US3400642A - Apparatus for folding and gumming the side flaps and folding the bottom flaps in themanufacture of envelopes and the like - Google Patents

Description

K. STEMMLER 3,400,642 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND GUMMING THE SIDE Sept. 10, 1968 FLAPS AND FOLDING THE BOTTOM FLAPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l 2 2 4 t 6 6 0 m S 0 r 4" .H 3 e E h D s K. STEMMLER APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND GUMMING FLAPS AND FOLDING THE BOTTOM FLAPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND THE LIKE 1 9 7 1 n4 0 1. 1 m d e w u S F Sept. 10, 1968 STEMM R 3,400,642

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AN UMMING THE SIDE FLAPS AND FOLDING THE BOTTOM FLAPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 10, 1968 STEMMLER 3,400,642

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND GUMMING THE SIDE FLAPS AND FOLDING THE; BOTTOM FLAPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND THE LIKE Filed 001.. 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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United States Patent 07 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING AND GUMMING THE SIDE FLAPS AND FGLDING THE BOTTOM FLAPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND TIE LIKE Kurt Stemmler, Feldkirchen, near Neuwied, Germany, assignor to Richard Winkler, Neuwied, and Kurt Dunnebier, Gladbach, Germany Filed Oct. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 406,686 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 15, 1963, W 35,642 3 Claims. (Cl. 93-62) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE An apparatus for folding and gumming various portion of blanks to produce envelopes, said apparatus being adapted to feed successive blanks continuously along a predetermined path and in the course of advance of the blanks to provide scoring at the inner ends of the bottom and closure flaps, to fold inwardly the prescored side flap portions provided on the blanks, to then apply gum or adhesive material to the exposed surface of the flaps, and to then fold a bottom flap over the gummed side flaps to adhesively connect the bottom flap to the side fiaps. To achieve the foregoing objectives in a rapid and reliable manner, the means for conveying the successive blanks, through the major part of its travel during which the foregoing operations are performed, is a suction roll having a plurality of lines of openings therethrough for imparting suction to each blank along two different lines, one of these being close to the forward end of the blank which constitutes the free end of the bottom flap, and the other line of suction openings being disposed rearwardly of, but close to, the scored fold line for the bottom flap. The suction roll is preferably provided with lines of suction openings of the type mentioned in four regions whose central points are 90 apart. Each of said regions becomes successively effective upon rotation of the roll to pick up and transport a blank to be folded and gummed in the manner mentioned. After completionof the folding of the bottom flap into firm engagement with the side flaps, each blank is discharged from the suction drum and delivered to a collection point. A special feature of the apparatus is the provision of radially projecting ribs on a rotary gum applying member, and the provision on the blank carrying suction roll of grooves that are adjust able transversely of the direction of movement of the blanks, to enable certain of them to be aligned with the ribs mentioned. Another feature is the disposition of the gumming means above the suction roll, where adequate space is available for means preventing objectionable splattering of the gum.

This invention relates to a machine for the manufacture of envelopes or flat bags of paper or suitable materials, especially those envelopes and fiat bags with double side gumming, formed from a blank having a main body portion, a pair of side flaps extending therefrom, a bottom flap folded over and adhesively united to the side flaps,

3,400,642 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 ice and gummed at its side flaps, and its bottom flap is turned over onto the respective side flaps to become united therewith.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved, high speed apparatus for scoring the bottom and closure flaps and for folding and gumming the prescored side flaps and folding the bottom flaps of the blanks over onto the respective side flaps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a high speed apparatus for the manufacture of envelopes and the like which effectively prevents any smearing and splattering of the adhesive gum needed for the gumming operation at a processing speed of 800 to 1000 envelopes per minute, or even higher.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the manufacture of envelopes and the like which effectively prevents delivering, of the adhesive gum to the supporting surface of a rotating roller which carries blanks through the gum applying region, whenever a blank is missing.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

