PLAIN “SET-UP” BOXES (Continued)

AFTER the work of staying the corners of a plain set-up paper box, and its lid, has been completed, the next operations are to cover the sides of the box, and the sides of the lid, with paper of the desired weight, color and finish. The kinds of paper which are generally used for covering plain paper boxes are, white glazed, cheviot, and colored glazed. This stock may be bought from the manufacturers in either the form of large rolls, or in the form of flat sheets. When the ordinary power covering machine is used, the paper is applied to the sides of the boxes from rolls of the proper width.

The slitting and rewinding machine is used for the purpose of cutting the large rolls of paper into rolls of various sizes. The cutting wheels on the slitting and rewinding machine can be “spaced apart” to any width required. They may be set as close together as ½ inch apart. Conveniently located on the machine is a steel bar containing a scale, marked off into inches and fractional parts of inches. This scale makes it an easy matter for the operator to fix the slitting wheels in the positions wanted for cutting the large roll of paper into smaller rolls. As the wide sheet of paper unrolls and passes the slitters, the smaller strips of paper are rewound on spindles.

There are several good slitting and rewinding machines on the market which may be operated by hand or power, as desired.

When the sides of paper boxes are to be covered with the aid of a covering machine, a roll of paper of the necessary size and kind is first placed on the machine. The width of the roll of paper is about an inch wider than that of the surface of the box which is to be covered, for the reason that about one-half inch of the paper is turned in and over on the inside of the box, and about one-half inch of the paper is turned in over the bottom of the box. One operator attends to the covering operation, while another performs the work of “turning-in.”

SOME OPERATORS CARELESS.

The standard covering machine is equipped with a glue-pan, heating apparatus, gluing roller, glue scraper, a table, and a cut-off device. The gluing roller revolves in the glue pot, in such a manner as to apply the glue to one side of the paper as the paper passes over the surface of the roller. The glue pan may be heated by steam, gas or electricity. The scraping device regulates the amount of glue applied to the paper. When the machine is in action the operator simply wraps the strip of paper around the four sides of the box, allowing a “lap-over” of the paper, at one corner of the box, of about one inch. Some operators are careless, and they often allow “lap-overs” of several inches of paper, which of course results in considerable wastage of paper during the course of a day. The carefully-trained operator will try to save as much paper as possible. Another important point which the efficient operator will consider is in having the “lap-over” occur at one corner of the box, and not in the center of one side of the box. When the “lap-over” is made at one corner of the box, the work looks neat and finished, but when the seam is made on one side of the box, the work presents a poor appearance.

It is also very important that the work of “turning-in” should be done as neatly as possible. The “turner-in” works on a table near the covering machine. As the operator of the covering machine finishes wrapping a box, it is passed to the second operator who turns in the corners and edges of the paper. A wad of cheese-cloth, or a soft, clean cloth of any kind, is useful in the work of turning-in, the corners and edges of the paper being rubbed down firmly and smoothly. Some operators of covering machines also use a cloth in smoothing the paper as it is applied to the sides of the box. Others use merely the palm of the hand. Attached to the machine is a receptacle for holding tallow which many workers make use of for keeping their hands free from glue. On the new model covering machines the cut-off device is adjustable, up and down, by means of screws, and it can be moved to and from the box-spindle in any desired position, without it being necessary for the operator to leave his or her seat. The cut-off device may be operated by hand by means of a lever.

TIME SAVING SYSTEM.

In a large number of paper box making plants tables are placed near the covering machines, and the work of “turning-in” is done on these tables. Near the covering machines are the topping machines. The work is handled in such a manner, that one operator passes the boxes on to another, until finally the boxes and the lids are completed and assembled. The boxes are then packed in cases ready for immediate shipment. This system is the means of saving time, labor and expense, as it makes it unnecessary for the operators of the various machines to leave their seats. One operator does the covering of boxes, the second operator covers the sides of the lids; the third attends to the work of “turning-in”; the fourth is in charge of the topping machine. Girls or boys then assemble the boxes and lids, and pack them in the cases.

