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.
[Illustration: Cameron Cutting and Rewinding Machine.]
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.”
[Illustration: Knowlton Power Covering Machine.]
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.
[Illustration: Long, narrow set-up paper box. Size, 3¹⁰⁄₁₆ × ⁴⁄₁₆ in.
Used by the medical profession for holding hypodermic needles.]
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.
[Illustration: One of the smallest set-up paper boxes manufactured.
Size 1⁷⁄₁₆ × ⁷⁄₁₆ in. Sides ³⁄₁₆ in. Used by the medical profession.]
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.
[Illustration: Figure 3. Diagram shows shape of wrapper used on
Stokes & Smith Wrapping Machine.]
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.
[Illustration: Stokes and Smith Wrapping 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:
[Illustration: Figure 4. Illustrating how time and labor may be saved
in the plant by grouping the machines properly, and by working the
operators in teams.]
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.