US1270078A

US1270078A - Filled-can-closing apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US1270078A
Application number: US85355914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ivar F Warme; John C Taliaferro
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1914-07-27
Filing date: 1914-07-27
Publication date: 1918-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1935-06-18

Description

EVV/111ML: LL 1. C. TALIAFERHO.

FILLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

./WVLICATION FILED JULY21.|9|4.

lntmltcd .'I une 18, 1918.

7 SHEETS HEL l.

bsx ,m

wtncooao l. F. WARME L l. C. TALIAFERRO.

FILLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. |914.

ISHEETs-SHEEI 2.

lmveutozs @n/'L Patented June 18, 1918.

@Minnow I. F. WARME @L J. C. TALIAFERRO.

FILLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION msn 1uLY21,|914.

1 ,27 05078 Patented June 18, 1918.

SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I. F'. WARNIE & J. C. TALIAFERRO.

F|LLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

. APPUCATION F|LE JULYZ; 1914. 1 ,270,078. Patented June 18, 1918. 7SHEEs-sHLr 4.

' WHC/wacom l. F. WARME A 1. cfTALlAFERRo.

FILLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1ULY27.1914.

Patented June 18, 1918. A

TSHEETS-SHEET 5- m/ fly. (im. q Y @4M/Lw@ l. F. WARME 6L l. C. TALIAFERRO.

FILLED CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1uLY21,I9I4.

Patented June 18, 1918.

TSHEETS-SHEET 6.

I. F. WARME 11. C. TALIAFERRO.

FILLFI) CAN CLOSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IULYI27. I9I4. 1,270,078. Patented 11111618, 1918.

ISHEETS-SHEET Macaw Y l @y Mun- @i ,wvl/111.41m

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

IVAR F. WARME, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK. AND JOHN C. TALIAFERRO, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY. INCORPORATED, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FILLED-'CAN-CILOSING APPARATUS.

Application led July 27, 1914.

'o all wlw/n 'it may concern lie it known that we. Ivan F. lVARME and Joux C, 'l`.-\Lr.\l-|1Rno. citizens of the United States, residing at (l) Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, State of New York, and (2) Baltimore, Maryland, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filled-(an-(llosing Apparatus. of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

rIhe invention relates to new and useful improvements in can closing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus wherein a plurality of closing machines are automatically supplied with filled cans to be closed.

An object of the invention is to provide a filled can closing apparatus of the abovecharacter wherein a rotating cylinder having a thread wound thereon may be utilized for conveying the filled cans and for delivering the cans to any one orall ofaseries or gang of closing machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character in which the rotating cylinder is so constructed as to operate in conjunction with an intermittently operated gatefor forcing a certain number of filled cans on to the receiving table of a closing machine.

A still further object of t-he invention is to provide means whereby a positively rotated table may be Iutilized for delivering filled cans in spaced relation on to a rotating conveyer, having a thread or threads wounc thereon for engaging and. moving the filled cans along asupporting rail.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatusof the above character with a receiving carrier on to which the closed cans are discharged, which receiving carrier delivers all ofthe closed cans to a common point where they may be taken y by other c0n'.'eyers, orotherwise disposed of.

These and other objects will in. part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

lIn the drawings which show by Way of illustration one embodiment ofthe invention,

Figure 1 1s a plan view showlng more or Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No 853,559.

less diagrammatically, and partly in section. an apparatus embodying our improvements Fig. 2 is a view partly in `side elevation and partly in section of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section and partly in end elevation of the same.

Fig. l is an enlarged plan view, showing a portion of the receivingend of the machine.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the same;

Fig: (l is a detail in side elevation. showing the driving pulley and friction clutch therefor.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, showing in full lines the gate retracted, and a filled can passing through the opening therefor, and in dotted lines the gate closed and the can forced along.

Fig. 8 is a.i transverse sectional view. through the supporting frame and feed cylinder.l

"Figrtl is a detail showing in plan the opel*- ation of the separating plate.

Fig. 10 is a view showing a modified form of the invention.

