Abstract: A flap folding unit is provided, comprising at least one flap folding device having a disc-like member being configured to be arranged in a first position to urge passing front flaps of an associated cardboard case to fold, and in a second position to allow unfolded rear flaps of the associated cardboard case to pass the disc-like member.

Abstract: A paper folding device that folds a planar paper sheet while conveying the paper sheet along a paper sheet conveyance surface includes a pair of first conveyance rollers disposed on an upstream side in a paper sheet conveyance direction, a pair of second conveyance rollers disposed on a downstream side in the paper sheet conveyance direction, a switching gate plate installed on the paper sheet conveyance surface between both pairs of the rollers, a folding plate disposed above the switching gate plate, and a control unit that controls an operation of an entire device.

Abstract: A folder gluer for folding a cardboard sheet having first through fourth panels connected through connecting portions and a glue tab and joining the first and fourth panels at the glue tab is disclosed. The folder gluer includes a pair of pressing members movable relative to one another in a cardboard sheet width direction perpendicular to a cardboard sheet feed direction for pressing the connecting portions of the first and fourth panels which are being folded, a detector disposed upstream in the feed direction from the pair of pressing members for detecting a passage of the cardboard sheet being fed in the feed direction and generating a detection signal, and a controller for determining, based on the generation of the detection signal from the detector, a timing at which the pair of pressing members are caused to move relative to one another and press on the connection portions of the first and fourth panels after the first and fourth panels are folded to 90° and before being folded to 180°.

Abstract: A knockdownable, odorless, and smokeless vaporizer kit that vaporizes materials to inhale without igniting the materials so as to reduce harmful effects of burning the materials by eliminating inhalation of combustion by-products of the materials by preventing ignition and combustion of the materials. The kit includes an enclosure and a heat source. The enclosure contains the materials. The heat source heats the enclosure to vaporize the materials contained within the enclosure without igniting the materials so as to reduce the harmful effects of burning the materials by eliminating inhalation of combustion by-products of the materials by preventing ignition and combustion of the materials.

Abstract: A method for assembling a fin seal container including folding a container blank into a three-dimensional body that defines an internal volume and includes an end portion that defines an opening into the internal volume, the end portion including a first fin seal panel having inner and outer major surfaces and a second fin seal panel having inner and outer major surfaces, folding the end portion such that the inner major surface of the first fin seal panel is positioned adjacent to the inner major surface of the second fin seal panel, separating the first fin seal panel from the second fin seal panel, treating the inner major surface of the first fin seal panel and/or the inner major surface of the second fin seal panel, and pressing the first fin seal panel into engagement with the second fin seal panel.

Abstract: In an apparatus for folding cardboard boxes, an area of each of four top portion flaps of a corrugated cardboard box is locked by a locking member having an elastic member, and an area of each of the four top portion flaps of the corrugated cardboard box is pushed down by an overlapping folding member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for folding over a portion of at least one top sheet of a stack of interfolded sheets. The foldover apparatus includes a conveyor adapted to move the stack in the downstream direction, a vacuum assembly adapted to separate at least a portion of the at least one top sheet from the remainder of the stack, and a forming plow to fold over the portion of the at least one top sheet. The method includes moving the stack of sheets downstream along a path, separating the portion of the at least one top sheet from the remaining portion of the stack of interfolded sheets, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet adjacent a forming plow, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet along the folding plow, and folding over the portion of the at least one top sheet.

Abstract: A method and device for end closing tubular wrappings of products, whereby the arms of a scissor-type parting device, once inserted in a closed position inside an end portion of a tubular wrapping, are allowed to part, and are pushed by springs into a fully open position throughout an extraction stroke to crease the end portion and enable the end portion to be pressed taut and accurately by the opposing thrust of two folding-sealing members.

Abstract: Herein described is a device for closing the rear flap in a self-dimensioning machine for closing the upper flaps of parallelepiped boxes of the type comprising a base with support surface for the boxes, a couple of drive belts that can be motorised placed at the two sides of said support surface and that can be brought close to each other to make a drive engagement with the sides of the boxes and a head above said support surface, that carries devices for closing the front, rear and side flaps of the boxes and can be commanded to descend from a rest position to engage the above-mentioned devices with the upper flaps of the boxes and to close them.

