Carton flap gripping system

1. A gripping system for equipment for handling flaps formed by laminates having at least one surface ply, the gripping system comprising:

at least one pin stabilizer on a first side of an operating panel of the equipment, at least one passage through the pin stabilizer;

a pin holder mounted on the first side of the operating panel for movement between an operating position and a non-operating position relative to the pin stabilizer, a pin member extends from the pin holder such that the pin member has a free end, the pin member aligned with the passage of the pin stabilizer, in the operating position the pin member extends through the passage such that the free end of the pin member is exposed beyond the pin stabilizer;

a latch assembly on the panel for releasably retaining the pin holder in both the operating position and the non-operating position, the latch assembly comprising a projecting member biased into a latching position outward from the first side of the operating panel and a latch release exposed at a second, opposite side of the operating panel for moving the projecting member out of the latching position to permit movement of the pin holder.

2. The gripping system of claim 1 wherein the at least one pin stabilizer is in the form of a mounting block having first and second spaced apart passages, first and second spaced apart pins of substantially the same length and with respective free ends extend from the pin holder, the first pin extends into the first passage the second pin extends into the second passage.

3. The gripping system of claim 2 wherein the mounting block includes a recessed portion located on a side toward the pin holder, the pin holder includes a corresponding projection on a first side that is toward the mounting block, the corresponding projection shaped to fit within the recessed portion of the mounting block when the pin holder is in the operating position.

4. The gripping system of claim 3 wherein the recessed portion is substantially U-shaped and the corresponding projecting portion is substantially U-shaped.

5. The gripping system of claim 3 wherein the corresponding projecting portion includes an opening at its panel facing side for receiving the projecting member of the latch assembly when the pin holder is in the non-operating position.

6. The gripping system of claim 5 wherein the first side is a lower side of the pin holder, the pin holder includes an opening at its top side for receiving the projecting member of the latch assembly when the pin holder is in the operating position.

7. The gripping system of claim 6 wherein the opening at the top side of the pin holder is a half-round configuration.

8. The gripping system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a dome located on the first side of the operating panel and located such that the free end of the pin member is positioned proximate a surface of the dome when the pin holder is in the operating position.

9. The gripping system of claim 1 wherein the latch assembly is a spring-biased pin unit, the projecting member comprises one end of a pin, the pin holder includes an opening for receiving the end of the pin when the pin holder is in the operating position.

10. A case erector machine incorporating the gripping system of claim 1 , the operating panel comprises a first operating panel of the case erector machine, the case erector machine further comprises a second operating panel, the first operating panel movable between a position substantially parallel to the second operating panel and a position substantially perpendicular to the second operating panel.

11. The case erector machine of claim 10 wherein both the first and second operating panels are movable up and down on the machine during a case erecting process of the case erector machine.

12. The case erector machine of claim 10 wherein the first and second operating panels are located proximate to and downstream of a folded case storage and loading zone of the case erector machine.