US2187429A - Closure applying machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1940. w NEwEY 2,187,429

CLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 12' 6 85 Z-i-- Z $213M 1M BY UAW-1} CAMQ ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1940. NEWEY 2,187,429

CLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR EY Patented Jan. 16, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE APPLYING MACHINE William H. Newey, Hingham, Mass, assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 1'7, 1937, Serial No. 180,341

10 Claims.

' This invention relates to a closure applying machine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved machine for applying screw closures to containers and in which provision is made for changing the speed of rotation of the individual closure applyingunits so that the same machine may be adapted to apply screw closures either to containers in which a relatively great amount of rotation is necessary to seat the closure upon the container or to containers in which a relatively small amount of rotation is necessary to completely seat the closure upon the container.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of a closure applying machine which is particularly adapted to apply closures of the type provided with l.ugs,to containers in a man ner such that the lugs are permitted to enter recesses on the container during the rotation of the closure.

With these general objects in View and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the closure applying machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the container supporting and closure applying mechanism, Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the gearing for driving the closure applying units; Fig. 3 is a side view of one .type of container upon which the present invention is adapted to operate, and Figs. 4, 5, are views in section and plan, respectively of a closure to be applied to the container shown in Fig. 3.

p In general, in its preferred form, the present invention contemplates a machine for applying screw closures to containers, such as bottles or jars of a novel construction, adapted to apply not only those closures requiring a relatively large amount of turning to seat the closure upon the container, but also which is adapted for use upon closures and containers having relatively short threaded portions which require but a relatively small amount of rotation in order to seat the closure upon the container. In its preferred form, the machine is constructed so that the amount of rotation of the individual closure applying units may be reduced to adapt the machine to short threaded closures while maintaining a normal production of closed containers from the machine.

Although, in general, the present machine when operated at normal speed is capable of handling closures requiring varying amounts of rotation for seating the closure upon the container and is more or less universal in its nature because of the provision made in closure applying machines of this type for permitting the clutch engaging the closure applying unit to slip when the closure has been completely seated upon the container, yet with certain types of containers and closures and particularly those closures and containers of the type illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, difficulty has been at times experienced when the machine was operated at normal speed for the reason that when the closure applying unit is rotated at normal operating speed it will not permit the lugs to drop into the recesses provided in the top of the container, the speed of the unit being sufficiently great so that during the rotation of the closure, the lugs are carried beyond the recesses and follow along the top of the threaded portion of the container. It was also found that in some instances one or more of the lugs would engage a container in a manner such that the closure would become cross-threaded upon the container.

In the illustrated machine, provision is made for simply and easily changing the speed of rotation of each closure applying unit so that the same machine may be quickly and easily adapted for operation upon screw closures of either type. By arranging to have the closure applying units rotated at a slower speed for the lug type caps it was found. that this type of. closure and container could be successfully handled for although the units are continuously rotated, the reduced speed permits the lugs of the closure to drop into the recesses of the container and thereafter seat the closure upon the container. This feature of the invention reduces to a minimum the slippage of the clutch of the closure applying unit when substantial variation occurs in the lengths of the threaded portions of the closures, thus increasing the life of the clutch.

In general, the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for applyingscrew closuresto containers, such as bottles or jars, and except as to such details as are hereinafter pointed out, the illustrated machine may comprise any of the usual forms of closure applying machines now upon the market. Reference is made to the patent to Arthur Clarence Everett, No. 2,082,048 dated June 1, 1937, as disclosing the details of construction and mode of operation of such prior art closure applying machines.

Referring now to the drawings, the illustrated machine is provided with a base 2 having mounted thereon a revoluble head It upon which are mounted to revolve therewith'a plurality of and, as herein shown, four individual closure applying devices M. Each closure applying device is arranged to be individually rotated during the revolution of the head to screw a closure lliil upon the threaded neck of a container 20 held by clamping members It, ii of a revoluble container supporting table 58. The table i8 is arranged to revolve with the closure applying devices, and provision is made for engaging and releasing the containers at different stations in the revolution of the container supporting table.

. The revolution of the revoluble head l2 and also the container supporting table it, is effected by a driving motor not shown arranged to drive a shaft 39 through the usual connections, such as a belt and pulleys, not shown. The driving shaft 30 is journalled in suitable bearings in a casing 34 secured to and supported by the base of the machine, and is provided with worm 36 which cooperates with a worm wheel 33 formed on the lower portion of a cylindrical drum Mi, see Fig. l. A sleeve 42 is attached at its lower end to the inside of the cylindrical drum by the bolts 43', and at its upper end to the circular container supporting table i8, by a key M. The clamping jaws l6, ll above referred to for clamping the containers are mounted upon the revoluble table to rotate therewith.

