A work bench

Abstract

 This invention provides a work bench (10) for the assembly of carton blanks. The work bench (10) has a back table (12) with a back table top (24), and a front table (14) with a front table top (32). Back (22) and front (42) upright squaring surfaces define between them a work station on the front table top (32). The front table top (32) is at a lower level that the back table top (24), and the front (42) upright squaring surface is displaceable to narrow the work station.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a work bench. In particular, the present invention relates to a work bench for the carton industry.

[0002] To make a carton in the form of six sided box, two edges of a carton blank (in the form of a sheet of eg corrugated board having fold lines) are joined together to form a tube (which may be flattened from an open form into a closed form) which is ultimately erected into the box. Commonly, the two edges of the carton blank are joined together by means of glue to form the tube. However, a problem frequently encountered, is the slippage of the two edges with respect to each other when they are being joined. This leads to a vertical or lateral misalignment of the two edges. When this occurs, the fold lines in the resulting tube are not parallel with respect to each other, and this leads to difficulties in the formation of the carton. Therefore, when this problem occurs, the tubes may have to be discarded.

[0003] A number of manufacturers have addressed this problem. Machines have been developed which comprise electrically driven jogging plates which act on the carton blank when the edges are being joined, to push the edges into correct alignment with each other. However, because of their technical complexity, these machines are costly to buy and because they use electricity, they are also expensive to run.

[0004] The present applicants have appreciated the disadvantageous aspects of these prior art machines. They now provide a work bench for use in the carton industry which ameliorates any of the above, or other problems.

[0005] The present invention provides a work bench for the assembly of carton blanks, which comprises a back table having a back table work top and a front table having a front table work top, at a lower level than the back table work top; and back and front upright squaring surfaces between which a work station is defined on the front table; said front upright squaring surface being displaceable to narrow the work station. Preferably it is biased to a relatively wide configuration. It may be pivotable about an axis, so that when an operator leans forward to pick up a carton blank from the back table, his body applies pressure to the front vertical squaring surface causing it to rotate about the pivot axis. This rotation of the front vertical squaring plate may be such that the plate moves towards the back table and away from the operator. When a glued carton blank is placed on the front table top in front of the front vertical squaring plate, this may cause the carton blank to be pushed against the back vertical squaring surface. The front squaring surface may be provided by a planar member located face on to a front edge of the front table. The rear squaring surface may be provided by the rear table. It may extend adjacent, or in front of, a front edge of the back table top.

[0006] The tables may be movable with respect to each other, so that the spacing between the front edges of the two work tops can be varied. The spacing may be releasably fixable by means of securing means. The front table may be a telescopic extension of the back table.

[0007] The front table may have two front legs which are optionally mounted on castors. The axis may comprise a horizontal axis which runs parallel to the length of the tables. The axis may comprise a horizontal bar connecting the two front legs of the table.

[0008] The work bench may have a side upright squaring surface positioned face on to a side edge of the front table work top. The side squaring surface may be releasably securable into a fixed in position.

[0009] The front squaring surface may be movable in the width direction of the tables. The front squaring surface may be connected to the axis in the form of the horizontal bar, by means of one or more hook members which engage the bar.

[0010] The back squaring surface may be fixed in position or alternatively, it may be movable along the transverse length of the tables. The back squaring surface may be provided by a drop front of the back table. The work bench may also include a glue pot. The glue pot may be located on the back table.

[0011] In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment will be described by way of example only and not by way of limitation with reference to the following figures in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of a work bench according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the glue pot used in the work bench of figure 1;

figure 3a shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a front vertical squaring plate in a first position as used in the work bench of figure 1; and

figure 3b shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the front vertical squaring plate in a second position as used in the work bench of figure 1.

[0012] Referring firstly to figure 1, the work bench shown generally at 10, comprises a back table 12 and a telescopic front table 14 which slides in and out of the back table 12.

[0013] The back table 12 has a back wall 16, two side walls 18, 20, a partial front wall 22 and a table top 24. The table top 24 provides a work surface on which a pile of carton blanks 26 can be placed in readiness for gluing. The back table 12 is mounted on feet 29.

[0014] The telescopic front table 14 has a pair of front legs 28, 30, mounted on castors 34 and a table top 32. It is dimensioned so that it can slide underneath the partial front wall 22 of the back table 12. When the front table 14 is pulled out with respect to the back table 12, the dimensions should be such that there is not a significantly detectable space between the table top 32 and the free edge of the partial front wall 22. The telescopic front table 14 can be pulled out by varying distances with respect to the back table 12. Once decided upon, the relative positions of the front 14 and back 12 tables with respect to each other can be fixed. For example, this can be achieved by means of slots 36 in the side walls 18, 20 which receive eg projections (not shown) which extend from the side edges of the front table. The projections and therefore the relative positioning of the front 14 and back 12 tables can be fixed by means of eg heads 38 which secure onto the projections. Two planar squaring plates 40 and 42 are provided face on to edges of, and transverse to the front table top 32. The side plate 40 extends transverse to the right-hand edge (as shown in figure 1) of the front table top 32. The front plate 42 extends transverse to a portion of the front edge of the front table top 32. The front plate 42 is mounted on a bar 44. This bar 44 extends between the two legs 28, 30, a short distance below front the table top 32. The front plate 42 is mounted so that it is pivotable about the bar 44.

[0015] Figures 3a and 3b show the pivotable arrangement of the front planar squaring plate 42 in more detail. The plate 42 is mounted by means of hooks 68 which have a partially arcuate inner face 70 for locating around a circular bar 44. Figure 3a shows the natural position of the plate 42 when no pressure is being applied to the plate 42. In this position the planar surface of the plate 42 leans slightly towards an operator who will be standing in front of the work bench 10. The application of pressure to the plate 42 by eg the operator leaning forward and engaging against the plate 42 causes it to pivot via its hook 68 about the bar 44.

