GB786099A - Improvements in or relating to devices for tightening screw closures in or around the mouths of bottles or like containers - Google Patents

Abstract

786,099. Applying screw closures to containers. CROWN CORK CO., Ltd., and BECK, N. June 4, 1956 [June 3, 1955], No. 16038/55. Class 125(2). A device for tightening screw closures in or around the mouths of bottles or like containers, comprises in combination a spring-loaded plunger 19, telescopically mounted in a spindle 24 and carrying closure engaging means, which is enabled by means of the spring-loading and telescopic mounting to engage closures on containers of different heights, rotary driving means, in the form of a pulley 27, connected to the spindle 24, co-operating clutch members 40 and 33 connected to the plunger and spindle respectively and conveying the drive to the plunger, together with spring means 16 urging the clutch member together, the combination being characterized in that the spring means are adjustable from the exterior of the device to exert such a pressure on the clutch members as to permit clutch slip after a selected degree of closure tightening imparted by the rotation of the plunger. The device is mounted in a cylindrical casing 12 with end members 11 and 13. The end member 13 forms a bearing for the spindle 24 which is flanged at its lower end 33 to form a clutch member while the pulley 27 and a ball race 34 are so arranged that there is no vertical movement of the spindle. The lower end member 11 has a screw-threaded bore which receives a bush 14, the upper end of which is cupped to receive the clutch spring 16. The plunger 19 telescopically engages the spindle 24 at 32, a spring 31 seated in the spindle urging the plunger downwards. On the upper end of spring 16 is seated a member 35 carrying a ball race the rotating side of which is fixed to a friction pad 40 engaging the upper clutch member 32. The lower clutch member is associated with the plunger by means of a bolt 39 which slides in a vertical slot 38 in the plunger, which is thus adjustable for stoppering containers of differing heights. The spring 16 is adjusted to permit clutch slip of varying degree by turning the bush 14 in which the spring is received. The device may replace the crowning head in a crown corking machine. One arrangement of a number of devices is indicated in Fig. 3 in which a fired belt 28 is arranged on the pulleys 28 so that anti-clockwise movement of the devices causes tightening of the stoppers.