US3694999A

US3694999A - Box lidding machine

Info

Publication number: US3694999A
Application number: US55058A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vincent S Switliski; Arthur R Harmon
Original assignee: CHARLES BECK MACHINE CORP
Current assignee: CHARLES BECK MACHINE CORP
Priority date: 1970-07-15
Filing date: 1970-07-15
Publication date: 1972-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-03

Abstract

A box lidding machine has a box support along which the bases of the boxes are moved at a predetermined speed by a conveyor having pivoted fingers presenting upper ends projecting above the conveyor to engage the base of a box while the lower ends of the fingers are engagable with a vertically adjustable member movable to vary the distance to which the fingers will project above the box support. Lids are moved at a slower speed than the bases along a converging path and into a position wherein the foremost lid is held in place by yieldable detents. When thus positioned the foremost lid is engaged by the base of a box moving along the box support, and is then pressed down into a closing position on the base of the box.

Description

United States Paten Switliski et a1.

[54] BOX LIDDING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Vincent S. Switliski, Glen Olden, Pa.; Arthur R. Harmon, Port Republic, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Charles Beck Machine Corporation,

King of Prussia, Pa.

[22] Filed: July 15, 1970 211 App1.No.: 55,058

[52] US. Cl. ..53/313, 53/64, 198/170 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65b 7/28 [58] Field of Search ..53/64, 313, 314, 315, 316,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,960,719 5/1934 Stibbs 198/170 X 2,780,342 2/1957 Good 198/170 3,383,834 5/1968 Switliski et al ..53/315 2,082,048 6/1937 Everett ..53/64 2,669,377 2/1954 Van Poolen et a1. ....53/3l4 X [451 Oct. 3, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 890,434 2/1962 Great Britain ..53/315 Primary Examiner-Travis s. McGehee Attorney-Sperry and Zoda ABSTRACT A box lidding machine has a box support along which the bases of the boxes are moved at a predetermined speed by a conveyor having pivoted fingers presenting upper ends projecting above the conveyor to engage the base of a box while the lower ends of the fingers are engagable with a vertically adjustable member movable to vary the distance to which the fingers will project above the box support. Lids are moved at a slower speed than the bases along a converging path and into a position wherein the foremost lid is held in place by yieldable detents. When thus positioned the foremost lid is engaged by the base of a box moving along the box support, and is then pressed down into a closing position on the base of the box.

3 Claims, 13 Drawing figures PATENTEDUCT 3 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 4 PATENTEI'Jnm 3 I972 3.694.999

SHEET 3 [IF 4 Fig.8.

[IN VEWDRS v wcavrs. SW/TL 15/0 ARTHUR R. l/AkMau A TTORA/E Y5 SHEET l 0F 4 PATENTEDHBI 3 I972 m m E x4 1 mla/ wk, Q3

n ma Y WM E SHMN Z M T 7 M n. T m A MR WAS w BOX LIDDING MACHINE FIELD OF INVENTION One type of equipment for use in applying lids to the bases of preformed or set up boxes is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,383,834. In order to increase the speed of operation of such equipment while at the same time avoiding such vibration or bouncing of the bases as might displace the contents of the box the present invention has been developed. It is also desirable to adjust or vary the positions of various elements of the assembly to handle bases and lids of different width and height and to assure the proper spacing and positioning of the bases and lids as they move through the equipment to establish the proper registration of the lids with respect to the bases to which they are to be applied.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In accordance with the present invention the bases of boxes are moved along a box support from a supply point to a box conveyor which serves to advance the bases of the boxes in spaced relation along the support to a lid applying station. The box conveyor has pivoted fingers thereon provided with upper ends that project into the space between the boxes to move them to a lid applying station. The fingers on the box conveyor extend a predetermined distance above the box support while the lower and heavier ends of the fingers engage a rail or member which is vertically movable to vary the distance to which the upper ends of the fingers project above the box support. Since the fingers are merely tilted upward by gravity they will be depressed by a box positioned above the fingers and may be placed relatively close together whereas the fingers are free to project upwardly between spaced boxes to move the base of each box along the box support.