Abstract: Packets are overwrapped in a cellophaner unit equipped with a wheel by which the packets are directed through an assembly station together with leaves of wrapping material and toward a folding station where the leaves are bent around the packets, also a suction roller set in rotation continuously and tangentially to the wheel, on which the leaves are held by suction while advancing along a first path extending between a cutter device and the assembly station; the wheel is furnished with peripheral carriers supporting the single packets, each equipped with gripper jaws positioned to take up one end of a leaf held on the adjacent roller and detach it by degrees from the relative suction surface before effecting an initial overwrapping step of folding the leaf partly around a relative packet.

Abstract: The cardboard blanks for conversion into hinged-lid packets for arrays of cigarettes are dimensioned and configurated in such a way that an elongated reinforcing strip at the inner side of the front panel of the lid is longer than the front panel. Those terminal sections of the reinforcing strip which extend beyond the ends of the front panel in a blank are bent prior to or during the folding of the reinforcing strip against the inner side of the front panel so that they do not adversely affect the configuration of the lateral panels of the lid and the appearance of a finished packet because the lateral panels are not caused to bulge outwardly.

Abstract: A mailing machine has an envelope transport device extending longitudinally therethrough and a digital ink jet printing device located adjacent the downstream end of the transport device. Due to the criticality of the spacing between the upper surface of an envelope and the discharge nozzles of the ink jet print head, the envelopes passing through the mailing machine must have their upper surfaces registered with a fixed plane that extends in spaced relationship with the nozzles. The mailing machine includes a flap closing device having fixed and movable elements that can accommodate variations in thickness of the envelopes extending from the registration plane downwardly within a fixed range so that the flap closing device can simultaneously close the flaps of both thin and thick envelopes passing through the mailing machine in a mixed stream.

Abstract: The device for turning a front panel of a platelike workpiece within a folder-gluer comprises a retaining plate 20 extending across and somewhat above the traveling plane of the workpiece and a series of lifting fingers 30 positioned transversely below the travelling plane and somewhat upstream of the retaining plate 20. The lifting fingers are actuated by a piston from a resting position below the travelling plane to a raised slanted raised position, at the arrival of the blank's front panel. The front panel includes a partially separated flap that must be parted. The device also comprises at least one pusher 40 that is substantially perpendicular to the plate 20, the pusher 40 being actuated by an actuator 44 in order to separate the flap when the panel reaches maximum height against the plate 20.

Abstract: A container formed from a blank of corrugated paperboard in which scores define a plurality of wall panels and bottom flaps. Two opposing bottom flaps overlap opposing sides and interlock together in a notch on a distal edge of one of the bottom flaps, whereby the container substantially maintains a squared-open configuration for inverting the container bottom-down on a pallet, with reduced manpower and effort on a production line.

Abstract: A vacuum cylinder is disclosed. The vacuum cylinder may be used in an envelope manufacturing machine, or machines for manufacturing other articles, to facilitate folding of articles about a preformed fold line, such as envelope seal flaps, during the manufacturing process. The vacuum cylinder has at least two rows of suction holes which are arranged at least substantially adjacent to each other and preferably overlap to a certain extent.

Abstract: A fold plate for use with in line folder/gluer machines and particularly folding machines that fold a blank having a multiplicity of layers of material, which machine includes a vertically adjustable stop and one roller on its bottom which contacts the layers of folded material as they are advanced thereunder by a conveyor belt and drive wheels from the folding machine.

Abstract: A device for folding flat die-cuts through 180.degree. has a flipper of which the movement is guided by linkages composed of at least two rectilinear slots, occupying a common plane and compassing an acute angle, and at least two slides free to traverse along the two slots. The flipper is connected pivotably to the slides, and the folding action is generated by a single linear actuator stroking in a direction substantially parallel to one of the slots, its rod end being hinged to the respective slide.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for erecting a folding box and folding the closure flaps or ends. The apparatus has a transfer device, by which the folding boxes are withdrawn from a magazine and conveyed along a cycloidal orbit path and conveyed into a conveying device of a cartoning machine. The folder apparatus has a platelike folder element as well as two folder elements, that protrude from the apparatus into the range of motion of the closure flaps. The closure flaps are bent at right angles in the order of their disposition on the box in the direction of movement of the folding box to the folder elements and the conveying device.

