Package making – With cover-adjunct application or formation – Adjunct comprising nonencircling strip – e.g. – stamp – label...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-11-20
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
With cover-adjunct application or formation
Adjunct comprising nonencircling strip, e.g., stamp, label...
C053S136300, C493S475000, C493S478000, C493S479000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318048
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to case, carton, or box sealing machines, equipment, or apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved mast and trolley assembly for mounting the trolley assembly upon the machine, equipment, or apparatus mast so as to be readily, easily, and quickly be capable of elevationally adjusting the equipment or machine head assembly which is mounted upon the apparatus trolley assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Case, carton, or box sealing machines, equipment, or apparatus conventionally comprise a base frame assembly to which a vertically extending mast member is fixedly secured. The vertically extending mast member has a trolley assembly movably mounted thereon such that the trolley assembly is capable of being disposed at any one of an infinite number of vertical positions with respect to the vertically extending mast member. The trolley assembly, in turn, supports a head assembly upon which the various case, box, or carton sealing mechanisms are disposed. Consequently, as a result of the vertical adjustability of the head assembly with respect to the vertically extending mast member, due to the vertically adjustable movement capabilities of the trolley assembly relative to the vertically extending mast member, the various case, carton, or box sealing mechanisms can be appropriately vertically positioned or disposed with respect to the particular case, box, or carton to be sealed.
In accordance with a first type of conventional case, box, or carton sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus, the vertical adjustment of the head and trolley assemblies with respect to the vertically extending mast member comprises a vertically extending shaft and a rotary crank mechanism whereby rotation of the rotary crank mechanism in effect converts the rotary motion into vertical translation of the head and trolley assembly along the vertically extending shaft. While this system is obviously viably operational, the operation of such a rotary crank mechanism is cumbersome, tedious, and slow when, for example, rapid or large vertical movements of the head and trolley assemblies with respect to the vertically extending shaft are desired or required. In accordance with a second type of conventional case, box, or carton sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus, the vertically adjustable trolley assembly, for moving the head assembly with respect to the vertically extending mast member, comprises a welded assembly which limits the flexibility and versatility of the system. More particularly, if, for example, a different sized head assembly is to be mounted upon the trolley assembly so as to operatively accommodate different sized cases, cartons, boxes, or the like to be closed and sealed, the welds have to be disassembled or broken so as to remove the old head assembly and the new head assembly welded onto the trolley assembly. This procedure is obviously very time-consuming and costly. In addition, the bearing members comprise conventional radial-type bearing assemblies which limit the load-bearing capacity or capabilities of the trolley assembly, which is supporting the head assembly in a cantilevered manner, with respect to the movements of the head and trolley assemblies along the vertically extending mast member. Still further, many of the operative components of the mast and trolley assemblies are not sufficiently enclosed whereby such operative components present safety hazards to operator personnel.
A need therefore exists in the case, carton, or box sealer art for a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, apparatus, or equipment which comprises a new and improved mast and trolley assembly wherein the vertical adjustments of the machine head and trolley assemblies along the mast member can be readily, easily, and quickly achieved. In addition, there is a need in the art for providing a new and improved mast and trolley assembly with enhanced flexibility and versatility so as to accommodate, for example, different head assemblies, as well as sufficient load-bearing capabilities with respect to such different head assemblies. Still further, there is a need in the art for providing a new and improved mast and trolley assembly wherein the various operative components of the mast and trolley assemblies are sufficiently or properly enclosed such that the operative components do not present safety hazards to operator personnel
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus which effectively overcomes the various disadvantages or operative drawbacks characteristic of PRIOR ART case, carton, or box sealer machines, equipment, or apparatus.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus wherein the vertical adjustments of the machine head and trolley assemblies along the mast member can be readily, easily, and quickly achieved, and the trolley assembly is such as to exhibit sufficient load-bearing capabilities.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus wherein the mast and trolley assembly exhibits enhance flexibility and versatility capabilities, and wherein the various operative components of the mast and trolley assemblies are properly or sufficiently enclosed such that the operative components do not present safety hazards to operator personnel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved case, carton, or box sealer machine, equipment, or apparatus which comprises a base frame assembly; a vertical mast member which is bolted at its lower end portion to the machine base frame assembly so as to extend or project upwardly therefrom; a head assembly upon which, for example, the case, carton, or box tape cartridge, for taping or sealing the case, carton, or box, is carried or supported; and a trolley assembly adapted to be slidably mounted upon the vertically extending or upwardly projecting mast member and to which the head assembly is secured so as to permit vertical adjustment of the head assembly with respect to the vertically extending or upwardly projecting mast member.
A constant force spring is mounted upon the upper end portion of the mast member and is operatively connected to the trolley assembly so as to counterbalance the weight of the trolley and head assemblies and thereby aid in the vertically adjustable movements of the trolley assembly, and the head assembly attached thereto, with respect to and along the vertically extending or upwardly projecting mast member. The head assembly is also bolted to the trolley assembly so as to render the machine or equipment flexible and versatile whereby a head replacement or exchange operation is relatively quick and easy without substantial machine or equipment downtime. A mast cap, a spring guard, a mast guard, and a trolley guard are also mounted upon the mast and trolley assembly components so as to effectively enclose the various internal components mounted upon the mast and trolley assembly in order to protect operator personnel.
In accordance with the unique trolley assembly of the present invention, the trolley assembly is adapted to effectively encircle the mast member, and the trolley assembly is provided with two sets of four bearing members which respectively engage two opposite sides of the mast member, while a pair of wear strips respectively engage the other two opposite sides of the mast member. One of the wear strips is fixed and the other wear strip is adjustable, and in a similar manner, one of the sets of bearings is fixed while the other set of bearings is adjustable. Ac
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Schwartz & Weinrieb
Truong Thanh K
Vo Peter
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