Abstract: The invention relates to a consumable-material handling device for transporting and/or handling at least one consumable material (12a; 12b), in particular packaging material, comprising at least one at least partially autonomous handling unit (14a; 14b), which is at least provided for handling the consumable material (12a; 12b). According to the invention, the machine tool comprises at least one, in particular at least partially autonomous, mobility unit (16a; 16b), on which the handling unit (14a; 14b) is arranged and which is at least provided for enabling locomotion, in particular at least partially autonomous locomotion, of the handling unit (14a; 14b).

Abstract: A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material includes a frame, a mandrel assembly mounted to the frame, a pre-folding assembly, and a transfer assembly. The mandrel assembly includes a first mandrel and a second mandrel. The first mandrel has an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a first portion of the container. The second mandrel is positioned downstream from the first mandrel, and has an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a second portion of the container. The pre-folding assembly is configured to fold a first portion of the blank around the first mandrel to form a partially formed container. The first portion of the blank corresponds to the first portion of the container. The transfer assembly is for transferring the partially formed container from the first mandrel to the second mandrel.

Abstract: A box folding apparatus operable to close the top of a box having four flaps is provided. The boxing folding apparatus includes a worktable, a feeding assembly for transporting the box from an upstream position of the worktable to a downstream position of the worktable. A first folding assembly includes a rotatable folding arm, a second folding assembly includes a stationary resisting bar inclined toward the feeding assembly in the direction in which the box is transported, and a third folding assembly includes a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface intersecting with the first inclined surface. The first and second inclined surfaces extend toward and gradually close to the feeding assembly in the direction in which the box is transported.

Abstract: This is a method and device for making a packaging box from two blanks (2, 3), wherein blanks are taken simultaneously from two adjacent stacks (25, 26) and placed on two parallel tracks (29, 30), the blanks are transferred flat until butted longitudinally to an assembly station, the first blank is glued on its way to the longitudinal abutment position, the first and second blanks are butted laterally into their respective positions to give them an exact lateral reference position, they are grasped, and transferred laterally, and the second blank is placed on the first blank which is thus indexed, escaping the drivers (61) of the first track (29) when the second blank is placed against the fast blank, but clamped by vertical pressure. The second blank is then applied to the first blank to glue them together in their respective defined longitudinal positions, and the resulting set of blanks is then transferred to an erecting station where the box is erected by rolling the blanks around a core.

Abstract: A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, two side panels, two end panels, and a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side panel. The machine includes a hopper station, a corner post forming station, and a plunger station. The method includes rotating the reinforcing panel assembly upwardly toward the first side panel as the blank is transported from the hopper station to the corner post forming station, forming a corner wall and a reinforcing end tab by folding reinforcing panels about fold lines as the blank is transported through the corner post forming station, rotating the side panels and the end panels to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel by directing the blank through the plunger station, and coupling the reinforcing end tab to an end panel to form the container.

Abstract: A device creates blanks with the aid of a rotary cutting apparatus. The device is characterized in that a placing system is mounted downstream of the cutting apparatus for orderly sorting of the blanks.

Abstract: A case sealer has a frame with a conveyor for moving boxes into a pair of spaced-apart lateral conveyors. A floating head located over the lateral conveyors folds the box end and side flaps into a closed position. A seal dispensing platform carrying a tape dispenser seals the box flaps shut.

Abstract: A case sealer has a frame with a conveyor for moving boxes into a pair of spaced-apart lateral conveyors. The lateral conveyors have converging centering conveyor belts that center the boxes and first advancing conveyor belts that open to the width of the box to be sealed. A floating head located over the lateral conveyors folds the box end and side flaps into a closed position. The box is then picked up by a pair of second advancing conveyors that adjust to the width of the box. The second advancing conveyors are mounted on a seal dispensing platform carrying a tape dispenser for sealing the box flaps shut.

Abstract: A device for transporting a flat product includes a rotating transport cylinder and a continuous stripper belt. The rotating transport cylinder defines an axis of rotation and is configured to guide the flat product at a circumference of the cylinder over a first angle of rotation of the cylinder. The continuous stripper belt is disposed between the flat product and the axis of rotation over a second angle of rotation of the cylinder and is configured to guide the flat product away from the cylinder so as to strip the flat product from the cylinder. The stripper belt follows a continuous path that does not circumscribe the axis of rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to be used for the automatic handling of sheets from which leaflets are formed and which includes a transfer unit for conveying sheets, an accumulator station disposed adjacent the transfer unit and being adapted to receive sheets from the transfer unit and to accumulate the sheets in a stack, a sensor associated with the accumulator station and being adapted to generate a signal indicative of whether the height of the stack of sheets in the accumulator station is at least equal to a minimum height, a sheet feeder adapted to periodically remove sheets from the stack of sheets at a substantially constant rate and a control mechanism operatively coupled to the sensor and the sheet feeder.

