US1782553A - Machine and method for applying closures - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782, 53

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1925 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 3 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 10 Shegts-Sheet 2 x Inn a I u' Euaz 02":

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MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Fiid July 21, 1.92s 10 Sheets-Sheet a Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 'Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July'iBl, 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov.25,1930. OJN.TEVANDER IAGHINB AND METHOD FOR APPLYING cnosunns Filed July 21, 1925 III I 10 Shoots-Shut 7 0/ ra zwmd Nov. 25, 1930. y o. N. TEVANDER -MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21. 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Flt-If Hin mam

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' 'mcnma AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21. 1926 1o Sheets-Sheet 9 zez Nqv. 25, 1930. 0.. TEVANI DER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 a QZfi the string to-the cap skirt." The invention is' H Patented Nov. 25, 193(1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ".oLor N. 'rEvANnEn, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, assIeNonro STANDARD car a SEAL conroRArrIo or c IIcAeo, ILLINOIS, a conro'na rIoN or VIRGINIA MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING OLOSUBES Application filed July 21,-

' My invention relates to machines and method for applyin closures to containers and finds a very usefill embodiment in a machine constructed to apply skirted caps to the beaded mouths of milk bottles, though the invention is not to be limited to this particular utility. y

In my.Patent'1,431,341, dated October 10,

1922, a machine is disclosed for wrapping string about the skirts of closure ca s, such I machine including mechanism where y cli s are passed about the lapping ends oft e string to fasten these ends to ether while the string is taut to maintain t e assembly of the caps and the receptacles to whose mouth portions the caps are applied. The machine of my invention employsmeans for supplying sealingwax or other cementitious material and is not to be limited to this use in con.-

by means of the cementitious material.

nection wth any particular means or con- 1920." Serial No. 12am.

this'portion to cool, and thereafter apply the remainder of the quantity that is to be suplied' and allow this remainder to cool. hese two applications of sealing wax will permit of a quicker completion of the cycle of operations in which cycle of operations the sealin of the string ends in included. By this ouble application of the sealing wax, the area occupied by the a gregate mass of the applied wax is materia ly restricted,

it being apparent that if the wax is. applied in one operation'that it will unduly spread.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompany- 1ng drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of the preferred form of machine, parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a. view of a part of the mechanism s own in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow 2; Fig. 3 is a view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4' is a view on line struction whereby the skirts may be held inf44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view on 1ine 55 contracted relation about the necks of bottles .The machine of my present invention is preferably inclusive of mechanism whereby cement is applied to end portions of the string that is placed about the skirt of the closure cap from a source-of supply which is provided inconnection' with the machine. The machine also desirably serves to cement not to .be limited to the cementing of string portions together nor to thehcementing-of string portions to the cap skirt, as the invention contemplates'the use of wax or other cementitlous materialm any manner Wh1Ch is suited to the nature of the closure that is cool quickly enough" if operation in sufficient strands of other. material and shape may be used. 4 The cement employed is desirably A sealing wax which is blown upon the strin after the string has 'been' passed around the skirt of ajbottle"cap.' Sealingwax will not .it is applied in one of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 1s a view on line 6-6 of 10-10 of Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is a sectional view" Fig. 1; Fig. 7 and Fig. 7', taken together, il-

on line 1111 of Fig. 1 with parts in changed p ositions; Fig. 12' is a view on line 1212 of ig. 1 with parts in changed positions; Fig. 13 is a, view on line 13-13 of Fig. 12; Fig.14 is a view on line 1414 of Fig. 13, with parts omitted and someparts shown in full; Fig. 15 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 15, Fig. -13;' Fig. 16 is an enlargement of a part of Fig. 13; Fig.1? is a sectional view on line 17-17 of Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a view-similarto Fig. 12 with parts om'tted, broken away and in changed ositions; Fig. 19 is a view on line 19.19 0 Fig. 12; Fig. 20 is a sectional view on line 2020 of Fig. 18; Fig.-

quantity to hold the :line 22- -22 of Fig. 21; Fig. 23 is a sectional string ends together. I, therefore, apply a view on line"23=23 of Fig. 21; Fig." 24 isa portion oil thei'total quantity of sealing wax. view in elevation of the upper portion ofthe thatiste-"be placed. vjufpon the strir g, allow bottle illustratinga cap appliedto a bottle mouth by a string fastened by the machine of my invention; and Fig. 25 is a sectional view on line 25-25 of Fig. 24.

