727,293. Applying screw-caps to containers. CROWN CORK & SEAL CO., Inc. May 13, 1953 [June 23, 1952], No. 13430/53. Class 125 (2). [Also in Group II] Relates to a machine, Fig. 1, in which containers such as jars J are advanced by a conveyer 54 through a steam tunnel 55, pick a screw cap from an applicator 58 at the end of a shoot 60 and pass between screwing-up rollers 90 to closure them. According to the invention, the jars and closures before reaching the rollers 90 pass members 86 the cap engaging surfaces of which are inclined downwardly from the vertical axis of the cap and which act to rotate the cap in the unscrewing direction. Any cap which, when picked from the shoot, happens to engage the jar threads, will be at a lower level and will not be engaged by the members 86. Any cap not engaging the threads, will be turned by the member 86 until it can descend into the threads. Machine frame and main drive (Figs. 1 and 2). A motor 96 in a main housing 50 drives through a variable speed connection 110, 102, 103, a vertical shaft 112 including an overload slip clutch 113. Shaft 112 through bevel gears 121, 122; shaft 123 and gear 124 drives the jar conveyer 54 and through shaft 116 and bevel gears 117, 118 drives a horizontal shaft 119 in an upper housing 100. This housing supports the steam tunnel 55, the cap hopper 62 described below and the closuring means. It is carried on the casing 50 by pillars 130, 131 which engage at their lower ends screwed shafts 134. A motor 98 through gearing 138, an overload slip clutch 139 and a chain 137 rotates shafts 134 to raise or lower housing 100 when it is desired to adapt the machine to a particular height of jar. A gauge 675, Fig. 2, which can be pivoted out of the way, overlies the conveyer to facilitate this setting. The closuring means has a housing 260 in which is a steam diffuser 56 so that the closuring is effected in an atmosphere of steam. When passing through the closuring means, the jars are guided by side belts 84 driven at the same speed as the conveyer 54. Steam tunnel (Figs. 1 and 8). Steam enters a chamber 202 at the left hand. end of the 'tunnel, Fig. 1, by a pipe 240 and flows to the right hand end above a baffle 204a. It then flows under the baffle towards the left and issues through holes in a plate 203 to impinge on the jar mouths in counterflow to the direction of motion of the jars. The jars pass between side walls 238 supported by the tunnel to confine the steam. Chamber 202 is suspended by hangers 231 from an outer casing 200, loose insulation being interposed. A jar which tilts in the tunnel will force up the plate 203, chamber 202 and hangers 231 relative to the casing 200 so that the jar will not jam. Plate 203 has a handle 239 to facilitate removal. Cap feed (Figs. 11 and 13). An open-topped hopper 62 having a discharge door 306 is supported on the housing 100 and contains the caps. These gravitate into an agitator chamber 285 at the lower end of the hopper and are mixed by blades 301 mounted on shaft 298. The lower end of chamber 285 is closed by a disc 64 rotated through variable drive 294, 295 by a motor 66 and carried on a shaft 290. Shaft 290 is connected by gearing 296 to shaft 298 to drive the agitator blades 301. Magnetic inserts 317 in the disc 64 draw caps up out of chamber 285 under a bar 71 so spaced from the face of the disc that the topmost of two superimposed caps is stripped from the other and returned to the hopper. They are then drawn under a plate 330 until they meet a bar 336 along which they roll under a second plate 331 into the shoot 60. Between plates 330, 331 is a finger 70 having an inturned tip. If a cap has its skirt edge contacting disc 64, then the finger rides over the cap which passes into the shoot. If the cap has its bottom in contact with the disc 64, the finger rides over the leading edge of the skirt and the inturned tip engages the trailing edge of the skirt. The cap then pivots downwardly about the tip away from the magnetic attraction and ultimately falls back into the hopper due to the pressure exerted by succeeding caps. A block 72 under plate 330 prevents caps building up in line with the short entrance and exerting such a pressure as would eject a cap from the bottom of the shoot. The upper part of the shoot comprises guides 345, 347, the former being telescopic and having its upper part connected pivotally