which cartons may be fed, spring means carried by the outer wall and the base for supporting the plate, and cutter means supported by the plate and extending over the channel between the walls and in spaced relation with the base.

5. A cutting device comprising a base, an outer wall fixed to the base, an inner walladjustably carried by the base and in spaced relation to the outer wall, a cutter plate disposed over the walls and in spaced relation to the base, said plate together with the walls and the base forming a channel through which cartons may be fed, an anchor block supported by. the base, studs carried by the block and the base, a cutter plate arranged above the walls and formed with apertures walls will registering with the studs, supporting springs carried by the studs and engaging the bottom surfaced the plate, an adjusting nut carried by the 7 upper end of each of the studs and engaging the upper surface of the plate, and a cutter blade 7 carried by the plate and extending over the walls.

6. A cutting device comprising a base, an outer wall fixed .to the base, an inner wall adjustably carried by the base and in spaced relation to the outer wall, a cutter plate disposed over the walls and in spaced relation to t .e base, said plate I together with the walls and the baseforming a channel through which cartons may .befed, a'

cutter plate mounted above the walls and in spaced relation with the plate, means for adjustablysupporting the plate, said plate having a rearwardly extending arm'formed with a recess, and a cutter blade carried by the arm and mounted within the recess thereof, the relative thickness of the blade and depth of the recess being such as to'position the cutting edge of the V 7 blade a predetermined distance below the lower surface of the plate. V

'7. A cutting device comprising a base,'an outer wall fixed to the base, an inner wall adjustably carried by the base and in spaced relation to the outer wall, a cutter plate disposed over the walls and in spaced relation to the base, said plate together with the walls and the base forming a carried by the studs and engaging the bottom s'ur face of the plate, an adjusting nut carried by the upper end of each of the studs and engaging the upper surface of the plate, said plate having a rearwardly extending arm formed with a recess,

and a cutter blade carried by the arm and mountf ed within the recess thereof, the relativethickness of the blade and depth of the recess being .such as to position the cutting edge of the blade 7 a predetermineddistance below the lower surface of the plate. 7

8. A cutting device comprising a base, spaced guide walls rising from, said base andforming a channel through which cartons having two sealed.

"longitudinal fiaps' may be "fed, a. cutter plate :mountedabove' the walls {and in spaced relation with theptop surfaces. thereof, a stud carried by a said plate adjacent one of said walls, a single cutter blade carried by said plate and extending toward the other of said walls, said blade having an aperture in one of its ends for mounting upon said stud and permitting angular adjustment of said blade upon said plate in a horizontal plane, and means for clamping said blade to said plate in its adjusted position, the outer end of the cutting edge of said blade being spaced from the inner surface of said other wall, whereby the seal between said flaps will be broken and only the end walls will be severed at points adjacent said flaps.

9. A cutting device comprising a base, spaced guide walls rising from said base and forming a channel through which cartons having two sealed longitudinal flaps may be fed, a cutter plate mounted above the walls and in spaced relation with the top surfaces thereof, a stud carried by said plate adjacent one of said walls, a single cutter blade carried by said plate and extending U toward the other of said walls, said blade having an aperture in one of its ends for mounting upon said stud and permitting angular adjustment of said blade upon said plate in a horizontal plane,

means for clamping said blade to said plate in its adjusted position, the outer end of the cutting edge of said blade being spaced from the inner surface of said other wall, and means for adjusting said blade vertically, whereby the seal between said flaps will be broken and only the end walls will be severed at points adjacent said flaps.

10. A cutting device comprising a base, spaced guide walls rising from said base and forming a channel through which cartons having two sealed longitudinal flaps may be fed, a cutter plate mounted above the walls and in spaced relation with the top surfaces thereof, a stud carried by said plate adjacent one of said walls, a single cutter blade carried' by said plate and extending toward the other of said walls, said blade having an aperture in one of its ends for mounting upon said stud and permitting angular adjustment of said blade upon said plate in a horizontal plane. means for clamping said blade to said plate in its adjusted position, the outer end of the cutting edge of said blade being spaced fromthe inner surface of said other wall, plate studs carried by said base for passage through apertures formed in said plate, a;spring carried by each of said studs for supporting said plate, and adjusting nuts carried by fsaid plate studs for tensioning said springs and'f for adjusting the height of said blade in rlation to said base, whereby the seal between said flaps will be broken and only the end walls will be severed at points adjacent said flaps.

EUGENE C. BURHANS.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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