Many set-up paper boxes, in addition to being covered with white glazed, cheviot, or colored glazed paper, are finished with gold-paper edges. Some have a gold edge at the top of the lid, and a gold edge at the bottom of the box; others have four gold edges; still others are covered with colored glazed paper, and have four edges of white glazed paper. Paper boxes of this variety may properly be placed under the heading, “fancy,” but we want to mention them here on account of the edging-work being done on covering machines in about the same way as plain covering work.

Let us take the case of a gold-edged paper box for example: The narrow roll of gold paper is placed on the covering machine, along with the wider roll of glazed, or cheviot paper. Both the gold strip and the other strip are applied to the box, or lid, simultaneously, the gold strip being placed underneath the main strip. The main strip of paper is a size that when applied to the box, or lid, (over the gold strip) it allows the gold edging to show. Only the gold strip is “turned in,” either over the top or bottom of the box, or over the top and edge of the lid. With work of this character the operator must be careful to have the two strips of paper run straight and even as one is glued over the other.

The topping machine operates much on the same principle as the covering machine, and it is used for applying paper to the tops of box-lids, after the sides of the lids have been covered. The better class of set-up boxes are covered on the bottom in addition to having the tops of their lids covered, but ordinary, plain set-up boxes are not covered on the bottom. The writer has before him a set-up box which had been used for holding a dozen linen collars. The board for this box has been lined with newspaper, making it neat and clean on the inside. The lid is covered and topped with pale yellow glazed paper. The sides of the box are covered with glazed paper of the same color as the lid, but at the top the edges are trimmed with white glazed paper. The bottom of the box is covered with white book paper. This is that kind of box which should have the bottom covered, although the bottom piece of paper is not absolutely necessary. Writing paper boxes should also be covered on the bottom. The question of covering the bottoms of set-up boxes should be determined by considering the general qualities of the box, and the purpose for which it is to be used. There is no reason for covering the bottoms of common set-up boxes.

One of the best power topping machines on the market is that made by the Hobbs Manufacturing Company, of Worcester, Mass. This machine has an automatic cut-off device, and it is equipped, of course, with a work table, glue pan, gluing roller, etc. A roll of paper, nearly the same width of the lid, or box-bottom, which is to be covered, is placed on the machine. Glue is applied to one side of the paper as it is drawn over the surface of the gluing roller. When the strip of paper has been stretched across the top of the lid, or the bottom of the box, the operator depresses the adjustable lever at one side of the machine, and the paper is cut off to the required size. On top of the work-table is a locating projection which holds the box in place. A locating gauge is also provided so that the vertical adjustment of the table can easily be made.

It is only fair to state that there are other efficient topping machines in general use, some being operated by hand, others by power.

Many set-up paper boxes, which are made for heavy usage, such as for holding hardware, tools, toys, glassware, etc., are wire stapled at the corners instead of having the corners strengthened with Kraft paper, or stay paper. Some box manufacturers are making all of their set-up boxes with wire-stapled corners. There are several wire stitching machines now being made by well-known concerns which have been especially built for use in the paper box industry, and they have proved very satisfactory. The boxes and their lids, after having been fastened at the corners with copper, or wire devices, are covered and topped with paper in the usual manner. The wire stitching machine is operated in much the same way as the staying machine, each corner of the box, and of the lid, being “stitched” with wire in rapid succession. For an exceptionally strong paper box which is to have rough usage, the wire-staying will be found more practical than paper-staying.

Perhaps the most remarkable machine ever invented for use in the paper box industry is the Stokes & Smith Wrapping Machine which automatically places glued paper on all kinds of paper boxes. One of the great advantages of this device is that it completely wraps the box, or its lid, with a single sheet of paper. In other words, it “covers” and “tops” at the one operation. Flat sheets of paper, cut out at the corners like the diagram shown on page 29 are necessary when using this machine.

For cutting the sheets of paper to this special shape, a Stokes & Smith Double Cornering Machine is essential. The sheets are first cut square, or oblong, to the size desired, and the odd-shaped corners are cut out afterwards. The Double Corner Cutter will cut two corners from a pile of the sheets simultaneously. In about an hour’s time a sufficient quantity of the wrappers can be cut to provide for a day’s run of work on the Stokes & Smith Wrapping Machine.