Abstract: A method for transferring cardboard blanks (7) in individual succession in a plant, comprising a store (1) for collection of cardboard blanks (7b), a conveyor (3), with an upstream portion (3a) which is designed to receive the cardboard blanks (7a), and a rotary collector-translator (2), comprising one or a plurality of orbiting gripper units (100, 200), wherein the cardboard blank is grasped in the store (1), extracted, translated and spaced, whilst being kept substantially parallel to the successive cardboard blank (7c), which is still disposed in the vicinity of the downstream end (1a) of the store (1); and is then inclined, and placed parallel on the upstream portion (3a) of the conveyor (3). A corresponding system, and a corresponding rotary collector-translator.

Abstract: A web of tipping paper for the making of filter cigarettes or a similar web of flexible wrapping material is advanced by two spaced-apart pairs of driven rolls through a processing station between the two pairs of rolls. The treatment includes flexing successive increments of the running web by a roller which is borne by a lever or an analogous carrier extending radially from the rotary output shaft of a torque motor capable of causing the roller to subject the web to an at least substantially constant stretching force regardless of the selected position of the carrier. To this end, the motor receives signals from a regulator which, in turn, receives signals from a sensor monitoring the web for the presence of splices and/or other weakened portions and/or from a device which monitors the position of the carrier. The apparatus can further comprise a stationary or a mobile curling tool which engages the web adjacent to the locus of contact between the roller and the web.

Abstract: A blank feeder includes a blank stack with blanks inclined forwardly in a magazine section and rearwardly in a discharge section so the stack has two effective top ends, one for supply and one for feeding. Blank inclination is reversed intermediate the stack ends without separating blanks in the stack during inclination reversal. Methods and apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for inserting a fastener (3) into a flexible plate or strip (1) which shall act as a packing structure and which comprises a channel fitted with two lips (2a, 2b) partly closing said channel, the fastener (3) to be inserted between said lips, said method being characterized in that it consists in slightly bending the plate or strip (1) transversely to the direction of its channel in a way to spread apart its lips (2a, 2b), furthermore to insert the fastener (3) and to substantially reflatten said plate or strip (1) in order that said lips (2a, 2b) shall resume their initial positions.

Abstract: A case sealer for overlap flap type boxes wherein the major flaps extend greater than ½ the width of the carton. The case sealer uses a folding shoe for folding the inner major flap and then holding the inner major flap and a trailing minor flap in folded position until a plough folds a leading minor flap and the overlies the inner major flap and at least the leading minor flap at least until the outer major flap traps the trailing and leading flaps and thus the inner major flap in folded position.

Abstract: Individual carton blanks formed from a lamination of a continuous strip of a relatively rigid material and a relatively flexible fluid impervious material and in some instances from spaced apart continuous strips of a relatively flexible material wherein all of the cut and fold lines are formed in the continuous strip of a relatively rigid material and then conveyed to the nip between two rotating laminating rolls where all of the continuous strips are secured together by an adhesive at desired locations. In some instances, the continuous strip of a relatively flexible fluid impervious material and the spaced apart continuous strips of a relatively flexible material are cut at a location spaced from the leading edge of the individual carton blanks.

Abstract: A box or carton sealer is disclosed having a frame with a conveyor for moving boxes therethrough. A pair of longitudinal, laterally spaced-apart gravity operated centering bars are linked together and move inwardly and outwardly in unison to centre the boxes in the sealer. A first floating head has an inclined entry ramp for riding up over the box folding the box forward end flap inwardly. This floating head also has a pivoting arm for folding inwardly the rear end flap of the box, and diverging side bars for folding inwardly the side flaps of the box. A second floating head has an entry ramp for riding up on top of the inwardly folded flaps of the box. The second head has a tape dispenser for applying tape to the flaps at whatever height they happen to be at to tape the box shut.

Abstract: During the transportation of, if appropriate, partly finished hinge-lid boxes (10) on a pack conveyor (11), an inexact positioning of a lid (14) of the hinge-lid box (10) is frequently undesirable. For this purpose, provision is made for restraining holders (30, 31) which enter into the movement path of the hinge-lid boxes (10) and exert a closure force on the lid (14), which is at the front in the transporting direction, of the hinge-lid box (10). The restraining holders (30, 31) are expediently provided in the region of a glue unit for the hinge-lid boxes.

Abstract: The blanks (1) are withdrawn one after another from a storage part (20) by transfer means (21) and are disposed on the cylindrical support surface of a drum (3) driven rotatingly by portions of a revolution. Various processing operations are performed on the blanks either while the drum is rotating or while it is stopped, e.g., folding a flap (16), gluing this flap to a surface portion (15) of the blank, or printing a code (17) on part of the blank. The presence, correct positioning, and proper alignment of the blank on the drum are checked before the aforementioned operations are carried out. After they have been effected, the blank is withdrawn from the drum to be sent on to a packaging machine. The processing apparatus and method can be utilized on a line for processing boxes or the like, particularly cigarette boxes, just before they are assembled to receive their contents.

