Apparatus for forming hollow cardboard half-finished products

The device comprises at least two stations for the erecting of blanks positioned sequentially along a conveyor member for conveying a succession of blanks to the stations. A carton blank erector in each station is operable in use initially to lift a blank from the conveyor member and subsequently to erect the blank. The carbon blank erector comprises a suction head (14) for attachment by suction to a blank (12) in use and elements for moving the suction head through a cycle of movement from a blank collection position, through a blank lifting phase, then through a blank erecting phase in which the blank is pressed against an abutment member (50) to force the blank to an erected condition. When the suction head reaches a blank releasing position the blank is released, held between abutment member (50) and a second abutment member (56), and the suction head is returned. The suction heads are carried by a link arm (20) driven in a parallel movement by cams (30, 32) via pivot arms (22, 24). In the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for unfolding tubular cardboard half-finished products (12) from a flattened to open tubular form. The apparatus comprises at least two forming stations for unfolding the half-finished products (12) a conveyor (10) for transporting a sequence of the half-finished products (12) to the forming stations, whereby the forming stations are located successively along a portion of said conveyor (10) path, and means for forming the cardboard half-finished product (12) in each forming station. The invention is characterized in that for the purpose of lifting the half-finished product (12) from the conveyor (10) and its subsequent unfolding the unfolding means are formed by a suction head (14) for gripping the half-finished product (12) due to suction effect and further by means (20, 24, 26, 30, 32) for movement of the suction head (14) within a cycle consisting of gripping the half-finished product (12), lifting phase, forming phase, the half-finished product (12) release and return back to position of gripping the half-finished product (12).