I have found that the foregoing objectives can be accomplished by using an apparatus which has a plurality of rotating elements provided with suction means transporting and directing the blanks along the desired path. The apparatus comprises in combination a large cylinder roll having a plurality of suction means, a gumming means for the side flaps of the blanks arranged above the large cylinder roll and means, for example guard plates, so arranged in connection with the gumming means as to intercept any adhesive that tends to splatter. The large cylinder roll has several sections, preferably four, adapted to hold and convey successive blanks for the purpose of folding and gumming the side flaps of said blanks and folding their bottom flaps onto the respective side flaps of the blanks. The apparatus is further constructed so that the adhesive is easily and readily prevented from being applied to a section of the large cylinder roll in the absence of a blank thereon.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, certain of the features, however, may be modified without departing from the general principles of the invention.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the relative position of various rollers and other parts of the apparatus shown in their relation to each other, but without the supporting frame structure;

FIG. 2 is a horizontally developed view of a portion of the circumferential surface of the large envelope blank carrying cylinder roll, with work pieces held thereon;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the envelope blank carrying large cylinder roll taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2 and of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the angular line IVIV of FIG. 3, in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the circumferential wall of the large cylinder roll, taken along the line VV of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the position of the envelope blank upon the starting of the folding of the bottom flap.

General construction Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2', 3, 4 and 5, the embodiment of my invention there illustrated comprises a prescoring roller 1 and mating roller 4. Roller 1 has prescoring knives 2 and 3 to provide the score line 12 for the bottom flap and score line 12' for the closure flap fold, respectively. Roller 5, with a plurality of suction holes 6, cooperating with a mating roller 7, serves to deflect the front edge of the bottom flap of the blank towards the nip of rollers 8 and 9, the radial distance between the axes of which is adjustable. Rollers 8 and 9 serve to convey the blank 10 while its side flaps 11 are folded inwards by loops 14 positioned adjacent the opposite marginal edges of the path of travel of the blank. The loops or folders 14 have their inner edges angularly disposed inwardly in the direction of travel of the blank and their longitudinal configuration substantially sinusoidal in form, as shown in FIG. 1, to fold over the side flaps of the blanks as the latter are advanced, in a manner known in the art.

The large blank conveying roller 15 has four rows of suction holes 16 distributed uniformly around its circumference, with each row extending parallel with the axis of the roller, and four similarly distributed rows of suction holes 17. The rows of suction holes 17 are arranged on a member 18 having radially extending arms and cross bars interconnecting laterally spaced pairs of such arms, said member being swingable about the center of rotation of the large conveyor roller 15 and retained in a selected position in relation thereto. The distance of each of the rows of suction holes 17 from a related one of the rows of suction holes .16 can be changed by turning the crosswise arms 18 in the direction indicated by the U double-ended arrow 19. Suction holes 16 hold the blank material tightly behind the prescored line 12 of the bottom flap of the blank and suction holes 17 hold the blank tightly behind the front edge 13 of the blank. Arms 18 are carried by the roller 15 and are rotated therewith, but

as indicated above they may be adjusted angularly relative to the roller 15. The rollers 20 are conveyor rollers supported by the frame of the machine and are of such length that they do not grasp the blank in the region of the side flaps 11. The rollers 21 engage the side flaps 11 and complete the folding of the side flaps and cause them to lie fiat in conformity with the surface of roller 15. Guides for the blanks which are not shown are provided in customary manner between the rollers 4, 7, 9 and 20, and serve to direct the blanks along the proper path onto and around roller 15.

Above the roller 15 are located the gummers 22, the applicator segments 23 of which are alternatively active and receive adhesive from the reservoir 26 via a scoop roller 24 and a transfer roller 25. Interception plates, for preventing splattering of adhesive onto undesired surfaces of the machine, are schematically shown at 27 and 28, these being carried by the frame structure of the machine in any suitable manner.

The gumming device is followed by a suction roller 30 having a plurality of suction holes 31, a bottom-flap folding roller 33 and a suction roller 34 having a plurality of suction holes 35, the manner of operation of which will be hereinafter described. All the rollers coming into contact with the blank rotate continuously with the same circumferential speed.