The invention consists generally in providing a supporting frame in which is mounted a rotating cylinder. This cylinder has a thread or threads spirallywound thereon, which thread operates to convey the cans along a supporting ledge placed one side of the frame, that is to say, the filled cans rest partly on the cylinder and partly on the supportin ledge and are slid along the ledge as the cylinder rotates. The cans are placed on a receiving table at the receiving end of the conveyer in any suitable way, preferably by the conveyer-which delivers the same from the fillinl machinedirectly on to this receiving tab e. The receiving table is positively rotated and operates in conjunction with a spacer to deliver the cans in spaced relation on the rotating cylinder, that is to say, there is one can placed between the adjacent threads on the cylinder,

This supporting ledge for the cans also has a side rail against which the cans are forced by the action of the spirally wound thread on the cylinder. This side rail is cull away adjacent the .receiving table of the first closing machine and a sliding gate isrotating cylinder will deliver al predeter-v minednumber of cans on to this first receiving table. If the apparatus is designed to work in conjunction with two closing machines, then it is desirable that the gate shall open .sof as to receive every other can, provided the conveyer is cans. are conveyed in the well known way to the closing machine. The cans not taken from the conveyer at the first machine are conveyed along and if more than two machines are lfused, then another opening may be provided in the side rail and a second sliding gate used to control the same. The remaining filled cans on the eonveyer would then be delivered to al third machine. Means is valso provided for closing the openings even when the gate is reciprocated so that any oneof the machines may be put out of operation, if desired.

After the cans have been closed, they are delivered on to a traveling conveyer which runs underneath the cylinder and this traveling conveyer brings the closed cans of all'the machines to a common point where they may be delivered on to other conveyers, or otherwise lisposed of.\ j

Re erring more in detail to the drawings, our improved closingapparatus consists of a supporting frame which, as herein shown, includes a front supporting bracket 1, a middle bracket. 2, and an end bracket 3a. These brackets are the legs of the supporting frame.r Extending from thc supporting legs or bracket 1 to the central bracket 2 are -

side frames

3 and 4. These side frames are bolted to the brackets in any suitable way and` each consists of a vertical member 5 and a horizontal member 6. The horizontal members 6 are spaced from each other. Mounted in the brackets land 2 is a rotating conveyer 7 This c'onveyer is in the form of a cylinder and has a spirally wound thread so that it may be light in weight, and said hollow cylinder is provided with a cap 9 carrying a projecting sleeve 10 which forms a bearin for one end of the cylinder, while the ot er end of the cylinder is provided with a similar cap having a sleeve 11 attached thereto. This sleeve has a bearing in y the bracket 1. The cylinder is so positioned that the threadthereof projects slightly above the horizontal members 6 of thev side frames so that a filled can ma `rest on one of the' horizontal members of t e side frame which becomes apupporting ledge therefor, and on the cylinder itself. It will be obfully supplied with From the receiving table, the 'cans The cylinder is vpreferably hollow vedge of the horizontal member 6 so as to leave a supporting ledge for the filled cans,

as above referred to.

At the receiving end of the cylinder there is a rotating disk 0r receiving table 13. A y

bracket 14, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, is bolted to the end bracket 1, and this disk is mountedto rotate in this bracket 14. The

`disk 13 overlaps 'the end bracket 1 and its extreme edge is substantially in line withy the end of the cylinder. This disk is rotated in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1. A. guide rail 15 has a supporting shank 16 which is clamped to the side iframe 3. AThis shank is slotted at 17 and bolts 18 passing through thev slots secure the rail to its support so that it may be adjusted transversely of the cylinder. The rail 15 is in the form of a loop and the outer end extending over the disk is substantially concentric with the disk. This concentric portion leads into a straight portion 19 which directs the filled cans on the disk tow ard the outer edge of the disk and ofi' from the disk on to the drum. As the disk rotates the filled .cans resting thereon will be brought into contact with this guiding rail and the face 19`thereof will accomplish theresult stated. A second guide rail 20 is pivotcd at 21 to the bracket 14 and at its outer'end is adjustably attached to the horizontal member 6 of the side fr me 4. The outer end of this rail is slotted as at 21 and bolts 22 hold the same in adjusted positions. This guide rail 2O is formed with a recess 23 in W ich is pivoted a separating plate 24. Said plate is pivoted at 25 and projects at each side of the pivot. A spring normally holds this plate so that the forward end thereof is housed in the recess or cutaway part of the guiding rail 20. This permits a can toy pass by the end of the plate. Thisplate is so shaped that as the can is passing by the other end thereof, itwill swing the plate bringing the end 25 out of the recess and holding back the cans on the disk until the can whlch is passing the plate 1s carried past the outer end thereof, after which the spring returns the plate to normal position allowing another can to pass. The purpose (f this separating plate is to so space the fi led cans that there will only be one can between adjacent threads on the drum. f

