Abstract: According to one aspect, a vehicle control system. The control system includes a steering control coupled to at least one steerable wheel, the steering control having a first position, a second position and a plurality of positions therebetween. The control system also includes a steering sensor coupled to the steering control and configured to generate steering sensor signals based upon the position of the steering control. The control system also includes a control module coupled to the steering sensor, the control module configured to (i) record a first steering sensor signal value when the steering control is in the first position; (ii) record a second steering sensor signal value when the steering control is in the second position; and (iii) determine a current position of the steering control by comparing the first and second steering sensor signal values with a current steering sensor signal value.

Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a convertible shipping container is provided. The blank includes a removable access panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, and a rear panel. Each of top, bottom, rear, and front panels include side flaps extending from a side edge of each top, bottom, rear, and front panel. The removable access panel includes an access hole, a return hole, and relief creases to facilitate removal after the container is formed. The shipping container includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and four corner structures.

Abstract: Peel-Reclose packaging material formed using an adhesive label in combination with laser scoring technology. The adhesive label is applied over laser scored material before or after the laser score forms a pattern smaller than the adhesive label. The adhesive label and laser scored packaging material can then be opened and resealed. In one embodiment the adhesive label in combination with the packaging material has tamper resistant features.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dimensionally stable packaging container (1) formed by a folding box (2) and comprising: a first and a second side wall element (3a, 3b), said elements being connected to each other by several base sections (4, 5, 6) which are designed symmetrical to a base fold line (7), wherein each of the side wall elements (3a, 3b) comprises at least two connection tabs (8a, 8b) which are connected to the side wall elements (3a, 3b) in an articulated manner, wherein outer surfaces (10b) of the connection tabs (8a) of the first side wall element (3a) are connected to outer surfaces (11b) of the connection tabs (8b) of the second side wall element (3b) in such a way that the connection tabs of the two side wall elements point in the direction of the container interior (9), and wherein the packaging container further comprises a bag (13) which is composed of a film and which is connected to the side wall elements (3a, 3b) at least on the connection tabs (8a, 8b) of the folding box (2).

Abstract: A stitch flap cutting block is mountable to a cutting head of a board blank cutting machine, along with a slotting knife. A sheet of board passed between the cutting head and an anvil head is cut to form a blank for a box or the like. The cutting block comprises a steel body with a cylindrical barrel holding a cylindrical spring block, to which is mounted a blade holder carrying an elongate blade. The blade moves within a transverse slot across the body and is deflectable into the body and may rock about a midpoint of the slot. Impact forces are reduced, cleaner cuts are produced, and re-setting of the blade is required much less often. An alternative stitch flap cutting block is mountable to the cutting head by a separate side arm, facilitating mounting to cutting heads having different diameters.

Abstract: This is a continuous mode procedure wherein in a first cutting operation an upper band (5) is obtained and a lower band (6), followed by a second cutting operation to obtain some separate trapezoidal segments (4), to finish with a third cutting operation on the curled side (10) of the segment (4) to obtain a circular side with only one radius of curvature, forming in this way a wrapper (11) of conical development.

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 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 presser assembly is provided for a die cutting machine. The presser assembly includes a support member and a channel extending along an axis. The channel has an opening directed towards the support member and is movable between a first retracted position wherein the channel is adjacent to the support member and a second extended position. A mounting structure extends between the support member and the channel. The mounting structure has a first end operatively connected to the support member and a second end. A clamping mechanism selectively clamps the second end of the mounting structure to the channel at a user selected axial location.

Abstract: A flush mounted presser assembly for a die cutting machine. The presser assembly includes a support member having an upper surface which defines a substantially horizontal plane, a presser movable vertically in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the support member between a first extended position spaced from the support member beneath the horizontal plane and a second retracted position also beneath the horizontal plane of the support member, and a mounting arrangement for mounting the presser to the support member wherein the mounting arrangement is disposed flush with or below the horizontal plane of the support member so that none of its components extend or project above the horizontal plane of the support member. The mounting arrangement comprises a base mounted on the support, a linkage assembly interconnecting the base and presser, and a spring for biasing the linkage assembly and presser toward its first extended position away from the support member.

Abstract: Known folded box gluing machines for producing folded boxes (1) from blanks comprise—a folding station (3), in which the parts of blanks provided with an adhesive strip are folded,—an adjoining transfer station (5) which is configured as a transport device and has at least two conveyer belt pairs, each consisting of an upper and a lower belt (7, 8) and a device for ejecting defective boxes (11) and—a collection and pressing device (6), in which the flat folded boxes are pressed together, in order for the adhesive to bind.

