| 摘要 |
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for assembling multi-cell partitions to be inserted in packing boxes. All attempts to speed partition assembly have been severely hampered because of the numerous start-stop operations required, i.e., intermittently moving parts to receive strips and orient them vertically, move the strips in parallel relation to the assembly station, hold the strips momentarily stationary and poised with their notches aligned, then effecting vertically reciprocal movements to form the partition and return for repeat operation, and collapsing the formed partition for removal and tying. The present invention provides a high-speed continuous assembly method and an apparatus for carrying out the method. According to the present invention, the partitions are assembled by inserting the tabs of each of a first set of notched strips into grooves in one face of an elongated bar, and by inserting the notched edges of the other set of notched strips into respective slots in the bar, wherein each slot is located between the successive grooves. The first set of notched strips are moved at an angle with respect to the other set of strips, and drives for the sets of strips are synchronized to effect interleaving of the tabs and intersecting and interlocking of the sets of strips via their notches. |