Abstract: A carton score line breaker assembly for breaking four end closure panels. The assembly includes two oppositely disposed pairs of breaker elements for, in turn, breaking the two oppositely disposed panels inwardly. Both pairs of elements are continuously rotating.

Abstract: A folding machine which takes a prescored blank of paper, folds side flaps up, and glue tabs down, applies a glue line to the tabs, and folds end flaps of the blank about score lines onto the glue tabs to form boxed pockets and then delivers the finished folder for use.

Abstract: A carton blank support member is mounted above a traveling carton blank in a folder gluer machine. The support member is cyclicly driven between an inoperative position above the carton blank to an operative position engaging the top surface of the blank adjacent a score line formed in the blank. The score line defines a flap which is folded upwardly when the support member is in engagement with the top surface of the carton blank to form a side wall of the carton. The support member prevents the flap from buckling during the folding operation, especially when recycled paperboard is used as the carton blank.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously inverting a carton blank and folding end flaps thereon includes a system of endless belts, nip rollers, and inversion guides. A blank passes between a first nip assembly and the belts to be fed upwardly between a pair of guides, and withdrawn downwardly and fed out again inverted second nip assembly cooperating with the belts. Flap folders fold flaps on the blank during the operation.

Abstract: Flat folded carton blanks with four end flaps are taken out of a carton magazine one by one by a takeoff mechanism. A carton blank thus taken out is delivered to a vacuum plate provided on the outer circumference of a rotary drum. While the carton blank is sucked to the vacuum plate and circularly transferred, it is knocked from the trailing side thereof by an unfolding guide so as to be set up. A flap, which is on the leading side in the direction of advance, of the carton unfolded to a cross-sectionally rectangular shape is bent outward by a tucker moving at a speed higher than that of the vacuum plate, and the other flaps are pressed at their inner surfaces against a fixed guide to also be bent outward.

Abstract: A folding and tucker-tacker station operates upon a flat bottom end closure of a packaging sleeve, which closure comprises first and second panels opposite each other, third and fourth panels opposite each other and between the first and second panels, and a minor panel protruding from the outermost edge of the third panel. The station comprises a mounting supporting first, second and third jaws oscillatable transversely of the sleeve axis for folding inwards the first, second and third panels, and a fourth jaw displaceable along, but not transversely of, the axis for folding inwards the fourth panel. The third jaw has a recess for receiving the minor panel. The fourth jaw is disposed after the third jaw along the path of a mandrel transporting the sleeve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for closing the bottom end flaps of a reusable rectangular carton whereby the carton is disposed in an expanded position with the bottom end flaps biased outward with respect to the carton sidewalls. A sequence controller is programmed to release the bias and fold each bottom end flap in a predetermined sequence. A closure is effected by disposing at least two end flaps in locking relationship to each other.

Abstract: In a folder gluer collapsable box making machine, a self-driven endless chain is mounted on sprockets on a small frame and is equipped with push plates and lifters such that when pre-cut box board moves along the conveyor of a box-making machine, the front of the pre-cut box board hits a pusher and moves the chain in a forward direction while the folder lifter arm abuts the rear portion of the box board and folds over the rear ends and/or flaps.

Abstract: In a folder gluer collapsable box making machine, a self-driven endless chain is mounted on sprockets on a small frame and is equipped with push plates and lifters such that when pre-cut box board moves along the conveyor of a box-making machine, the front of the pre-cut box board hits a pusher and moves the chain in a forward direction while the folder lifter arms abuts the rear portion of the box board and folds over the rear ends and/or flaps.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a box forming machine operable to raise folded box material to a box frame, and to fold the edges that comprise the box bottom into a bottom area and to tape the folded edges. The forming equipment is equipped with a box material supply that stores folded box stock material. The apparatus withdraws a piece of box material from the box material supply station by means of a vacuum chuck. The box stock material is raised to a box frame by means of a raise guide and further to a bottom folding station that folds the inner box edges which extend in a direction transverse to a taping direction. Outer edges are then folded into the bottom areas along the taping direction and a tape head tapes together the inner edges by means of a tape head drive.

