Claims
- 1. A method of assembling commodities with components of confining means therefor, particularly of confining arrays of paper stacks in converted blanks of cardboard or the like, comprising
- (a) the first step of transporting successive commodities to a predetermined position at a first level;
- (b) the second step of conveying successive first components into register with the respective commodities in said position;
- (c) the third step of jointly moving successive commodities and the respective first components to a second level;
- (d) the fourth step of advancing successive commodities and the respective first components along a first predetermined path in a predetermined direction;
- (e) the fifth step of converting, not later than in the course of said fourth step, successive first components into receptacles which partially surround the respective commodities;
- (f) the sixth step of conveying successive second components of confining means to a predetermined position of register with oncoming commodities and the respective receptacles in a predetermined portion of said first path;
- (g) the seventh step of jointly moving the second components with the respective commodities and receptacles to a third level and simultaneously moving the second components with the respective commodities and receptacles in said predetermined direction;
- (h) the eighth step of advancing the second components and the respective commodities and receptacles along a second path; and
- (i) the ninth step of converting, not later than in the course of said eighth step, successive second components into second receptacles each of which at least partially surrounds the remaining portion of the respective commodity.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said fourth step includes continuously advancing the commodities and the respective first components along said first path.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first level is above said second level.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said eighth step includes uninterruptedly advancing the commodities, the respective receptacles and the respective second components along said second path.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of guiding successive commodities in the course of said first step so that each such commodity is transported to the same predetermined position.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second step includes changing the orientation of successive first components during conveying toward the positions of register with the respective commodities.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second step includes changing the orientation of successive first components through between 75 and 105 degrees, including moving each of said components from a substantially vertical plane into a substantially horizontal plane.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said second step further includes moving successive first components in said horizontal plane toward the positions of register with the respective commodities.
- 9. Apparatus for assembling commodities with components of confining means therefor, particularly for confining arrays of paper stacks in converted blanks of cardboard or the like, comprising
- (a) means for transporting successive commodities of a series of such commodities to a predetermined position at a first level;
- (b) means for conveying successive first components of a series of first components into register with successive commodities in said predetermined position;
- (c) means for jointly moving successive commodities and the respective first components from said first level to a different second level;
- (d) means for advancing successive commodities and the respective first components in a predetermined direction along a first predetermined path;
- (e) means for converting, not later than in said first path, successive first components into receptacles which partially surround the respective commodities;
- (f) means for conveying successive second components of a series of second components to a predetermined position in a predetermined portion of said first path so that each second component is in register with the oncoming commodity;
- (g) means for jointly moving successive second components and the corresponding commodities and receptacles from said second level to a different third level, at least one of said means (f) and (g) including means for jointly moving successive commodities and the respective receptacles and second components in said predetermined direction while such commodities and the respective receptacles and second components move between said second and third levels;
- (h) means for advancing successive second components, together with the corresponding receptacles and commodities, along a second predetermined path; and
- (i) means for converting, not later than in said second path, successive second components into second receptacles each of which at least partially surrounds the remaining portion of the respective commodity.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said moving means comprises means (c) for lowering successive commodities and the respective components from said first to said second level.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said converting means (e) includes a portion which is adjacent to said moving means (c) so that a portion of each first component is converted into a portion of the respctive r eceptacle during movement with the respective commodity from said first to said second level.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said advancing means includes means (d) for continuously advancing successive commodities and the respective first components along said first path.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said second level is above said first level.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said conveying means (b) comprises means for changing the orientation of successive first components on their way toward positions or register with the respective commodities in said predetermined position at said first level.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said orientation changing means comprises means for moving successive first components of said the respective series from a substantially vertical plane into a substantially horizontal plane.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said conveying means (b) further comprises means for conveying successive first components in said horizontal plane toward positions of register with the respective commodities in said predetermined positions at said first level.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said conveying means (b) includes means for placing successive first components of the respective series on top of the respective commodities in said predetermined position at said first level.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 730,872 filed May 3, 1985.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
730872 |
May 1985 |
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