[0016] A glue pot 46 is provided on the back table 12. The glue pot 46 is substantially of a type generally well known in the art and is shown in more detail in figure 2. It comprises a housing 48 which contains a reservoir 50 for glue 52. A glue wheel 54 is positioned so that it is located partially within the reservoir 52 whilst partially projecting upwardly from the reservoir and through a gap 56 in a top lid 60 of the housing 48. The glue pot also comprises a top wheel 62 whose height above the lid 60 of the housing 48 can be varied to accommodate various thicknesses of board 64 being passed beneath the top wheel 62. The top wheel 62, is set at a suitable height for a particular piece of board 64, so that when that board is passed beneath the top wheel 62, a pressure is applied to the glue wheel 54, causing the glue wheel 54 to turn and collect from the glue reservoir 50 a coating of glue 52. In so doing, a layer of glue 52 is applied to the underside of the board 64. The flow of glue 52 can be regulated by adjusting a glue flow regulator 66 which acts to push or pull the housing lid 60 forwards or backwards and hence altering the gap 56 between the glue wheel 54 and the housing lid 60.

[0017] To use the work bench 10 of the present invention, an operator places a stack of carton blanks 26 on the work top 24 of the back table 12. The operator aims to work through the stack of carton blanks 26 forming them into glued tubes which are flattened and stacked on the front table work top 32, to form a second stack of partially erected carton blanks 27. Before starting to work through the back stack of carton blanks 26, the operator will make some adjustments to the work bench appropriate to the particular type of carton blank with which he is working. Thus, he will alter the spacing between the front edges of the two table tops 24 and 32, so that the tubular carton blanks will only just fit into the space between the partial front wall 22 of the back table 12, and the front planar squaring plate 42. He would also adjust the exact position of the front planar squaring plate 42 along the bar 44, so that the middle of the plate 42 should lie opposite the newly joined glued edges of the carton blanks in the stack 27. The operator will then pick up a carton blank from the table top 24 of the back table 12. He will then pass a tab edge 66 of the carton blank underneath the top wheel 62 of the glue pot 46, so as to apply a layer of glue to a lower surface of the tab 60. He will then fold the carton blank, so that the tab overlies and sticks to the opposite edge of the carton blank. He then places this carton blank in glued tubular form on the table top 32 of the telescopic front table 14 in front of the front squaring plate 42. The operator then, as a matter of course, leans over forwardly to reach for a further carton blank from the stack 26 to repeat the process. In so doing, he bears against the pivotably mounted front squaring plate 42, causing the plate 42 to bear against an edge of the newly glued carton blank thereby pushing it against the partial front wall 22 of the back table 12. This squeeze action straightens any vertical or lateral misalignments that may have occurred in joining the two edges. Once the operator has picked up the next carton blank for gluing however, he will no longer be leaning forward and applying pressure to the front planar squaring plate 42. Thus the plate then returns to its natural position of balance in which it slightly leans towards the operator (as shown in figure 3a) and therefore does not contact the glued carton blanks. In this natural position of the front planar squaring plate 42, it is also easier to place the glued tubular blanks on the stack 27.

[0018] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art in this field, the work bench of the present invention is particularly advantageous. The bench does not require electricity in order to overcome the problems of misalignment of edges in carton blanks and therefore, it is relatively cheap to manufacture. Furthermore, there are no ongoing running expenses in terms of electricity consumption. The pivotable front squaring plate 42 provides a way of mechanically correcting any misalignments in the glued edges which may have occurred using natural movements of the operator. Thus the operator does not have to make a separate movement/action to correct any misalignments. This saves operator time. Furthermore because the front table 14 can be moved with respect to the back table 12 and similarly the pivotable front plate 42 can be moved along the bar 44, the work bench is very versatile and can be adapted for use for virtually any carton blank size. The work bench is mobile, and since the telescopic front table 14 can be stored beneath the back table 12, it is economical with respect to space. Using the work bench, as provided by the present invention, an operator can successfully achieve the manual gluing of at least 1,000 boxes per hour.

Claims

1. A work bench (10) for the assembly of carton blanks which comprises: a back table (12) having a back table work top (24); a front table (14) having a front table work top (32); and back (22) and front (42) upright squaring surfaces between which a work station is defined on the front table work top; and wherein said front table work top (32) is at a lower level than the back table work top (24) and said front upright squaring surface (42) is displaceable to narrow the work station.

2. A work bench (10) according to claim 1 wherein the front upright squaring surface (42) is biased to a relatively wide configuration.

3. A work bench (10) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the front upright squaring surface (42) is pivotable about an axis (44), so that the front upright squaring surface (42) is movable towards and away from the back table (12).

4. A work bench (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front squaring surface (42) is provided by a planar member located face on to a front edge of the front table (14).

5. A work bench according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back upright squaring surface (22) is provided by the back table (12).

6. A work bench (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back table (12) and front table (14) are movable with respect to each other.

7. A work bench (10) according to claim 6, which comprises securing means (36) for releasably fixing the positions of the back table and front table with respect to one another.

8. A work bench (10) according to claim 6 to claim 7, wherein the front table (14) is a telescopic extension of the back table (12).

9. A work bench (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a side upright squaring surface (40) positioned face on to a side edge of the front table work top (32).

10. A work bench (10) according to any one of the preceding claims which comprises a glue pot (46).

Drawing