Carton opening device

Claim 2

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of transfer means movable in one direction only from the carton storage station to the carton opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, said transfer means including carton engaging means mounted on an endless conveyor for movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor, said carton engaging means including catch means for engaging an edge of a carton to be transferred and panel engaging suction cup means positioned in advance of its associated catch means for engaging a panel of the carton to be opened.

Claim 3

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 1 including six sets of carton engaging elements uniformly spaced about said conveyor means.

Claim 4

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 2 including rotary suction distributor means connected to each of said suction cups so as to cyclically apply a suction to said cups as required.

Claim 5

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suction cup means is disposed closely adjacent said edge engaging catch means so as to engage a panel which has one edge in contact with said catch means.

Claim 6

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said catch means comprises an inverted U-shaped bracket extending transversely of the direction of movement of the conveyor means.

Claim 7

A carton storage means for use in a carton storage station of a carton loading machine as claimed in claim 1 for opening knocked down cartons having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, said carton storage means comprising, a. storage means for storing a plurality of knocked down cartons in a face to face stacked relationship, b. said storage means having a discharge opening adjacent one edge thereof and retainer means for preventing the direct discharge of cartons through said discharge opening, c. primary drive means for urging a stack of cartons towards said discharge, and d. secondary drive means for urging at least a leading carton to a predetermined pick-off position, said secondary drive means including resilient roller means disposed above and below the path of travel of cartons through the storage station, said roller means being positioned adjacent said discharge end of said storage means and extending into the path of travel of the stacked cartons.

Claim 8

A carton opening machine for use in opening knock down cartons of the type which include four hingedly connected side walls arranged two on either side of the knocked down fold lines, one pair of walls being outwardly directed and the other pair of walls being inwardly directed, as claimed in claim 6, further including, first detector means for detecting the presence or absence of one or said outwardly directed side walls of a leading carton and second detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the other of said outwardly directed side walls, said first detecting means being operative to activate one of said resilient roller means and the second detector means being operative to activate the other of said roller means as required in order to position the foremost carton at said pick-off position.

Claim 9

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and second detecting means comprises microswitch means operative in the electrical drive circuit of said secondary drive means.

Claim 10

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of transfer means movable in one direction oNly from the carton storage station to the carton opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, and a carton dispenser for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between the stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means including a frame and suction cups mounted on the frame to reciprocate relative to said frame between a first forward position and a second retracted position and latch means for retaining a carton in the second position after it is moved to the second position by the reciprocating movement of the suction cups.

Claim 11

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of transfer means movable in one direction oNly from the carton storage station to the carton opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, and a carton dispenser for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between the stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means including a frame and suction cups mounted on the frame to reciprocate relative to said frame between a first forward position and a second retracted position and latch means for retaining a carton in the second position after it is moved to the second position by the reciprocating movement of the suction cups.

Claim 12

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said carton engaging means comprises a frame, a pair of arms pivotably mounted at their inner ends on said frame to pivot about an axis which is disposed centrally of the width of the storage station, adjacent the pick-off position of a carton, and in a plane which is parallel to the side edges of the cartons, said arms extending from opposite sides of said frame, the support arm extending longitudinally from each of said arms to a position overlying the discharge end of the carton storage means, a pair of reciprocating suction cup means mounted on each of said support arms and spaced longitudinally thereof, said suction cup means being adapted to reciprocate relative to said support arms in a direction towards and away from the open end of the carton storage station, latch means mounted to pivot on each of said support arms between the first elevated position to permit a carton to be drawn inwardly thereof towards said support arms and a second lowered position in which a portion of the latch is located outwardly of a carton to retain portions of a carton against movement away from said support arms, and means for urging said latch means towards said second position.

Claim 13

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of transfer means movable in one direction only from the carton storage station to the carton opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, and a carton opening device for opening knocked down cartons having two pair of side walls centrally connected along knocked down hinge lines and including a first and a second wall panel disposed on opposite sides of said hinge line and means for engaging said first panel and means for engaging said second panel to move said second panel in an arc to open the carton and deposit it in an open configuration in a suitable receiver, said means for engaging said second wall panel being mounted for rotation about a fixed axis in one direction only, said means for engaging said second wall comprising suction cup means mounted on an arm which extends radially outwardly from said fixed axis.

Claim 14

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of transfer means movable in one direction only from the carton storage station to the carton opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, and a carton opening device for opening knocked down cartons having two pair of side walls centrally connected along knocked down hinge lines and including a first and a second wall panel disposed on opposite sides of said hinge line and means for engaging said first panel and means for engaging said second panel to move said second panel in an arc to open the carton and deposit it in an open configuration in a suitable receiver, said means for engaging said second wall panel being mounted for rotation about a fixed axis in one direction only, said means for engaging said second wall comprising suction cup means mounted on an arm which extends radially outwardly from said fixed axis.