The bottles 1 are suitably supplied to a stationary deck 2 carried upon posts 3 which are supported by the base 4 of the machine. These bottles have caps 5 initially loosely applied thereto, these caps being desirably constructed as disclosed in United States Patent 1,117,147, dated November 10, 1914. The skirts of these caps are to be tightened about the bottle necks by the machine of my invention so as to underlie the beads 6 about the bottle mouths. The bottle, with the loose caps thereon, are fed through the chute 7 in position to be engaged by the teeth of the star wheel 8 which serve to continue the travel of the bottles as they leave the chute and to direct the same individually onto the vertically adjustable sections 9 of a disc-like table 10, these tables sections being the preferred form of bottle positioners.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for operating the various operating elements that are located above the deck 2. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, an electric motor 11 may be employed for operating a main drive shaft 12. Power is transmitted to this drive shaft at adjustable speed through the interm'ediation of any suitable speed changing gearing 13. The shaft 12 has a worm 14 thereon which is in mesh with a worm wheel 15. This worm wheel is fixed upon a shaft 16 on which there are also fixed the spur gear 17 and the table 10. The shaft 16 is journaled at its upper end in a sleeve bearing 16 carried by the spider 16 which is mounted upon the upper ends of the rods 16 that are secured at their lower ends upon the base 4. This spur gear is in mesh with another spur gear 18'that is fixed upon a shaft 19 upon which shaft is also fixed the star wheel 8.

The bottle supporting table 10 is constantly turned and while turning, the sections 9 thereof are gradually elevated from the plane, proper, of the table and gradually restored to this plane, the final capping opera- .tion that is to be described occurring when said table sections are in their upper limits of their movements.

I provide a stationary cam track 20 upon which cam rollers 21 travel, to rise and fall. Each table section 9 is assembled with a cam roller so as to rise and fall therewith. As illustrated, each table section 9 is carried at the upper end of a spring barrel 22. A piston 23 is within the lower end of the spring barrel and is normally held in fixed relation therewith by means of a spring 24 which abuts at its lower end upon the piston and at its upper end against the top end wall of the spring barrel. A link 25 connects each piston 23 with one end of a bell crank 26 upon whose elbow the corresponding cam roller is journaled. The other end of this bell crank is pivoted upon arm 27 depending from a bearing support 28 which is fixed upon the shaft 16 and is located below the table 10.

I As the shaft 16 turns, the cam rollers move bodily therewith over the cam track 20 to elevate and lower the table sections 9 to enable these table sections to function. As the shaft 16 and the parts thereon turn, the spring barrels 22 rise and fall due to the normally fixed relation of the piston 23 therewith. These spring barrels are guided in their movement by bearings 29 in the bearing support 28. If, in the final capping operation, the bottles should encounter undue strain, the springs 24 will yield to prevent the bottles from breaking, the pistons 23 then rising in the spring barrels.

A support 30 is in normally fixed relation with the shaft 16. This support has splined connection with the shaft 16 as indicated at 31 whereby it may be permitted movement lengthwise of the shaft. A bevel gear 32 has a nut formation 32 screwed upon the shaft 16 and has tongue and groove connection with the support 30 so that this support may be elevated and lowered along the shaft. A bracket 33 is carried by the support 30 and carries one bearing for the shaft 34 of the bevel pinion 35, the other bearing 36 for this shaft being provided in the support 30. The outer end of the shaft 34 is squared, Fig. 1, so that the bevel pinion 35 may be turned by hand to turn the bevel gear 32 that meshes therewith to turn nut 32' to elevate or lower the support 30. By this means, the chucks'37 which are carried by the support 30 through the intermediation of mechanism to be described, and which are provided to receive the tops of the bottles, may be elevated or lowered to suit the heights of the bottles being operated upon by the machine. Each table section 9 has a chuck 37 individual thereto and in vertical alignment therewith, each such table section and the chuck corresponding thereto cooperating to hold a bottle therebetween. A tapering guide 38 is interposed between each table section 9 and the chuck 37 individual to this table section, the guides being carried by brackets 39 that are carried by the support 30. The guides 38 serve to direct the upper ends of the bottles into the chucks 37 and also to gather the skirts of the caps about the bottle necks preparatory to the application of the tightening rings or hands about such cap skirts, in case these skirts flare too much.