Abstract: A flush mounted presser assembly for a die cutting machine. The presser assembly includes a support member having an upper surface which defines a substantially horizontal plane, a presser movable vertically in a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the support member between a first extended position spaced from the support member beneath the horizontal plane and a second retracted position also beneath the horizontal plane of the support member, and a mounting arrangement for mounting the presser to the support member wherein the mounting arrangement is disposed flush with or below the horizontal plane of the support member so that none of its components extend or project above the horizontal plane of the support member. The mounting arrangement comprises a base mounted on the support, a linkage assembly interconnecting the base and presser, and a spring for biasing the linkage assembly and presser toward its first extended position away from the support member.

Abstract: A device used to separate and discard a skeleton formed when a blank is cut into the pattern of a folding carton, envelope, or other desired shape is provided. The device includes first and second separating cylinders. The second separating cylinder includes at least one protrusion extending from the surface thereof, and also has at least one recess formed therein. The protrusions are used to couple the skeleton to the second cylinder. The device further includes a stripping plate having a leading edge positioned near the second cylinder. At least one stripping finger extends from the edge of the stripping plate and within the recess of the second cylinder. The stripping finger is thereby positioned between the second cylinder and the skeleton as the second cylinder rotates toward the stripping finger. The stripping finger operates to disengage the skeleton from the protrusions, thereby stripping the skeleton from the second cylinder.

Abstract: A device for separating and stripping waste material from a blank during a carton or envelope manufacturing process is provided. The device includes first and second separating cylinders. At least one pin and sleeve assembly is coupled to the second separating cylinder, and includes a pin having a sleeve slidably coupled thereto. A tube or hollow bar is coupled to the separating cylinder, and has at least one aperture therein generally aligned with the pin and sleeve assembly. In separating the waste material from the blank, the pin couples the waste material to the second separating cylinder. A fluid such as compressed air is forced into the tube and directed through the aperture to slide the sleeve from a retracted position in which the pin is exposed to an extended position in which the pin is concealed, whereby the waste material is forcibly removed from the pin.

Abstract: A folding-box gluing or adhesive-bonding machine for producing folding boxes from blanks includes a folding station for folding parts of the blanks provided with a strip of adhesive. An adjoining transfer station includes at least two pairs of conveyor belts acting as a conveying device, a device for removing faulty folding boxes including a circular knife for cutting in a longitudinal conveying direction of the folding boxes and being lowered and lifted between the conveyor belts into and out of a conveying plane, and a device for laterally withdrawing side parts of the blanks severed by the longitudinal cut. The laterally withdrawing device has a flat rotary table outside and immediately adjacent one of the pairs of conveyor belts, an electric motor and at least two pressure disks. A collecting and pressing device presses the boxes having been folded flat, to set the adhesive.

Abstract: An apparatus for machining a web-shaped workpiece includes a workpiece supply for supplying workpiece rolls each of an elongate thin metal sheet, a processing machine for machining the elongate thin metal sheet into caps, a workpiece feeder for feeding the elongate thin metal sheet to the processing machine, and a product feeder for automatically separating the caps from scrap and feeding the caps to a product collecting mechanism. The apparatus is capable of efficiently and quickly producing various products from the elongate thin metal sheet.

Abstract: Scrap cuttings are separated from a panel that was punched or cut from a sheet of material by providing a transport device (22) that attracts a sheet of material (10), supported by a platen (15) of a machining device (16), that was punched or cut via the attractive force of a first attraction surface (28). Subsequently, the transport device (22) is moved toward a second attraction surface (39) of a cutting separator (18) until the sheet of material (10) is lying on top of the second attraction surface (39); and the attractive force exerted in this position by the second attraction surface (39) is greater in the area of the cuttings (14) than the attractive force exerted by the first attraction surface (28), and the attractive force exerted by the second attraction surface (39) in the area of the panel (12) is smaller than the attractive force exerted by the first attraction surface (28).

Abstract: A presser assembly for supporting blanking scrap during a blanking operation is provided. The presser assembly includes a support rail; a presser rail connected to the support rail; and a connecting rail connecting the presser rail to the support rail and being adapted to pivot with respect to at least one of the support rail and the presser rail through a predetermined pivot angle range for changing a distance between the support rail and the presser rail. By pivoting, one can thereby selectively affect a folding and an unfolding of the presser assembly during a blanking operation.