The main body of the conveyor roller 15 consists of two rings 41 and 42 at opposite sides thereof, each having spokes 43 and 44, respectively, and hubs 45 and 46, respectively, which are secured to the shaft 47. Rings 41 and 42 are connected with each other by four uniformly distributed cross arms 48 and four additional cross arms 49. The rings and the cross arms are rotated together in the operation of the machine. Each of the four cross arms 4-8 has a suction air channel 50 which is closed at the end adjacent ring 42 and extends towards the ring 41 into an opening or slot 51. The opening 51 is connected during a portion of a revolution of cylinder 15, with a vacuum source via a controller head 52 which is held stationary against rotation with the rotatable shaft 47 and is provided, in a readily understood manner, with an arcuate slot 53, beginning in a region adjacent roller 29 (FIG. 1) and terminating in a region adjacent roller 34. A pipe 54-, which may be flexible and leads to the vacuum producing means, is connected into the passage 53 at any suitable point. From each suction air channel 5% a number of suction holes 16 lead outward through suction strips 55 that are firmly attached by screws 64 or the like onto the cross arms 48.

A pair of rings 56 and 57 (FIG. 4) are turnable to a certain angle on the spokes 43 and 44 and can be clamped fast in any desired position in relation to said spokes by any suitable means, not shown. Rings 56 and 5'] are connected with each other, in suitably spaced relation by the four uniformly distributed arms 18. Each arm 18 has a suction air channel 58 which leads outwardly to an opening 59 extending through the ring 57.

The opening or passage 59 is connected intermittently with a vacuum producing source via control head 60 which is rotatably adjustable on the shaft 47 and has an arcuate control slot 61 and a pipe 62, which may be flexible, leadim, "o the vacuum producing source. Arcuate control slot begins in a region just below roller 20 and terminates in a region just in advance of roller 30. Control slots 53 and 61 which provide for controlling the period in each cycle during which vacuum or suction is provided at the rows of suction holes 16 and 17 are independent of each other.

The surface of the large suction roller 15 is formed by segments having the shape of circular arcs which, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, are fastened by countersunl' screws 64 to cross arms 48 and 49. In the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 narrow segments 65 and 66 are so fastened in front of the suction strips 55 that they provide arcuate openings through the outer surface of roller 15 in which the suction holes 17 of the arms 18 are provided. This enables the circumferential adjustment of suction holes 17 arranged in a row, while circular segments 66 serve to provide support for the bottom flaps of the blank. Behind each of the suction strips 55, i.e. toward the left in FIG. 2, a central segment 67 and two outer segments 68 are firmly screwed onto the cross arms 48 and 49.

Each of the outer segments 68 has a plurality of recesses or grooves 69, FIGS. 2 and 5, for the purpose explained below, and elongated holes 70 for the fastening screws 64. The elongated holes 70 make possible axial displacement of the segments 68 in such a manner that in the case of different envelope formats one groove 69 can always be brought below the position 11' of each side flap to be gummed in alinement with the gumming segment 23. Smearing of the surface of the roller with adhesive, should a blank be absent, is thus prevented in a very simple manner.

In the case of a gluing which does not proceed parallel to the side edges of the envelope, the grooves 69 in the segments 68 are provided at a corresponding angle.