Abstract: A trailing panel folding system for use in a blank folding machine. The system includes a rotatable shaft mounted below the pass path of the blanks and transverse thereto. A motor is connected to drive this shaft and an arm assembly is mounted on the shaft and includes an arm extending away from the shaft and a folding head for folding a trailing panel of a blank. An encoder is interconnected with the drive means to provide a pulsed output related to the velocity at which the blanks are moving along the path, and a blank sensor provides a trailing edge signal when the trailing edge of the sensed blank leaves the location.

Abstract: Apparatus for locking a top of a case having an unlocked closing flap and L-slide lock slots for receiving opposite free end corners of the closing flap includes a closing flap securing device which provides a source of suction for detachably securing a top surface of a generally horizontal unlocked closing flap of a stationary case. Movement of the securing device from a generally horizontal position to a generally inclined position while secured to the closing flap first forms a longitudinal fold in the closing flap and positions the opposite free end corners of the closing flap adjacent respective L-slide lock slots. Subsequent movement of the securing device from the generally inclined position to the generally horizontal position then flattens the longitudinal fold and tucks the opposite free end corners of the closing flap into the respective L-slide lock slots to thereby lock the case.

Abstract: Various configurations of boxes of a corrugated or fiberboard material are manufactured by a machine and process in which scored marginal flaps of the preformed box blank material are laterally wrapped around forming mandrels or fingers to define corner and/or intermediate posts integral with a wall portion of the resulting box, with at least a portion of each flap laminated to the side wall.

Abstract: A case making machine is provided with an apparatus for folding rear portion of a feeding case blank and the apparatus comprises a claw mechanism for folding the rear portion of the case blank along the folding line. The claw mechanism is rotated at an angular speed which is changed by a cam mechanism operated by a driving source through a drive shaft and a link mechanism. An electromagnetic valve is further provided for controlling the operation of the claw mechanism. The valve is actuated by an electric circuit such that the electromagnetic valve can be operated in synchrony with the advancing speed of the blank. This result is achieved by increasing pulse numbers inputted into the circuit to account for the rise time interval of the electromagnetic valve.

Abstract: A folding and tucking apparatus for a container end closure forming and sealing machine where a pair of oppositely rotating arms, each having a freely rotatable roller mounted on its distal end, are adapted to engage and move a heat-activated, plastic coated carton end closure panel around a score line from a vertical to a horizontal attitude. The result is that, while the rollers thus move the panel, the relative movement between the rollers and the panel is minimal, thereby preserving clean, unmarred surfaces on end panels of cartons which will be characteristically observed by consumers in the marketplace.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically closing L-slide lock cases travelling with the lateral axis in the direction of travel and stopped intermittently for closing includes selectively positionable support rods for defining a fold line in an open flap, a flap fold member for folding the open flap over the support rods line and moving the top edge of the open flap adjacent the L-slide locks, and a flap tucking member operable on the folded open flap to slide it into the L-slide lock and flatten out the fold. Each of the members may be driven by cylinders in an appropriate sequential manner to accomplish these folding and tucking operations.

Abstract: Corrugated carton is moved between sprayers which apply water to the score lines of each major end flap and on opposite sides of the score bar about 1" up on the flap and 1" down on the panel. The major flaps are then bent into closed position and while bent, heat is applied to raise the temperature of the wet areas until the same are dry. Then, the bending means and heat are removed. Each end flap assumes a substantially closed position.