The lids to be applied to the bases of the boxes are supplied by a belt which travels along a path inclined toward the box support to a position wherein the foremost lid will be engaged and held by yieldable detents. These detents position the lid so that it will be accurately engaged by the leading end of the base of the box to which it is to be applied as the base travels along the box support. The assembled base and lid then move on beneath hold down means which prevent the cover from being displaced until the closed box has reached the delivery end of the machine.

Adjustment of the rail or member engaged by the lower ends of the box advancing fingers renders it possible to apply lids of various depth to boxes of various depth and in a manner which assure accurate registration of the box and lid even when the bases of the boxes are advanced at high speed.

The assembly further is provided with transversely extending screw members operatively connected by common means such as a chain which serves to vary the width or transverse spacing of guide elements uniformly and simultaneously whereby the provision of separate and individual spacing means is not required.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a typical box lidding machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of elements of the base conveyinr mechanism embodied in the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the construction shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the equipment of FIG. 1 showing the driving means therefor;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the box conveyor employed in the equipment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the box conveyor shown in FIG. 5; I

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the box conveyor and box guiding and adjusting means;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the equipment shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the box conveyor;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the lower end of the lid conveyor;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the manner in which the lids are assembled with the bases of the boxes,

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 11-11 thereof,

; FIG. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of the mechanism employed for raising and lowering the lower end of the lid conveyor, and

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of typical means employed for holding the bases of boxes in engagement with the box guiding means.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in the drawings, the box lidding equipment is provided with a horizontal frame 2 having box guiding means 4 extending from the receiving end 6 of the equipment, shown at the left hand end of FIG. 1 toward the discharge end 8 of the equipment shown at the right hand end of FIG. 1. The box guiding means preferably includes transversely spaced box supporting rails 10 and side guide bars 12 arranged as shown in FIG. 7. Supply means 14 in the form of V-belts or the like are located at thereceiving end 6 of the equipment and are driven by a motor 16 through

chains

18 and 23 to move the bases 20 of boxes along the box guiding means 4 to a box spacing conveyor 21. The conveyor 21 may also be driven by a motor 16 and is caused to travel at a speed somewhat faster than the supply means 14 whereby the bases of the boxes will be spaced apart a short distance by the box spacing conveyor and will be presented to a box moving conveyor 22 in suitably spaced relation.

The box moving conveyor 22 is driven from the motor 16 by means of a sprocket 44 to advance the bases of the boxes along the box guiding means 4 to a lid applying station 25 as shown on FIG. 1. The chain of the box moving conveyor 22 is supported on a longitudinally extending track-26 located between the spaced box supporting rails 10 and is provided with box engaging fingers 28. The fingers 28 are .pivotally connected to the chain 22 at 30 intermediate the ends of each finger and at spaced intervals throughout the length of the chain. Each finger is thus provided with an upper end 32 movable into the space between adjacent boxes received from the box spacing conveyor 21 and into a position in which the upper end 32 will engage the rear end 34 of the base of each box to move the base along the box supporting rails 10.

The lower end 36 of each of the pivoted fingers 28 is provided with rollers 38 which are movable along finger adjusting rail 46 at opposite sides of the chain supporting rail 26. The roller carrying lower ends 36 of the fingers 28 are heavier than the upper box engaging ends 32 of the fingers. The fingers therefore tend to tilt with respect to the chain into positions in which the upper ends 32 of those fingers which are positioned beneath any box and between the ends of the boxes will be held depressed by the box itself so that they will not interfere with the movement of the boxesalong the box supporting rails 10. It is therefore possible to locate the fingers 28 at any desired location throughout the length of the chain 22 so as to assure the presence of a finger to project upwardly into engagement with the rear end of each box 34 without resorting to special or accurate placement of the fingers on the chain 22.