General operation The apparatus described in the foregoing operates as follows: Referring to FIGURES l-6, blanks 10 which have been prescored at the folding lines of the side flaps pass individually one behind the other between the scoring roller 1 and mating roller 4, and are scored at 12 and 12' by the scoring knives 2 and 3. The scoring 12 for the fold line of the bottom flap lies forwardly, in the direction of conveyance of the blank, in relation to the scoring 12' for the fold line of the closure flap. As soon as the front edge 13 of a blank comes between the suction roller 5 andthe mating roller 7, the blank is drawn in for a short time just behind its front edge by a series of suction holes 6 and is deflected upwards by roller 5. The blank is directed, with the aid of fixed guides (not shown in the drawing) into the nip between the rollers 8 and 9, while its side flaps 11 are folded inward by about by the two loops 14. By means well understood in the art, the suction will be applied at the holes 6 only as the latter travel through an arc of about 90 to direct the blank in the manner indicated. As the side flaps 11 engage loops 14, the flaps are first raised and then deflected inwardly toward the main body portion of the blank between score lines 12 and 12' through an angle of about 120. As the result of the curvature of the roller 15, the side flaps as well as the other portions of the blank are then placed automatically substantially flat against the contour of roller 15, and the folding of the side flaps is completed by rollers 21. Shortly before the frontedge 13 of the blank comes below the rollers 20 which act inwardly of the fold lines of the side flaps, the blank is drawn in just behind its front edge by the plurality of suction holes 17 and carried along by the roller 15. The row of suction holes 16, after further rotation of the roller 15, grasp the blank just behind the prescoring line 12 of its bottom flap (see FIG. '2). The suction holes which are not covered by the blank are closed in a customary manner by adhesive tape or in any other suitable fashion. Upon passage below the gumming segments 23 both side flaps are provided with a strip of adhesive 11', the adhesive being any of the conventional adhesives known in the art. As soon as the front edge 13 of the blank has come into cooperation with the suction roller 30 the vacuum is released from the suction holes 17 of the roller and the forward end of the blank is briefly carried along by the suction holes 31, as a result of which the blank comes into the position shown in FIG. 6, At this time the vacuum is released from'suction holes 31. Since the suction holes 16 continue to hold fast behind the prescoring line 12 of the bottom flap, the bottom flap upon further rotation of the roller 15 is folded over below the roller 30 and carried between the roller 33 and the suction strips 55 of the roller 15. Finally the blank comes with the folded glue bottom flap between the roller 34 and the roller 15. The suction holes 16 release it because the arcuate control slot 53 from suction pipe 54 terminates at this point, and the suction then provided through holes 35 of the roller 34, over an arc of about 90, grasp it and carry it along on the path indicated by the arrows to the closure-flap folding station and the delivery station, which are not shown in the drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the production of envelopes and the like in which each of a series of blanks having a main body portion, a bottom flap, side flaps and a sealing flap, with the folding edges for the side flaps prescored, is uniformly advanced and in the course of its advance is folded and gummed at its side flaps and thereafter its bottom flap is turned over and adhesively attached to its side flaps, which comprises in combination means for advancing successive blanks along a predetermined path, a continuously revolving suction roll in said path for receiving and conveying successive blanks during the performance of the folding, gumming and attaching steps specified, said advancing means being arranged to deliver each blank in a direction substantially tangent to said suction roll, said advancing means including means for prescoring the blanks along the lines in which their bottom flaps and closure flaps are to be folded, means for inwardly folding the side flaps of each blank as the latter is advanced toward and then by said suction roll, gumming means for applying adhesive to the exposed surfaces of the side flaps, and means for folding the bottom flap over the side flaps as each blank is further advanced by said suction roll, said suction roll being provided With a plurality of uniformly arranged rows of suction holes extending across the outer circumferential portion of said suction roll to hold successive blanks tightly in a region just behind the prescored line along which their bottom flaps are to be folded, said suction roll being further provided with an equal number of additional rows of suction holes substantially parallel with and adjustable in their distance from the first mentioned suction holes, the additional suction holes being arranged to pick up and hold each blank tightly just behind its forwardmost edge.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said gumming means comprises a roller having spaced circumferentially extending ribs thereon, and means are provided on said suction roll for supporting the side fiaps of the blanks to be gummed, said last mentioned means being provided with recessed grooves and being adjustable transversely to the direction of conveyance of the blanks to enable certain of the recessed grooves to be brought below said ribs.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein control means, independent of each other, are provided for controlling the portion of a rotation of the suction roll in which vacuum is applied respectively at the first mentioned and the additional rows of suction holes provided in the suction roll, said control means for the additional rows of suction holes being adapted to discontinue the application of a vacuum to said suction holes at an earlier point in a revolution of the suction roll than said control means for the first mentioned rows of suction holes discontinues the application of a vacuum to those holes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,385 3/1954 Johenning 9384 830,612 9/1906 Phillips 1182l3 2,615,422 10/ 1952 Ackley 118-221 2,800,841 7/ 1957 Walsh 93--62 2,944,470 7/ 1960 Doetsch 9362 3,116,668 1/1964 Novick 93-62 WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner.

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