GB1567903A - Machines for de-capping containers - Google Patents
Machines for de-capping containers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB1567903A GB1567903A GB50085/75A GB5008575A GB1567903A GB 1567903 A GB1567903 A GB 1567903A GB 50085/75 A GB50085/75 A GB 50085/75A GB 5008575 A GB5008575 A GB 5008575A GB 1567903 A GB1567903 A GB 1567903A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- machine
- cap
- container
- movement
- arms
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
- B67B7/00—Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers
- B67B7/18—Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers for removing threaded caps
- B67B7/182—Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers for removing threaded caps power-operated
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Sealing Of Jars (AREA)
- Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
- Devices For Opening Bottles Or Cans (AREA)
Description
(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MACHINES FOR DE-CAPPING
CONTAINERS
(71) We, METAL CLOSURES
LIMITED, a British Company, of Bromford
Lane, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 7HY, do hereby declare the invention, for which we ray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to a machine for de-cap ing containers which have screw caps and which are to be re-filled or otherwise re-used. Some of the containers passed through the machine may already be capless, and in order to avoid damage to such containers and/or the machine it is desirable that the de-capping mechanism should not move to grip a cap when none is present.
According to this invention there is provided a machine for de-capping containers having screw caps, which machine comprises an annular rotary body mounted for rotation about its own axis and for axial movement toward and away from the top of a container, jaws mounted on respective lever arms on the body for engaging the sides of a cap to be removed from a container, means including individual piston and cylinder motors mounted on the body for actuating the arms to cause the jaws to grip and release said cap, a pressure fluid supply line to the motor cylinders, a valve in the supply line and a probe carried by the body which probe is capable of movement relative to the body and is arranged to project towards the top of a container to contact a cap to be removed and to open said valve in the pressure fluid supply line to the said motors only if the proble detects the presence of a cap on the container.
According to a preferred feature of the invention, the body carrying the piston and cylinder motors, the jaws and the valve is detachable from the machine as a unit.
According to another preferred feature of the invention, each of said lever arms has associated with it an individual adjustable stop for limiting the extent of inward radial movement towards the cap of the jaw carried by that arm.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figures 1A and 1B together show in axial section part of a de-capping machine according to the invention,
Figures 2 and 3 are local sectional views on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively of Figure it, and Figures 4 and 5 are respectively fragmentary sectional views on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 1B.
Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 3 indicates one of a number of head carriers mounted, in circumferentially spaced relation, in respective vertical slides 3a on a turret which rotates about a central vertical axis. Each head carrier 3 is suspended from a cam follower 4 which engages in a fixed cam track (not shown) extending about the turret axis and which is moved up and down by its engagement in the cam track as the head carrier moves round the turret axis on a rotary frame, causing the head carrier to move correspondingly in its slide on the turret. Each carrier 3 carries in bearings 5 a vertical rotary spindle 10 having an elongate pinion 6 secured to it which meshes with a fixed gearwheel 7 centred on the central axis of rotation so that the spindle spins as it is carried round the central axis by the turret and head carrier.The spindle has a central passage 11, and the top end of the spindle is received in a socket 8 in the head carrier. The socket, and hence the central passage 11 of the spindle 10, is connected through a flexible pipe 9 alternately to a source of air under pressure and to exhaust by a valve in timed relationship to the position of the spindle in its movement about the turret axis.
A flange 12 at the lower end of the spindle 10 is engaged by a nut 13 which is in screwed arrangement with one part 14 of a two-part body. The body part 14 is annular to provide a continuation of the central air passage 11 of spindle 10, leakage of the air being prevented by an 0-ring clamped between the flange 12 and the upper end of body part 14.
A drive pin 17 serves to transmit the rotary drive from the spindle 10 to the body.
The second body part 18 is axially slidably mounted on a reduced diameter portion 19 of body part 14 and is urged downwardly with respect to body part 14 by three springs 20 disposed about respective drive bolts 21 which extend slidably upward through holes in the body part 18 and are secured in threaded sockets in body part 14. The heads of bolts 21 and a circlip 18a disposed in a groove at the lower end of the body part 14 limit the downward movement of part 18 relative to part 14.
The body part 18 has three radially outwardly facing cylinders 22 equi-angularly spaced about its central axis and a piston 23 engaged in each cylinder has axial slots in its skirt to accommodate part of a lever arm 24 which is disposed in an axial slot 25 in the external surface of the body part 18. Each arm is mounted on a pivot pin 26 carried by the body part 18 and extending across the slot 25.
A part-cylindrical projection 27 on the arm provides the contact surface for engaging the piston, and the contact surfaces are held against the pistons by springs 28 (Figures 1B and 2) which extend between posts 29 on adjacent arms 24. At the inward extremities of their radial movement, the pistons abut the inner ends of the cylinder.