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, we have provided a filled can closing apparatus wherein there are only two closing machines,

indicated diagrammatically atA and B, respectively. The guide rail 12 is in the form of a horizontal plate and is mounted on spacing collars 26 so that this rail is slightly raised above the supporting ledge. The rail terminates at 27 forming a space 28 which is directly opposite a receiving disk 29 of the closing machine A. This receiving disk overlaps the horizontal member 6 of the side frame and this horizontal member is recessed at 30 to receive the disk so that the upper face of the disk is substantially flush with the upper face of this side frame which is also the supporting ledge for the filled cans. This opening indicated at 28 is controlled by a reciprocating gate 31. The gate 31 is mounted on an angle plate 32 which is secured by screws 33 to a reciprocating bar 34. The bar 34 lies flat against the vertical member of the side frame 3 and is guided by a suitable bracket 36. The gate, 31 is attached to the angle plate by bolts 37. The inner face of the gate isinline with the inner face of the guide rail 12. The outer face of the gate adjacent its free end is tapered as at 38, see Fig. 1.

Then the gate 31 is moved to the posi tion shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the opening 28 is closed and a can conveyed along by t-he cylinder will be carried by the opening 28. If, however, the gate open, then when a can reaches the opening 28 the thread on the cylinder forces the can over on to the receiving disk 29. As the gate is closing it will, ,through the tapered face thereof, assist in crowding the cans well on to the rotating disk. It will be apparent that if the gate is properly timed every other can may be taken from the rotating cylinder on to the receiving disk of the closing machine A. This gate, however, may be closed to take every third can, or every fourth can, just as desired.

The filled cans which pass by the opening 28 will be conveyed along the supporting ledge and, as shown in the drawings, delivered to the closing machine B. The closing machine B is provided with a rotating receiving disk 39 which overlaps the end bracket and side supporting frame which are recessed, as at 40, so that the upper face of this disk is substantially flush with the upper face of the side frame. The rail 12 is cut away or tapered, as at 41. The threads on the cylinder force the filled cans on to the receiving disk 39. A guiding rail 42 is pivoted at 43 and overlaps the disk 39 and in effect forms a continuation of the guiding rail. 42 of the closing machineB. As the disk rotates the filled cans will be carried along these rails 42 and delivered to the closing machine. This guidin rail 42 is similar to the guiding rail 44 o the closing machine A.

The various parts above referred to are .mally holds the roller in operated from the driving shaft 45. This driving shaft is journaled in suitable bearings in the bracket 1. Fixed to the shaft at the outer end thereof is a hub 46 having outwardly extending radial arms 47 which support a flexible gripping member 48. Loosely mounted on the shaft is a sleeve carrying a belt wheel 49. T he fiexible member 48 is located within this belt wheel and when expanded or forced outwardly is adapted to grip the belt wheel and lock the belt wheel to the driving shaft 45.

Pivotally supported on the radial arm 4T is a swinging lever 50. This lever is pivoted at 51. A lug 52 projecting from the lever engages the end of the flexible member 48 at 53. The other end of this lever carries a sleeve 54 in which is a bolt 55 having a rounded head 56 adapted to engage the cone surface 57 of a sleeve 60 which is splined to and slidable upon the projecting end of the main shaft. lhen this sleeve is moved to the right, as viewed in F ig. 2, the arm is swung outwardly causing the arm 52 to press against the end of the flexible member expanding the same and causing said flexible member to grip the inner face 61 of the driving pulley 4.9. This cone shaped sleeve is moved back and forth on this'shaft by a forked arm 62. This' forked arm is carried by a rod 63 which slides in bearings carried by the cover plate for the gears. Said rod is moved back and forth by a hand lever 64 which is connected to the rod and pivoted at. 65 to said plate. When the sleeve is moved in the opposite direction, the yielding member 48 will be released from the driving pulley.` y

The main shaft 45 carries a gear wheel 66 which meshes with a gear wheel 67 which in turn meshes with a gear wheel 68 mounted on a shaft 69. The gear wheel 68 has a laterally extending flange 70 which is cut so as to form a cam for operating the sliding gate 31. The sliding

gate

3,1 is attached to a bar 34, as above described. This bar carries a roller 71 which engages the upper forked end 72 of the lever 73 pivoted at 74 to a supporting frame of the machine. Said lever between its ends carries a roller 75 which bears against the cam 70 formed on the gear Wheel 68. A spring 76 is attached at one end of the lever 73 and at its other end to a fixed bracket 77 carried by the side frame of the machine. This spring norcontact with the cam 70. The cam'is so shaped that as the gear wheel 68 is rotated the bar 34 will be reciprocated back and forth.

