Abstract: For inserts in boxes of bottled and canned goods, there is disclosed pad forming apparatus in which rotary dies are adapted to remove the edge portions of a roll or sheet of material, e.g., chipboard, as the roll is fed towards a rotary knife from feed rollers, the feeds being selected to determine the lengths of the pads for a given run, and the speeds of the rotary dies and knife being selected to effect material removal and cutting to insure that the pads of the selected length have rounded corners. The die parts are on rollers between which the material moves from the feed rollers, and are positioned so the edges of the material pass between them. Each die set has a punch on one roller and a slug shedder or ejector on an opposing roller, the shedder being spring biased and radially movable. The dies punch out cusp cutouts, and the knife cuts the material along lines through the midportions of the die cuts. As the dies separate, the shedders are released to eject the slugs of removed material.

Abstract: Interlocked partition strips are shown and described wherein each strip has a number of spaced parallel slots which divide the strip into segments or sections. All but one end segment have lock tab projections near one edge extending into the slots in one direction. Also, the one end segment and all other segments but the remaining end segment have lock tab projections spaced inwardly from such one edge, the latter projections extending through the slots in the same direction, but opposite to the direction in which the projections adjacent the edge extend. Thus, each slot has two spaced, oppositely directed lock tabs extending through it. At the opposite edge of each strip are spaced tab receiving openings to be interfitted with lock tab projections of a transverse strip.

Abstract: A control shaft extends through and is rotatable in a housing parallel to a stub shaft therein which has one end extending through one wall thereof. Within the housing are four bevel gears, one being keyed or fixed to the control shaft, a second rotatable on and relative to the control shaft, and the remaining two meshing with the first and second ones and carried on a block that is rotatable on and relative to the control shaft. The second bevel gear is keyed to the larger of a pair of meshing spur gears, such larger gear being rotatable relative to the control shaft and the smaller spur gear being fixed to the stub shaft. Respective discs are fixed on the adjacent ends of the two shafts, and articulated holding devices are operable to alternately hold and release the discs.

Abstract: A partition is disclosed wherein one strip has a tab formed at the inner end of an elongated slot, such tab having score lines to facilitate inward collapsing thereof when engaged by the inner end of an elongated slot in the other strip. In the strip with the tab, the outline punched therein for the tab has pronounced shoulders spaced apart less than the width of the tab proper, so that the body of the tab locks against such shoulders when the tab is collapsed. Thus collapsed, the body of the tab extends along the surface of the other strip and prevents relative rotation of the strips towards collapsed condition.

Abstract: An automatic stacker is disclosed having finned rotors to be turned incrementally so respective fins are horizontal and are spaced to support thereon the edges of a flat partition. Such partitions are successively moved onto the horizontal fins and the rotors are successively incrementally turned so as to drop the partition held thereon and to receive the next succeeding partition. The partitions thus dropped fall onto a conveyor on which succeeding partitions are overlapped, and such partitions are moved in groups to an inclined plate at which the partitions are forced to incline upwardly and close together to form an inclined stack.

Abstract: Strips with confronting notched edges to be interlocked for forming a multi-cell partition have their un-notched edges slidable in opposed channels, and they are moved laterally in one direction to cause their notches to intersect. For an illustrated 12-cell partition formed of three double-notched strips and two triple-notched strips, intersecting is shown to be done by inserting the three tabs of each double-notched strip into first, second and third grooves in one fact of an elongated bar, and by inserting the notched edges of the two triple-notched strips into respective slots in the bar, wherein one slot is located between the first and second grooves and the other slot is located between the second and third grooves. Such triple-notched strips are moved at an angle with respect to the other 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.