Abstract: A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material is provided. The blank includes a reinforcing panel assembly for forming a reinforcing corner assembly. The machine includes a hopper station for storing the blank in a substantially flat configuration and a forming station for forming the blank into the container. The forming station includes an initial forming station that rotates a first portion of the reinforcing panel assembly with respect to a second portion of the reinforcing panel assembly, and a secondary forming station having male and female forming members with shapes corresponding to an interior shape and an exterior shape of the reinforcing corner assembly, respectively. The male and the female forming members are configured to form the reinforcing corner assembly by compressing together the first and second portions of the reinforcing panel assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming a stackable container from a container blank. The apparatus generally includes a blank feeder configured to place the blank on a conveyor, an index folder configured to pre-fold a plurality of inner fold-down flaps and an index flap over each of two opposing sidewall flaps of the blank, and a pressure former configured to attach a first leading extension to a leading wall of the blank and a first trailing extension to a trailing wall of the blank, wherein the first leading extension and the first trailing extension are foldably attached at an angle of about 90 degrees to one of the inner fold-down flaps or one of the sidewall flaps. Embodiments of the present the present invention can advantageously provide a reliable approach for forming a container from a blank with relatively fewer folding defects.

Abstract: A folded box gluing machine for the processing of folded box blanks includes at least one feeder unit arranged to transport the folded box blanks to downstream processing stations including a folding station, a glue applicator unit, a transfer station, a gathering and pressing mechanism, and a safety mechanism for a machine component presenting a danger to the human operator defined by a light curtain. The safety mechanism can be deactivated via a mobile operator unit, and the operator unit is designed such that it can only be operated with both hands.

Abstract: In a printer system where a print head is used to print on a flat material moving on a surface along a moving direction, a first creasing surface and a second creasing surface disposed on different sides of the flat material are used to make a crease on the flat material. The first creasing surface is mounted on a housing and the second creasing surface is disposed along the length of a track substantially perpendicular to the moving direction. The first and second creasing surfaces are substantially complementary to each other such that when these creasing surfaces are moved closer to each other, they cause the flat material to bend. A movement mechanism is then used to move the housing along the track so that the bending of the flat material forms a crease from one side of the flat material to the opposing side.

Abstract: Cardboard boxes are formed starting from a stamped sheet which is vertically pushed by a descending core (13) for folding the sectors (6) that are going to form the sides and those that are going to form the front ends (7), including equipment for folding of the extensions and/or flaps (8, 10) which are folded on the front ends and/or sides. The mold is intended to shape boxes having an upper horizontal bridge (9) in the sides (6), bridges presenting flaps (10) which fold over the front ends (7), being fixed to the outer face of them, with these front ends (7) in turn presenting end extensions (8) which are folded in the inner face of the sides (6). The mold includes runners (11) adjustable in height, permitting to fold the end extensions (8) of the front ends (7), also having wedges in ramp (14) and presses (15) with an inclined plane (16), for folding the flaps (10) of the upper bridges (9) of the sides (6), these flaps (10) being folded on the front ends (7).

Abstract: A device for closing the rear flap in a self-dimensioning machine for closing the upper flaps of parallelepiped boxes of the type including a base with support surface for the boxes, a couple of drive belts that can be motorized placed at the two sides of the 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 the 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: A machine for treating sheets, said machine comprising drive means (14, 16, 18) for driving the sheets, treatment tooling (52, 62) for forming cutouts or folds in said sheets that extend transversely to the drive direction (F) in which the sheets are driven. The treatment tooling is carried by at least one carrier shaft (52, 62) driven by a shaft motor (M52, M62). The sheets are driven at a substantially constant drive speed through the machine, and said machine further comprises a control unit (UC) which, as a function of said drive speed, and of information relating to the position of a sheet in the machine, control the shaft motor (M52, M62) such that, for treating said sheet, the tooling is in contact with a predetermined region of the sheet and is driven at a treatment speed whose tangential component is equal to the drive speed at which the sheet is driven.

Abstract: A device for presenting lids to moving sealing stations. The device includes at least one lid production module mounted stationary relative to a path of the sealing stations and having a lid cutting member fitted with a cutting tool for cutting lids from a strip. Gripping members are secured to the sealing stations. The gripping members are disposed relative to the lid production module so as to take hold of a lid on the fly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creasing planar material includes a pair of confronting drums between which the material is passed with at least one of the drums having at least one electrical filament thereon adapted to engage the planar material as it is passed between the drums for melting the planar material to a predetermined depth. The filaments are preferably quick heating and also dissipate heat quickly so that they can be activated and deactivated in short intervals so that the drums upon which the heat filaments are mounted do not heat up between the filaments.

Abstract: A web brake and tension controller is provided comprising a substantially U-shaped mechanical arm having a first end and a second end, where the second end forms a cross bar. The web brake and tension controller may also have a force applying means. The force applying means may be a weight, or other biasing means, such as a spring. The cross bar may at least slightly V-shaped. A guide bar may be attached to the cross bar.

Abstract: A feeding and aligning device for a folder-gluer of blanks of folded and pasted cardboard boxes has at least one thrust to stop the blanks in order to crosswise align the angles between the various fold-pasted parts thereof before introducing them into a delivery area where these blanks are pressed. A mechanism introduces the blanks into the delivery area. The thrust has a driving mechanism that defines a moving trajectory for the thrust above the blanks, forming an acute angle with the conveying direction of these blanks which are moved by a conveyor that moves it along the conveying direction.