The lower end of each arm 24 extends below the lower extremity of the body part 18 and carries a tool 30. The three tools are adapted for jointly gripping the cap 31 to be removed from a bottle or other container.
The tool is mounted on the lower end of the arm 24 by a horizontal bolt 33 and can swivel a small amount about the bolt to enable it to adapt to caps which are askew on their containers. The front face of the tool has a partcylindrical groove 35 provided with vertical serrations for frictional engagement with the periphery of the cap. The swivelling of the tool allows the front face thereof to face horizontally or with a small downward inclination.
Radial inward movement of each tool 30 is individually adjustable by means of a stopscrew 36 which is in screwed engagement with the arm. The inner end of the screw comes into abutment with the radial wall of the slot 25 and the screw can be secured in any selected position by means of a lock-nut 37.
A probe 38 the lower end of which projects below the body part 18 is slidably mounted in the central bore of part 18 and is sealed with respect to the bore by an 0-ring 39. The probe has a stem 40 of reduced diameter which forms with the wall of the bore an annular extension 1 lea of the central air passage 11, which communicates with the three cylinder bores 22 through respective radial passages 41 and axial grooves 41a in the stem 19 and radial passages 42 in the body part 18. Passage 42 opens to the cylinder opposite a depression in the crown of piston 23. At its upper end the stem of the probe has a flange 44a to which is bonded a rubber sealing ring 44.The ring forms a seal with an annular shoulder 18b in the bore of body part 18 to close off communication between the air passage 11 and its extension 1 lea. A spring 38a seated against a shoulder in drive spindle 10 acts against the flange 44a so as normally to hold sealing ring 44 on its seat.
In operation of the machine, containers with screw caps which are to be removed are fed underneath successive de-capping units as the units in their movement about the turret axis pass a loading station. During further movement of the unit round the turret axis, passage 11 is connected to a supply of air under pressure and the spinning drive spindle is lowered bodily towards the container by the operation of the fixed cam track and the cam follower on the head carrier.
During the first part of this downward movement of the drive spindle, the probe 38 comes into abutment with the cap to be removed which thus prevents further downward movement of the probe, and as downward movement of the drive spindle continues the sealing shoulder 1 8a moves downward away from the sealing ring 44, compressing spring 46 and allowing air under pressure to flow from passage 11 along the extension 11a and through the radial passages 41, axial grooves 41a and radial passages 42 into the cylinders 22 to move the pistons radially outward and thus bring the shoe 34 into damping engagement with the skirt of the screw cap. The spinning of the drive spindle unscrews the cap and the resulting upward force applied to the tools and arms 24 causes the body part 18 to move upward relative to the body part 14, compressing springs 21. The upward movement of the cap, still gripped by the tools, also pushes the probe upward, and continues until the cap is fully unscrewed and rests on the container. As the rotation of the turret proceeds the fixed cam track and cam follower 4 lift the head carrier so that firstly the body part 14 is lifted and springs 21 return body part 18 to its initial position relative to body part 14, and subsequently the gripped cap is lifted clear of the container as the upward movement of the head carrier continues.At an unloading station in the rota tion of the head carrier about the turret axis, the container is removed from underneath the head carrier, for example by operation of a star wheel, and at the loading station another bottle to be de-capped comes into place beneath the head carrier. At a selected station between the unloading and loading stations, the central air passage 11 in the drive spindle is opened to exhaust through pipe 9, so that the arms 24 are returned to their starting positions by springs 28, releasing the cap from the grip of the shoes, which in turn allows the probe to be returned to its lowermost position by spring 38a so as to replace sealing ring 44 on its seat.
If there is no cap on the container, the probe meets no resistance during its downward movement and consequently does not lift the sealing ring 44 to admit air to the motor cylinders. The tools 30 are therefore not moved inward by the arms 24, and the risk of damage to the container and the machine is avoided.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A machine for de-capping containers having screw caps, which machine comprises an annular rotary body mounted for rotation about its own axis and for axial movement toward and away from the top of a container, jaws mounted on respective lever arms on the body for engaging the sides of a cap to be removed from a container, means including individual piston and cylinder motors mounted on the body for actuating the arms to cause the jaws to grip and release said cap, a pressure fluid supply line to the motor cylinders, a valve in the supply line and a probe carried by the body which probe is capable of movement relative to the body and is arranged to project towards the top of a container to contact a cap to be removed and to open said valve in the pressure fluid supply line to the said motors only if the probe detects the presence of a cap on the container.
2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body carrying the piston and cylinder motors, the jaws and the valve is detachable from the machine as a unit.
3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the lever arms are pivotally mounted on the body for rocking movement about respective axes extending tangentially with respect to said axis of rotation of the body, said arms being respectively arranged for operation by said motors for actuating gripping movement of the jaws.
4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said lever arms has associated with it an individual adjustable stop for limiting the extent of inward radial movement towards the cap of the jaw carried by that arm.
