Abstract: Apparatus is provided for receiving folded cartons of non-uniform thickness from a conventional gluing device, stacking those cartons into stacks of a predefined number, and rotating successive stacks 180° from each other in order to compensate for the uneven or non-uniform thickness of each folded carton. The apparatus further serves to drop two or more stacks of the folded cartons from a stack building station into a slug building area and then, once a slug of a desired size is built, tilting the slug until the plane of each folded carton is vertically oriented (i.e., the slug lies horizontally). The apparatus then automatically loads the slug into a shipping box.

Abstract: A device for erecting a folding carton and for holding the folding carton. The device includes a table formed of an elongated input segment and an elongated output segment. The segments are hinged together tandemwise. An anchor support member supports an input end of the input segment. An output support underlies an output end portion of the output segment. The anchor support member moves between a lowered position in which the segments of the table form a V-shape and a raised position in which the segments of the table are substantially horizontally aligned. Lower end flap of the carton engage the segments when in lowered position to partially fold the lower end flaps. The lower end flaps are further folded when the segments are advanced from the lowered position to the raised position. Side flap folding members are hingedly mounted on opposite sides of the table.

Abstract: A machine for forming a slug of edgewise supported flat articles. The machine includes a table above which the articles of the slug are accumulated. Paired conveyor belt means advance the articles in shingle fashion past an edge of the table. One of the belt means has a portion parallel to and at substantially the level of the table for rapidly advancing lower edges of the articles away from the other of the belt means and onto the table. An upper backstop supports the articles on the table and on said belt portion. The articles are urged toward the backstop means to form the slug. The upper backstop is advanced from said edge of the table as the slug of articles forms on the table. Control of the slug is transferred from the upper backstop to an auxiliary backstop. Upright fingers are advanced into engagement with a last article in the slug so that the slug is held between the fingers and the auxiliary backstop.

Abstract: A machine for assisting in the support of a load. A suction head having a downwardly facing opening supports the load. A conduit is connected to the hollow interior of the suction head and suction is impressed on the conduit so that the load can be held at the opening. A cable supports the suction head. A pressure cylinder is provided with a piston connected to urge the cable upwardly to support the suction head and the load. Fluid under pressure can be supplied to the cylinder at two selected pressures, one selected pressure being sufficient to substantially counterbalance the weight of the load and of the suction head, the other selected pressure being a lesser pressure sufficient to substantially counterbalance the weight of the suction head. A pressure operated switch is connected to be actuated by pressure in the conduit. Operation of the switch impresses the first selected pressure on the cylinder when the opening in the suction head is closed by the load and there is a reduced pressure in the conduit.

Abstract: A machine for wrapping a band around a stack of flat articles. A band guiding assembly and a clamp assembly are at a banding station. An end portion of a strip of banding material is advanced from the band guiding assembly to the clamp assembly, and a clamp mounted on the clamp assembly closes an end portion of the strip of banding material. The clamp assembly is separated from the band guiding assembly to provide an exposed section of the strip of banding material. The stack is advanced against the exposed section of the strip of banding material to draw the banding material around three sides of the stack. The section of the strip of banding material at the stack is cut to provide a second end portion for overlapping the first mentioned end portion. Glue is deposited on one of the end portions in position for overlapping by the other end portion.

Abstract: A machine for packing flat articles in a case which includes a case elevator on which a case is supported with an open side of the case sloping and exposed. Flat articles are directed into the case transversely of the open side to form a stack inside the case. A tongue engages the stack as the stack increases in size. The tongue controls means for lowering the case as the articles are projected into the case so that the level of the upper end of the stack remains substantially constant. The tongue is withdrawn when the stack has reached a predetermined size. A hold down and pusher member is advanced into engagement with an upper portion of the stack when the stack has reached the predetermined size to hold the articles of the stack in the case as the tongue is being withdrawn. The case is transferred to a tipover frame which swings the case upwardly against a flap folding belt. As the case is transferred, flaps are closed.

Abstract: A machine which drops flat articles such as flattened cartons into a case. The articles are delivered to a basket having a floor which can be opened. The basket is mounted for up and down movement. The case is mounted below the basket with its top open and can be held in position by vacuum cup means. When the stack has been formed, the flow of articles is halted and the basket can be lowered into close proximity to the open top of the case. The basket floor is opened to drop the stack into the case. If desired, two stack sections can be formed and dropped into a single case one after the other. When the stack has been dropped into the case, the basket is raised to free the basket from the case. The vacuum is released, and the case is then advanced laterally out of alignment with the basket. The case can then be raised by a lift table to a convenient height for inspection and, following inspection, can be discharged.

Abstract: A machine for arranging flat articles in a stack and for placing the stack in a case. The machine includes endless flight supports mounted on opposite sides of a stack forming station and opposed flights mounted on the flight supports for supporting a stack of the articles therebetween. The stack is formed on the flights. The flights are lowered as the stack builds up thereon until a complete stack has been formed. The complete stack is lowered onto stack supports. First pusher means advance the complete stack from the stack supports onto a turntable having a pile face. A second stack starts to form on second flights as the first pusher means advances the complete stack from the stack supports and returns to a position for engaging the second stack when the second stack reaches the stack supports. The turntable can be turned 90.degree. and the stack is discharged from the turntable crosswise of the path of stack advance from the stack supports to the turntable.