Abstract: A structure for use in assembly of a non-square center special slotted container is constructed from a single piece, five panel blank having a full end panel, two side panels, and two partial end panels, each having associated flaps, which is folded to produce overlapping of the partial end panels. The end flaps extending from the partial end panels, and the correspondingly disposed flaps extending from the full end panel each are of a length substantially equal to one-half the length of the front and rear side panels. The full and partial end flaps are of equal length on each side of the blank so that contact of the outer edges of the folded blank by platens or other means in the squaring station of a folder-gluer machine properly aligns the blank and consistently produces properly squared and sealed folded blanks.

Abstract: In a cartoning machine, a conveyor conveys flat folded cartons with their end flaps projecting laterally. A rotating disk having a horizontally-projecting pin engages the flaps in timed relation to their longitudinal movement to press a lower major flap downwardly. When in a downward attitude, the major flap is engaged by a plow or hold-down guide which holds the flap during erection of the carton and loading of the carton.

Abstract: A device for erecting a folding carton and for holding the folding carton. The device includes a table formed of an elongated input segment and an elongated output segment. The segments are hinged together tandemwise. An anchor support member supports an input end of the input segment. An output support underlies an output end portion of the output segment. The anchor support member moves between a lowered position in which the segments of the table form a V-shape and a raised position in which the segments of the table are substantially horizontally aligned. Lower end flap of the carton engage the segments when in lowered position to partially fold the lower end flaps. The lower end flaps are further folded when the segments are advanced from the lowered position to the raised position. Side flap folding members are hingedly mounted on opposite sides of the table.

Abstract: An intermittently cycled packaging machine for erecting, filling, closing and sealing cartons with hot meal adhesive. A reciprocation carton transfer mechanism is cycled in response to filling of a carton at the filling station and is operative to advance cartons in step fashion from a carton erecting station past a lower carton closing station, the filling station and an upper carton closing station with the last flap to be folded at the lead side of the carton, and the adhesive applying nozzles and the lead flap folding apparatus are located in relation to each other and to the stroke of the transfer mechanism such that adhesive is applied to the end flaps on the carton and the lead flap is infolded as the carton is advanced in a continuous forward step. Lead flap guides are provided for deflecting the lead end flap forwardly of the lead panel during erecting of the carton.

Abstract: Apparatus for folding the trailing edge of paperboard blanks conveyed along a straight-line path includes a rotatable shaft disposed below and transverse to the conveyor and having arms with heads at their ends which extend upward through openings between conveyor belts. The shaft is rotated to cause the heads to contact the trailing panels or flaps of the blanks and fold them onto the blank body. To rotate the shaft intermittently it is momentarily connected to a continuously rotating drive by a clutch-brake which permits substantially instantaneous engagement and disengagement. The precise position of each blank is determined by a signal generated by a photodetector, and the rotational orientation of the shaft is determined by optical detectors associated therewith. A signal from the photodetector indicating position of the blank is received by a controller which also has input of the conveyor speed and which responds by actuating the clutch-brake at the proper time.

Abstract: The material to be folded (a, b) and consisting of one or several sheets is introduced into a flat cartridge (1) up to the point (A) of the fold to be formed by means of a pair of supply rollers (29, 30). Subsequently, the cartridge (1) is turned around an axis (2) in a right angle to the introductory direction whereby a feed roll (9) presses temporarily the point (A) of the material to be folded (a, b) against the edge (6) of the cartridge at which it was introduced and folds the material to be folded (a, b) thus over the edge (6) at this point (A). Finally, the material to be folded (a, b) is taken over by a pair of folding rollers (11, 12) with the top of the thus formed fold leading which presses the fold together.

Abstract: A device and method for folding the main and secondary flaps of self-sealing envelopes into the inoperative condition. The envelopes (11) are fed, bottom edge leading, into a roller (20), the front panel of the envelope being in contact with the roller. The bottom edge lifts off the roller and the envelope is arrested and temporarily supported by abutment means (38,40,44) while the main flap (16) of the envelope is held to the roller by suction (22,24) and carried around the roller and thereby folded relative to the front panel of the envelope. In this position of the envelope, the secondary flap (18) slidably engages the surface of the roller and is then arrested by stop means (28) which carry the secondary flap (18) around and fold it relative to the back panel of the envelope.