US1583627A - Combined filling and closing machine - Google Patents

Description

J. c. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 28 1921 3 Sneets-Sheet J May 4,1926. 1,583,627

1]. C. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE I Filed June 28, -l92l (Sheets-Sheet 2 Y May 4,1926. l;583,627

J. C. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOS I NG MACHINE Filed June 28. 1921 4 Shets-Sheet s :3 I/Am gmmtm 5 a of May 4 1926.

. 1,583,627 J.C.TAUAFERRO ETAL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1921 4 SheetSrSh96t/4 i atented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAT seer nvanasts cow JOKE-3' C TALIAFERRO, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND ALFRED I KRQNQUEST, E CEICAGG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS 'lO CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY, QF $YRACUSE, NEW YORK, A'CORPORA'IION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHXNE.

Application filed June 28, 1921. Serial No. 481,126.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itlmown that we, J on): C. 'Ianmnnnno and ALFRED L. Knononns'r, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Baltimore, Maryland, and Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of'lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Filling and Closing Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in combined filling and 010s ing machines for cans, and more particularly to a feeding mechanism for receiving the filled cans from the filling machine and for delivering the same to the closing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type, wherein the cans are under positive control from the time that they leave the filling stations in the filling machine until they are delivered to the closing stations at the closing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine. of the above type, wherein the cans are not only under positive control, but wherein the censure accelerated during their travel from the filling machine to the closing machine, so as to properly space the cans for the closing stations at the closing machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type, wherein the cans are slowed down or retarded during their travel from the filling machine to the closing machine for the purpose of inspection and the removing or placing of liquid in the cans, after which they are accelerated to properly space the same. for the closing machine.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of the above type. wherein filied cans are delivered by the filling machine directly on to a rotating drum having a, spirally wound thread there-on which operates .to positively move the cans, said drum being so disposed as to deliver the cans directly to the assembling turretof the closing machine. 1

A'further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type, wherein thread on the feeding drum is so shaped as to accelerate the luoveimnts'of the cans as they are delivered to the asseinbiing turret. i

A further object. of the invention is to pro vide a machine of the above type, wherein the thread on the drum is so shaped as to retard the movements oi? the cans during their travel intermediate the ends of the drum. These and other objects will in Dart obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. In the drawings which show b way of illustration one embodiment of tile invention Figure 1 is a plan view showing in part a combined filling and closing machine embodying our improvements; Figure 2 is a view partly in section an partly in front elevation of the closing ma.- chine and a portion of the feeding drum;

Figure 3 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section, showing a portion of the filling; machine and a. portion of the feeding drum;

l igure at is a view on the line 1% of Fig. 3 showing the receiving end or" the feeding drum and a portion of the filiing machine;

Figure is a view in horizontal section, on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the operating mechanism for rotating the drum:

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line G(3 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a 77 of Figure 2.

The invention consists hroadly inn combined filling and closing machine and has to do particularly with the feeding means which receives the cans as they are delivered by the filling macl 'ne and conveys the same to and delivers the cans one after another to the closing machine. The filling machine may be of any desired construction 50. long,

as it is of the continuous rotary type hov1ng..

a plurality of filling stations, so that cans may be fed continuously into said filling machine; be filled whlle they are moving and without stopping; and be delivered to the feeding mechanism which conveys the cans to the closing machine. The closing n1a chine may also he of any desired type so long as it is of the continuous rotary type having a plurality of closingstations which receive the filled cans while they are moving and closing: the cans while they are moving, so

sectional view on the line that the cans they are fed into the filling machine are moving -forward and do not stop their movement until after they are closed and delivered from the closing machine. The closing machine preferably is provided with an assembling turret which receives the filled cans from, the feeding mechanism, places the cover thereon and delivers the filled can and cover assembled in proper timing to the closing stations.

