Bobst Group, Inc.

Luc-Andre Neuenschwander

Daniel Cugnoni

Michael A Schenone

Kevin Marston

The disclosed squaring device utilizes an upper squaring carriage with compression belts and pneumatically actuated squaring fingers. In one embodiment, the upper squaring carriage includes at least three compression belts. At least one of the compression belts, central to the other belts, is positioned to apply direct pressure to the glued seam after the upper panels and lower panels are aligned. As a folded box reaches the end of the folding section and enters the squaring section, the moveable belt is raised so as not to apply pressure directly to the glued seam. The drive belts on either side of the seam maintain the box in compression. As the box approaches the squaring fingers, it passes a sensor that sends a signal to a programmable logic controller. At a selected time, depending on the conveyor belt speed, the controller actuates a pneumatic piston that drives a rack and pinion mechanism to rotate the squaring fingers into position to intercept the box travel. The bottom panel arrives at the fingers first, is stopped by the fingers, and slips on the lower conveyor belt. The upper compression belts continue to drive the upper panels forward until they arc also stopped by the squaring fingers, bringing the box precisely square. The squaring fingers are then retracted, permitting the squared box to continue through the machine. In a second embodiment of the inventive device the upper squaring carriage includes two compression belts, with squaring fingers positioned outward of the belts, with respect to the center line of the conveyor. The embodiments share the feature that the belts are controlled to exert a lower pressure on the boxes during the squaring operation and a higher pressure on the boxes after they are brought into square.

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Ballaigues, Switzerland

Luc-Andre Neuenschwander