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 packaging machine for loading of individual articles into a product cartons that includes a rotary blank feeder and a rotary board erector. The rotary blank feeder includes a plurality of feeder arms each having a vacuum head. The feeder arms are each rotatable about a common axis of rotation and the entire folding arm assembly is rotatable about an offset secondary axis of rotation. Each vacuum head of the rotary blank feeder moves into contact with the lowermost planar carton blank contained with an overhead hopper and transfers the carton blank to a board feed conveyor. From the board feed conveyor, each carton blank enters into a rotary board erector having a plurality of folding arms rotatable at variable speeds about a common axis of rotation. The folding arms of the rotary board erector partially fold each planar carton blank for loading with individual articles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to separating of flat-folded boxes out of a stream of overlapping shingled flat-folded boxes, into a stack, more particularly to a method and a device for automatically doing so. A modular stacking station for assembling packets of flat-folded corrugated cardboard boxes, which are offered to a strapping section or strapping machine is also described.

Abstract: On a machine for producing articles, in particular a packaging machine for producing packets of cigarettes, a reel, laid flat on a support, is fed, by means of a transfer device, to a relative unwinding pin fitted to the periphery of a rotary platform rotating about a substantially horizontal axis; the unwinding pin being set to a substantially radial position with respect to the platform axis; the rotary platform being rotated to set said unwinding pin to a vertical receiving position facing upwards; the reel being fitted downwards onto the unwinding pin in the receiving position; and the unwinding pin being rotated, with respect to the rotary platform, into an axial position with respect to the rotary platform before unwinding the reel.

Abstract: A paper-web guide apparatus includes a guide member having a vibration guide surface which is curved about an axis and is adapted to guide the paper web toward a desired direction, and a vibration excitation unit for vibrating the guide member about the axis to thereby generate ultrasonic torsion vibration on the vibration guide surface. The vibration guide surface may be further displacable about the axis, and a displacement drive unit for displacing the curved vibration guide surface about the axis may be provided. When the vibration excitation unit is operated, the guide member is twisted about the axis and thus ultrasonic torsion vibration is generated on the curved vibration guide surface. As a result, antinodes and nodes of vibration appear on the curved vibration guide surface, whereby frictional resistance between the paper web and the curved guide surface decreases.

Abstract: A bag-making method and apparatus in which the synthetic resin film web, folded to provide a double-layer is passed on a lower suction belt conveyor continuously through a weld station in which a plurality of separating weld elements at a right angle to the web weld respective seams and separate respective bags from the web. The conveyor is advanced with a stroke which is equal to the number of such elements times the bag width. A multi-belt suction conveyor above the lower conveyor picks up the bags and transfers them to a pin-collecting conveyor on which stacks of the bags are formed and on which pads can be produced from the stacks for transfer by a robot arm into packing cartons.

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: A method and apparatus for formation of a preformed bonded pull tab over a reseal liner is disclosed. The pull tab seal layer of material is bonded together with a reseal liner layer of material for insertion into a closure. The pull tab on the pull tab liner seal is formed prior to combination of the two layers and is folded backwards between the two layers of material. Thus, after combining the two layers, punching out the closure liner and insertion into the closure, the reseal liner is separated from the pull tab seal and the pull tab seal is adhered to the rim of the container. Only one punch press step is required for forming the closure and container seals and insertion of the members into the closure. By forming the pull tab prior to combining the two layers, an assembly of the pull tab and reseal liner is made more efficient and less time consuming.

Abstract: A novel food server and method of producing a food server is disclosed. The novel method includes moving a web of paper at a constant rate of speed, rotary perforating a plurality of lines on the moving web, using rotary timing belts to score at least two fold lines on the moving web, where the two fold lines define two glue flaps, rotary die-cutting the moving web to cut away portions of the paper adjacent the glue flaps, plow folding the moving web along the two fold lines defining the glue flaps, and applying glue to the moving web. After plow folding along the fold lines and applying the glue, the moving web is cross cut to form a blank having the glue flaps. Then, the blank is vacuum folded to cause portions of the blank to contact and adhere to the glue flaps, thereby forming the food server from the blank. The novel food server includes a first panel having two side flaps each defined by a score line, and a second panel having two side flaps each defined by a score line.

Abstract: A pack for cigarettes and a process and apparatus for the production thereof is described. Due to several reasons (cigarette) packs quite often have greater (inner) dimensions than the pack contents (cigarette block 23). In order to fill a cavity formed hereby within the pack, a filling piece (39) is provided which is formed from a flat blank (40) folding up outer blank portions. The filling piece is formed to have a three-dimensional shape by being displaced in a folding shaft (57) with laterally arranged folding members. The filling pieces (39) produced in this way are conveyed along a filling piece track (78) and are introduced into a block track (79) in transverse direction so they can each be united with a cigarette block (23).

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: In the production of (cigarette) packs of the hinge-lid type, supplying a sufficient amount of material to the packaging machine presents a particular problem. In an advantageous solution, blanks (20) for producing the packs are severed from a continuous web of material (24) with punchings for delimiting the blanks (20) and further processed within the packaging machine. For the efficient production of (individual) blanks from the continuous web of material (24), the latter is fed to a blank station (26), in which preferably two respective blanks (20a, 20a) lying next to one another are severed by shearing from the following web of material (24) and from one another by means of severing rams (29). The two blanks (20a, 20b) so formed and individually separated are then fed to a folding turret (40), specifically appropriately with an intermediate conveyor in the form of a rotating blank turret (43) being interposed.

Abstract: Pieces of tube are produced from a flat flexible web by feeding the web intermittently into apparatus which first makes transverse incisions from each edge partly across the web at a spacing equal to the desired tube lengths. The side portions between the incisions are then folded along longitudinal fold lines so that their end edges overlap and are welded together. In a subsequent operation, the non-incised central flat portion of the web is severed in line with the incisions and the tube elements thus formed are then moved transversely to the direction of web movement by a reciprocating slide to stand upright on tube-shaping members.