The improved feeding mechanism includes devices which operate to positively control and feed the can from the time that it is taken from a filling station until it reaches the closing station, and preferably the can is under continuous movement during all this time. The feeding mechanism, furthermore, includes devices which are of such a character as to gradually accelerate the movement-of. the can before it is closed, so as to avoid stopping or spilling which occurs when any quick movement is given to a filled can. Furtheri'nore, these feeding devices are ar ranged in a straight line, so that the can is received on a tangent to the'rotating turret of the filling machine and delivered on a tangent to the rotating assembling turret oi the closing machine. It is well known that when a can travels in a curved line centril' ugal force tends to throw the liquid content out of the can,'but when the can travels forward in a straight line, then this spilling action of centrifugal force is entirely done away with. i

In the preferred form of the invention, the means for receiving and feeding the cans from the filling machine to the closing machine consists of a rotating drum having a thread wound thereon. The cans are re.- ceived directlyfrom the filling stations by the drum, are moved forward positively, said thread being so constructed as to accelerate the movement of the cans and propcrly space them for the pockets of the assembling turret, and the drum delivers said cans directly to said assembling turret. The covers are placed on the cans j uSt as. they reach the assembling turret and the fasscmv bled cover and can is then fed directly into the closing machine. This thread on the drum may also be so constructed as to slow up the travel of the can and, if desired,

bring the can almost to a stop, which aids {greatly 1n the inspection of the can and permits an operator to remove some bf its liquld cmtent, if it istoo full, or to put liquid cqntentinto the can, it it'is' not full \enougln iAd'ter the can has passed the region ot inspect-ion, then 1t may be quickly accel- \erated by a change in the shaping of the \thrcad, but such acceleration will be so gradual that there is no spilling of the content of the can.

'\ Referring more in detail to the drawings, the closing machine as illustrated is of the the means for receiving and timing the cans for the assembling turret, and by increasing the number of seaming stations.

Said closing machine consists of a supporting frame 1, on which is mounted the rotating turret 2, which, as shown in the present embodin'ient of thei'nvention, is pro vided with eight closing stations, each of which is indicated at Each of these closing stations includes a chuck spindle i. carrying a chuck, a rotatable support 5 on which the can is placed, a half mold 6 for rounding up the can body and centering the can end relative thereto, and a scathing roll T. It will'bc understom'l. o'tcourse, that. this closing mechanism may be greatly varied and the specific form shown is purely for the purpo e of illustrating one form of continuously operating closing machines.

Filled cans are delivered to the closing machine by the assembling turret Said assemblingturret has eight pockets, each of which is indicated at 9. Each assembling pocket has half molds it) and the assembling turret. is so timed that the half mold of one of the assembling pockets co-opcratcs with the half mold of the closing station in.

rounding up the can bodies preliminary to the scaling of the covers thereon and the attachment of the cover to the can body.v The covers are stacked in a stack-holder 11 and are fed one at a time on to the rotating assembling turret directly over the half mold pocket therein. The covers may be marked by a suitable marking device, indicated at 12,'i't' desired. The assembling turret is providcd with a gear wheel 13 which meshes with a gear wheel 14. carried by the rotating turret of the closing machine proper. This serves as a means for operating the assembling turret from the seaming turret oi the closing machine.

The filling machine, as illustrated in the drawings, is of the type shown in the patents to Hansen, granted, respectively, June 27, 19.16, hlo. 1,188,7(5i and May lg-1920, No. 14389Q6th Said filling machine consists of means of a shaft 20, which shaft 20 carries a beveled gear 21 meshing with a beveled gear 'msuitablc support 15, on which is mounted a rotating turret 16. Said turret as shown in osses? 22 on the spindle which carries the rotating turret and the parts of the filling machine. Mounted onsaid shaft 20 is one member of a clutch 24c which is adapted to cooperate with another clutch member 25 loosely mounted onthe shaft. 'Said clutch member 25Iis driveirby a sprocket chain 26 which runs over a sprocket Wheel connected to the clutch member 25 and a sprocket wheel on a v a face gear 84 fixed to the turret of the closing machine. 1 Thus the closing machine rotates the turret and through the shaft 27 also rotates the filling machine, so that the rotating arms 17 of the filling machine will have a predetermined timed movement relative to the closing stations of the closing machine. I

The cans are received from thefilling machine by a rotating feeding drum 35 which is fixed to the shaft 27, and rotates there with. Said drumisprovided with a thread 36. This feeding drum isof the generai character of feeding drums shown in the patent granted to L. C. Krummel'and d. (l. Taliaferro, August 17, 1969,1 10. 931, 554. The cans are guided as they are moved by the arms 17 by a guide rail 37 which is circular. The frame work of the machine is cut away so that the receiving end of the drum extends underneath the rotating arm 17 and the drum is in tangential alinernent I i with the curved support 18 along which the cans are slid. The filled can will be moved on to the feeding drum by the arms 17.