Abstract: In an apparatus for making plastic bags from a web material comprising two or more layers of plastic film, the material is intermittently fed for a length along a longitudinal feeding path, to successively make plastic bags with wastes, each of the wastes having upstream and downstream edges. The apparatus includes partially cutting means disposed at a first station predetermined along the feeding path. The material is partially cut by the partially cutting means along the upstream and downstream edges of waste whenever intermittently fed and temporarily stopped. The apparatus further includes waste removing means disposed at a second station predetermined downstream of and at a distance from the first station. The waste reaches the second station when the material is intermittently fed again after partially cut by the partially cutting means. In addition, the apparatus includes discharge means disposed at a third station predetermined downstream of and at a distance from the second station.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing cutout material that is at least partially severed from a web has a vacuum passage for drawing a vacuum, and a vacuum inlet plate connected to the vacuum passage. The vacuum inlet plate has an inlet edge defining at least part of an opening into the vacuum passage. The inlet edge has first and second angled edge portions that converge at first and second angles relative to the machine direction, respectively, to meet at a vertex portion. The vertex portion constitutes the rearmost portion of the inlet edge relative to the machine direction.

Abstract: The invention is a moveable presser rail assembly for supporting blanking material during operation of a blanking tool for making packaging blanks. The moveable presser rail assembly includes a mount housing having a cavity that pivotally secures a pivot sleeve, and a guide strut is secured within the pivot sleeve by a spring biasing mechanism so that a fastening end of the guide strut may be rigidly secured to a presser rail. Because the guide strut may pivot within the mount housing, the presser rail may be rigidly secured to the guide strut and still provide reciprocating and non-parallel or limited lateral motion relative to a support plate that supports the mount housing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a carton from a blank sheet of material, in line, and wrapping it about articles of a predetermined size including cutting and scoring blades which are automatically preset according to parameters previously stored, for these particular articles, in a programmable controller.

Abstract: In a method for working an elongate web of material, use is made of a machine which comprises a feeding device for feeding the web at a given speed and a cutting device for making cuts in the web. The cutting device comprises a rotary backing roll and a rotary cutting roll with a projecting cutting means. The cutting roll is adapted to move, during a first part of its revolution, the cutting means into engagement with the backing roll to form the cuts in the web and, during a second part of its revolution, define with the backing roll a gap through which the web moves essentially unimpededly. A control means is adapted to control, preferably in an infinitely variable manner, the speed of rotation of the cutting roll relative to the speed of the web during the second part of the revolution for optional adjustment of the distance between succeeding cuts in the web.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing cases for compact discs, comprising the steps of: providing a sheet-like element which forms a base element, at least one first intermediate element with a pre-cut line which delimits a containment seat, and at least one covering element with a pre-cut line which delimits an opening with a retaining edge. Folding lines are provided between the elements. The sheet-like element is folded by superimposing the first intermediate element on the base element, gluing the contact surface that is external to the containment seat; then the covering element is folded onto the first element, gluing the entire mutual contact surface; then the peripheral edges of the folded elements are trimmed; the portions delimited by the pre-cut lines are then removed in order to free the disc containment seat; and a containment cover is applied.

Abstract: With the method according to the invention for manufacturing cigarette packets of the hinge-lid type, piles of blanks 10 are mechanically and/or pneumatically handled in a packaging machine before being processed. A cleaning station 26 has for this purpose brush systems 27, 28 acting on the piles of blanks 10 and detaching the impurities from the piles of blanks. In addition, the cleaning station 26 has extraction devices 35, 36 for pneumatically handling the piles of blanks 10. With the aid of the extraction device, the impurities detached by the mechanical cleaning members are sucked away.

Abstract: A presser assembly (10) is provided for supporting carton blanking scrap during a blanking operation. The presser assembly (10) includes a presser rail (114) having a first end (116) mounted to a guide cylinder (32) and a second end (154) mounted to a second guide cylinder (32) such that each end of the presser rail is vertically movable independent of the opposite end. This, in turn, prevents jamming of the presser assembly during the blanking operation.

Abstract: A flat insulated container blank for forming the sidewall of a conventional insulated paper container made on a rotary turret single wrap cup making machine includes an inner layer of container stock, an intermediate layer of insulating material adhered to the container stock and an outer layer of label material. The blank is made from advancing webs of sheet material by a continuous form process.