Each cycle of operations occupies one revolution of the shaft 16 and support30 and commences with the deposit of a bottle upon the table section 9 that is to receive it. After the bottle has been received upon the table section 9 that is to carry it, the table 10 and the table sections 9 turn a few degrees before the particular table section 9, in question, commences to rise to permit of some preparatory mechanical automatically efiected adjustments. The bottle, in-bein'gyraised, has its mouth end brought snugly into the chuck37 overlying the table section 9 that carries such bottle. The bottle raises a solid plunger 40 which extends into the chuck 37. Each plunger has a stem 41 which is mounted to slide in a sleeve 42 whichrotates in vertically aligned bearings 43 and 44. Each bearing 43 is held in place by a set nut 45 which passes through a sleeve 46. This sleeve 46 is an integral part of a bracket 47 which is bolted upon the top side of the support 30. When a plunger 40 is raised by the bottle beneath it, the upper end'of the plunger'stem'tl lifts the floating disc 48 that is coaxial with the plunger and the plunger stem. The disc 48 carries.

three upright pins 49 that slide within guiding holes formed in the inturned upper end of the extension 50 of sleeve 42. The upper ends of said pins thereupon lift the collar 51 which is loose upon the shaft 52 which is coaxial with and fixed with respect to the sleeve 42, this shaft being directly fixed upon the upper end of the sleeve extension 50. The groove of the collar 51 receives pins 53 provided upon the yoke lever 54 which is intermediately pivoted upon the shaft 55 that is journaled at the top end of the bracket 47. There is such 'a stituting a part of a string or wire winding mechanlsm, there belng as many such winding itself carries pins 69 that are received within an annular groove formed in the clutch coltable section 9 from the time this table section has received a bottle and until such table section is about to beraised by the cam track 20. To this end, the sleeve 59 carries a cam 'member 59 which rides upon the roller 59 carried by the bracket 59-- which, in turn, is carried upon the normally stationary gear ca1rier,59 This gear carrier .is supported lever 54 at each bottle position, each lever conmechanisms as there are bottle positions. The

base end of each yoke lever 54 carries an abut ment 5,6 which is pressed upon by an upwardlv spring pressed upright pin plunger 57. The spring 58 which presses upwardly upon the pin '57 is bottomed at itslowerend upon the sleeve 59 which is slidable upon the pin 57 and presses at its upper end, upon the yoke 60 which is secured to the pin 57 and to the upright rod 61 which is 'slidable within bearing sleeves 62 and 63. carried by the bracket 47. When the plunger stem 41 is raised, the lever yoke 54 is turned clockwise to depressthepin 57 against the force of the spring 58. When this depressed, the rod 61 is depressed. The adjustable nut 64 upon the'rod 61 thereupon Dresses, at its lower end upon one end of the bell crank 65 which is pivoted at its elbow upon the bracket 47. The other end of the bell crank is thereupon withdrawn from -en-. gagement with the detaining lug-66 which is provided upon the upper end of the sleeve 59. The 'bellcrank lever 65, which thus functions as a detent normally to hold the sleeve 59 in its upper position, is withdrawn from its detaining position by the downward movement of the rod 61 to permit the spring 58 to depress the sleeve 59. This adjustment of the bell crank lever is effected against the force of the restoring spring 67 which is anchored at one end to the bracket 47 v A yoke 68 is carried by the sleeve 59 and upon the non-rotating sleeve 59 to which it is keyed, a vthrust ball bearing structure 59' intervening between the lower end of the sleeve ,and the support 30. A ring 59" is screwed upon the lower end of the sleeve and a' collar 59 is secured upon the support 30 and overlies the ring to keep the sleeve 59 1" rom rising. This sleeve is held from rotating by means of a pin 59 depending from the bearing 16. and which passes through and is in sliding relation with an arm 59 provided upon the sleeve 59 The members 70 and 72 are thus positively separated at the initiation of a cycle and are permitted to be engaged when the corresponding table section 9 rises providing there is a bottle upon this table section. If there is no bottle, the clutch niember 7O will be held elevated by the detent lever 65 so that the cycle of operations, which is commenced by the inter-action of the elements 59 and 59 is not completed if the bottle is absent. When the clutch collar or member 70 is moved downwardly into clutching engagement with the'clutch member 72, a result which occurs when a bottle lifts the correspondingplunger 40, said clutch collar is turned by said clutch member 72 to turn the sleeve 42. v The clutch jme'mber 72 which is thus employed to drive the sleeve 42 is turnedone and one-half times by the time the support 30 has turned a hal of a revolution and is turned a half of a revolution during, approximately, the lastone-sixth of the,

revolution of said support 30, all as will more I fully hereinafter appear.

