The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 24, 1993
Filed:
Oct. 11, 1991
Philip S LaChapelle, Tega Cay, SC (US);
Roberts Systems, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
A carton blank prefeeding apparatus generally comprising a carton blank stack magazine situated above a conveyor. The conveyor is preferably tri-sectional, having a blank withdrawal section, an intermediate section and a delivery section. Typically, the blank withdrawal section and the delivery section are pivotally attached to the supporting subframe, thus allowing adjustment of the relative angles of inclination between successive conveyor sections. An upper conveyor may be situated above the delivery section to cooperate therewith in the delivery of the blanks. A center driven pulley may be utilized to drive the tri-sectional conveyor directly, as well as the upper conveyor via an interconnecting drive belt. A pair of opposing blank flexing members situated laterally of the conveyor facilitate the removal of debris on the blanks. The process of the invention contemplates first providing a stack of carton blanks. Second, individual blanks are removed from the bottom of the stack in shingled arrangement. Next, the blanks are flexed while in the shingled arrangement such that they are convex. Then the blanks are restacked.