U.S. patent number 3,650,655 [Application Number 04/883,940] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-21 for apparatus for forming and stacking container lids.
Invention is credited to Ioannis A. Santouris.
United States Patent |
3,650,655 |
Santouris |
March 21, 1972 |
APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND STACKING CONTAINER LIDS
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to improvements in
apparatus for forming relatively shallow container lids and the
like and more particularly to apparatus for (i.e., production of
such lids from heated plastic sheet material. The present
application discloses apparatus for feeding a web of heated plastic
sheet material to a forming station. The forming station comprises
a mold cavity positioned above the heated sheet material, and a
plunger means beneath the sheet material. Relative movement between
the mold cavity and plunger means causes a shallow container lid or
the like to be formed and sheared from the sheet stock. Means
superimposing the plunger means is provided for successively
receiving completely formed lids and positioning them in stacked
relation.
Inventors: |
Santouris; Ioannis A. (Chicago,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
25383629 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/883,940 |
Filed: |
December 10, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
425/289; 425/388;
425/422; 425/416 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C
51/32 (20130101); B29C 33/442 (20130101); B29C
51/44 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
33/44 (20060101); B29C 51/32 (20060101); B29C
51/30 (20060101); B29C 51/26 (20060101); B29C
51/44 (20060101); B29c 017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;18/19F,19BC,19R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kilby, Jr.; H. A.
Claims
I claim:
1. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like from heated plastic sheet material comprising
means for supporting a sheet of such material in plastic condition,
a female mold cavity means positioned immediately above a supported
sheet, plunger means disposed on the underside of a supported sheet
in alignment with said female mold cavity, said mold cavity and the
upper portions of said plunger means cooperatively defining a
relatively shallow container lid, means for shearing a completely
formed lid from said plastic sheet stock, and means superimposing
said mold cavity means for successively receiving completely formed
lids as an incident to the upward movement of said plunger means
and positioning them in stacked relation.
2. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper
portion of the plunger means is provided with a shallow recess for
accommodating sheet material.
3. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is
provided for establishing a pressure differential between the upper
extremity of the plunger means and said mold cavity means.
4. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger
means is comprised of at least two plunger members, one being
relatively shiftable with respect to the other.
5. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner margin
of the mold cavity means is cooperatively disclosed with respect to
the outer margin of said plunger means for shearing a completely
formed lid from the sheet material.
6. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger
means includes an inner plunger member shiftable within and respect
to a second plunger member for ejecting a completed container lid
from the mold cavity means.
7. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plunger
means is provided with a passageway connectable with means for
establishing pressure differential on opposite sides of a supported
sheet whereby to form a relatively shallow recess in said
sheet.
8. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger
means consists of at least two plunger members, one being
longitudinally shiftable within and respect to the other, and
having a passageway connectable with means for establishing a
pressure differential on opposite sides of a supported sheet.
9. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plunger
means comprises a pair of plunger members, one being shiftable with
respect to the other, and also moveable as a unit therewith, said
members when combined, presenting an annular bead forming rib for
engaging the underside of a supported plastic sheet.
10. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mold cavity
means comprises an annular member having a substantially vertical
axis, and shoulder means projecting inwardly from the inner surface
of said annular member.
11. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mold cavity
means is stationary an the plunger means is longitudinally
shiftable into and out of association with said mold cavity
means.
12. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like from heated plastic sheet material comprising
means for supporting a sheet of such material in a substantially
horizontal position, a female mold cavity means having a vertically
disposed cylindrical opening therethrough, said female mold cavity
means fixedly mounted with said cylindrical opening extending
vertically upwardly immediately above said sheet supporting means,
vertically reciprocable plunger means in vertical alignment with
said cylindrical opening, the upper side of said plunger means and
the lower portion of said female mold cavity means cooperatively
disposed to define a shallow container lid when said plunger means
occupies a predetermined vertically disposed position, said plunger
means and the lower portion of said female mold cavity means
further cooperatively disposed for shearing a formed lid from a
heated section of sheet material associated therewith, and means
for shifting said plunger vertically upwardly to shift a previously
formed lid upwardly into lid stacking position within said
cylindrical opening.
13. Apparatus for forming and stacking relatively shallow container
lids and the like as set forth in claim 12 wherein an annular
projection extends radially inwardly from the wall defining said
cylindrical opening above the lid forming cavity adjacent the upper
face of said plunger means.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an important object of the present invention to provide novel
and practical apparatus whereby methods may be practiced to produce
relatively shallow container lids and the like from a web of heated
plastic sheet material and to position such container lids in
stacked relation.
More specifically, the present invention contemplates a very simple
and unique arrangement whereby relatively shallow container lids
may be formed and thereafter successively advanced to form a
vertical stack.