. The sleeve 421s provided for winding a strand of string or wire 73 about the skirts of bottle caps. The string is directed upon the skirts by being passed through a nozzle v 74 which is carried upon the portion 42' of" sleeve The discharge end of; the nozzle is located sutficiently away-tro'in the axis of l'il the plunger stem 42 as to enable the nozzle, in being revolved around the bottle cap, to suitably apply the strand 73 to the skirt thereof. Each chuck 37,'which is individual to each table section 9, has .a string winding mechanism individual thereto. Each string winding mechanism has a reel 75 which is journaled upon the upright shaft 76 that is coaxial with the shaft 52, the shaft 76 being secured to the upper end of a yoke 77 whose lower end is secured to the shaft 52 whereby the two shafts turn together with the sleeve 42. A spring 78 abuts against a washer 79 which is positioned by a nut 80 screwed upon the upper end of the corresponding shaft 76. The lower end of said spring 78 presses down upon the disc 81 that bears against the upper side of the reel 75 to hold the lower side of the reel against the flange 82 of the yoke 77. The reel 75 is thus prevented from turning with respect to the shafts 76 and 52 any faster than it is so turned by the string 73 being withdrawn therefrom. The spring 78 also takes part in adjusting the tension upon the string being wound about the bottle cap, the adjustment of the spring determining the degree of tightness of the winding of the string about such cap. The string 73 is passed from the corresponding reel 75 over the idler pulleys 83, 84 carried by the bracket 85 which is an integral part of the yoke 77. The string, after having left the idler pulley 84, is passed through the upright guiding tube 86 which is fixed with respect to the sleeve 42 and which .passes through this sleeve and the shaft 52. Said tube is disposed alongside of the axis of rotation of said sleeve and is located between this axis and the nozzle 7 4. The string, after issuing from the lower end of the tube, passes over the idler pulley 87 which is journaled upon the sleeve 42. The string, after having passed through the pulley 87, passes over the guiding lug 88 carried by the nozzle 74, this lug directing the string through the nozzle outlet opening 89. The string, where it is about to enter the nozzle end 89, is pressed against a side of the nozzle by the block 90 which, in turn, is pressed upon by the leaf spring 91.

By mechanism to be presently described, the leading end portion of the string which has passed through the nozzle, is clamped between the members 92 and 93 which constitute an anchorage for this leading end of the string in order that the string may be held. at one. end, during the rotation of the nozzle, about the corresponding bottle neck, the'string thus remaining clamped while the nozzle turns one and one-half times about the bottle neck. The nozzle and the clamp thus constitute strand holders. The clamping action effected bythe members 92, 93 is accomplished atv the initiation of a cycle of operations and during the time that the members 59', 59 interact to separate the clutch members 70 and 72. The clamping member 93 is stationary, being desirably part of the stationary tapering guide 38. The clamping member 92 is upon one end of a lever 97 which is intermediately journaled upon a shaft 98 that is itself journaled in bearings 99, 100 carried by the brackets 47 and 39 respectively. An arm 101 is fixed upon the shaft 98. The stem of a bolt 102 passes through the lever 97 and the arm 101 and is surrounded by a spring 103. This spring has one end in engagement with a washer 104 which is adjustable in position by a nut screwed upon the stem of the bolt. The other end of the spring engages the arm 101 and presses the head of the bolt against the lever 97. The spring, when permitted to function, operates through the bolt, lever and arm to apply the clamping member 92 to the string. One end of a lever arm 105 is secured to the top end of the shaft 98 and carries a cam roller 106 at its other end. This cam roller enters a cam slot 107 formed in a normally stationary earn 108 which is carried by the upper end of the non-rotating sleeve 59*". This cam slot is so shaped that the clamping member 92 will be applied just as soon as the cycle of operations is initiated and will remain applied until after the overlapping string ends are waxed or cemented together and the cement or wax is hardened. The string is severed, at the nozzle, just before the clamping member 92 is released, which release occurs upon the arrival of the cam roller 106 at a suitably shaped portion of the cam slot 107 as indicated in Fig. 4. When the nozzle has been turned once and a half times about the bottle neck, the cementing or waxing device is brought into operation, as will later appear.