The upper run of the conveyor chain 22 is moved to the right as seen in FIG. 1 past the lid applying station 25. For this purpose the conveyor is passed about a driving sprocket 44 driven by a chain 23 from the motor 16. A cam 48 located adjacent the driving sprocket 44 is formed to be engaged by the rollers 38 on the lower ends of the pivoted fingers 28 and is provided with a raised portion 50 which serves to lift the rollers 38 and depress the upper ends 32 of the fingers as they pass upward about the driving sprocket 44. Therefore the fingers are prevented from striking the bottom of the boxes as they pass upward about sprocket 33. In this way candies or other articles contained in filled boxes to which the covers are to be applied, are not disturbed, or shaken about as the bases are moved by the spacing conveyor 21 into position to be advanced by the conveyor 22 along the box supporting rails 10.

In the preferred form of the invention the rails 46 are adjustably movable vertically and with respect to the chain supporting bar 26 and rails so as to vary the angle at which the fingers 28 will be tilted with respect to the chain 22. The point on the rear end 34 of the bases which will be contacted by the upper ends 32 of the fingers 28 may then be selected or varied as required for the proper handling of the base of any particular box. Accordingly, it is possible to use the equipment for applying lids to boxes of various different depths and for applying lids of any selected depth to the bases of the boxes. The points where the upper ends 32 of the fingers engage the rear ends 34 of the boxes can also be raised or lowered to push against the base in such a way as to overcome any rearward bulging of the end of the base which might interfere with the proper closing of the lid about the base.

The vertical adjustment of the rails 46 with respect to the chain supporting bar 26 can be effected readily and while the equipment is operating by adjusting the position of a lever 52 which is pivotally mounted at 54 on the frame 2. The lower end of the lever 52 is connected by a link 56 to a rod 58 attached at spaced points to arms 60 of bell-cranks 62 pivotally mounted at 64. The other arms 66 of the bell cranks 62.are connected to block 67 on a connecting bar 68 upon which the rails 46 are mounted. Pivotal. movement of the lever 52 therefore serves to raise or lower the rails 46 as desired while holding the rails at all times parallel to the box supporting rails 10.

The lids 70 to be applied to the bases 20 at lid applying station 25 are movable down an inclined frame member 72 by means of a flat belt type of conveyor 74 driven by chain 76 or the like from the motor 16. The lower end of the inclined frame 72 is vertically adjustable to vary the space between the lower end 78 of frame 72 and the box supporting rails 10 to permit the use of the equipment in applying covers of selected depth to bases of any desired height. Such adjustment also serves to present the leading end 80 of the foremost lid 70 on the frame 72 in proper position to be engaged by the leading end 82 of the base of the box to which it is to be applied. Raising and lowering of the lower end 78 of the frame 72 is preferably accomplished by movement of lever 84. For this purpose a chain 102 is passed over a gear 88. The upper end of the chain 102 is connected to a spring take up device 101, while the lower end of the chain 102 is connected to the lower end of upright member secured to the frame 72. Movement of the lever 84 will then serve to rotate gear 88 so as to pull on the chain 102 to raise the lower end of the inclined frame 72 or to release the chain 102 to permit the lower end of the frame to move downward. The chain 102 passes about a gear 103 secured to shaft 86 which passes through the frame 2 and has a pinion 105 secured thereto adjacent the outer side of the frame 2. A rack 107 is engaged by the pinion 105 so that when the chain 102 is moved by operation of the lever 84 the shaft 86 will be rotated and the pinion 105 will cause the rack 107 to be raised or lowered. The rack 107 has a stop nut 109 adjustably secured to the upper end thereof in position to engage the upper side of the frame 2 to hold the rack and pinion in a predetermined adjusted position whereby the chain 102 and the lower end of the frame 72 can be raised or lowered at will to provide access to the boxes and lids at their point of contact for the purpose of correcting any interference or misalignment of the boxes and lids at the lid applying station 25. However, the stop means 109 will serve to allow the lower end of the frame to be returned to its original adjusted position and the settings of the machine will be preserved following the temporary raising of the lower end of the frame 72 to correct any interference or misalignment of the lids or boxes which may occur.