Provision is made for effecting the revolution of the closure applying devices it about a central supporting shaft 553 through connections between the closure applying devices and the sleeve 52, including, as shown in Fig. 1 an inner sleeve 46 having an elongated keyway 41 within which an elongated key 48 secured to the outer sleeve is slidably fitted whereby to effect rotation of the inner sleeve while permitting the vertical adjustment of the sleeve for the purpose of adjusting the vertical position of the closure applying devices to accommodate the machine to different heights of containers.

The closure applying devices l4 are mounted upon the top of the inner sleeve 46 by a sup.- porting bracket 52 held by a key 53 to the upper end of the sleeve. The bracket E52 has attached to it a plate 5 2 which forms a supporting'memher for the individual capping head casings 60 and to which they are fastened at their lower ends by screws 56. The individual capping head casings (it are secured at their upper ends-to the revoluble head !2 by screws 63 so that the rotations of the inner sleeve 46 are transmitted directly to the capping headcasings and head l2 to cause the casings fill to'revolve about the stationary shaft 59, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. l. i

Each closure applying device is provided with a chuck indicated generally at 66 and is mounted to slide vertically within the capping head casing 69. -A vertical motion is irnparted to each individual device from a cam path 63 in a cylindrical drum Hi, the upper end of which is secured to a flange '52 of a sleeve M keyed to the stationary shaft 56, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each capping device is provided with a cam roller 76 which rides in the cam path 68, and each cam roller 76 is rotatably mounted on a stud secured in an annular collar 82 as fully disclosed in the United States Patent No. 2,082,048 above referred During the application of the caps, the containers are sup-ported on the table l8 and are firmly gripped and held from rotation by the clamping members 16 and H. The clamping members are arranged to engage and release the containers at the different stations in the revolution of the table I8 and as herein shown each set of clamping members comprises a stationary jaw l6 and a movable jaw ll. The stationary jaw is secured directly to the table and the movable jaw is faste-ned to a vertical stud I36 pivotally mounted in the table It. The movable jaw is arranged to be moved by an inner cam surface I32 through a roller i341 on a lever I36 pivoted on a pin [38 secured to the under side of the table I3. A second arm M0 of the lever is connected to a lever Hi2 secured to the lower end of the vertical stud if? by a connecting rod M4. The roller l3i is held against the cam [32 by a spring I46 which is connected at its other end to a stud extending from the underside of the table. In operation, as the table [8 revolves, the cam roller i3 3 acting on the cam I32 causes the movable gripping jaw ll to close and yieldingly hold the container in position to permit the closure applying operation to be performed during one portion of the revolution of the table and to release the containers so that they may be discharged during another portion of the revolution of the table.

The mechanism for feeding the closures to the closure applying units including a supply hopper for storing a bulk supply of caps and from which successive caps are selected and delivered right side up through a feed chute, not shown, may comprise any suitable or known form of cap feeding mechanism, reference being made to the U. S. Patent to R. N.Doble, No. 1,801,721, as illustrating one form of such cap feeding mechanism.

The mechanism for transferring the caps from the cap feeding mechanism to the cap applying chucks 66 while the latter are revolving may comprise the transferring mechanism disclosed in the Everett patent hereinbefore referred to and, as illustrated in said patent, each closure applying device is provided with an oscillatory transferring arm mounted to revolve about the cen tral shaft 59 with the closure applying units as the latter revolve. Provision is made for effecting the oscillations of the closure applying devices about the shaft Ei'l as to enable the successive caps or closures to be withdrawn from the end of the closure feeding chute and to be transferred to a position under the chuck 66 to be engaged by the latter during the revolution of the closure applying devices.

As clearly disclosed and fully described in the aforesaid U. S. Patent to Arthur Clarence Everett, each closure applying device comprises a housing lifi'slidably and rotatably mounted in the casing 60. The housing 33 is provided at its lower end with the cap gripping mechanism, generally in dicated at 65 which is arranged to pick up a cap, apply it to a container, and thereafter release the cap to permit the closed container to be delivered from the machine. Inasmuch as the cap gripping mechanism of itself constitutes no part of the present invention. it is sufficient to state that provision is made'in the gripping mechanism for permitting the driving connections, hereinbefore referred to as the clutch, to slip when the cap has been screwed down to the limit of its threads, reference being made to the aforesaid patent for a complete description thereof.

