GB683035A - Improvements relating to bottle filling and capping machines - Google Patents

Abstract

683,035. Feeding webs; embossing. ENOCK, A. G., and GRAHAM-ENOCK MANUFACTURING CO., Ltd. March 29, 1951 [April 3, 1950], No. 8260/50. Classes 100 (i) and 100 (ii). [Also in Group XVII] In a combined capping head and cap-forming unit for a bottle filling and capping machine, the cap-forming unit is mounted above and supported upon a stationary central element of the capping unit, and the cap-forming means are actuated from a rotary element of the capping unit concentric with said stationary element. Bottles are fed from a conveyer 91 by a star-wheel 92 to a vacuum filling table 93 from which they are withdrawn by a starwheel 95 being, at the same time supplied with a cap from a shoot 81a. The star-wheel 95 feeds them to the capping unit from which they are fed back to the conveyer 91 by a star-wheel 96. The various units are disposed above an oval table 90 under which is mounted the driving mechanism. The bottle rests 38 of the capping unit have stems 98 carrying rollers 97 co-operating with a cam rail 99 pivotally mounted to the stems of the star-wheels 95, 96 and having a fork 100 resting on the collar 101 of a resilient supporting post 102. The capping heads 36 rotate about a stationary shaft 8a which carries at its upper end a spigot 11 locating a frame 13 for the driving mechanism of the cap-forming mechanism. The rotary part of the capping unit carries a gear wheel 7 and also a cup-shaped wall 3 over which is mounted a stationary bell-shaped cover 18 carried on the frame 13. Drive for the cap-forming unit.-The capforming punch and die unit 12, 20 is operated through a roller 24 and push rod 22 by a cam 23 mounted on a shaft 25 rotating in the frame 13 and carrying bevel gear 27 meshing with a bevel gear 27a to which is fixed a clutch member 34. The mating clutch member 35 is fixed to a pin 33 vertically-slid able in bearings 28, 31 and normally resting in the lower position with the clutch disengaged. When a bottle is presented to the capping head 36, the head is lifted slightly to raise a rod 41 the upper end of which raises a pivoted plate 43 which pushes up the pin 33 to engage the clutch to make a cap. The pin 33 is rotated by a gear 32 meshing with the gear 7. Thus if no bottle is presented, no cap is made. To enable the cap-forming unit to be turned over by hand, the pin 33 may be raised by depression of a knob 103 actuating a lever 104 to engage under a collar 105 on the pin. The shaft 25 also carries a crank 48 for driving the strip feed. Strip feed.-The crank 48 through an arm 50 drives a pawl 52 to rotate a gear 53 on a shaft 54 which also carries a chain wheel 55. The chain passes over an idler gear 61 on the shaft 25 and drives chain wheels 58, 62 driving respectively gear trains 74, 73, 72 and 64, 65 which drive respectively the strip-feed rollers 70, 67. Upper rollers 69, 71 co-operate with the rollers 67, 70. Strip is drawn off a feed drum 76 over an idler roller 77 by the roller 67 and passes through the punch and die unit, the scrap strip being withdrawn by the roller 70 and rolled on to a drum 79 driven by a belt 80. The drums 76, 79 are carried on a bracket 78 fixed to the bell 18. The whole strip feed can be removed merely by disengagement of the driving gear trains for the rollers 67, 70. The whole drive for the cap-forming unit can be removed by disengaging the frame 13 from the spigot 11. 'The bell 18 carries an arcuate rail 84 having a countersunk slot 85 for the heads of bolts 86 by which the bell is clamped against rotation to a plate 87 carried on a pillar 89. By slackening the bolts 86 the bell 18 and its associated equipment can be partially rotated to allow inspection of the strip feed and the cap shoot 81a. The caps are discharged into the shoot when the strip bends on to the roller 70. The pillar 89 is graduated so as to index the vertical setting of the capping head for bottles of different heights. The crank 48 and the cam 23 are so disposed on the shaft 25 that the punch and die unit operates when the strip-feed is inoperative. Cap-forming unit.-In bores in a body 111 are mounted a die part and a lower punch part, the strip of foil being fed between them. The latter comprises a cutting sleeve part 115 secured at its lower end to a washer 117 having a slot in which a member 119 is clamped between two washers. An inner part 114 carries a pad 160 and has slots 126 which allow it to be held resiliently by friction within the part 115. In operation, the cam 23 pushes up the member 119 which raises the parts 114, 115 together against springs 127 until the part 115 clamps the strip against a ring 132 urged by a spring 136. After further upward movement the pad 160 presses the strip against an embossed fixed stop 128 and the part 115 moves upwards alone to cut out a disc of foil by co-operation with the edge of the ring 135. Still further upward motion of the part 115 curls the disc edge over a part 131 to form the cap, the part 131 being loaded by a spring 142. When the punch descends, the ring 132, which tapers slightly upwards, ejects the formed cap which is carried away with the scrap strip to the shoot 81a. The punch descends until lugs 122 on the part 114 contact a fixed bracket 123 and thereafter the part 115 descends to the bottom of its stroke. The die unit is clamped in place by an arm 144 which can be loosened and swung away by slackening a nut 148 to allow removal of the parts of the die. The top of the arm 144 acts as a guide for the scrap strip. Specification 649,036, [Group XVII], is referred to.