Abstract: A presser assembly is provided for supporting carton blanking scrap during a blanking operation. The presser assembly includes a presser rail having a first end mounted to a guide cylinder and a second end mounted to a second guide cylinder such that each end of the presser rail is vertically movable independent of the opposite end. This, in turn, prevents jamming of the presser assembly during the blanking operation.

Abstract: As a substitute for a plastic so-called "jewel box" holder for a compact disc (CD), a holder entirely of biodegradable cardboard construction material (1) fabricated from a blank (2) delineated into panels (3) folded into a multi-ply configuration having a compartment for the CD (4) die-cut out of the configuration using a so-called "kiss cut" which provides the compartment sized and shaped to have the CD seated therein on a bottom compartment closure provided by one of the panels left intact using the "kiss cut" die-cut, such that the attributes and fabrication options of cardboard construction material are used to maximum advantage.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates an outfeed lift ramp (24) for use with a male (19) and female (18) combination of blanking dies for separating a diecut paper box blank (21) from an attendant web portion (20). Outfeed lift ramp (24) is appended to the leading edge (33) of female die member (18) adjacent to blanking through holes (32) at preselected points corresponding to a series of naturally occurring or benign box blank slots (31). During the blanking operation, the diecut and partially stripped sheet (17) is interposed over the die through holes and the upper arcuate portion of the lift ramp (38) extends through the through slots (31) of the sheet to be blanked thereby permitting the sheet to lie flush against the female die surface. After blanking, box blanks 21 are forced through female die through holes (32) and all that remains on the female die surface is a flexible and flimsy web (20).

Abstract: A machine, which is designed for converting sheets into blanks for forming packages, has at least an infeed station, a processing station for cuting and creasing the sheets of material into blanks, which processing station includes an upper and lower platen and a chain transfer conveyor for moving the sheets between the platens and any additional stations, such as waste stripping stations and delivery stations. To remove a front waste held in the gripper bars of the transfer conveyor after the blanks have been separated from the sheets, the machine includes a front waste removal station positioned above the upper platen of the processing station.

Abstract: A waste tab stripping apparatus used to form corrugated boxes from fiberboard blanks includes a mounting bracket adapted to retrofit the apparatus to a standard box-forming machine. A pair of counterrotating brushes are attached to the mounting bracket and are positioned so as to brush across the path of the blank. The brushes are longitudinally oriented so that their central axis extends at an angle substantially within the range of 5.degree. to 17.degree. relative to the direction of the path of the blank. One brush is positioned above the plane of blank and another brush is positioned below the plane of the blank. As the blank engages the stripping apparatus, the counterrotating brushes operate with a pinching force at the nip sufficient to strip the waste tab away toward the side edge of the blank. Pneumatically-powered motors are used to drive the brushes.

Abstract: Blanks (10) for producing folding boxes, etc., are severed from an advancing sheet (11), conveyed continuously, at a constant speed by first drawing rollers specifically by partial severing cuts (cutting lines 33, 34) supplementing one another and made in successive work cycles. The blanks (10) are severed from the sheet (11), with the exception of residual connections (35), and are separated completely from the sheet (11) by tearing as a result of a higher speed of additional drawing roller located downstream of the first rollers.

Abstract: An improved die cutting apparatus separates the gripper margin from the product portion and the releases the gripper margin from the gripper at the same station, i.e. at a pair of rolls. Further, the gripper margin is re-held and re-released at the pair of the rolls to prevent the gripper margins from becoming up with the product portions.

Abstract: An improved mounting system for stripper pins used in separating pre-cut areas from folding carton blanks. A system of rails, tracks, holders and brackets is provided which facilitates easy adjustment of the stripper pin location and reduces preparation time. An important feature is that the horizontal surfaces of the pin mounting brackets are of minimal area so as to prevent accumulation of scrap pieces separated from paperboard blanks from accumulating on the pin brackets and tracks. This minimizes manual clean-up work and press downtime.

Abstract: A stripping die assembly for a stripper in an in-line flat-bed press die cutting system, is prepared for installation in the press as an assembly, and removal from the press as an assembly. Upon installation, the stripping station of the press is essentially closed to enable securing the stripping die to its stationary support, and the movable template to its support before any disassembly of the stripping die from the template. After attachment to the respective press machine stripping station members, fasteners are removed to enable separation of the stripping die from the template, in perfect alignment. Following completion of a run of die cut products, the stripping station is again closed to the stripping position. Then the stripping die and template are again secured together while still attached to the press and in perfect alignment.