Claim 15

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for engaging said second wall comprises at least two arms extending radially outwardly from said fixed axis, each of said arms having suction cup means mounted thereon for engaging a face of a carton in use.

Claim 16

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said suction cup means is pivotally mounted on said radially extending arm to pivot about an axis parallel to said fixed axis to permit said suction cup to be aligned with a carton face which is disposed in a plane slightly removed from the planes which are tangential to the suction cup means as it rotates about said fixed axis.

Claim 17

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 13 including spring means for biasing said pivotally mounted cup means in the direction of rotation of the cup means about said fixed axis.

Claim 18

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 14 including lug means disposed between said tangentially therefrom in a direction opposite to the direction of rotatin of the suction cup means to mechanically prevent the face of the carton engaged by the suction cups from returning to its knocked down configuration after release of the suction cups.

Claim 19

A carton storage station of a carton loading machine for opening knocked down cartons having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, said carton storage means comprising, a. storage means for storing a plurality of knocked down cartons in a face to face stacked relationship, b. said storage means having a discharge opening adjacent one edge thereof and retainer means for preventing the direct discharge of cartons through said discharge opening, c. primary drive means for urging a stack of cartons towards said discharge, and d. secondary drive means for urging at least a leading carton to a predetermined pick-off position, said secondary drive means including resilient roller means disposed above and below the path of travel of cartons through the storage station, said roller means being positioned adjacent said discharge end of said storage means and extending into the path of travel of the stacked cartons.

Claim 20

A carton storage station of a carton loading machine for opening knocked down cartons having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, said carton storage means comprising, a. storage means for storing a plurality of knocked down cartons in a face to face stacked relationship, b. said storage means having a discharge opening adjacent one edge thereof and retainer means for preventing the direct discharge of cartons through said discharge opening, c. primary drive means for urging a stack of cartons towards said discharge, and d. secondary drive means for urging at least a leading carton to a predetermined pick-off position, said secondary drive means including resilient roller means disposed above and below the path of travel of cartons through the storage station, said roller means being positioned adjacent said discharge end of said storage means and extending into the path of travel of the stacked cartons.

Claim 21

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 16 including detecting means for detecting the presence of absence of a carton at said pick-off position, said detecting means being operative to activate said secondary drive means when the absence of a carton from said pick-off position is detected and to deactivate said secondary drive means when the presence of a carton at said pick-off position is detected.

Claim 22

A carton opening machine for use in opening knock down carton of the type which include four hingedly connected side walls arranged two on either side of the knocked down fold lines, one pair of walls being outwardly directed and the other pair of walls being inwardly directed, as claimed in claim 16, further including, first detector means for detecting the presence or absence of one or said outwardly directed side walls of a leading carton and second detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the other of said outwardly directed side walls, said first detecting means being operative to activate one of said resilient roller means and the second detector means being operative to activate the other of said roller means as required in order to position the foremost carton at said pick-off position.

Claim 23

A carton opening machine as claimed in claim 18 wherein said first and second detecting means comprises microswitch means operative in the electrical drive circuit of said secondary drive means.

Claim 24

A carton opening device for use in a carton opening machine for opening knocked down cartons having two pair of side walls centrally connected along knocked down hinge lines and including a first and a second wall panel disposed on opposite sides of said hinge line and means for engaging said first panel and means for engaging said second panel to move said second panel in an arc to open the carton and deposit it in an open configration in a suitable receiver, the improvement wherein said means for engaging said second wall panel is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis in one direction only, said means for engaging said second wall comprising suction cup means mounted on an arm which extends radially outwardly from said fixed axis.

Claim 25

A carton opening device for use in a carton opening machine for opening knocked down cartons having two pair of side walls centrally connected along knocked down hinge lines and including a first and a second wall panel disposed on opposite sides of said hinge line and means for engaging said first panel and means for engaging said second panel to move said second panel in an arc to open the carton and deposit it in an open configration in a suitable receiver, the improvement wherein said means for engaging said second wall panel is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis in one direction only, said means for engaging said second wall comprising suction cup means mounted on an arm which extends radially outwardly from said fixed axis.

Claim 26

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 20 wherein said means for engaging said second wall comprises at least two arms extending radially outwardly from said fixed axis, each of said arms having suction cup means mounted thereon for engaging a face of a carton.

Claim 27

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 20 wherein said suction cup means is pivotally mounted on said radially extending arm to pivot about an axis parallel to said fixed axis to permit said suction cup to be aligned with a carton face which is disposed in a plane slightly removed from the planes which are tangential to the suction cup means as it rotates about said fixed axis.

Claim 28

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 22 including spring means for biasing said pivotally mounted cup means in the direction of rotation of the cup means about said fixed axis.