' There are two spaced supporting members 38 and 39 directly. over the drum, and the thread of the drum extendsup between said supporting members, as shown more clearly in Figure 9. Thesupporting member 38 is provided with .a guide rail 40. The drum rotates in the direction of the arroiv in Figure 7 and the can bodies will be forced forward and laterally against the rail 40. As the rail limits their sidewise movement, then the can bodies will move fomvard along said supports 38 and 39., It will. he noted that the support 18 of the filling'machi-ne is at the delivery end 'thereot' at the same level as the supports 38 and 39, and also that these supports'38 and 39 are on the same level as the support of the closing machine along which the cans are slid into said closing machine. Inasmuch as these supports are ail on the same level the can will pass from.

machine.

semhling turret.

one onto the other Without any tilting or,

movement which would tend to spill the filled contents thereof.

As above noted, the center of the line of travel of the cans along the feeding drum is tangential to the curved path of travel of the cans as they are led through the closing.

The thread 36 of the drum, hetween the ends of the drum, is preferably changed as to inclination so that the filled cans are slowed up or retarded in their movement, at the point indicated at X, for example, or in this region This gives an operator opportunity to better inspect the contents of the filled can, to remove some oi its liquid content, if desirable, or to iill in other liquid content, if there is not sufficient in the can. After the can has been retardedfor inspection, it is then accelerated and brought back to its normal speed to travel until it reaches near the delivery end of the drum, when the thread as indicated at 36, is Wound on a much greater inclination or increased pitch, so as to move the can for- Ward quite rapidly, but the increments ot advance in speed are so small. and gradual that no sloppingor spilling of the oc- Eli curs. This speeding up of the can places the can in a pocket of the assembling; turret and properly spaces the cans so that they will he placed one. after another in the peel-sets of the assembling turret as they reach the end of the drum. The cover has been placed on the assembling turret and any suitable means may he provided so that when no can is to he into a pocket, no cover will he placed in the pocket. The can and assembled cover are carried along by the pockets in the assembling turret and into the closing turret of the closingmachine. assemhlin r turret are spaced the same dis 'tance as he pockets in the closing machine. The line of travel of the cans While passing along the drum is tangential to the curred path of travel of the cans while in the as- It will he noted that she can While it is heing filled moves in a curved path, It then mores in a straight line as it leaves Le filling machine and continues in a straight line path of trai" until. reaches the assembling turret Wllfilo the cover placed over the top of the can before its path of travel changes to a curved path. Thus while the can is uncovered, its path of travel is substantially a straight line.

In feeding mechanisms, as heretofore de si ed the filled can is caused to travel lira The pockets in the radially of a rotating member to increase the c speed of travel of the can. This moving of the can in a curved path and radially it travels in the curredpath is liable to spill,

owing to the centrifugal force acting upon the liquid content thereof. By our improved feeding mechanism, where the path of travel till of the can is a straight line path of travel from the filling machine to the closing machine and during the accelerating ot the niovements'ot the can. there is no centrifugal force acting on the liquid content'to cause spilling.

It is obvious that in.-;tead of using a drumwith a thread wound thereon other forms of feeding devices may be used from the broadest aspect of the invention, which consists in feeding the filled cans in a straight line of travel during the time that they are accelerated to change the spacing of the cans as delivered by the filling machine to a proper spacing of the cans for the closing machine. We prefer to use a spirally wound thread for accomplishing this feeding of the filled cans for the reason that it i'eadily adapts itself to the retarding of the movement of filled can and the accelerating of the movement of the filled can with little or no spilling as the change in themoven'ients may be very gradually producedthrough the changing of the pitch o't'wthe thread on the drunn lVhile we have. shown the thread as wound on a drum, it will also be noted that a skeleton support maybe piovided for the thread. Here, again. the essential feature consists in the thread it; it which the, active element for the feeding of the cans the drum being merely the supporting means for supporting and turning the thread, and, ot course, other means could be used in place theleot.

It is obvious that minor changesin the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made wthout departing -from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A combined filling and closing machine comprising a filling machine having a framework, a curved stationary support carried by said framework along which the calls may he slid, rotating arms for sliding the cans along said support, a closing machine, a straight-line support leading from said filling machine to said closing machine, the framework oi said filling machine being cut away so that said straight-line support may extend into said filling machine to a point where it is tangentially in alinemcnt With said curved support, and means extending beneath the'arms of said filling machine and along said straight-line support for receiving the timed tilled cans from the rotaing arms and moving the same along said straight-line support and into the closing machine, whereby said' cans are transferred from thefilling machine to the straightline conveying means without lateral movement.

