Abstract: A slip-on corner protector for rectangular picture frames includes a flat cardboard pre-form which is bent into the shape of a hollow triangular cross-section prism having right triangularly-shaped front and rear frame face cover panels joined at vertical and horizontal sides thereof by a vertical and horizontal rectangularly-shaped frame edge cover panel, respectively. Triangularly-shaped spring flaps bent inwardly from hypotenuse edges of the front and rear triangular panels are pressed against and thus grip a frame inserted between the front and rear triangular panels because of the elasticity of the cardboard pre-form. A machine and method for manufacturing corner protectors from a stack of pred-forms bends panels perpendicularly upwards from a pre-form by linear actuators, spays a hot melt adhesive blob onto an upright panel, and presses it against another upright panel to form an adhesive bond.

Abstract: A slip-on corner protector for rectangular picture frames includes a flat cardboard pre-form which is bent into the shape of a hollow prism having right triangularly-shaped front and rear frame face cover panels joined at vertical and horizontal sides thereof by a vertical and horizontal rectangularly-shaped frame edge cover panel, respectively. Triangularly-shaped spring flaps bent inwardly from hypotenuse edges of the front and rear triangular panels are pressed against and thus grip a frame inserted between the front and rear triangular panels because of the elasticity of the cardboard pre-form. A machine and method for manufacturing corner protectors from a stack of pred-forms bends panels perpendicularly upwards from a pre-form by linear actuators, spays a hot melt adhesive blob onto an upright panel, and presses it against another upright panel to form an adhesive bond.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bending a flat cardboard preform into a corner protector that encloses and protects a corner of a picture frame from impact damage during shipping and handling of the frame includes positioning symmetrically between the corner and preform a thin, wedge-shaped template plate having a forwardly protruding, right-triangularly shaped vertex angle. Bending motion of corner protector cover flap sections upward from the plane of the preform is limited by contact of the flap sections with edges of the template plate to perpendicular positions relative to the plane of the preform, thus assuring that channel-shaped protective covers for sides of the frames formed by subsequent inwardly and downwardly bending of upper end portions of the flap sections to overlie a face surface of the frame will have rectangular cross sections, even if the sides of the frame are non-rectangular, e.g., angled or contoured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing corner protectors onto picture frames, to protect the corners from damage during shipment, uses preforms made of a thin, flat sheet of cardboard having left and right flap sections, one of which, e.g., the right one, is bendable from the plane of the sheet to form an upper cover flap, the left flap section forming a lower cover flap. Left and right flap sections are joined at parallel vertical sides thereof to opposite vertical sides of a vertically elongated, rectangularly-shaped inner spine flap for covering a vertical side of a “right hand” picture frame molding. A horizontally elongated, rectangularly-shaped outer spine flap protrudes from a lateral edge of the lower cover flap, and a trapezoidally-shaped securement flap protrudes from the outer spine flap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically installing in tandem pairs of protective covers to adjacent corners of a rectangular picture frame, to protect the corner during shipment, includes a pair, e.g., right and left of substantially identical corner protector installation mechanisms oriented at ninety degrees with respect to one another and mounted on a supporting frame laterally spaced apart at a distance adjustable to accommodate frames of various widths. Each mechanism has a work table which supports a pair of mutually perpendicular, non-intersecting, vertically disposed, longitudinally elongated guide plates which support on the upper surfaces thereof, near inner diagonally cut transverse vertical end walls of the plates, a clamp support beam member, a lower surface of which define with inner sides of the guide plates and the work table surface a diagonally disposed frame corner entrance opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing covers to protect picture frame corners from damage during shipment utilizes thin cardboard preforms having symmetric, left and right-side, right-triangular cover flaps joined at vertical sides thereof to opposite vertical sides of a vertically elongated, rectangular spine flap, the left-hand triangular cover flap having depending downwardly from its base a horizontally elongated rectangular side cover flap, and depending downwardly from the lower lateral edge of the side cover flap a trapezoidally-shaped securement flap. The preform is positioned below a picture frame corner, with intersecting side members of the frame vertically aligned with the sides of the left-hand right-triangular cover flap, which serves as a lower face cover flap.

Abstract: An actuator for precisely moving and positioning a manufacturing component includes a housing on which a magnet is mounted. An electrical coil is wound around a coil piston which is slidingly mounted on the housing for movement within the magnetic field generated by the magnet. A rod, having a member for gripping the component, is attached for translational movement with the coil piston, and a source of electrical current is connected to the coil which is wrapped around the coil piston. A drive motor is mounted on the device, and a linkage connects the drive motor to the grip for rotation of the grip as desired. In the operation of the actuator, a current is selectively passed through the coil. This current in the coil then moves the coil piston and the attached grip within the magnetic field to position the component as desired in translation. Also, the drive motor can be activated to move the grip in rotation as desired.