Claim 29

A carton opening device as claimed in claim 23 including lug means disposed between said suction cup means and said fixed axis and extending substantially tangentially therefrom in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the suction cup means to mechanically prevent the face of the carton engaged by the suction cups from returning to its knocked down configuration after release of the suction cups.

Claim 30

A carton dispenser for use in a carton opening machine for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, the actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means including a frame and suction cups mounted on the frame to reciprocate relative to said frame between a first forward position and a second retracted position and latch means for retaining a carton in the second position after it is moved to the second position by the reciprocating movement of the suction cups.

Claim 31

A carton dispenser for use in a carton opening machine for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, the actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means including a frame and suction cups mounted on the frame to reciprocate relative to said frame between a first forward position and a second retracted position and latch means for retaining a carton in the second position after it is moved to the second position by the reciprocating movement of the suction cups.

Claim 32

A carton dispenser for use in a carton opening machine for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, the actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between the stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means comprising a frame, a pair of arms pivotably mounted at their inner Nds on said frame to pivot about an axis which is disposed centrally of the width of the storage station, adjacent the pick-off position of a carton, and in a plane which is parallel to the side edges of the cartons, said arms extending from opposite sides of said frame, the support arm extending longitudinally from each of said arms to a position overlying the discharge end of the carton storage means, a pair of reciprocating suction cup means mounted on each of said support arms and spaced longitudinally thereof, said suction cup means being adapted to reciprocate relative to said support arms in a direction towards and away from the open end of the carton storage station, latch means mounted to pivot on each of said support arms between the first elevated position to permit a carton to be drawn inwardly thereof towards said support arms and a second lowered position in which a portion of the latch is located outwardly of a carton to retain portions of a carton against movement away from said support arms, and means for urging said latch means towards said second position.

Claim 33

A carton dispenser for use in a carton opening machine for at least partially removing a carton from a stack of knocked down cartons arranged in a face to face relationship, each carton having a pair of oppositely disposed side edges and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse edges, an outwardly directed face and an inwardly directed face, the dispenser comprising, carton engaging means for engaging an outwardly directed face of an outermost carton and at least one predetermined location, the actuator means for moving said carton engaging means between an inner position to engage the face of the outermost carton and an outer position to withdraw portions of the carton engaged thereby away from the next carton to provide a gap therebetween and stop means for limiting the extent of withdrawal of a predetermined portion of the carton engaged by said carton engaging means, said stop means being located centrally of the carton between the side edges thereof and said carton engaging means engages portions of a carton disposed between the stop means and each side edge of the carton, said carton engaging means comprising a frame, a pair of arms pivotably mounted at their inner Nds on said frame to pivot about an axis which is disposed centrally of the width of the storage station, adjacent the pick-off position of a carton, and in a plane which is parallel to the side edges of the cartons, said arms extending from opposite sides of said frame, the support arm extending longitudinally from each of said arms to a position overlying the discharge end of the carton storage means, a pair of reciprocating suction cup means mounted on each of said support arms and spaced longitudinally thereof, said suction cup means being adapted to reciprocate relative to said support arms in a direction towards and away from the open end of the carton storage station, latch means mounted to pivot on each of said support arms between the first elevated position to permit a carton to be drawn inwardly thereof towards said support arms and a second lowered position in which a portion of the latch is located outwardly of a carton to retain portions of a carton against movement away from said support arms, and means for urging said latch means towards said second position.

Claim 34

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of an endless transfer conveyor having a portion of its length extending from the carton storage station to the carton opening station and movable from the storage station to the opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, carton engaging means mounted on said endless transfer conveyor for movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor, said carton engaging means including edge engaging means for engaging an edge of a carton to be transferred and panel engaging suction cup means positioned in advance of its associated edge engaging means for engaging a panel of the carton to be opened.

Claim 35

In a carton loading machine having a knock down carton storage station, an open carton receiving station, a carton opening station disposed between the carton storage station and the open carton receiving station, the improvement of an endless transfer conveyor having a portion of its length extending from the carton storage station to the carton opening station and movable from the storage station to the opening station to transfer a carton therebetween, carton engaging means mounted on said endless transfer conveyor for movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor, said carton engaging means including edge engaging means for engaging an edge of a carton to be transferred and panel engaging suction cup means positioned in advance of its associated edge engaging means for engaging a panel of the carton to be opened.

Claim 36

A carton opening device for use in a carton opening machine as claimed in claim 27 for opening knocked down cartons having two pair of side walls centrally connected along knocked down hinge lines and including a first and a second wall panel disposed on opposite sides of said hinge line and means for engaging said first panel and means for engaging said second panel to move said second panel in an arc to open the carton and deposit it in an open configuration in a suitable receiver, the improvement wherein said means for engaging said second wall panel comprises suction cup means mounted on an arm which extends radially outwardly and is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis in one direction only.