The gearing for turning the clutch member 72 which turns the sleeve 42 through the intermediation of the clutch members 70 and 72, as hitherto described, is inclusive of a spiral gear 109 fixed upon and coaxial with the clutch member 72, a spiral gear 110 meshing with the gear 109 and fixed upon a shaft 111 which is journaled at its ends in the bracket 47 that bodily rotates with the support 30 carrying it, and the stationary segmental spiral rack .12 which is coaxial with the shaft 16 and which is carried by the normally stationary gear carrier 59. A spa e intervenes between the entering end of the rack 112 and the gear 110 at the commencement of the cycle of operations so that there will be no rotation of the nozzle 74 while the bottle is being elevated. The gear 110 is positively held from rotation until it enters into mesh with the rack 112 by means of the 5 stationary feather 113 which passes through a radial slot in said gear. Previously to the meshing of the gear 110 with the rack 112. the clutch members 70 and 72 were engaged by the action of the elevated bottle. If there 5 happens to be no bottle inplace upon a particular table section 9, the clutch members and 72 will not be coupled so that there will be no rotation at all of the nozzle during the travel of said table section 9- owing-to the separation of said clutch members. A thrust ball bearing structure 114 is interposed between the clutch member 72 and the support 30, another thrust ball bearing structure 115 is interposed between the support 30 and the enlargement 42' of the sleeve 42, and a third thrust ball bearing structure 116 is interposed between the sleeve enlargment 42" and the top of the chuck 37. The ball bearing structure 116 prevents the rotating sleeve 42 from turning the chuck 37, the rotation of the bottle by said sleeve 42 thus being prevented. It is understood that the cycle of operations commences at the left hand side of'the constantly rotating support 30. The nozzle revolving operation ceases'when said support 30 has about completed one-half of a revolution, that is, when the gear 110 leaves the stationary rack 112 whereupon said gear receives another stationary feather 117 to guard against incidental rotation of said ear. g By mechanism which will be presently described, the lapping or crossing portions 'of the string that has been passed about a bottle cap are cemented together. The cement employed is desirably one which will fuse in response to heat, such as sealing wax, as indicated at 118 in Fig. 24. The string is preferably non-metallic, particularly if the cement is in the nature of sealing wax.

I will first describe the mechanism that is employed to direct the flow of sealingwax or other cement upon the string after it has been applied to a bottle cap and the means by which the cement is prepared for its application to the string. The wax is received in a pot 119 which is heatedby electrical resistance units 120 in close proximity to the pot,

as illustrated most clearly in Fi s. 12 and 19. The pot is carried by the yo e 121, being positioned upon this yoke by the upright rods 122 on the yoke that pass through eyes 123 formed upon the pot. The yoke 121 is carried by the clamps 121' which are clamped upon two of the rods 16 in order that the heightof the pot may be suited to the level of the bottles being operated upon. The pot carries two nozzles 124 and 125 which are positioned to direct the heated sealing wax upon the string 73 where this string crosses, the nozzle 124 supplying a portion of the total sealing wax that is to be applied to the string and the nozzle 125 supplying the remainder of the sealing wax that is tobe applied to the string, the preferred form of product being illustrated in Figs. 24 and 25. The nozzles are. in the form of sleeves having inturned discharge ends where the"- nozzle orifices 124, 125' are provided. These sleeves enclose plugs 126, 127 which have spiral passages in their outer surfaces as indicated most clearly at 128 in Figs. 13, 14, 16 and 17. A space intervenes between the front or delivery end of each spiral passage and the corresponding discharge orifice. The melted sealing wax whirls in this space in a somewhat solid mass instead of sprayed form so that it will issue through the nozzle orifice in a somewhat solid stream, instead of in a spray. The flow of the melted or fluid wax through the orifices is promoted and directed by the truncated conical ontapering portions upon the front ends of the plugs, one of these conical portions 129 being shown in full lines in Figs. 13, 14, 16 and 17 and the other conical portion 130 being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14. The nozzle orifices 124', 125' are of narrow elongated form and the nozzle sleeves 124, 125 are mounted in such relatively adjusted positions, in view of the distance the wax must travel between the nozzles .and a bottle and in view of the tendenc of the wax to whirl or rotate during such travel, that the wax will be applied to the string in the form of an oval whose major axis is in the plane ofv the string, this result being furthered by the cooperation of the truncated conical portions 129 and 130 as they are related to the nozzle-orifices. The wax pot 119 has a' revolving bottom 131 coaxial with the pot. This bottom is fixed upon and turns with an upright shaft 132 which is journaled upon bearings 133 carried by the bracket 134 which, in turn, is carried by the yoke 121. The shaft 132 carries a collar 135 which is pressed upwardly by a spring 136 which surrounds the shaft, the lower end of this spring being bottomed upon the lowerlone of-the two bearings 133. The spring thus serves automatically to compensate for any wear upon the top of the 139 formed upon the interior of the pot and,-

when any two pockets are thus covered, they communicate at their outer ends with the outlets 140 in the 'pot,which outlets are in communication with the spiral grooves 128 in the aforesaid plugs 127. The inner ends of the pockets that are covered by the closures 139 are in communication with the air passages 141 and 142 to which air is supplied under pressure from the pipes 143 and 144 that convey air from the pressure tank 145.

