GB821222A - Improvements in and relating to machines for applying corks or stoppers to containers - Google Patents

Abstract

821,222. Stoppering or corking containers. FLOWER & CO. (ENGINEERS) Ltd., J. W. Jan. 3, 1956 [Oct. 5, 1954], No. 28704/54. Class 125(2) In a stoppering or corking machine in which the stopper &c. is rotated as it is inserted by a rotating and reciprocating plunger, the plunger is lowered to insert the stopper, then raised part way to allow the stopper to untwist, and then lowered again to complete the insertion. As shown containers are fed by a star 51 from a conveyer 62 to a table 4 which is carried by a lower tube 2 rotatably mounted on a central pillar 1, the containers being justified by a star 61 rotating with the table. Keyed to but slidable along the tube 2 is an upper tube 5 having an upper flange 6 apertured to receive a plurality of stoppering heads 7. Tube 5 and hence tube 2 and heads 7 are rotated by a shaft 41 through a cog 38 and a ring gear 39 secured by bolts 97 to the top of tube 5. The heads each comprise an outer fixed cylinder 8, an inner cylinder 9 slidably mounted therein and a plunger 10 slidable and rotatable in cylinder 9. The plunger has a resilient head 27 for engaging the stopper and a helical groove 25 in which work pins 26 carried by fixed cylinder 8 and passing- through slots in cylinder 9 so that, as cylinder 9 and plunger 10 are lowered, the latter is also rotated. The upper part of cylinder 9 carries rollers 31, 32 running on a cam 35 mounted on pillar 1. The cam is shaped as shown in Fig. 5 with a first depression C to lower the plunger, a flat E to raise it slightly and allow the partiallyinserted stopper to untwist, and a second depression G to lower the plunger to complete the stoppering. A spring 22 acts between cylinder 9 and the plunger to allow the latter to yield to an over-height container. Cylinder 9 carries stopper and container centering bells 42, 43 constructed as described in Specification 748,356. A hood 76 is carried by pillar 1 and surrounds the heads. The hood, cam 35, heads 7 bells 42, 43 and tube 5 can be vertically adjusted on pillar 1 to suit different container heights by rotating a nut 90, meshing with a thread on the pillar, by means of a hand rotated worm 93 meshing with teeth on the outer face of the nut. Stopper feed (Fig. 3).-Stoppers are conveyed one at a time from a shoot 64 and snapped into the bell 42 by a swinging fork 65 which has a tail 68 to block the succeeding stopper. The fork is pivoted at 72 to the end of an arm 74 extending from a bracket 75 fixed to the hood 76 enclosing the stoppering heads. A push rod 84 couples the fork 65 to a lever 78 carried by a shaft 77 mounted in bracket 75. Shaft 77 carries a second arm 79 extending through an aperture 81 in hood 76 and fitted with a roller 80 working on a cam 82 fixed to flange 6 of tube 5 (see also Fig. 1). Adjacent each head 7 is a dip 83 in the cam which allows a spring 85 to swing arm 78 inwards so that push rod 84 causes fork 65 to feed a stopper.