5. A machine as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the body comprises two parts one of which carries the arms and is arranged to be capable of axial movement relative to the other part, said one part being spring-loaded towards the cap into a position of axial abutment with the other part.
6. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein each jaw is mounted on its arm for restricted pivotal movement on a pivot bolt extending tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the body.
7. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the means for actuating the jaws comprises spring means urging the jaws away from the cap.
8. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each jaw is mounted on the associated arm with freedom for limited swivelling movement thereto about a pivot axis extending tangentially with respect to said axis of rotation of the body.
9. A machine for de-capping containers having screw caps, which machine is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying~drawings. ~~~
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.
Claims (9)
1. A machine for de-capping containers having screw caps, which machine comprises an annular rotary body mounted for rotation about its own axis and for axial movement toward and away from the top of a container, jaws mounted on respective lever arms on the body for engaging the sides of a cap to be removed from a container, means including individual piston and cylinder motors mounted on the body for actuating the arms to cause the jaws to grip and release said cap, a pressure fluid supply line to the motor cylinders, a valve in the supply line and a probe carried by the body which probe is capable of movement relative to the body and is arranged to project towards the top of a container to contact a cap to be removed and to open said valve in the pressure fluid supply line to the said motors only if the probe detects the presence of a cap on the container.
2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body carrying the piston and cylinder motors, the jaws and the valve is detachable from the machine as a unit.
3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the lever arms are pivotally mounted on the body for rocking movement about respective axes extending tangentially with respect to said axis of rotation of the body, said arms being respectively arranged for operation by said motors for actuating gripping movement of the jaws.
4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said lever arms has associated with it an individual adjustable stop for limiting the extent of inward radial movement towards the cap of the jaw carried by that arm.
5. A machine as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the body comprises two parts one of which carries the arms and is arranged to be capable of axial movement relative to the other part, said one part being spring-loaded towards the cap into a position of axial abutment with the other part.
6. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein each jaw is mounted on its arm for restricted pivotal movement on a pivot bolt extending tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the body.
7. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the means for actuating the jaws comprises spring means urging the jaws away from the cap.
8. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each jaw is mounted on the associated arm with freedom for limited swivelling movement thereto about a pivot axis extending tangentially with respect to said axis of rotation of the body.
9. A machine for de-capping containers having screw caps, which machine is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying~drawings. ~~~
Priority Applications (26)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB50085/75A GB1567903A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1975-12-05 | Machines for de-capping containers |
DE7637329U DE7637329U1 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-11-27 | MACHINE FOR REMOVING SCREW CAPS FROM CONTAINERS |
DE2653903A DE2653903C3 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-11-27 | Machine for removing screw caps from containers |
ZA767175A ZA767175B (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-01 | Improvements in or relating to machines for de-capping containers |
IE2634/76A IE43995B1 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-01 | Improvements in or relating to machines for de-capping containers |
BE172917A BE849001A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-02 | MACHINE FOR UNCAPSULATING CONTAINERS |
NZ182793A NZ182793A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-02 | Machine for removing screw caps from containers |
FI763474A FI63733C (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-02 | MASKIN FOER AVLAEGSNANDE AV ETT LOCK FRAON ETT KAERL |
AT895176A AT362249B (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-02 | MACHINE FOR REMOVING SCREW CAPS |
NO764120A NO764120L (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-02 | |
BR7608141A BR7608141A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | CONTAINER PRINTING MACHINE |
AU20234/76A AU503349B2 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | Improvements in or relating machines for de-capping containers |
AR265709A AR211150A1 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | APPARATUS TO UNCAP CONTAINERS WITH THREADED LIDS. |
SE7613617A SE426688B (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | MACHINE FOR REMOVING A SCREW LOCK P, A KERL |
IT30131/76A IT1065536B (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | MACHINE TO REMOVE SCREW CAPS FROM CONTAINERS |
MX167276A MX143179A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | CONTAINER UNCOVERING MACHINE |