By mechanism which will be presently described, the air is first directed through the pipe 143 and the nozzle 124 to furnish a part of the wax for the overlying string whereafter the air is directed through the pipe 144 and is cut off from the pipe 143, the air passing through pipe 144 directing the remainder of the wax that is to be applied upon the string. After the two pockets that are covered by the closures 139 are thus emptied, the ratchet wheel 137 is turned another step, in the next cycle of operations, to replace the two filled pockets in their association with the nozzles and the air pipes.

The preferred form of mechanism for operating the ratchet wheel and for regulating the flow of air through the pipes 143, 144 will now be described. This mechanism includes a master cam 146 which serves to operate the mechanism, this master cam being provided upon the yoke 68, vertically movable in the manner hitherto described, whereby it is lowered to an operative position if there is a corresponding bottle in place and is held raised from this operative position if there is no correspondng bottle in place so that, in the latter event, no wax will be blown during the complete revolution of the support 30 that occurs during the operation cycle pertaining to such revolution which is rendered incomplete due to the absence of the bottle. \Vhen the yoke 68 has been lowered as a consequence of the presence of a bottle on the table section 9 beneath it, the master cam 146 is lowered into the zone of the cam rollers 147 and 148 upon the lever 149 which is secured between its ends to the pin 150 that is journaled in bearings 151- carried by the bracket 152. This bracket is secured upon the rods 122 by the set bolts 153 and is also secured upon two of the rods 16 by means of clamps 152' which are similar to clamps 121. As will hereinafter appear, when the master cam 146 engages the cam rollers 147, it turns the lever 149 clockwise to turn the ratchet wheel 137 a tooth space and to admit wax ejecting air to the pipe 143. When the master cam 146 operates upon the cam roller 148, the lever 149 is turned counterclockwise to admit wax ejecting air to the pipe 144, the ratchet wheel 137 then being held stationary by the action of the spring 136.

The end of the lever 149 which is adjacent the cam roller 148 is connected by means of a link 154 with one end of the lever arm 155 whose other end is secured to the shaft 156 which is journaled in the bearing 157 formed upon bracket 152 and the bearing 158 upon the support 159 which also carries the wax pot 119, this pot being bolted to the support by the bolts 160. The support 159 is also secured to the rods 122, by means of the set bolts 161. Another lever arm 162 is also fixed upon the shaft 156. As the gear 110 is about leaving the rack 112, the cam 146 is brought into engagement with the roller 147 to place the parts in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 11 and as illustrated in Fig. 12. When the parts are being placed in this position, the lever 162 is turned in a clockwise direction whereby the rod 163 which, is pivotally connected to an extension 162 of the lever 162, is pulled upon to draw the flange 164 upon said rod 163 against one end of the spring 165 whose other end is bottomed upon the arm 166 that is integrally formed with a bell crank lever 167 which is journaled at its elbow upon the shaft 156. The lever 167 is thus moved, through the intermediation of the spring 165, in a clockwise direction, whereby the actuating pawl 168 operates upon the ratchet wheel 137 to move this wheel a tooth space whereby the wax receiving pockets 138 that were emptied upon the previous cycle of operations are moved from their connections with nozzles 124, 125 and the pipes 143 and 144 and whereby the succeeding pockets, which are filled with hot wax, are placed in connection with said nozzles and pipes in substitution for the emptied pockets. The pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by the spring 169 which is connected at one end with the pawl and at the other end with the lever 167. The bell crank lever 167 should be limited to a normally fixed range of arcuate movement in order that the ratchet wheel may be turned exactly one tooth space each time it is operated by the pawl so that the wax holding pockets that are newly brought into connection with the nozzles and the pipes are accurately positioned.

