Packing machine

Abstract

A packing machine for cigarettes comprises a number of rotatable drums which are driven intermittently. Carton blanks and foil-wrapped bundles of cigarettes are fed by separate transfer drums to a common wrapping drum, which has pockets into each of which is inserted first a blank and then a cigarette bundle. Partial folding of the blank occurs while it is on the blank transfer drum, further folding as it is inserted into a pocket of the wrapping drum, and yet further folding after insertion of the cigarette bundle. The blank is partially gummed before it reaches the blank transfer drum and further gumming is effected on a further drum to which the cigarette bundles with their (now folded) blanks are transferred from the wrapping drum.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A packing machine comprising a. a first rotatably mounted drum having a plurality of pockets in the periphery thereof, each for receiving a carton blank and subsequently an article to be contained therein,   b. first functional means arranged to insert carton blanks in succession into each of said pockets, said first functional means including means for partially folding and sealing said carton blank forming the base panel with four adjacent perpendicular side panels, the remaining panels attached to at least one of said side panels being left unfolded and unsealed,   c. second functional means arranged to insert at least one article into each of said partially folded cartons in succession while said partially folded cartons are retained in said pockets,   d. at least one further rotatably mounted drum having a plurality of pockets therein,   e. means for transferring each partially folded carton with the article contained therein between two pockets, each in a different drum,   f. third functional means arranged to fold and seal the remaining panels of said carton blank to complete formation of the carton after insertion of the article, and   g. means for driving the drums intermittently to bring each partially folded carton to successive predetermined positions.   
     
     
       2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said third functional means comprises stationary folders engageable by said panels of each blank while the driving means is operative. 
     
     
       3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said one drum carries at least one plunger arranged to serve as the means for transferring blanks with articles from the pockets of one drum to the pockets of another drum, and said third functional means includes fourth functional means associated with said further drum and arranged to apply gum to portions of each blank carried by the further drum and fifth functional means for drying the gum so applied. 
     
     
       4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, including means for applying gum to portions of each carton blank before insertion thereof in one of the pockets of said one drum. 
     
     
       5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, including a blank feed conveyor and a blank transfer drum also associated with the driving means and adapted to transfer the carton blanks one at a time from said blank feed conveyor to the pockets of said one drum. 
     
     
       6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, including means for gumming portions of each blank and means for folding one panel of said blank, both said gumming and said folding means being associated with said blank feed conveyor so as to operate successively on each blank carried thereby. 
     
     
       7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, including further functional means comprising stationary folders associated with said blank transfer drum to fold portions of each blank as said drum carries the blank past said folders. 
     
     
       8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, including an article transfer drum arranged to deliver an article to each pocket of said one drum after that pocket has received a carton blank. 
     
     
       9. A machine as claimed in claim 8, including an additional transfer drum arranged to receive finished packets and transfer said packets to an output conveyor, and means associated with said additional transfer drum for rejecting faulty packets before they reach said output conveyor. 
     
     
       10. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partially folding and sealing means comprises a. means for folding four side panels joined about four sides of said base panel to positions perpendicular to said base panel,   b. means for folding two tabs on opposite ends of each of two of said side panels to positions perpendicular to said two side panels, said two side panels being at opposite sides of said base panel, and   c. means for gumming the other two side panels on the other two opposite sides of said base panel and extending between said opposite ends of said first two side panels,   d. whereby said tabs are glued to said other two side panels when said first functional means inserts each carton blank in a pocket.   
     
     
       11. A machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first functional means includes conveyor means for feeding blanks in succession and a rotatably mounted transfer drum driven by said driving means adapted to transfer the carton blanks one at a time from said conveyor to the pockets of said first drum. 
     
     
       12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein said second functional means includes an article transfer drum driven by said driving means and arranged to deliver an article to each pocket of said first drum after receiving a carton blank. .Iadd. 13. A machine for folding carton blanks into cartons and packing said cartons wherein each said carton blank comprises a rectangular base panel having two first sides at opposite sides thereof and two second sides at opposite sides thereof and extending between said first sides, at least one first side panel joined to each of said two first sides of said base panel, at least one side of each first side panel being in substantial alignment with one of said two second sides of said base panel, a second side panel joined to each of said second sides of said base panel, and a tab joined to each of said first side panels at said one side thereof, said machine comprising in combination: a. a first rotatable drum having pockets, each adapted to accommodate a partially formed carton and an article within the latter;   b. a reservoir for said carton blanks;   c. means for feeding said carton blanks successively from said reservoir;   d. means for partially folding and sealing portions of each carton blank comprising means for folding said side panels to positions transverse to the plane of said base panel, means for folding said tabs to positions transverse to the respective planes of said first side panels, and means for gumming predetermined portions of said carton blank;   e. means for inserting a partially folded carton blank into each of said pockets in said first drum in succession such that said second side panels are joined to said tabs whereby a partially folded and sealed carton is located in each pocket of said first drum;   f. a second rotatable drum having pockets adapted to carry a succession of articles for insertion into said partially folded and sealed cartons;   g. driving means for rotating said drums intermittently in synchronism whereby pockets of said second drum are in succession brought into register with successive pockets in said first drum;   h. means for transferring said articles in succession from pockets of said second drum into said partially folded and sealed cartons contained in said successive pockets of said first drum; and   i. means operative thereafter for folding and adhesively securing remaining portions of said blanks thereby to complete the formation of the cartons.