A second gear wheel 78 is rigidly attached to the gear Wheel 68 and this gear Wheel 78 meshes with a gear wheel 79 mounted on the sleeve 11 at the receiving end of the drum so that the rotation of the main shaft will be imparted through said gears to said drum. On the extreme end of the sleeve, 1 have also provided a beveled gear 80 which meshes with a beveled gear 81'on the hub of the disk 13. The rotation of the main shaft through these gears imparts a rotation to the disk 13.

Mounted underneath the drum, and carried by the brackets 1 and Q, are guiding

rails

82 and 83. Running on these guiding rails is an endless conveyer 484. This end-` less `conveyer passes over sprocket wheels' `85 which are mounted on a shaft 86 jour-r naled in the supporting bracket 1 of the machine. This shaft 86 carries a worm wheel 87 which is' driven by a worm gear 88 on the-main shaft.

rThe guide rails

82 and 83 are extended beyond the ends of the cylinder and are deflected upwardly and connected to the lbracket 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Rotating sprocket wheels 89 support the other end of the endless conveyer. r1`he bracket which supports the sprocket wheels may be adjusted by adjusting bolts 9() for increasing the tension on the conveyer. This conveyer consists of dat plates 91 which are joined by suitable links 92.

The closing machine A is provided with rails 93 and 94 which form a discharge chute on which the closed cans roll; 'Iihese rails arel secured to a bracket 95 which'is adjustably guide rails 82.- The rail 94 projects substantially acrossthe entire width of the con.. veyer, while the rail 93 extends substantially half way across said conveyer. Secured to the rail 94 is a bracket 96El having a leather buii'er 97 thereon. As a can rolls down the -rails 93 and 94, one end thereof will be released beforel the other end and the can will be stopped by the leather buffer 97. This causes the can to end up so as to stand upright on the conveyer. The plates 91 are of sufficient width so as to make a substantially flat surface conveyer and a support for the engages any of the cans which may be on the wrong side |of the conveyer and crowds them over to the farther side of the conveyer. This leaves the front side of the conveyer free for the cans discharged from.

the closing machine B. Said closing ma ychine B has guide rails 99 Vand 100 which are attached to a bracket 101 mounted on the side guide rails 82, and a bracket'l02 carries a leather buffer 103 which stops the cans running along the rails 99 and 100, and these rails are so shaped that the cans will be landed up on to the conveyer. The conveyer, therefore, will collect all of the closed cans from the closing machines. At the delivery end of the conveyer there is a receiving table 104. Mounted' on this table and overlapping the conveyer isa deflecting plate 105. `The table is recessed to permit attached by bolts 96 to the side upright cans. A guide rail 98 v the conveyer to pass over the same with its upper face substantially flush with the upu per face of the table.A This deflector plate 105 strips the cans from the conveyer on to the table 104. 1t obvious that in place of this table other receiving means may be provided.

1n the operation of our device the main shaft is set into main rotation through the shifting of the friction clutch by the hand lever 64. The cans from the filling machines are delivered on to the receiving disk 13. This disk is rotated through the gear connection with the main shaft and will convey the filled cans around and deliver the Vsame one at a time and spaced from each other on to the cylinder 7 The cylinder is rotated through its gear connection with the main shaft and the thread 8 of the cylinder moves the cans alon the supporting ledge against the side guiding rail.

1f the gate 31 is withdrawn leaving the opening 28 free, then the can will be forced by the spiral thread on the cylinder into the opening and on to the receiving disk of the closing machine A. The reciprocation of the gate 3l will help to force the can to this receiving disk. If the gate is closed, then the filled cans will pass the opening 28 and will be delivered to the closingmachine B. l When it is desired to putl the closing machine out of operation, a swinging plate 106 is thrown over so as to close the opening 28, and the gate 31 may continue to reciprocate under said plate. The plate, however, will prevent filled cans from passing through the opening. y I

The closed cans are delivered to the guiding rails which in turn deliver the cans to the conveyer underneath the cylinder and this conveyer collects the cans from the various machines, and delivers the same on to the receiving table104.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the cylinder has two spiral threads thereon. One is indicated at .9c and the other at y. For'one rotation of the cylinder, it will cated at the position a will be moved to the position b and the can indicated at c will e moved to the position indicated at d. By using two threads and shaping the same as above noted, We are able to greatly-'increase the capacity of the feed cylinder.