To this end, the lever 167 is provided with an abutment post 170 which engages the fixed abutment 171 upon the support 159. The post 170 is desirably in the form of a bolt in order that it may be adjusted. After the ratchet wheel 137 has thus been turned to a new position, the lever 162 cominues its clockwise movement, being permitted so to do by means of the spring 165 which thus constitutes a yielding coupling between the levers 162 and 167. ing of the ratchet wheel to its new position for the purpose stated, a valve 172 is opened, this valve being included in the pipe 143 that supplies wax ejecting air under pressure from the tank 145 to the wax holding pocket that is in communication with the nozzle 124. This valve is inclusive of a spring 173 which constrains the valve to a closed position and the stem 174 which is engageable by a post 175 carried by the outer end of the lever arm a 162. As hitherto stated, the valve is opened after the ratchet wheel has been moved to its new position, the engagement of the post 175 with the valve stem 174 occurring after this turning movement of said Wheel. Dur- Following the positioning the initial portion of the engagement of the gear 110, employed in the cycle under description, with the feather 117, the wax supplied to the string where lapped or crossed uponthe cap skirt isallowed to cool. A little later and still during the engagement of said gear 110 with said feather 117, the valve 176, which is included in the pipe 144, is opened to permit air under pressure to pass through this pipe to eject wax through the nozzle 125 upon the patch of wax previously applied to the string through the nozzle 124. The lever 162 is moved counterclockwise to, release the valve 172 and open the valve 17 6 by the cam 146 when this cam reaches and operatively engages the cam roller 148. v

The mechanism of valve 176 is similar to the mechanism of valve 172, there being a spring 177 which constrains the valve 176 to a closed position, the valve 176 havin a stem 178 which is engageable by a post 1 9 upon the lever 162 when this lever is moved counter clockwise as stated. The posts 175 and 179 are adjustable in order to secure proper timing in the operation ofthe valves. The

master cam 146 escapes the cam roller 148 while-the gear 110 employed in the cycle being described is still in engagement with the feather 117, the spring 177 then being permitted to close the valve 176. While the aforesaid gear 110 is still in engagement with the feather 117, the second portion of wax that was applied to the string has time to cool. The cap skirt desirably has noihing upon it except the string that surrounds it and the wax which is allowed to spread upon the cap skirt so that the wax not only serves to cement the lapping or crossing portions of the string together but also to secure the string to the cap sothat the string may not be shifted with respect to the ca without detection. I do not wish to be limited to the cementing of lapping portions of the string to each other since it is obvious that the string may be cemented to the cap skirt. without having lapping or crossing portions of the string cemented to each other. 1

While I'have illustrated the use of'selfhardening .wax for securing 1 the lapping ends of the strin together, and for securing the string to t e'cap, I do not wish to be limitled to this, form of 'cementitious materia The mechanism for severing the string is inclusive of a normally stationary knife 180 and a swinging knife 181, these two knives together constituting a pair of shears. Both knives are carried upon the post 182 which is provided upon the-end of a lever 183 which is journaled u on a shaft 184 carried upon a bracket 185 w ich is carried by a yoke 186.

This yoke is carried by clamps 187 that are clamped .upon two of the bars 16 whereby the shearsmay be adjusted vertically to suit the arm of the knife 181 between the stops 189, 190 is moved into contact with the stop 189 with the result that the knife 181 isrotated on its pivot 188 and thus caused tocooperaie with the stationary knife 180- to sever the string which is received between the two knives. When the strin has been severed, the aforesaid arm of kni e 181 is moved into contact with stop 190, causing knife 181 to swing away from knife 180. The two knives are normally withdrawn from the path of the string and are positioned to receive the string between them when the string is to be out.

To this end, the lever 183 which carries the knives is controlled by the spaced apart cams 192 and 193, these cams being provided upon the rotating support 30. The cam 192 first engages the cam extension 194 of the lever 183 to swing the knives into a position in which the string will be between them whereupon the knives are brought together in the manner described and as illustrated in Figs. 22 and 23. When the string has been cut,

the knives are together moved to their outer position away from the'string, thelever 183 being suitably swung for this purpose by the cam 193 which engages the cam 195' fixed upon the shaft 184 upon which the lever 183 is fixed.

' Very shortly after the knives have been withdrawn, the gear 110 leaves the feather 117 whereupon this gear engages the arcuate segmental gear rack 196 which is carried by the gear carrier 59 and is in the same plane with the rack 112. During this en agement of the gear with the rack 196, t e nozzle is turned a half revolution to bring the end g of the strin projecting'from the nozzle between the c amping members 92 93 whereupon this string 'end iscl'amped in t e manner hitherto described, this clamping oper'a" -i;: tion occurring'upon'the initiation of the next 5 cycle. After the string cutting operation and before this clamping of the strin is effected,

the table section 9- carrying the ottle operated upon is lowered and the-bottle is dis? charged from the machine, this discharge of.

