Apparatus and method for folding and sealing cartons

摘要

1,079,150. Sealing carton flaps. FIBREBOARD PAPER PRODUCTS CORPORATION. March 15, 1966 [April 19, 1965], No. 11240/66. Heading B8C. An apparatus for heat-sealing carton flaps comprises a conveyer 21 for feeding the cartons, held in pockets 20, to flap folding wheels 22, 23 &c. and flap sealing apparatus 40 wherein a hot-air nozzle is directed between the flaps before sealing pressure is applied to them. The cartons are supplied from a magazine and set up by means as described in U.S. Specification 3,060,654. They have at each end three adjacent narrow flaps (f 1 )-(f 3 ), (f1 1 )-(f1 3 ), Fig. 3 (not shown), and a wide flap (f 4 ), (f1 4 ). At the station B, a pair of rotating notched wheels 22, 23 fold the flaps (f 1 ), (f1 1 ), Fig. 4 (not shown), on the leading side of the carton outwardly of the latter to travel with their inner surfaces contacting guides (25), (26), Fig. 4 (not shown) The wheels 22, 23 also bend the trailing side flaps (f 2 ), (f1 2 ) similarly to engage the guides. The carton is fed past a wheel 27 which folds a bottom flap (f3) under the guide (25), Fig. 5 (not shown), a ramp (25b) on this guide later causing the flap to be positioned over the guide. When the carton leaves the guide (25), a finger (28a) on a wheel 28 and a notched wheel 29 fold the flap (f 1 ) inwards against the flap (f 3 ), Figs. 6, 7 and 8 (not shown), the wheel 29 subsequently folding the flap (f 2 ) against the flap (f 3 ). The flaps (f 1 ), (f 2 ), (f 3 ) are held in position by a guide bar (30), Fig. 9 (not shown). A wheel 31, skewed on its axis to wobble when rotated, Fig. 9, 9a (not shown), then partially folds the remaining flap (f 4 ) over towards the other flaps and the carton is fed into a heatsealing apparatus. The carton is positioned in the apparatus 40 as it is fed through, on supports (42a), (43a), with the flap (f 4 ) abutting a bar (41), Figs. 10, 11 (not shown). Hot air is blown from a heated tank through a nozzle (42b), (42d), between the folded-in flaps (f 1 ), (f 2 ), (f 3 ) and the half open flap (f 4 ). The nozzle (42b) is gradually tapered, Fig. 13, (not shown). The cartons are then fed over the end (41b) of the bar (41) which is bent upwards to press the flaps (f 1 )-(f 4 ) together. A presser roller (48), Fig. 10 (not shown), is also provided. The carton then is fed on to a track 50 which has cool air nozzles (50b) in its surface to quicken sealing and prevent scuffing. The cartons with their sealed bottoms are then fed to the filling station D, and the upper flap folding and sealing stations E, F which are substantially the same as the bottom flap folding and sealing stations.