Still more specifically, the present invention contemplates a novel
and highly efficient plunger mechanism for practicing the
above-mentioned method.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more
apparent from the following detailed description when considered in
connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine equipped with the
novel shallow container lid forming mechanism of the type
contemplated by the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
centrally of one of the mold cavities and complementary plunger
mechanisms, said plunger mechanism being shown in its lowermost
position, before moving upwardly into association with a heated
sheet of plastic material;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper portion of the lid
forming structure, more clearly to illustrate the arrangement of
the lid receiving and stacking rods;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the plunger mechanism
moved upwardly into initial engagement with the heated sheet of
plastic material within the mold cavity;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, disclosing the manner in which
continued forward or upward movement of the plunger mechanism
severs a completed lid from the plastic sheet material prior to the
advancement of the completed lid into the stacking station;
and,
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 disclosing the manner in
which the central section of the novel plunger mechanism
successively forces completed lids upwardly into the stacking
station.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings more in detail wherein like numerals
have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the
various figures it will be seen that one embodiment of a machine or
apparatus of the type contemplated by the present invention is
designated generally by the numeral 10. For a clear understanding
of the present invention, a detailed description of the apparatus
10 is not deemed necessary. It will suffice therefore to point out
that the apparatus 10 includes a base 12, the right extremity of
which supports a bracket 14 for accommodating a shaft or mandrel
16. The shaft 16 carries a roll of suitable sheet thermoplastic
material 18. A web of the sheet material 18 is moved to the left
(FIG. 1) through a suitable electric heating unit 20. From the
heating unit, or station 20, the sheet 18 is fed into a lid forming
and stacking mechanism or station 22. From the station 22 the sheet
material is directed to a take-up shaft 24. The take-up shaft 24
may be intermittently rotated through the agency of a drive belt 26
driven from an electric motor 28.
The forming and stacking mechanism 22, includes a platen 30 mounted
on vertically reciprocable guide posts 32. Vertical reciprocation
is imparted to the bed 30 by means of a rotatable cam member 34
which engages a depending section 30a of the platen 30. The cam 34
is driven from a suitable electric motor 36. The upper portion of
the mechanism 22 includes a stationary platen or frame 38. The
plastic web moves intermittently from right to left as viewed in
FIG. 1. During each dwell of the web the platen 30 moves upwardly
through the agency of the cam 34, thereby simultaneously moving a
plurality of adjacently positioned plunger mechanisms 40, FIG. 2,
toward the underside of the plastic web 18. The web 18 which had
been previously heat treated at the station 20 is now in a softened
or plastic condition.
The plunger mechanism 40 consists of an inner plunger or ejector
member 42 provided with a shallow recess 44 and companion plunger
member 46 secured to the upper side of the platen 30. When the
plunger member 42 occupies the position shown in FIG. 2, it is
seated within a recess on the upper side of the plunger member 46.
Hence, as the platen 30 moves upwardly from the position shown in
FIG. 2, the combined plunger members 42 and 46 moved upwardly as a
unit.
The underside of the plastic web 18 is initially engaged by
upwardly projecting annular plunger sections or ribs 50 and 52 of
the plungers 42 and 46 respectively, FIG. 4. At this period in the
cycle of operation the space beneath the web 18 is evacuated
through the agency of a suitable pump 54, FIG. 1, which
communicates with a shallow recess 56 the upper extremity of the
plunger 42 through a central passageway 58 extending longitudinally
within a depending section 60 of the plunger member 42. This
evacuation causes the plastic sheet to be formed as shown in FIG.
4. The combined annular sections or ribs 50, and 52, cause the
plastic sheet to be formed into an annular bead 62. The bead 62
encompasses a flat central disc-like portion 64. The bead 62 and
the portion 64 combine to form a shallow recessed lid designated
generally by the numeral 66.
As the combined plunger members 44 and 46 continue their upward
movement, the plunger member 46 cooperating with an annular die
member 49 causes the bead 62 to be sheared from the web 18, FIG. 5.
The plunger member 46 has now reached the limit of its upward
stroke and the plunger 42 continues further upward travel to the
position shown in FIG. 6. This upward movement of the plunger 42
relative to the plunger member 46 results from the engagement of a
cam section 34a, with a member 68 connected with a vertically
shiftable plate 70, FIGS. 1 and 2. This plate 70 simultaneously
engages the lower extremities of each of the depending sections 60
of the plunger members 42. During this movement the outer margin of
the bead 62 is sprung past an annular abutment or shoulder 72
positioned along the inner periphery of the annular die member 49.
This annular die member 49 is secured in any suitable manner to the
underside of the fixed platen 38 and presents a female mold cavity
74 for successively receiving completely formed lids 66. These lids
are ultimately shifted upwardly in stacked relation above the
platen 38. Rods 76 projecting upwardly from and supported by the
platen 38 serve as guides for the lids 66 as they are moved
upwardly successively in stacked relation.
As previously mentioned the platen 30 carries a plurality of
adjacently positioned plunger mechanisms 40, each of which comprise
a pair of the plunger members 42 and 46. Likewise the upper platen
carries a plurality of adjacently positioned die members 49 each of
which is disposed in alignment with a complementary plunger
mechanism 40. Similarly the platen 38 supports a plurality of
groups of guide rods 76, each group being complementary to one of
the annular die members 49.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention
contemplates a very unique and practical method whereby relatively
shallow container lids may be formed from a web of plastic material
and contemporaneously arranged in stacked relation to facilitate
subsequent ease of handling. When the lids have been stacked to a
predetermined height within each group of three guide rods they may
be removed in mass by simply lifting them out of association with
the rods. Applicants novel plunger mechanism and associated annular
die cavity are of relative simple and practical construction. The
structurally novel plunger mechanism comprised of the plunger
member 46, and the plunger member 42 which is shiftable as a unit
with, and also relative to the plunger member 46 makes it possible
to successively form, shear and contemporaneously shift completely
formed lids into stacked relation.
* * * * *