GB768686A - Means for rotatably aligning containers - Google Patents

Abstract

768,686. Stoppering bottles. KORK-NSEAL, Ltd. Jan. 7, 1955 [Dec. 23, 1953], No. 35748/53. Class 125(2). [Also in Group XXX] Cylindrical containers resting on a conveyer band 10 are rotated about their axes to bring projections 180, or other parts of the containers, into alignment, whilst continuing to travel in the direction of the band, with a position of application of caps, labels or other means thereto. The rotation is effected by two pairs of continuously driven belts 16, 17 mounted on pairs of pulleys 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25, 27, 28, 30 respectively. The respective sets of pulleys are mounted on plates 80, 56 carried by laterally slidable frames 72, 40 respectively. The plates are vertically adjustable on the frames by studs 54 bolted to the frames being engaged by threaded hollow portions of knobs 53 rotatably mounted in the plates, vertical guiding of the plates being provided by telescoping tubes 50 welded respectively to the plates and frames. The frames are provided with collars 41, 43 slidable along rods 34, 35. Springs 45, 46 urge the frames away from the band 10 so the belts 16, 17 are normally free of the sides of the containers. The pulleys 20, 25 are driving pulleys and each is a split type having a spring device 61 for urging the rims together. Each pair of driving pulleys is mounted in a bearing 57 adjusted on its respective plate 80 or 56 by a screw 59, to tension the belts, and is connected by a universal joint 63, floating shaft 64, and universal joint 65 to a driving shaft 66. The two driving shafts are connected together by sprocket gearing 171, 172, 173, the sprockets being of different sizes and the arrangement being such that belts 17 travel forwards at the speed of the band 10, and belts 16 travel backwards at a slower speed. The drive is taken from a shaft 70 of a capping machine to which the bottles are being fed. When a bottle approaches the belts it engages a trip lever 111 to close a switch 110 which energises a solenoid 109, Fig. 6. This rotates a rod 105 causing adjustable bolts 101 on levers 102 to rock a pair of bell cranks 99, 100 having respective forks engaging collars 85, 86 on studs 83, 84 secured to the respective frames 72, 40, whereby the frames are moved towards the band 10 and belts 16, 17 grip and rotate the container. When the projection 180 is rotated to a position in alignment with the belts 16, it engages one or both of a pair of bars 130, 133 extending in line with the belts. Each bar is mounted at its ends on a pair of plungers 124, 126 spring-urged towards the band 10 which engage the actuating levers 119, 120 of stop switches 117, 118. Engagement of either bar by projection 180 depresses the plungers and opens both stop switches to deenergize solenoid 109 which allows springs 45, 46 to return the frames 72, 40 so that belts 16, 17 release the bottle in the correct position for the application thereto of a cap.