Abstract: A discriminator supporting assembly for a discriminator plate which is mounted above a conveyor belt course. The assembly includes a lengthwise adjustment screw for moving the discriminator plate lengthwise of the conveyor belt toward and away from patter members, an upright adjustment screw for moving the discriminator plate toward and away from the conveyor belt course, and a plate swinging adjustment screw for swinging the discriminator plate with relation to the plane of the conveyor belt course.

Abstract: A machine for opening and inspecting a folding carton to break improper glue spots and to demonstrate that the carton opens properly. Vacuum cups engage opposite side panels of the carton as the carton advances through an inspection section. The vacuum cups advance with the carton and diverge from the path of the carton to separate the panels. As the carton reaches an inspection station, photocell devices inspect the carton to determine if the carton is properly opened. The carton is advanced to the inspection station by a conveyor which picks up the carton from an accelerator device. The accelerator device in turn picks up the carton from the bottom of a stack and accelerates the carton to conveyor speed. Before the accelerator device initiates advance of the carton in conveyor direction, a carton releasing device engages a side of the carton and advances the carton transversely of the direction of conveyor advance to free the carton from other cartons in the stack.

Abstract: A machine which takes upright stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like from a pallet, straightens each stack, and feeds the articles from the stack in a shingled stream. The machine includes a crane which is programmed to pick up stacks from a plurality of locations on the pallet. Each stack is transferred to a conveyor which first advances the stack to a stack straightening device which tips the stack from upright to horizontal position to separate articles in the stack and straightens and centers the stack. The stack is then restored to upright position on the conveyor and is advanced to elevators which raise the stack against a pick-off belt which withdraws articles from the top of the stack in a stream shingle-fashion. The stream is directed around a drum which inverts the articles in the stream, and the stream is discharged.

Abstract: A machine for feeding flat articles from an end of a stack. The stack of articles is advanced to bring an end article in the stack to a pick-off station where a belt engages the end article and articles adjacent the end article to feed the articles shingle-fashion over a discriminator. As the articles approach the end of the stack, a vibrating plate engages edges of the articles to free each article from articles on opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A machine which takes upright stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like from a pallet, straightens each stack, and feeds the articles from the stack in a shingled stream. The machine includes a crane which is programmed to pick up stacks from a plurality of locations on the pallet. Each stack is transferred to a conveyor which first advances the stack to a stack straightening device which tips the stack from upright to horizontal position to separate articles in the stack and straightens and centers the stack. The stack is then restored to upright position on the conveyor and is advanced to elevators which raise the stack against a pick-off belt which withdraws articles from the top of the stack in a stream shingle-fashion. The stream is directed around a drum which inverts the articles in the stream, and the stream is discharged.

Abstract: A machine that receives four rows of completely separated but closely spaced cartons from a customer printing and cutting press, and spaces each carton laterally and longitudinally from its neighbors for non-interference therewith. The machine aligns each independent stream of cartons with the longitudinal dimension of the overall machine and directs the streams of cartons to a switching device intended to control carton traffic to a primary automated stacking process or to an essentially secondary manual stacking process. The primary automated process passes the streams of cartons through an underlapping process, over an inspection table, through an inverting process, into a rate controlling hopper. From the rate controlling hopper, the cartons of each stream pass over a set of laterally disposed conveyors and into a discrete stack of cartons formed within a vertical hopper system that is the output receiver of this machine.

Abstract: A machine for stacking and bundling flat articles. The articles are collected in a stack on an elevator arm. The stack is compressed and advanced into a generally U-shaped basket having parallel spaced sides. The basket can swing about an upright axis and about a horizontal axis. The basket swings about the horizontal axis to a lay-over position in which the sides of the basket are upright. The stack is pushed from the basket when in lay-over position. A tray portion of the basket can be adjusted crosswise of the basket to accommodate stacks of articles of various sizes. The horizontal axis can be advanced along a 45.degree. angle to the horizontal so that the tray position at the lay-over basket position can be at the same height for various positions of the tray member in the basket.

Abstract: A device for delivering pads to a machine for bundling flat articles. The device includes a first pad hopper, a first conveyor which draws pads from the first pad hopper, a second pad hopper receiving pads from the first conveyor, and a second conveyor which withdraws pads from the second pad hopper. The first conveyor is driven when the level of the pads in the second hopper falls below a predetermined level to maintain the level of pads in the second hopper. A switch operator extends into the path of pads being advanced from the second hopper by the second conveyor and actuates a switch to stop the second conveyor when a pad has been advanced to a predetermined pad delivery position. The pad is withdrawn from the pad delivery position when a pad is required by the bundling machine and is delivered to the bundling machine. A frame on which the first conveyor operates can be adjusted to swing a discharge end thereof toward and away from the second hopper to insure proper delivery of pads to the second hopper.