The lid carrying belt conveyor 74 on frame 72 is driven from motor 16 by chain 76 or the like and the upper run of the conveyor 74 upon which the box lids 70 rest is advanced at a speed somewhat less than that at which the bases 20 of the boxes are advanced by the conveyor 22. Spring pressed detents 108 are yieldably urged inward into positions wherein they hold the foremost lid on conveyor 74 in place to be engaged by the base of the box to which it is to be applied. The tension by which the detents are urged inward may be adjusted by varying the tension on springs 110 whereas the surfaces 112 of the detents which are engaged by the foremost lid on the frame, are inclined with respect to the leading end 80 of the foremost lid 70 on conveyor 74 to allow the lid to move forward readily when it is engaged by the leading end of a base 20 moving along the box supporting means.

In order to assure a supply of lids 70 for the bases 20 being fed through the equipment, suitable control means may be provided for stopping the movement of bases toward the lid applying station when the supply of lids to the lid conveyor 74 has ceased. For this purpose a photo-electric cell 114 and a light source 116 are located adjacent conveyor 74 in position to cause a beam of light from said source to pass to the photoelectric cell when there is no lid on the belt. An electric circuit (not shown) controlled by the photo-electric cell serves to actuate a magnetic clutch 118 through which the sprocket 44 driving conveyor 22 is driven from the motor 16. Accordingly, the absence of a lid 70 on conveyor 74 will serve to deactivate the clutch 118 whereby the conveyor 22 will no longer be driven and the supply of bases 20 to the lid applying station 25 will cease. The lid supplying conveyor 74 may nevertheless continue to advance since the lids merely rest on the conveyor and it will slip readily beneath any lids remaining on the conveyor and held in place by the detents 108. However, when further lids are supplied and moved into position to cut off the beam of light to the photo-electric cell 114, clutch 118 will again be energized to drive sprocket 44 and cause the bases 20 to again be advanced to the lid applying station 25.

The frame 72 is provided brushes 120 or other yieldable means which are adjustably positioned adjacent the detects 108 and the lower end of the frame 72 to hold the lids 70 down in position to be engaged by the base of a box being advanced by the conveyor 22. The assembly further includes hold down bars 122 which are located above the conveyor 22 and yieldably urged upward by spring 124 while being held down by frame 72 to engage the bases of the boxes and hold them in engagement with the box supporting rails as they are moved along the rails by conveyor 22 to the lid applying station 25. Additional hold down bars 126 extend from points adjacent the lid applying station 25 to the discharge end 8 of the equipment to retain the lids on the bases of the boxes until they have reached a point for removal from the equipment.

In using the equipment shown and described the bases of the boxes, which may be filled with candies or the like, are fed to or placed on the supply means 14 which is positioned to move the bases forward and onto the box supporting rails 10 of the box guiding means 4 and into position to be received by the faster moving box spacing conveyor 21. The conveyor 21 then moves the bases 20 in spaced relation to the box moving conveyor 22. When thus advanced by the conveyor 22 the rear end 34 of each base to be engaged by one of the upwardly projecting ends 32 of a finger 28 carried by conveyor 22. However, those fingers which are located beneath the base of any box will be depressed as shown in FIG. 6 whereby the only fingers which are elevated into box engaging position are those which are properly positioned to enter the space between the boxes on conveyor 22.

As the base 20 is advanced by conveyor 22 to the lid applying station 25, the lids 70 are moved by conveyor 74 into engagement with detents 108 at the lower end of the frame 72. The detents serve to hold the foremost lid on the conveyor 74 in a position wherein the downwardly extending leading end 80 of the foremost lid will be engaged by the leading end 82 of a base 20 being advanced by conveyor 22. The base 20 will then serve to strip the foremost lid from detents 108 and carry the lid forward whereas the conveyor 74 will move the next lid forward into position to engage the lid positioning detents 108. Since the conveyor 22 and base 20 is advanced more rapidly than the lid supplying conveyor 4, the foremost lid will be moved away from the following lid on conveyor 74 so as to momentarily present a space between the rear end of the foremost lid and the leading edge of the following lid by the detents.