. @In the .operation of the illustrated machine,

each closureapplying unit I4 is lowered to receive'a cap when it arrives at a positioh indicated by dotted lines at A, see Fig. 2. The unit is then fraised and again lowered when it arrives atf dotted line position B. The unit remains in its lowered or cap applying position-until it arrivesat theposition indicated by dotted lines at C whereupon the grip on the cap is released housing 88 and each pinion meshes with a gear '55 rotatably mounted but normally stationary upon th'e sleeve M. JThe pinion 94 is made of sufiicient length to permit the gear and pinion to remain in mesh in the various vertical positionstinto which thepinion and chuck housing are moved during the operation of the machine. I From the description ,thus far, it will be observed that each closure applying unit M is arranged to be .driven in a clockwise direction viewing Fig. 2 by theengagement of the pinions 94 with the normally stationary gear 75 as the units are revolved by the rotatabie head I? also traveling in a clockwise direction. During thev normal operation of the machine or when it is desired to have theuunits I 4 rotated at their maximum speed, upon their own axes; the gear 75 is'held stationary by' a bolt T! which secures the, hub '89 of the gear l5 to theflange 12 of the sleeve 14 fixed to the stationary shaft 50 by Provision is mad lf or enabling the rate of rotation of the closure applying unit or units to be substantially reduced asucompared to the normal rate of rotation thereof in a novel and simple manner. To this end in the illustrated machine the rotatable head [2 maybe regarded as the driving member and the pinions 84 can be regarded as the driven member of a gear train which normally includes thestationary gear 15. accordance with the present'invention the machine is provided with additional gearing elements mounted to be normally inoperative duringoperation of the machine at normal speeds .but which may be rendered operative in a simple andpractical manner andwhen rendered operative serve to effect rotation of the pinions 94 and consequently of the closure applying units at a substantially reducedrateyof speed. i

In order to effect the. above describedresult, it ispreferred to use an epicyclic train of gears, which as herei n'shown, comprises an internal gear. 33, sun pinion 85 and planet pinion 81. In the operation of the machine when it is desired to change over from high speed to'low speed operation of the units, itji's simply necessary to removekthe bolt TI from the position shown infull lines in Fig. 1, in order to permit the gear '75 to rotate on the sleeve .74,- and then to replace the bolt H in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in order to secure the internal gear 53 to the rotatablehead l2. The sun pinion 85 issta- Theplanet pinion 81, in mesh with the internal gear and the sun pinion, is .rotatably mounted upon a stud .91 which is fixed to the largegear 15. In the operation of the epicyclic train when the rotatable head 12 is turned, the internal gear 83, being secured to the head, turns with the latter and transmits motion to the planet pinion 81 causing the latter to revolve about the stationary sun pinion 85. The planet pinion, being mounted on'the large gear 15, causes the latter to rotate and thus the closure applying unit pinions 94 being revolved about the large gear 15 by the rotatable head l2 are caused to rotate at a slowerrate of speed. i

During the normal orhigh speed operation of the closure applying units, the bolt 11 is removed from the position shown in dotted lines and again replaced to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 in order to hold the large gear 15 stationary. Thus, the bolt being removed from the rotatable head 2, the planetary trainuremains idle during thehigh speed operation.

In the illustrated machine the containers are carried into the machine on a conveyor 200 of any suitable construction, such as parallel chains running over sprockets, not shown, and as the containers are received by the machine, pro

vision. is made for delivering the containers to the clamping jaws 16, H as the latter are" moved into a receiving position. I As herein shown, see

Fig. 2, the containers are delivered into a rotating disk .202 and thence conveyed by a toothed" rotary member 204 to a position to be delivered onto the revoluble table l8 and to be received by the clamping jawslli, 11 which have previously been opened ready to receive a container. The jawsclose about the container and as described the container is moved through successive stations where the closure is screwed onto the container whereupon the jaws I 5, I! are opened i and the container is guided to a rotary disk 206 t which conveys the containers to a discharge conveyor .288. The latter may comprise a belt or any other usual or preferred form of conveyor for continuously removing the containers from the machine.

In the operation of the embodiment of the invention thus far described, the containers are guided between rails 29 I, 2173 onto the rotary disk 2132 and then carried by the toothed member 294 cap and container in vertical alignment, the chuck 66 is rotated by the engagement of the pinions 94 with the large gear #5 and at the point designated at B, the chuck islowered to apply the cap to the container. When the cap has been screwed all the way down, the clutch members are arranged to slipuntil finally, at a point designated at C the chuck releases the cap and the container is ejected from the machine, between the guides 2m, M2 onto the rotary disk 206 which carries the containers to the discharge conveyor 208.

From the description it will be observed that a definite period in the revolution of each closure applying unit is reserved for the cap applying operation and, as herein indicated, seel ig. 2, this period extends from the position B to the ,55 to remove the cap from the transferring arm.

As the machine continues in operation, with the position C whichis approximately 190 degrees.

high speed operation thereof, each closure applying unit rotates upon its own axis about two and one-half turns between the positions B and C.

