ES319904A1 - Cap crimping tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for crimping a cap 2 on a bottle 1 has a pusher 300 and a number of resilient blades 220 which crimp the cap to the bottle as it moves upwards, its neck engaging the pusher 300 and moving it so that a spring 230 between the pusher head 310 and a support ring 210 of the resilient blades is compressed. The cap 2 on the bottle 1 is engaged by a ring spring 222, which may be of helical form. As the bottle neck advances further upwards, it forces projections 221 on the resilient blades 220 to press against a frusto-conical lip 131 on the end of a fixed sleeve 100. This causes the ring 210 to be pulled downwards as the blades 220 are forced further apart. The upward movement of the bottle 1 causes the spring 222 to contact a lip 24 on the cap 2. A stop 322 on the pusher 300 then engages the support ring 210 of the resilient blades and causes the blades 220 to move up with it. The projections 221 slide inside the frusto-conical lip 131 and press the lip 24 of the cap under the rim of the bottle 1. The bottle 1 is moved downwards and pulls the resilient blades with it, until they reach the edge of the lip 131, Fig. 4 (not shown). The bottle 1 can now be disengaged from the tool, which returns to its original position. In a modification, Fig. 5 (not shown), a frusto-conical lip (130) on a fixed housing, is engaged by slidable projections (221) arranged mid-way along instead of at the end of the resilient blades (220). A device for receiving and positioning the caps before the bottle is introduced to the tool is provided. It comprises three fingers (142) which are urged by springs (144) towards the axis of the tool. Alternatively, the caps 2 may be held in position by other means, e.g. magnetic means. Instead of the bottle 1 moving up with the tool, the tool may move downwards on to the bottle.