the bottle being the conclusion of the cycle of operations under description. Thls bottle is discharged b one of the teeth of the star wheel 197 whic star wheel is secured to the table 10. The tooth of" the star wheel that engages this. bottle forces the bottle to leave the table 10 and causes the bottle to enter the chute 198 that directs the bottle upon the deck 2 from which the bottle may be moved by an attendant.

lVhi-le the machine herein disclosed includes a bottle positioning table member which travels with respect to a point in space to bring the bottle to various stations where the various operations may be performed, it is obvious that the invention involves the travel of the bottles relative to the mechanisms that whether the bottles travel with respect to a point in space or said mechanisms so travel.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirted closure cap; of mechanism for applying a contracting strand to the skirt of the cap; a source of cementitious material; mechanism for applying cementitiousmaterial from said source to end portions of the strand; and mechanism for applying additional cementitious material from said source upon the previously applied cementitious material, said positioner and mechanisms being relatively movable into cooperative relation.

2. The combination with a pot having a rotatable bottom formed with circularly distrlbuted pockets in its top side; of two closures positioned above said ,pot bottom, each for covering a pocket and of limited extent to allow other pockets to be open to receive material from the pot; two nozzles, each in communication with the passage that is indivldual thereto and which is adjacent said pot bottom and which passage has a receiving end posltioned to communicate with the correspondmg covered pocket; piping for conveymg air under pressure and having discharge ends positioned to communicate with the covered pockets, these pockets being thrown out of communication with said piping and the nozzle to which they pertain upon turning movement of said pot bottom; and alternately operable valves for controlling the admiss1on of air to the covered pockets.

3. The combination with a pot having a bottom ad ustable in position and formed wlth distributed pockets in its top side; of two closures'positioned above said pot bottom, each for covering a pocket and of limited extent to allow other pockets to be open to recelve material from the pot; two nozzles, each in communication with the passage that is individual thereto and which is adjacent said pot bottom and which passage has a receiving end positioned to communicate with the corresponding'covered pocket; piping for conveying air under pressure and having discharge ends positioned to communicate with the covered pockets, these ockets being thrown out of communication with said piping and the nozzles to which they perperform the various operations,

tain upon movement of said pot bottom; and alternately operable valves for controlling the admission of air to the covered pockets.

4. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirted closure cap; of mechanism constructed to contract the cap skirt about the neck of the bottle; and pneumatic means to apply cementitious material upon the cap skirt, where contracted, said positioner and mechanisms being relatively movable into cooperative relation.

5. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirted closure cap; of mechanism constructed to contract a strand about the skirt of the cap; and pneumatic means to apply cementitious material upon adjacent portions of the strand, said positioner and mechanisms being relatively movable into cooperative relation.

6. In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, a bottle positioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, means to impart relative movement between said positioner and said mechanism, means operating in one relative position of sald positioner and mechanism to cause the latter initially to apply a patch of cementitious material to said cap, and means operat ng in another relative position of said posltioner and mechanism to cause the latter to apply a second patch of cementitious material upon the patch first applied.

7 In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, a bottle positioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, and means automatically operable to cause said mechanism initially to apply a patch of cementitious material to said-cap and subsequently to apply a second patch of cementitious material upon said first patch.

8. In a machine for securing closure caps upon bottles, a bottle positioner, a source of cementitious material, means for applying cementitious material in a patch upon said cap, and means predetermining the amount of cementitious material applied by said first mentioned means.

9-. In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, a bottle .positioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, means to impart relative movement between said positioner and said mechanism, means operating in one relative position of said positioner and mechanism to cause the latter initially to apply a patch of cementitious material to said cap, and means operating in another relative position of said positioner and mechanism to cause the latter to apply a second patch of cementitious material upon the patch first applied, part of each of the two last mentioned means forming part of the other of such means. i

10. In a machine for securing closure cap upon bottles by means of cementitious material, a positioner for a bottle having a closure cap applied thereto, and means operating pneumatically to apply cementitious material to said cap.

11. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle, contracting a strand about the cap skirt, connecting the ends of the strand by applying a patch of cementitious material thereu on, and applying a second patch of cementltious matenal upon the first patch applied after the latter has set or hardened.

12. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirted cap over the mouth of the bottle, contracting a strand about the cap, skirt with portions off said strand overlapping, applying a patch of cementitious material upon the lapping portions of said strand, and applying a second patch of cementitious material upon the first Batch applied after the latter has set or ardened.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. r

OLOF N. TEVANDER.

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