DD196109A DD127480A5 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | |
FR7636518A FR2333749A1 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | MACHINE FOR UNCAPSULATING CONTAINERS |
NL7613520A NL7613520A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | DEVICE FOR UNSCREWING SCREW SOCKETS. |
CA267,136A CA1042676A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | Machine for de-capping containers |
DK544676A DK147017C (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | MACHINE TO REMOVE SCRAP LAYERS FROM CONTAINERS |
PT65927A PT65927B (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | Machine for de-capping containers |
CH1524876A CH599041A5 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-03 | |
ES453969A ES453969A1 (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-04 | Machines for de-capping containers |
JP51146427A JPS5270683A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-12-06 | Cover removing machine |
US05/920,000 US4172397A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1978-06-28 | Machine for de-capping containers |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB50085/75A GB1567903A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1975-12-05 | Machines for de-capping containers |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB1567903A true GB1567903A (en) | 1980-05-21 |
Family
ID=10454596
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB50085/75A Expired GB1567903A (en) | 1975-12-05 | 1975-12-05 | Machines for de-capping containers |
Country Status (24)
Country | Link |
---|---|
JP (1) | JPS5270683A (en) |
AR (1) | AR211150A1 (en) |
AT (1) | AT362249B (en) |
AU (1) | AU503349B2 (en) |
BE (1) | BE849001A (en) |
BR (1) | BR7608141A (en) |
CA (1) | CA1042676A (en) |
CH (1) | CH599041A5 (en) |
DD (1) | DD127480A5 (en) |
DE (2) | DE7637329U1 (en) |
DK (1) | DK147017C (en) |
ES (1) | ES453969A1 (en) |
FI (1) | FI63733C (en) |
FR (1) | FR2333749A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB1567903A (en) |
IE (1) | IE43995B1 (en) |
IT (1) | IT1065536B (en) |
MX (1) | MX143179A (en) |
NL (1) | NL7613520A (en) |
NO (1) | NO764120L (en) |
NZ (1) | NZ182793A (en) |
PT (1) | PT65927B (en) |
SE (1) | SE426688B (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA767175B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE2726474A1 (en) * | 1977-06-11 | 1978-12-21 | Rink Wilhelm | Bottle screw cap removing machine - has spring loaded sensing spindle inside neck engaging sleeves controlling gripping jaw operation |
JPS5524259A (en) * | 1978-08-10 | 1980-02-21 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Device for removal and stop of plug |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB1049855A (en) * | 1962-08-21 | 1966-11-30 | Fords Ltd | Improvements in or relating to apparatus for capsuling bottles |
DE1817023A1 (en) * | 1968-12-24 | 1970-06-25 | Datz Dr Hermann | Device for removing screw caps from bottles and similar containers |
DE1925782C3 (en) * | 1969-05-21 | 1978-12-21 | Hermann Dr.Rer.Pol. 5470 Andernach Datz | Device for screwing prefabricated threaded closure capsules or -deckein on screw cap bottles or the like. container |
DE2052558C3 (en) * | 1970-10-27 | 1978-03-02 | Datz, Hermann, Dr., 5470 Andernach | Device for twisting screw caps from bottles and the like. Containers |
ES397076A1 (en) * | 1970-11-11 | 1975-03-01 | Mauceri Borghetto Alluminio | Beading and/or screw-threading machine head, for metal caps used for stoppering containers having a pouring mouth |
DE2146533A1 (en) * | 1971-09-17 | 1973-05-17 | Josef Steinle | DEVICE FOR UNPACKING AND UNSCREWING BOTTLES WITH SCREW CAPS |
DE2212659C3 (en) * | 1972-03-16 | 1979-08-09 | Datz, Hermann, Dr.Rer.Pol., 5470 Andernach | Device for removing screw caps from bottles and similar containers |
-
1975
- 1975-12-05 GB GB50085/75A patent/GB1567903A/en not_active Expired
-
1976
- 1976-11-27 DE DE7637329U patent/DE7637329U1/en not_active Expired
- 1976-11-27 DE DE2653903A patent/DE2653903C3/en not_active Expired
- 1976-12-01 IE IE2634/76A patent/IE43995B1/en unknown
- 1976-12-01 ZA ZA767175A patent/ZA767175B/en unknown
- 1976-12-02 FI FI763474A patent/FI63733C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-02 AT AT895176A patent/AT362249B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-02 NO NO764120A patent/NO764120L/no unknown
- 1976-12-02 NZ NZ182793A patent/NZ182793A/en unknown
- 1976-12-02 BE BE172917A patent/BE849001A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-03 FR FR7636518A patent/FR2333749A1/en active Granted
- 1976-12-03 DD DD196109A patent/DD127480A5/xx unknown
- 1976-12-03 BR BR7608141A patent/BR7608141A/en unknown
- 1976-12-03 DK DK544676A patent/DK147017C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-03 IT IT30131/76A patent/IT1065536B/en active
- 1976-12-03 MX MX167276A patent/MX143179A/en unknown
- 1976-12-03 CH CH1524876A patent/CH599041A5/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-03 AU AU20234/76A patent/AU503349B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1976-12-03 AR AR265709A patent/AR211150A1/en active
- 1976-12-03 NL NL7613520A patent/NL7613520A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1976-12-03 CA CA267,136A patent/CA1042676A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-12-03 PT PT65927A patent/PT65927B/en unknown
- 1976-12-03 SE SE7613617A patent/SE426688B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1976-12-04 ES ES453969A patent/ES453969A1/en not_active Expired
- 1976-12-06 JP JP51146427A patent/JPS5270683A/en active Granted
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PS | Patent sealed [section 19, patents act 1949] | ||
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |