Scraped Corrugated Boxes
Posted by wangxueru on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
When the stack 60 reaches the desired height, the end stop 56 is raised which permits the conveyor 58 to move the stack 60 with the layers 48 adhered to one another forward. The stack 60 passes under an overhead, continuously moving belt 62 which applies a compressive force to the stack 60 compressing it and increasing the adherence of the multiple layers 48 to each other. The resulting composite article is a block 64 of defined length, width, and height having multiple, generally planar layers 48 of individual corrugated cardboard pieces 16 adhered together in a shingle-like configuration, a bridge-like configuration, or a combination of the two, with the length of the individual pieces in any vertical plane being only a fraction of the full length of the finished article 64.
The composite article 64, which as stated is in the form of a block of defined height, width, and length, may be used as is as a structural component or individual pieces may be sawed from the block and joined together to form desired articles of manufacture. For purposes of illustrating such an application, the manufacture of a shipping pallet 65 (FIG. 6) from the block 64 of scrap corrugated will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7-9.
Referring first to FIG. 7, the composite article 64 is rotated 90.degree. and moved into a saw station including a horizontal band saw 66. By rotating the article 900, the original 8-inch width dimension is now the vertical dimension. If the flutes of the corrugated have been for the most part aligned as shown in FIG. 2, they will now run in a vertical direction. Individual saw cuts 68 are made to manufacture the various components. For example, in manufacturing of the pallet 65, three slabs 70, each being about 1-inch in height, are cut along lines 68 from the block 64 by means of the band saw 66 to form the top panel 72. Then two additional slabs 74, about 21: inches thick, are cut by cutting along line 73. The slabs 74 are again cut along line 75 in a perpendicular direction as shown in FIG. 8 by means of the band saw 66 to form supports beams 76, which are generally square in cross-section.
The resulting product is shown in FIG. 6 and comprises an upper horizontal top panel 72 supported by three support beams 76 adhered to the underside thereof at either end and along the midpoint. The beams 76 offset the top panel 72 from the floor whereby the tines of a forklift truck can be inserted thereunder to lift the pallet and load secured thereon. As stated, superior compressive strength is obtained by orienting the flutes in the vertical direction. An increase in strength is also obtained by the linerboard facing sheets 80 glued thereto and the support beams 76 glued to the underside of the top panel 72. The pallet 65 thus is made entirely of scrap corrugated and contains no nails or other materials which would present disposal problems and is not subject to cracking or splintering. Importantly, however, the pallet can be made substantially more inexpensively than wood pallets can. Finally, the pallet of the present invention is easily disposed of merely by shipping the pallets to a hydropulper where they may be pulped and the resulting material reused to manufacture paper or paperboard.
In all, the present invention provides not only for disposal of scraped corrugated boxes and sheets but also a resulting material of construction having superior properties and economies.
The composite article 64, which as stated is in the form of a block of defined height, width, and length, may be used as is as a structural component or individual pieces may be sawed from the block and joined together to form desired articles of manufacture. For purposes of illustrating such an application, the manufacture of a shipping pallet 65 (FIG. 6) from the block 64 of scrap corrugated will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7-9.
Referring first to FIG. 7, the composite article 64 is rotated 90.degree. and moved into a saw station including a horizontal band saw 66. By rotating the article 900, the original 8-inch width dimension is now the vertical dimension. If the flutes of the corrugated have been for the most part aligned as shown in FIG. 2, they will now run in a vertical direction. Individual saw cuts 68 are made to manufacture the various components. For example, in manufacturing of the pallet 65, three slabs 70, each being about 1-inch in height, are cut along lines 68 from the block 64 by means of the band saw 66 to form the top panel 72. Then two additional slabs 74, about 21: inches thick, are cut by cutting along line 73. The slabs 74 are again cut along line 75 in a perpendicular direction as shown in FIG. 8 by means of the band saw 66 to form supports beams 76, which are generally square in cross-section.
The resulting product is shown in FIG. 6 and comprises an upper horizontal top panel 72 supported by three support beams 76 adhered to the underside thereof at either end and along the midpoint. The beams 76 offset the top panel 72 from the floor whereby the tines of a forklift truck can be inserted thereunder to lift the pallet and load secured thereon. As stated, superior compressive strength is obtained by orienting the flutes in the vertical direction. An increase in strength is also obtained by the linerboard facing sheets 80 glued thereto and the support beams 76 glued to the underside of the top panel 72. The pallet 65 thus is made entirely of scrap corrugated and contains no nails or other materials which would present disposal problems and is not subject to cracking or splintering. Importantly, however, the pallet can be made substantially more inexpensively than wood pallets can. Finally, the pallet of the present invention is easily disposed of merely by shipping the pallets to a hydropulper where they may be pulped and the resulting material reused to manufacture paper or paperboard.
In all, the present invention provides not only for disposal of scraped corrugated boxes and sheets but also a resulting material of construction having superior properties and economies.