Abstract: A device for transferring folding boxes has a suction member arrangement, which has suction members and is supported rotatably around a stationary first rotational axis. The suction members transport a folding box through the device along a first path. The suction members are supported rotatably around a nonstationary second rotational axis. The device also has an opposing suction member arrangement, which comprises at least one opposing suction member. The suction members and the at least one opposing suction member cooperate in a box-opening area in such a way that they at least partially open the folding box. At least in the box-opening area, the at least one opposing suction member is arranged radially inside the suction members with respect to the stationary first rotational axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for transferring compartments (3) to outer packagings that comprises at least one stock of compartments (3), at least one transport path (5) for outer packagings, and a working system that is designed to remove compartments from the stock and that can insert compartments (3) removed from the stock into a respective associated outer packaging. The working system is designed for removing a plurality of compartments (3) from at least one specific stock, for moving the plurality of compartments (3) in the direction of the at least one transport path (5) in a temporally overlapping manner, and for inserting the plurality of compartments (3) into a respective outer packaging of the at least one transport path (5).

Abstract: A carton (101) including at least one self-erecting partition (146, 156) disposed in an auto-bottom carton defining a plurality of compartments (306, 308) therein. The auto-bottom carton including at least one self-erecting partition includes a plurality of panels (102, 104, 106, 108), a bottom (304), an optional cover (170), and at least one partition (146, 156) that extends in an interior portion (302) of the carton, which interior portion is defined by the panels (102, 104, 106, 108) and bottom (304). An extension (144, 154) connects the partition (146, 156) to a respective bottom flap (120, 128, 140, 150). The carton (101) may be knocked down, shipped flat, and squared up, i.e., erected, prior to filling. Upon erecting the carton (101) the at least one partition (146, 156) positions itself in the interior (302) of the carton (101) so as to form two or more compartments (306, 308) in the carton interior (302).

Abstract: A carton flap gripping system including an adjustable pin holder is provided.

Abstract: A carton flap gripping system including an adjustable pin holder is provided.

Abstract: A packaging machine (10) for processing fold boxes (15) with integrated support frames (25) has respectively one raising element (47) moving along with each fold box (15), which raises the support frame (25) lying flat against the inside of the fold box (15). A support element (50) is furthermore associated with each raising element (47), which interlockingly supports the support frame (25) during the insertion of objects (30, 35) into the fold box (15).

Abstract: An apparatus for quickly setting up an octagonal box configuration from the typical planar folded tube form in which the boxes are shipped. The apparatus includes separated frame portions representing the octagonal shape which are mounted for relative movement toward one another to cause the planar box form to open along vertical score lines provided on the box form. Another vertically movable frame includes plurality of fixed and pivotal folding plates which engage closure flaps connected to the box form to cause the flaps to fold inwardly along selected score hinge lines to close an end of the box thereby forming an opened, erected box ready to accept the desired contents.

Abstract: The device has a rotating member including pulleys that and joined to a belt conveyor along which flat folded cases advance. Suction cups are mounted on shafts situated along the periphery of the rotary member and a coaxial drum, rotating in synchrony with the pulleys, carries the shafts which are made to oscillate by crank means. The drum also supports rocking levers which are in engagement with a cam and cause cranks to rotate. Further suction cups, situated at the outlet of the feeding line, are moved in phase relation with the previous suction cups between a gripping position, in which the suction cups grip a flat folded case on opposite sides, and a position in which adjacent wall panels of the case are opened. Belt conveyors receive the opened case and trail it along a packaging line.

Abstract: Apparatus (200) for opening the closure flaps (22-25) of a carton (12), for presenting the carton (12) for loading, and for closing the closure flaps (22-25) is disclosed including a carrier (202) which initially receives the carton (12). The carrier (202) carries the carton (12) into a carriage (226), with the carton (12) sandwiched therebetween. The closure flaps (22-25) are opened by a device (242) including fingers (254-257) which are pivoted to an expanded position after their insertion through an opening (27) in the closure flaps (22-25). An elevator (212) raises the carton (12) in the carriage (226) while the carton (12) is still under compression, with suction cups (56,171-173) then being attached to the closure flaps (22-25). The carriage (226) can then be moved to a loading position and back where the closure flaps (22-25) of the loaded carton (12) are fan folded by a device (120). The elevator (212) can then be lowered where the closed carton (12) can be pushed therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for erecting folded carton blanks has a picking assembly for grasping a carton blank from a magazine. The picking assembly is disposed for rotational movement from a first position proximate the magazine to a second position proximate an abutment that engages a corner of the carton blank. A gate disposed for rotational movement is driven in a timed relation with the picking assembly. As the picking assembly moves from its first to its second position, the gate applies a breaking pressure which facilitates air flow through the interior of the carton blank. At or immediately prior to the time that the corner of the carton blank engages the abutment, the gate applies an erecting force that facilitates opening the carton blank to its fully erected state.

Abstract: A basket style carton is set up by a machine which imparts inward movement to one end wall so as to allow the adjacent locking tab to clear the associated end notch. A first pusher engages the bottom wall and allows the notch to receive the locking tab. Continued inward movement imparted to the one carton end wall causes the locking tab at the opposite end of the bottom wall to clear the associated notch. A second pusher then depresses the bottom wall and allows the associated locking tab to clear the associated notch.

