GB2212470A

GB2212470A - Cartoning machine and method

Info

Publication number: GB2212470A
Application number: GB8726894A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Percy Clarke
Original assignee: EUROPACK ENG CO
Current assignee: EUROPACK ENG CO
Priority date: 1987-11-17
Filing date: 1987-11-17
Publication date: 1989-07-26
Also published as: GB8726894D0

Abstract

A method of forming a pack of articles comprising the steps of (a) Folding a vertically orientated first board blank a into a U-shaped carrier c to form a U-shaped container with the base of the U vertically disposed for receiving one or more stacks of articles; (b) Raising the or each stack vertically into the container and holding it (or them) there; (c) Positioning a second board blank q in front of the container; and (d) Moving the loaded container against the second board blank and through a forming box t to complete the pack shape. <IMAGE>

Description

CARTONING MACHINE AND METHOD Background to the invention The invention relates to carton-packing and may be embodied in a method or an apparatus capable of carrying out the method.

The invention is summarised in the claims which form part of this specification. It includes within its scope a method and/or an apparatus, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated the accompanying drawings.

The drawings illustrate the best way currently known to the applicant of putting the invention into practise.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 illustrates diagramatically and in perspective the sequence of steps in a method of carton-packing in accordance with the invention, and also illustrates the essential integers of an apparatus capable of carrying out the method; and Figure 2 illustrates, again in perspective, the finished carton pack.

Description of the preferred embodiment The method steps, and the machine, illustrated in the drawings are intended to pack products into a cardboard carton comprising a tray fitted with a top hood and with the side wings of the hood inside the peripheral lip of the tray.

The method is particularly applicable to carton-packing such things as pillow packs, tubs, or smaller cartons but it will be described and illustrated with reference to the packing of ice cream tubs.

A vertical single board blank (a), cut and scored to be foldable about lines (z) is taken from a board stacker (b) and transferred by a pusher (d) to a position in front of horizontally-spaced vertical former carriers (c).

The former carriers (c) pitched (i.e spaced) to suit the particular cartoning requirement, are attached to intermittenly driven chains (e) which are vertically spaced and which move in synchronism. The number of these attached carriers (c) is dependent upon the shape and size of carton being produced. Their construction and action is known in itself.

With blank (a) accurately positioned in front of carriers (c), and relinquished by pusher (d), a former-pusher (f) advances and forms the board blank (a) into a rightangle-cornered tUw shape between the carriers (c). Arrow A at station 1 indicates the advancing movement of pusher (f) to form board blank (a) into a product top hood.

The products, in this case as shown, ice cream tubs are fed either singly or in a suitable multiple number of lanes (two lanes shown) on a conveyor (g) from a productforming machine to a stop position (h) over stacker arms (j). The arms (j) then elevate the tubs successively into the bars of a stacker housing (k), "Flip-up" lugs pivot upwards, to allow the tubs into the housing, and then latch automatically to hold the tubs on the tub rims, allowing the stacker arms (j) to descend to their illustrated position before the next pair of tubs arrives at (h). These are elevated in their turn past lugs (1), and are latched beneath the previously elevated pair of tubs.

This cycle repeats, progressively building up the stack of tubs from below, until the required stack height is achieved. An elevator (m), normally held out of the way of the growing stack, then pivots into its illustrated position beneath the bottom pair of tubs in the stack, and lifts the stack into the formed cardboard hood (n) which has by then been carried to station 2, immediately above the stack. The stack enters the hood on elevator (m) and is prevented from falling forwards out of the hood by a stop plate (p) fixed relative to chains (e).

A bridge (not shown) moves in beneath elevator (m) to allow elevator (m) to move horizontally out and to descend to its out-of-the-way position and wait for the command to pivot back into its illustrated position and elevate the next stack. The bridge supports the already elevated stack from below as the stack moves, with the hood, onto and across a supporting surface and into station 3 as indicated by arrow B.

Throughout the elevating and descending movements of elevator (m), stacking at stop (h) continues. The vertical distance between lugs (1) and the surface of conveyor (g) is matched accordingly to the speeds of operation of elevator (m) and arms (j).

At station 3, carriers (c) position hood (n) and its stack accurately opposite a vertical wraparound forming box (t). A scored vertical cardboard tray blank (q) is prefed from a stacker (r) by pushers (s) between the hood (n) and the vertical wrap around forming box (t) at station 3. A pusher plate (v) then moves forward (arrow C) taking the formed hood (n) with its stack of products away from the carriers (c) with the tray blank (q) through the forming box (t) where the sides of the tray and end flaps are formed over automatically.

Hot-melt glue is applied in this latter operation, either on the tray sides or on the end flaps, before or as the flaps fold; thus forming a complete tray around the hood with the products inside.

The complete loaded tray is then pivoted 90" (w) so that the tray is standing on its base with the hood on top.

This then is normally transferred to a wrapping machine or palletiser.

The main reason for incorporating the hood is to make the resulting carton pack stable and give strength when palletising.

Claims

1. A method of forming a pack of articles comprising the steps of a) Folding a first board blank to form a container shaped to hold one or more stacks of articles subsequently insert ed to lie along the container; b) Orientating the container to receive the or each such stack vertically; c) Inserting the or each stack into the container and holding it (or them) there; d) Positioning a second board blank in front of the container; and e) Moving the container with its stack or stacks against the second board blank and into a forming box to complete the pack shape.

2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the first blank is vertically orientated throughout its folding and stack receiving stages.

3. A method according to either of the preceding claims in which the or each stack is built up from beneath and is elevated into the container.

4. A method of forming a pack of articles substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. Apparatus fr forming a pack of articles, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.