Abstract: A process and apparatus to open knock down flat (KDF) boxes. An End of Arm Tool (EOAT) picks up a flat KDF box off a stack of boxes, opens the box, and tucks at least one of the flaps while the box is being transferred to a conveyor. When the box is released on the conveyor, the tucked flap allows the box to be held open as the top panel of the box rests on or presses against the edge of the flap. The open boxes may then be accumulated and quickly loaded or taped.

Abstract: A packaging system for packaging a compressible article, such as a stack of interfolded paper towels, includes a sleeve supply arrangement for supplying a packaging sleeve to a loading area, a reciprocating article supply arrangement for selectively positioning a compressed article in the loading area, and a sleeve advancing arrangement for advancing the formed sleeve onto the compressed article at the loading area. After a sleeve is advanced onto the compressed article, the article supply arrangement is moved away from the loading area. A movable stripper engages the article and the sleeve during movement away from the loading area, to strip the article and the sleeve from the article supply arrangement. As the article and the sleeve are removed from the article supply arrangement, the article undergoes decompression and establishes contact with the sleeve to maintain the article and the sleeve in frictional engagement, to form a pack.

Abstract: An interfolding machine includes a rotating roll with a series of ports configured to apply a vacuum pressure for holding and releasing sheet or web material. The interfolding machine further includes a valve assembly to regulate the vacuum pressure communicated to a surface of the rotating roll for holding the sheet or web material. The valve assembly generally includes an outer slug and an inner slug coupled by a pilot ring. A spool is mounted to the inner slug. The spool includes an opening to receive a draw of fluid through the outer and inner slugs. A cover defines a cavity with the spool in communication with the opening to the spool and a port in the cover. The outer slug and the inner slug define an intake region through which suction is supplied to the roll ports during a portion of the rotation of the roll. The outer slug and the inner slug are rotatably adjustable relative to the spool and to one another to regulate the length and position of the intake region.

Abstract: A mechanism for offsetting or overlapping successive sheets of material in an interfolding machine includes a bed roll rotating at a first speed and a retard roll rotating at a slower, second speed and positioned adjacent the bed roll. As successive sheets are transferred from the bed roll to the retard roll, the sheets are engaged by a nip roller assembly positioned adjacent the retard roll and forming a nip through which the sheets pass. The retard roller forms a deflection or bubble in the individual sheet passing through the nip, which enables a successive sheet to be positioned beneath the previous sheet, thereby forming the overlap of the successive sheet with the previous sheet.

Abstract: An interfolding machine includes an assembly for and method of separating overlapped sheets of material at a desired sheet count. The assembly includes a vacuum assembly with a manifold having a plurality of vacuum inlet ports coupled to a valve body having a plurality of chambers. A spool is contained within the valve body and includes a plurality of ports to provide a plurality of respective vacuum paths to a rotating count roll. The spool also includes a plurality of inlet openings in its outer surface. Each opening in the spool communicates a respective set of count roll vacuum ports with a respective interior chamber of the valve body. A control valve selectively releases the vacuum pressure in the vacuum chambers to atmosphere. The selective application of vacuum pressure to the holes in the count roll creates a fold that separates the sheets to form separate stacks of sheets at the discharge of the interfolding machine.

Abstract: A folding machine includes a first folding roll with a series of the gripper assemblies and a series of tucker assemblies uniformly and alternately spaced to interact with a series of gripper and tucker assemblies of an adjacent second folding roll. The series of alternately spaced gripper and tucker assemblies interact to grip, carry, and release material in a manner so as to generate a folded stack of material, such as sheet material. Each of the gripper assemblies generally includes a rotatable blade, a shaft configured to rotate the blade, a spacer disposed between the blade and the shaft, and a bolt coupling the blade and the spacer to the shaft. A housing is configured with seals to retain lubricated bearings to provide rotation of the shaft of the gripper assembly and to prevent contamination of the bearings.

Abstract: An interfolding machine includes a first folding roll with a series of the gripper assemblies and a series of tucker assemblies uniformly and alternately spaced to interact with a series of gripper and tucker assemblies of an adjacent second folding roll. The series of alternately spaced gripper and tucker assemblies interact to grip, carry, and release a sheet of material in a manner so as to generate an interfolded stack of sheets. Each tucker assembly includes an outwardly biased tucker element that is operable to self-center in a slot formed in the folding roll. The tucker assembly further includes a roller mounted by a pin to the tucker element such that the tucker element rolls along a surface defined by the slot. Another embodiment of the tucker assembly includes a pivot spring and bumper to self-center the tucker element in the slot.

Abstract: Solvent is extracted by distillation from a residue filtrate generated in producing aluminium paste by filtering a slurry of aluminium particles, at least one fatty acid and a solvent. The distillation produces a residue wax. The wax is used to form a coating composition for coating onto prills of ammonium nitrate to provide at least a part substitute or replacement for conventional fuel oil coatings, especially for use in commercial explosives.