to a slider 334 and its lower part pivoted to the inner guide 346 of the lower part of the shoot. Slide 334 carries the finger 70 on an arm 335 and can be adjusted in height by a handwheel 395 to vary the width of the shoot entrance to accommodate various cap diameters. The spacing of the guides of the lower part of the shoot can be adjusted by handwheels 389, 390. A resilient finger 364 diverts caps into the downward part of the shoot. The upper part of the shoot has its bottom formed by disc 64 but its lower part curves away from the disc and has a bottom 373. A finger 369 at the upper end of the shoot bottom 373 works in a slot 370 in the disc to remove caps from contact therewith and to guide them on to the shoot bottom. An applicator 58 is mounted by a screw clamp 405 on the bottom of the shoot and has two shoulders to engage the cap skirt and a pivoted member 424 loaded by a spring 427 to keep the cap behind the shoulders. An approaching bottles lifts, the cap off the shoulders forcing up the member 424 and withdraws it from the shoot. Interchangeable applicators 58 appropriate to various cap sizes are provided. Closuring apparatus (Figs. 20, 23, 24 and 25). Extending from the housing 100 and overlying conveyer 54 are three bars 451, 452 and 453 joined at the outer ends by member 454. Slidably mounted on bars 452, 453 are two blocks 456, 458 through which extend vertical shafts 472 having chain wheels 484 at the bottom. The belts 84 pass round these wheels and round idler wheels 486 carried by extensions 468 of the blocks 456, 458. Shafts 472 carry gears 480 meshing with gears 482 splined on shaft 150 extending from housing 100. Shaft 150 is driven from shaft 119, Fig. 2, by chain 147. Blocks 456, 458 are traversed by a left and right threaded rod 506 the end of which can be fitted with a hand crank for moving the belts 84 to and from each other to accommodate different bottle diameters. Indices 510, 512, Fig. 2, are provided on an extension 508 of block 458 adjacent conveyer 54 for this purpose. Mounted on bars 451, 452 are two blocks 530, 532 in which rotate vertical shafts 550, 550<SP>1</SP> carrying at their bottom ends cups 565, 565<SP>11</SP> connected through friction clutches 573 to the screwing up rollers 90, 92. These comprise an outer band 578, 578<SP>1</SP> of rigid milled material carried on a resilient band 575, 575<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 24. Shafts 550, 550<SP>1</SP> are driven from shaft 119, Fig. 2, through chain 155, splined shaft 160 and gears 554<SP>1</SP>, 555<SP>1</SP>. On the inner block 530 is rotatably mounted a bracket 558 which carries a non-rotatable member 88 which is circular in plan and frusto-conical in elevation. The corresponding member 86 on the outer block 532 is rotatably mounted and is driven by the engagement of a gear 587 with a gear 588 formed on inverted cup 565<SP>1</SP>. Members 86, 88 from the unscrewing members and they are urged into bottle engaging positions by springs, means being provided to alter their innermost position. Blocks 530, 532 are traversed by a left and right threaded rod 610 rotation of which by a hand crank allows adjustment to suit the cap diameter being used. A pointer 621, Figs. 1 and 2, gives this setting. Between the unscrewing members 86, 88 and the screwing rollers 90, 92 lie respectively bars 80, 82 carried by parallelogram linkages from a bar 625 mounted on bar 451. As the cap is withdrawn from the cap applicator 58 it meets a roller 78 carried by bar 80 which is thus raised. When the cap clears the roller it receives a smart tap from the falling bar which will cause any cap having its skirt resting on the jar's rim to descend. It is then unscrewed if necessary by members 86, 88 while being urged down by the bar 80 which is spring- loaded. It then passes to the screwing rollers 90, 92 while being loaded by bar 82. Other details. In the tunnel 55, the jars actuate a feeler 68 which operates a switch 680 if jars are present to energize the motor 66 driving the cap feed. Any break in the jar supply interrupts the cap feed. The temperature of the steam may be controlled by a temperature-responsive element in contact with the housing 260 of the closuring means and controlling an electric superheater in the steam supply. Compressed air may be mixed with the superheated steam. An inert gas may be used instead of steam.