. For a given speed twice as `many cans will t erehy the speed of the fee of the cans is 13o greatly increased. This is accomplished without giving to the feed cylinder an excessive speed which would cause-filled cans tol spill.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings, we have shown a slightly modified form of the invention wherein three closing machines are used. The feed cylinder 7 1s of the same construction as above described, and this feed cylinder rotates in the supporting frame, which is formed with side members 5a and 6a. The side rail 12 extends along the side frame 5a in the manner above described, and' forms a supporting ledge for the filled cans. This side frame is formed with an opening for the closing machine, indicated at A, and `with a second opening for the'closing machine indicated at C.

The closing machine B is placed at the end of the conveyer in the manner above d scribed. The cans are received on to a r tating receiving table and directed to the cylinder precisely inthe manner described in connection with the other figures 'of the drawings. The operatin mechanism for the drum and for the sli ing bar carrying the gate 31, is also the same. The reciprocating bar 34 for the gate 31 is, however, extended along the frame and slides in a second bracket 36a. This bar is provided with a second gate 31, which controls the opening leading to the closing machine C. The receiving table 291L of the closing machine C is positioned recisely the same as the receiving table Orthe'I closing machine A. There is'also a swinging plate 106, opening controlled by the gate 31a.

he purpose of this closing apparatus is to provide three machines which are fed by a single conveyer cylinder, and these three machines may be all operated simultaneously, any two of the machines operated, or one alone operated. When all three machines are in action, the closing machines A and C will take the greater portion of the cans to be closed, while those which pass these two machines will be received and closed by the machine B. When twof machines are in operation, the other one may be idle, for repair, and by controllingl the swinging

gates

106 or 106, either of the machines A or C may be rendered idle. If both of these gates are open, then these two machines will take the normal supply to the drum, and the machine B will be idle.

From the above description, it will be apparent that we have provided an apparatus for delivering filled cans to closing machines, which automatically apportions the cans to the different machines. The

filled cans are fed into one end of the apparatus, and are all closed and discharged from the other end thereof. As these filled cans travel from one. end of the which is adapted to close thel apparatus to the other, the closing ends are ap lied and double-seemed on to the ca n bo ies. chines to be used in connection with a single filling machine and a single conveyer.

It is obvlous that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts, may be lmade without departin from the spirit of the invention, as set fort in the appended claims.

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a supporting ledge, a guide rail adjacent the ledge along whlch the cans are fed, said guide rail having an opening therein through which the cans may passto the closing machine, a feed cylinder having a thread thereon disposed'so as to move the cans along the guide rail and through the opening therein, and means for closing the opening to cause the cans to pass to another closinIg machine..

y 2. n an Vapparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of clpsing machines, including a feed cylinder having a thread thereon, a supportlng ledge coperating with said feed cylinder, a guide rail adjacent said ledge along which the cans are fed by said thread on the feed cylinder, said thread being so shaped as to force the filled cans against said rail, said rail having an opening therethrough at a closing machine to permit the filled cans to pass t0 said closing machine, and a reciprocating gate for controlling said opening whereby certain only of said cans are permitted to pass through said gate.

3. In an apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines, in cluding a feed cylinder having a thread thereon, a supporting ledge coperating with said feed cylinder, a guide rail adjacent said ledge along which the cans are fed by said thread on the feed cylinder,- said threads being so shaped as to force the filled cans against said rail, said rail having an opening therethrough at a closing machine to permit the filled cans to pass to said closing machine, and a reciprocating gate for controlling said opening whereby certain only of said cans are permitted to pass through said gate, said gate having the edge thereof adjacent the cylinder in line with the edge of the guide rail and the rear edge thereof inclined to assist in crowding the filled cans on to the receiving table of the closing machine. y

4. In an apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines, including a feed cylinder having a thread thereon, a supporting ledge coperating with said feed cylinder, a guide rail adjacent Said This permits several closing ma-V4 ledge along whichv the cans are fed by said thread on the. feed. cylinder, said thread i beingso -shaped as 'to force the filled cans cans passing therethrough when said gate is retracted. v

5. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a supporting frame, a cylinder mounted in said frame and having a thread wound thereon projecting above the upper face of the frame whereby a filled can may rest on said frame and said cylinder and be forced along the frame by said thread, a guiderail attached to said .frame against which and along which the .cans are moved by said thread; said guiderail having an opening therethrough'r at -a closing machine, the thread on said cylinder being disposed so as to cause the cans to be forced through the opening, and a sliding gate for controlling said opening. v

6. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a supporting frame, a` cylinder mounted in said frame and having a thread wound thereon projecting above the upper face of the frame whereby a filled can may rest on said frame and said cylinder and be forced along the frame by said thread, a guide rail attached to said frame against which and along which the cans are moved by said thread; said guide rail having an opening therethrough at a closing machine to permit certain of the cans to be forced through the opening by the thread on said cylinder, and

a slidin gate for controlling said o ening,l

said sli ing gate having. its edge a jacent the cylinder in line with said guide rail and its opposite edge inclined so as to crowd the cans on to the receivingtable of the closing machine. Y

7. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a supporting frame, a rotating cylinder mounted on said frame, said supporting frame including spaced ledges, said cylinder having a thread thereon extending into the space between the ledges and projecting` above the upper face thereof, a guide rail along one of said ledges, said thread being so disposed that the filled cans resting on said frame and ledge may be moved along said guide rail and forced against the'same, said guide rail having an opening therethroughvto permit the cans to be crowded by the l thread throughr the rail, said ledge which supportsv the cans having a recess in its upper' faceadapted .to receive the table ofy a closing machine whereby the upper surfacel of t-he tableyis substantially vflush with the upper surface of the ledge-so that the cans may be forced on to the table, and a reciprocating gate for controlling said opening.'

8. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a support, a guide rail along which the cans are fed, said guide rail havingan opening therein through which the cans are adapted to pass to a closing machine, a rotating feed cylinder having a thread thereon for moving,

the cans along said guide rail 'and through said opening, means for closing said opening, 'and a rotating feed table fordelivering the filled cans onto the feed cylinder.

9. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a support, a guide rail along which the cans are fed, said guide rail having an opening therein through which the cans are adapted to pass to a closing machine, a rotating feed cylinder having a thread thereon for moving thecans along said guide rail and through said opening, means for closing said opening, a rotating feed vtable for delivering the' filled cans konto the feed cylinder, and a spacing plate for spacing the lled cans as they are delivered to said rotating feed cylinder.

10. An apparatus for, delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a support, a guide rail along which the cans are fed,'said guide rail having an opening therein through which the cans are adapted to pass to a'closing machine, a rotating feed cylinder having a thread thereon for movingthe cans along said guiderail and through said opening, means for closing said opening, a rotating feed table for delivering the filled cans ont'o the feed cylinder, and a pivoted spacing plate for automatically spacing the filled cans as they are delivered to the .feed cylinder.

11. The combination lof a plurality of closing machines, a support for the cans, a guide rail along which the cans are fed to the closing machines, said 'guide rail having an opening therein through which the cans are adapted to pass to one of said closing machines, a rotating feed cylinder having a thread thereon for moving the cans along said guide rail and through said opening,

f means for closing said opening, a rotating l chine to the conveyer, said guiding rails including devices for setting the cans on end on said conveyer.

12. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including a supporting frame, a cylinder mounted to rotate in said frame, said cylinder having a thread thereon for engaging and moving the filled cans along said frame, devices coperating with said cylinder for apportioning and feeding the filled cans to the several closing machines, said devices including a reciprocating gate,' means for rotating said cylinder, means for reciprocating lsaid gate, in timed relation to the rotation of said cylinder, and a rotating table for receiving the filled cans and delivering the same to the feed cylinder, Said table being rotated by said cylinder.

13. An apparatus for delivering filled cans to a plurality of closing machines including 'a support, a guide rail having an opening through which the cans may pass to a closing machine, a feed cylinder having two threads spirally interwound thereon, the distance between the threads being greater than the diameter of the cans to be c0nveyed, a reciprocating gate for closing Said opening, said reciprocating gate being timed relative to the movements of the feed cylinder so that the cans fed by one of the threads only will be caused to pass through said opening, while the curls fed by the other thread are carried across the opening when the gates are closed.

In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

IVAR F. WARME. JOHN C. TALIAFERRO.

Mr. 'Warmes witnesses:

GEORGE HARKNESS, REYNOLD J. NITSCH.

Mr. Taliaferros witnesses: REGINALD KEENE,

A. B. ZIBBUTI.