Abstract: A Protective cap is provided for being disposed at an outlet opening of an apparatus for providing dunnage, comprising an annular, circular, rigid base mountable at the outlet opening, a plurality of rigid swing blades at least partially extending radially inwards from the base, and an articulation arrangement for pivotably connecting the swing blades to the base. The annular base is elastically deformable and slotted radially to form two opposite ring ends such that following an elastic deformation, during which the ring ends slide past each other, the base releases clamping forces radially directed outwards in a circlip-type manner.

Abstract: A folded box gluing machine for the processing of folded box blanks includes at least one feeder unit arranged to transport the folded box blanks to downstream processing stations including a folding station, a glue applicator unit, a transfer station, a gathering and pressing mechanism, and a safety mechanism for a machine component presenting a danger to the human operator defined by a light curtain. The safety mechanism can be deactivated via a mobile operator unit, and the operator unit is designed such that it can only be operated with both hands.

Abstract: A safety output chute for a cushioning conversion machine includes a chute having an input end and an output end, the input end including an opening for receiving a flexible cushioning product from an outlet of the cushioning conversion machine; and a plurality of rollers situated inside the chute, the rollers being oriented such that the flexible cushioning product must follow a non-linear path from the input end of the chute to the output end of the chute. Other embodiments of a safety output chute are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus that can erect a tray from a generally flat, rectangular blank. The tray erector incorporates an inventory section, a transfer section, a construction section and an exit section. The inventory section has a hopper with flanges and tab stops, which hopper stores an inventory of stacked, flat blanks that will eventually become the trays. In the transfer section, a blank is transferred from the inventory section to the construction section of the present erector. The construction section includes a setup assembly and a locking assembly. The setup assembly folds the pre-cut and scored end and side panels of the tray blank up into approximately perpendicular planes in relation to the plane of the bottom panel of the blank. The end and side panels are folded up from the plane of the bottom panel of the blank in preparation for the locking of the corner webs.

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing a cushioning product starting from a multi-ply stock (R) material or the like includes a frame (12) having a housing (14) with an exit opening, a stock supply supported by the frame, a forming assembly (28) causing the lateral edges of the stock material to roll inwardly to form a continuous strip (36) having lateral pillow-like portions and a central band, a gear assembly (34) for feeding the stock material through the forming assembly and out the exit opening, a cutting assembly (26) intermediate the gear assembly and the exit opening for cutting a determined length of the continuous strip to produce a cushioning product and, an access assembly (46) for permitting the cushioning product to be fed therethrough and inhibiting access to the cutting assembly from outside the housing.

Abstract: A safety bar mechanism and sheet processing device having a safety bar mechanism, with which such an accident that the operator's hand is pinched between a table and peripheral devices etc. can be positively avoided whatever direction an external force exerts. The safety bar mechanism is disposed, for example, above the table on which a sheet is stacked, and comprises detector means the upper end of which is supported on a fixed part such that the detector means pivots freely in forward/backward directions and has play in upward/downward directions. When an external force works on the detector means, thereby moving the detector means upwards, forwards or backwards, a switching means is so operated as to at least stop the upward movement of the table.

Abstract: A safety clutch which has a steel ball which is adapted to move from half in a hemispherical recess in its drive plate and half in a cylindrical hole in its driven plate to a position completely in the cylindrical hole. A conveyor conducts milk or like cartons to a point where caps are ultrasonically welded to the inside of the foldable tops of the cartons. The safety clutch discontinues power in the event of an overload.

Abstract: A folding box gluing machine to be used for the production of packages is provided with a lateral wall situated on the operator's side of the machine which consists of a plate making up the machine frame. The plate has several apertures providing access to, and inspection of, the inner machine area. The full or closed areas of the plate are covered up by hollow panels in which the machine components can be lodged. The apertures are closed by transparent panels which are removable and are provided with safety detectors preventing the machine operation as long as they are not closed. The height of the panels is sufficiently high so that the wall will be able to ensure a noise absorbing or blocking effect.

Abstract: A slitting apparatus employing safety features and particularly suited for use in slitting strip paper as employed in a graphics drum plotter. A housing is provided which is adapted to be releasably attached to the frame of the plotter adjacent the takeup roller for the strip paper. The housing has a box-shaped top with a hinged opening rear portion. A plurality of knife blades are mounted in housings disposed in a slot in the wall of the box portion for adjustability as to their position along the width of the paper. The knife blades are spring-biased to a retracted position and adjustable actuators in the hinged portion extend the blades selectably only when the box is closed. A releasable latch is provided for holding the box in a closed position. A releasable latching assembly connects the housing to the frame of the plotter. The latching assembly is activated by opening the box which, in turn, retracts the knife blades.

Abstract: A perimeter guard for a machine wherein a plurality of vertical posts are spaced about a machine. Each post is H-shaped and has lateral flanges projecting from it to create vertical channels on each side of the post. A transparent window is slidably mounted in one set of perimeter channels to form an upper guard and a lower pannel is slidably mounted in the other set of opposed channels.A counterbalance is provided for the windows and a detent is provided for locking the lower panels in their lowermost position or in a raised position.

Abstract: A folding machine having a horizontally elongated input plate with front and rear horizontal edges, a mechanism including input wheels disposed at the rear edge, the mechanism having a first position at which the wheels are disposed above the plate and a second position at which the wheels are lowered to said plate, a horizontally elongated roller rotatable about its own axis and disposed at the rear edge, the wheels being engaged with the roller when the mechanism is in the second position and a motor for rotating the roller. The machine also includes first and second spaced apart photoelectric circuits, each circuit producing a vertical light beam, which, when not interrupted, passes the rear edge, said beams defining a vertical plane, as well as a third photoelectric circuit producing a horizontal light beam which, when not interrupted, passes horizontally along the rear edge parallel to said plane.

Abstract: An improved multi-station machine is disclosed for assembling ring-type closures from generally cylindrical paperboard cylinders and generally circular paperboard discs. The machine employs a rotatable dial plate, carrying eight mandrels and an improved ring clamping system, which dial plate is incrementally rotated by an automatic indexer assembly relative to the various operating stations which consist of a ring feed station, a disc feed station, an adhesive dispensing station, a curling station, a grooving station and a closure ejecting station. Means are provided for controlling the operation of the various stations so that they operate in substantial synchronism with one another and with the rotatable dial plate. The improved disc feed station automatically feeds the lowermost disc from a stack of discs to a position over a ring on the dial plate and simultaneously forms a peripheral skirt on the disc and positions it in an open end of the ring.