US 7,571,588 B2
Case sealer with wash-down, knockdown, and reversible capabilities
Anthony J. Sambuca, Jr., Honesdale, Pa. (US); Richard E. Millon, Honesdale, Pa. (US); and Dennis P. Wilk, Hughestown, Pa. (US)
Assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, Ill. (US)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/452,341.
Prior Publication US 2007/0289256 A1, Dec. 20, 2007
Int. Cl. B65B 7/20 (2006.01); B65B 51/18 (2006.01); B31B 1/72 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 53—378.3  [53/377.2; 53/117] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A case sealer assembly for sealing cases, comprising:
a tube frame subassembly comprising a plurality of frame members;
a side rail subassembly mounted upon said tube frame subassembly and comprising a pair of oppositely disposed side rail members cooperating together for accommodating and guiding cases to be sealed by said case sealer assembly, wherein said pair of oppositely disposed side rail members are adjustably mounted upon said tube frame subassembly so as to accommodate and guide differently sized cases to be sealed by said case sealer assembly, and wherein further, said pair of oppositely disposed side rail members are interconnected together such that positional adjustment of one of said pair of oppositely disposed side rail members automatically positionally adjusts the other one of said pair of oppositely disposed side rail members;
means for mounting a lower case sealer tape cartridge housing, for containing sealing tape, upon said tube frame subassembly;
conveyor belt means, mounted upon said tube frame subassembly, for conveying cases past said lower case sealer tape cartridge housing so as to permit the cases to be sealed by the sealing tape contained within said lower case sealer tape cartridge housing; and
fastener means mounted upon said tube frame subassembly and said conveyor belt means for permitting said conveyor belt means to be removably mounted upon said tube frame subassembly such that said conveyor belt means can be positioned upon said tube frame subassembly in either one of two oppositely disposed orientations whereby said conveyor belt means can convey the cases to be sealed in either one of two opposite directions.