When the machine is operated at low speed or through the planetary train, as above described,

this rotation of the closure applying unit between the positions B and C is reduced to about one turn in the 190 degrees period. It will readily be seen from the above that when operating uponclosures which'require less than o'neturn in order to seatthe same upon a container, the reduction in the turning movement greatly reduces the required slipping time of the clutch of.

the unit, resulting in increasing the life thereof. It will be observed that the present closure applying machine is capable of successful operation upon screw closures having either long or short threaded portions and particularly upon closures and containers such as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The container 20 illustrated therein is provided with threaded portions ll having recesses l3 between each portioninto which lugs I5 provided upon the closure it!) are arranged to I enter before the turning movement is effective to seat the closure upon the container. The present. closure applying machine having provision for reducing the speed of operation of each unit permits the lug type of closure to be successfully handled while maintaining the normal output of closed containers from the machine.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it 'willbe understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope ofthe about its own axis at a different rate of speed While maintaining the same rate of revoluble movement of the closure applying device during both speeds.

2. In a c osure applying machine, in combination, a revoluble closure applying device, revoluble container holding means, means for relatively moving the container and said closure applying device toward and from each other, means for efiecting the rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis during its revoluble movemerit, and means for changing the speed of rota tion of said closure applying device about its own while maintaining the same rate of revoluble movement of the closure applying device.

In a closure applying machine, in combinatio." a revoluble closure applying device, revoluble cont her holding means, means for relatively moving the container and said closure applying device toward andvfrom each other, and means for effecting the rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis at different rates of speed during its revoluble movement, said last named means including a pinion connected to the closure applying device and a normally stationary adapted to engage said pinion to effect rotajtion thereof at one rate of speed and mounted,

.In a commercial machine'during the normal or to be capable of movement during rotation thereof at a different rate of speed.

4. In a closure applying machine, in combination, a revoluble closure applying device, revoluble container holding means, means for relatively movingthe container and said closure applying device toward and from each other, and means for effecting the rotation of the closure applying device about itsown axis at different rates of speed during its revoluble movement, said last named means inciuding'a pinion connected to the closure applying device and a normally stationary gear adapted toengage saidpinion to efiect rotation at one speed and means normally inoperative and capable of connection to effect movement of normally stationary gear to effect a reduction in the speed of rotation of said revoluble closure applying device while maintaining a constant rate of revoluble movement of the latter.

5. In a closure applying machine, in combination, revoluble closure applying device, revoluble container holding means, means for rela tively moving the container and said closure applying device toward and from each other, and

means for effecting the rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis at different rates of speed during its revoluble movement,'

normally inoperative and capable of connection effect movement of said normally stationary gear to efiect a reduction in the speed of rotation of said revoluble closure applying device.

6. In a closure applying machine, in combination, a revoluble closure applying device, revoluble container holding means, means for rela tively moving the container and said closure applying device toward and from each other, and

means for effecting the rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis at different rates of speed during its revoluble movement, said last named means including a pinion connected to the closure applyingdevice and a normally stationary gear adapted to engage said pinion to effect said rotation at a relatively high speed, and means for effecting';movement of said normally stationary gear cooperating toeifect rotation of said revolublepclosure applying device at a relatively low speed; I

"7. In a'closure applying machine, in combin'a tion, a revolubleclosur'e applying device, revoluble container holdingmeans, means for relatively moving the container and said closure applying devicetoward and from each other, and means for effecting the rotation of the closure effect said rotation at a'relatively high speed,

applying device about its own axis at different and means for effecting movement of said normally stationary gear to effect rotation of said revoluble closure applying-device at a relatively lowspeed while maintaining a fixed rate of revo- I cluding a pinion connected to the closure applying device, a normally stationary gear adapted to engage said pinion to effect rotation at one rate of speed and normally inoperative elements capable of forming with said gear an epicyclic train of gears for effecting rotation of said closure applying device at another rate of speed, and revoluble container holding means for operatively supporting the container during the closure applying operation. 1 l

9. In a closure applying machine, in combination, a revoluble closure applying device, means for efiecting the rotation of the closure applying device upon its own axis at different rates of speed during its revoluble movement, said means including a pinion connected to the closure applying device, a normally stationary. gearadapted speed, and revoluble container holding means for operatively supporting the container during the closure applying operation While maintaining a fixed rate of revoluble movement during both speeds.

10. In a closure applying machine, in combination,a closure applying device mounted to rotate about its own axis, container holding means,

meansior effecting rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis including a driven vertical shaft, a normally stationary gear mounted 'upon the shaft adapted to rotate there- With, a gear carried by the closure applying device and variable speed varying connections between said gears whereby to permit rotation of the closure applying device about its own axis at difierent rates of speed While maintaining a constant rate of rotation of the driven vertical shaft.

WILLIAM H. NEWEY.

Images