Extension bottom boxes, or to use the old term, boxes with “French edges,” may also be wrapped on the Stokes & Smith device, but for this class of work wrappers of still another shape than that shown by Figure 3 are necessary. Again, for work of this character, the machine must be equipped with an Extension Bottom Covering Attachment. The change in the shape of the wrappers is made by equipping the Double Corner Cutter with the proper sub-presses, knives, and dies.

Another advantage of the Stokes & Smith Wrapping Machine is that it will apply printed or lithographed wrappers to the paper boxes, therefore making it unnecessary to have printed labels pasted on the boxes after they have been covered. These facts are not presented for advertising the Stokes & Smith Company. In offering these facts we merely desire to acquaint the reader with all that is new in the way of paper box machinery, and were we to omit mention of the Stokes & Smith Wrapping machine, we would feel that this series of articles would not be complete.

HOW WORK IS HANDLED.

In plants where this machine is in operation, the work is handled as follows: First, the sheets are cut square or oblong to the required size. Second, the corners for regular paper boxes, or the corners for extension bottom work, are cut from the paper. Third, the wrappers are fed through a gluing machine, which by means of rollers, places a thin coating of glue on one side of the paper. Fourth, the sheets, with the glue-side up, are placed on a revolving table which is really a part of the wrapping machine. Fifth, from the revolving table the operator of the wrapping machine lifts up a wrapper with one hand, and with the other hand takes an uncovered box, placing it bottom down on the glued paper, being careful to see that the bottom of the box is accurately centered between the cut out corners of the wrapper. Sixth, the box and wrapper are then placed on a form on the wrapping machine. The action of the machine thereafter is “almost human.” The box and its wrapper pass down through a series of brushes and rollers which draw the wrapper closely to the sides of the box, neatly folding the paper at the corners and ends, and turning in the edges of the wrapper on the inside of the box. At the end of a complete revolution of the machine the box emerges from the machine in a finished condition.

In some of the larger paper box manufacturing plants, where Stokes & Smith machines are being used, a great deal of time is being saved by grouping the machines, and by working the operators in teams. For example, two wrapping machines and two gluing machines are so arranged that the boxes and the lids are finished, inspected and assembled with all of the work being done in one small “department.” In not a few shops the boxes and lids are covered on machines which are located a considerable distance apart, resulting in a waste of time when the boxes and lids are assembled. The accompanying illustration will give the reader an idea of how the machines may be properly grouped so as to eliminate unnecessary handling:

SHOULD STUDY FLOOR PLANS.

Paper box manufacturers should devote time and study to floor plans of this character. With the shorter work-day being adopted in all parts of the country, and with skilled labor becoming more scarce every day, it behooves the manufacturer to work out plans by which time and labor may be saved, and which will make an increased amount of output possible. This may be accomplished through following plans that will effect real efficiency in the factory. No matter what kinds of machines the manufacturer may be using, they may be grouped in such a way as to make it possible for the various operators to work closely together in teams.

Within the last few months the writer visited a paper box making plant where the staying machines were located at one end of a spacious room, and where the covering machines were located at the other end of the room. In about the center of the room the topping machines were placed. Think of the great number of unnecessary foot-steps which are made by the workers in this shop during the course of a day! Consider the large amount of time that is being wasted every day in carrying the material from one machine to another! The reader can readily understand that by grouping the staying machines, the covering machines, and the topping machines in small “departments,” so to speak, the boxes and lids could be finished, inspected and assembled simply by passing the work from one operator to another as the different processes are completed.

The larger sizes of plain paper boxes, such as those used for holding envelopes, shoes, etc., are not made from the same shapes of blanks as are used for the making of the smaller sizes of boxes. In the majority of cases the board used for the larger-size boxes consists of three separate pieces. The main piece contains flanges with mitered corners. After the main piece of box-board has been cut to the required size, and after it has been scored and the corners mitered, the board is folded or bent to form the bottom and two sides of a box, having flanges at either end. Separate side pieces are then glued to these flanges, making the box complete as to form. The principal reason why the larger-size boxes are made in this fashion is because it prevents wastage of box-board.