As the assembled bases and lids are moved forward by conveyor 22 the brushes or yieldable means will serve to press the rear portion of the lid down and about the upper edges of the base into a closed position and the closed box continues to advance beneath the hold-down bars 126 to the discharge end 8 of the equipment where the closed boxes may be removed manually or by a conveyor or in any other desired manner. 4

Since the equipment is designed to be used in applying lids to boxes of various width, it is desirable to provide means for uniformly and simultaneously altering the horizontal spacing of the members of-the box guiding means 4 as well as the spacing of the lid guiding members 130 on the lid supplying frame 72. In order to accomplish such variations without the time consuming individual adjusting of the various elements, an adjusting wheel 132 is secured to a cross-shaft 134 having a sprocket 136 thereon. A chain 138 passes about the sprocket 136 and about

sprocket

140, 142 and 144 secured to

shafts

146, 148 and 150 respectively having screw threads of opposite direction adjacent the opposite ends thereof. The threads on

shafts

146, 148 and 150 engage complementary threaded elements on the supports of box guiding means 4 whereby the operation of adjusting wheel 132 will serve to vary the spacing of the guide means 4 and box supporting members 10 in an identical manner throughout the length of the equipment. Further, in order to effect a similar and simultaneous variation in the spacing of the lid guiding members 130 on frame 72 a sprocket 152 is secured to the shaft 150 and a chain 154 is passed about

sprockets

152, 156 and 158 mounted on the

shafts

160 and 162 respectively. The latter shafts are also provided with oppositely threaded portions engaging complementary means on lid guiding members 130 whereby operation of adjusting wheel will further serve to correspondingly vary the spacing of members 130.

The foregoing adjustments in the spacing of the basesupporting and guiding

members

10 and 4 of the box supporting means and the spacing of the lid guiding members 130, serves in combination with the operation of adjusting lever 52 and the raising and lowering of finger control rails 46, to permit the equipment to be used in applying lids to boxes of substantially any desired width and height and to boxes wherein the depth of the lid is either relatively limited or substantially as great as the depth of the base.

It will therefore be apparent that the equipment is capable of wide application and is adapted for high speed operation in applying lids to either filled or empty bases as desired.

We claim:

1. Equipment for applying lids to the bases of boxes comprising a base conveyor for moving the bases of boxes along a predetermined path, a lid conveyor inclined with respect to said predetermined path for moving box lids into position to be engaged by the bases being moved along said path, means for moving the base member in the same direction but at a faster speed than the box lid conveyor to separate the foremost lid from an adjacent lid on the lid conveyor, and holding members yieldably movable into the space between the foremost box lid on the lid conveyorand an adjacent lid thereon which space results from the movement of the foremost box lid with a base travelling faster than the lid conveyor.

2. Equipment for applying lids to boxes comprising box guiding means, means for moving the bases of boxes along said box guiding means at a predetermined speed, a lid conveyor inclined with respect to said box guiding means and movable to advance the lids of boxes into a position wherein the leading end of the foremost lid on said lid conveyor will be engaged by the leading end of a base moving along said box guiding means, means for driving said lid conveyor at a speed which is less than said predetermined speed at which the bases of boxes are advanced, the lower end of said lid conveyor being provided with lid positioning detents movable into the space between the foremost lid on said conveyor and the next adjacent lid on the conveyor, which space is established by movement of the foremost lid with a base being advanced more rapidly than said lid conveyor is moved.

3. Equipment as defined in claim 2 wherein said detents are provided with box positioning surfaces inclined with respect to the ends of the lids engaged thereby.

Claims

1. Equipment for applying lids to the bases of boxes comprising a base conveyor for moving the bases of boxes along a predetermined path, a lid conveyor inclined with respect to said predetermined path for moving box lids into position to be engaged by the bases being moved along said path, means for moving the base member in the same direction but at a faster speed than the box lid conveyor to separate the foremost lid from an adjacent lid on the lid conveyor, and holding members yieldably movable into the space between the foremost box lid on the lid conveyor and an adjacent lid thereon which space results from the movement of the foremost box lid with a base travelling faster than the lid conveyor.