Abstract: A device for opening a tubular blank into a container, comprising an opening station, a packaging line and pairs of suction cups rotated stepwise for gripping the containers and carrying them to a position on the packaging line. The opening station is equipped with a support surface and opening blade arms hinged sidewise to each other. The packaging line features a conveying surface and two pairs of longitudinal endless chains equipped with vertical prongs and rotating stepwise so as to convey the containers obtained from the blanks which are held in seats delimited by the prongs.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for erecting collapsed, tubular cartons (12) is disclosed including a device (32) for removing the top carton (12) of a vertical stack of cartons (12) in a hopper (26) and moving it in a horizontal orientation to an operative position. In the operative position, the second side panel (16) of the collapsed carton (12) underlies at least the first end panel (18) which is in a linear arrangement with the first side panel (14). Suction cups (76) carried by a frame (74) are secured to the second side panel (16) in an attachment position and moved by a parallelogram linkage to an open position located vertically below and coinciding with the first side panel (14). The bottom closure flap (23) is folded upwardly by a bending rod (82) as the frame (74) moves the carton (12) to its open condition.

Abstract: A collapsible bottomless storage pen having a continuous articulated peripheral wall including parallel sidewalls and interconnecting end walls. Each end wall includes a bend line. Interior connecting flaps are hingedly attached to the end walls and cooperatively engage each other to retain the pen in an operative position. The end walls and connecting flaps are sized to permit folding of the pen to the length of the sidewalls, such that the connecting flaps and end walls are parallel to and between the parallel collapsed sidewalls.

Abstract: In an integrated container packing system where a mass of randomly oriented containers enter the system and are manipulated so that a partition can be inserted between groups of containers and then each group with the partition are placed in a shipping medium ready to be sent to inventory, the method of inserting the partition by relatively moving the containers and the partition in a forward direction, controlling the relative motion so that in alternately occurring periods of time, the velocity of the relative motion during one period of time is zero and during the next period of time the velocity of the relative motion gradually increases from zero to a maximum and then gradually back to zero and during each time the relative motion velocity is at zero, inserting the partition between a group of containers.

Abstract: A machine (10) for erecting article carriers (C) of the basket type comprises feeder assembly (34; 62) for withdrawing from a supply (20) and depositing the carriers in flat, folded condition one after the other in a feed path (F), flight bars for feeding (22) each carrier to an erecting station (E) at which means suction cups (96) are provided for moving apart opposite side walls of the carrier to bring it into set-up condition and locking arms (100) operable on a base panel (b) of the carrier to move the base panel into engagement with panel retaining elements (h) provided by the carrier, thereby to locate the base panel in a position in which it discourages collapse of the set-up carrier.

Abstract: A machine to erect flat-folded cartons, especially such as carry beverage containers, from a flat-folded storage configuration to three dimensional carrying configuration. The machine feeds folded containers from a storage hopper, in singulated fashion, between two endless forwardly flaring vacuum belts which hold the carton sides and move them simultaneously therealong to initialy expand the container. The partially expanded container is then completely expanded and fastened by a cooperating over-head positioning chain structure and an underlying cam wheel and thereafter delivered for further operation. The assembly operations are sequentially timed. The vacuum belts are particularly configured to allow a continuous, rapid operation with low air flow.

Abstract: A collapser/collector and strapping apparatus for processing box partitions to place them in condition for shipment. The assembled partitions are collapsed and moved vertically into transversely indexed slots of a collector. From the indexed slots, the partitions are placed into bundles of a preselected number of partitions. The bundles are then delivered to a strapping section where straps are applied to hold each bundle together for further processing.

Abstract: Apparatus for erecting a bottle carrier. The carrier is initially formed as a flat folded tube having a bottom wall, a top wall and transversely creased end walls, the top wall forming a central partition. The apparatus has a longitudinal partition former which is spaced to create a longitudinal slot and end formers which are spaced from the longitudinal formers to create end slots. A blade passing through a hole in the bottom wall engages the inside surface of the top wall to drive it into the longitudinal slot. This operation creates the central partition and simultaneously erects the end walls as the carrier is thrust into the forming apparatus.

Abstract: Carriers of the top gripping type and having downwardly depending side and end walls and stacked in collapsed condition in a hopper are fed in sequence by oscillatable feeder means which engages a lower planar element of the lowermost carton in the stack of cartons and draws that element outwardly from its associated face contacting element by means of inwardly extending projections fixedly mounted on the hopper and arranged to engage parts of the upper planar elements which coincide with edge notches formed on the lower planar element so that movement of the lower planar element away from the upper planar element initiates setting up of the carrier and also effects withdrawal of the lowermost carrier from the hopper.

Abstract: An erector mechanism for setting-up article carriers of the basket type from a collapsed condition to a set-up condition comprises a pivotal arm arranged to oscillate between a pair of spaced carrier erector locations. The erector locations each include a pivotal leg having suction elements to withdraw collapsed carriers from a supply and maintain them in position for setting-up and the pivotal arm includes two opposed sets of suction elements for cooperation with the suction elements of the respective pivotal legs in that position so that the carrier side walls are drawn apart to set up the carrier. The pivotal legs are timed from a cam system to withdraw carriers from a supply at each erector section alternately and the pivotal arm is synchronized by the cam system to cooperate in the carrier setting-up procedure with each pivotal leg in turn while the other pivotal leg is actuated to withdraw the next succeeding carrier.

Abstract: A partition folding and inserting machine is described which automatically folds a flat partition blank into a partition and then inserts the partition into a box which is moving on a conveyor. A hydraulic lift table is provided at the feed end of the machine for supplying a stack of flat partition blanks to the intake or feed end of a first conveyor. An individual partition blank is lifted from the stack of partition blanks and is moved into the machine by the first conveyor. A tab breaker apparatus initially breaks or severs a portion of the partition blank to facilitate the subsequent folding of the partition blank. A cell opening apparatus engages the upper and lower sides of the partition blank to move the same downwardly to partially form cells at the outer sides of the partition blank. The partially folded partition blank is then moved by means of a second conveyor through a side plow or guide which further deforms the partition blank.