Abstract: Knocked down boxes made of corrugated paperboard are slit longitudinally in an on-line process directly downstream from the folder/gluer in which the boxes are formed. The boxes are first reoriented 90.degree. in a horizontal plane from the positions in which they are formed in the folder/gluer to a reoriented position for movement in a direction transverse to the box fold lines, the boxes are formed into a shingle in the direction of movement, and the shingle is conveyed in that direction into an alignment station. In the alignment station, the lateral edges of the boxes in the shingle are aligned vertically, while the shingle moves through the alignment station, by shifting the boxes transversely to the direction of movement.

Abstract: An aligning device including an upward straightening appliance consisting of a row of levers equipped with rollers, said levers being mounted for pivoting around a horizontal axis relative to a base member, said base member being mounted for pivotable movement around a vertical axis on a longitudinally extending member, each of the base members being connected by a flexible member to a corner piece shiftable relative to the longitudinally extending member to cause pivoting of all of the base members around their vertical axes, a lower straightening appliance consisting of a driven endless belt supported on rollers arranged vertically aligned to the axes of the upper rollers, an arrangement for biasing the upper rollers against a blank carried on said belt and a lengthwise aligning rail adjustably positioned relative to the upper and lower straightening appliances.

Abstract: A machine or machine section for squaring folded container blanks has a conveyor for conveying slotted and partially folded container blanks. A folding device completes folding of each container blank while being conveyed by the conveyor. A gauge plate is inserted in a slot in each of the slotted and partially folded container blanks. A mechanism moves the gauge plate in timed sequence with the conveyor, inserts the gauge plate in the slot before completion of folding of the respective blank in order to "square" the folded blank, and then withdraws the gauge plate from the slot. Overlapping flaps of each folded blank may be tacked together during "squaring" by drops of hot melt adhesive which subsequently hold the flat folded blanks square while the conventional slow drying water soluble glue dries. The "squaring" arrangement may be incorporated in a conventional gluer/folder machine.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for the assembling of cuttings, more particularly for the production of packing boxes, of the type including a plurality of work places arranged along a main vacuum conveyor, the work places consisting mainly of a first margin stop system (8) with at least one stack loader (66) and one conveyor (9) intended to position a first cutting on said main conveyor, at least one gumming machine (10) designed to apply a film of glue on at least a portion of the first cutting and at least a second margin stop system (11) with a stack loader and a conveyor intended to position a second cutting on the first cutting.The main conveyor according to this invention is a linear horizontal type with at least one notched belt (2), guided in a slide (3) whose depth is slightly less than the thickness of the notched belt (2).

Abstract: An adhesive-applying machine is adapted to apply pressure-sensitive adhesive to cardboard blanks which thereafter can be folded and compressed to form a complete box. The machine includes a flat support table above which a pair of spaced, parallel conveyor belts are disposed. Preslotted, prescored cardboard blanks having laterally extending flaps are provided. The flaps are passed beneath the conveyor belts while the remaining portion of the blank passes between the conveyor belts. An adhesive-applying mechanism applies adhesive to the underside of the flaps as the blank is discharged from the table.

Abstract: Cuboid (cigarette) packs (10) are conventionally provided with folding tabs joined by glueing. So that the adhesive can set before the packs (10) are exposed to loads, a first drying turret (14) is provided for temporarily receiving the packs (10) in individual pockets (15), and a further drying turret (18), in which one pack group (23) is received in each pocket (22), is provided for the final drying or hardening of the adhesive.

Abstract: A rectangular tray-type carton formed from a blank of plastics-coated board has a peripheral flange for attachment of a closure lid. The flange is formed after the erection of the carton side wall in a punch and die arrangement, by folding down elongate panels carried along the free edges of the side wall and by subsequently joining the panels together at their ends by means of overlapping tabs which are heat-sealed together. In order to avoid damage to the tabs during formation of the side wall the uppermost tabs are folded out of the plane of the blank before it enters the punch and die arrangement.

Abstract: A right angle folder gluer of the type having a pair of pressure nip rolls at the end of the first folding section and mechanism for transferring each individual and successive blank delivered from the nip into the transfer zone at right angles into the second folding zone, in a direction parallel to the axis of the nip has apparatus for preventing inadvertent re-entry of the blank into the nip during transfer in the form of sharp pointers riding on the upper surface of the blank in rear of the nip to slightly embed therein and unyieldably prevent re-entry while yieldably enabling movement of the blank in the transfer zone in the direction of the second folding section.