2. A combined filling and closing nachina comprising a filling machine lfaymg a framework, a curved stationary spp'pbrt carried bysaid framework along Wh oh the cans may be slid, rotating arms for sliding thc cans along said support, a closing machine, a straight-line support leading from.

the closing machine, whereby said cans are transferred from the filling machine to the straight-line conveying means without lateral movement, said stationary su ort of the titling machine and said straight-line support leading from said filling machine bemg on substantially the same level whereby the cans may be transferred from one to the other without being tilted.

2.). A combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising a filling machine having a support for the cans to be filleihnieans for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relation to eaclnother, a closing machine ha ring a support for the filled cans to be closed, means for moving the cans con tinuously along the supportof the closing machine in spaced timed relation to each other, a support extending from the filling ma hine to the closing machine in a straight line, and means for receiving the timed filled cans from the filling machine and moving the same continuously along said last named support and delivering the said cans in proper timed relation to the means for moving the cans along the support of the closing machine, said means for moving the cans along the straight line support being constructed so as to slow up-the can intermediate the ends of said straight line support so that the filled cans can be inspected.

et. A combined filling and closing machine for ans comprising a filling machine-having a support for the cans to be filled, means for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relation to each other, a closing machine having a support for filled cans to be closed, means for moving the cans along the support. of the closing machine in spaced timed relation to each other, a' support for the filled cans extending from the closingmachine to the filling machine, means for receiving the timed filled cans from the filling machine and moving the same along said last named support and delivering the same in proper timed relation to the means for moving the trans along the support of the closing machine, said means for moving the l to 1,5saee7 cans along the support between the filling and closing machines including a drum having a spiral thread \vound thereon, said spiral thread being shaped so as to retard the speed of travel of the cans between the filling and closing machines to allow inspection of the contents of the can.

5. A combined fillin and closing machine for cans comprising a filling machine having a curved support for the cans to be filled, rotating means for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relation to each other, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans to he closed, rotating means for moving the cans along the sup port of the closing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to each other, a straight line support for the filled cans connecting the filling machine and the closing machine, said straight line support being disposed in a line tangential to the curved path of travel of the cans in the filling ma chine and closing machine, and means for receiving the cans from thefilling machine 1 and sliding the same along said straight line sort and delivering said cams to the closmacltine. d A combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising a filling machine having curved support for the cans tobe filled, rotating means for slidin the cans along said sup-port in spaced timed relation to each other, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans to be closed, rotating means for moving the cans along the support of the closing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to each other, a straight line support for the filled cans connecting the filling machine and the dos machine, said straight line support being disposed in a line tangential to the curved path of travel of the cans in the filling ma chine and closing machine, and means for receiving the cans from the filling machine and sliding the same along said straight line support and delivering said cans to the closing machine, ,aid last named means including a rotating drum having a spiral thread thereon. U

7. A' combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising a filling machine having a curved support for the cans to be filled, rotating means for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relation to each other, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans'to be'closed, rotating means for moving the cans along the support of the closing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to each other,

a straight line'support for the filled cans connecting the filling machine and the clos ing machine, said straight line support being disposed, in a iinetangential to the. curved path of travel of the cans in the filling maci ia-s nd. c osing mach ne, ands-arcane for receiving the cans from the filling machine and sliding the same along said straight line Support and delivering said cans to the closing machine, said last named means including a rotating drum having a spiral thread thereon, and said thread being so formed as toretard the travel of the cans for inspection on said straight line support and to accelerate the ans for delivering the same to the closing machine.

8. A combined filling and closing-machine comprising a filling machine having a framework, a curved stationary support carried by said framework, along which the cans may he slid, rotating arms for sliding thecans along said support, a closing machine. a straight-line support leading from the fill ing machine to the closing machine, including spaced members for supporting the cans, said spaced members being on substantially the same level as the curved statiomiry support, means associated with said spaced.

members for guiding the cans along said spaced members, a rotating drum associated with said spaced members and having a spiral thread extending up between said members for engaging the cans and sliding then along said support, the framework of said filling'machine being cut away so that said. straight-line support and drum may extend into the filling machine to a point where it is tangentially in alinement with the curved support,'and whereby said spiral thread on the drum may engage the cans before they are released by the rotating arms so that said cans will be moved continuously and the timing thereof preserved from the filling machine on to said straight-line support and into said closing machine.

9. A closing machine for filled cans comprising a series of seaming devices equally spaced and traveling continuouslyin a circular path, a rotating turret having members for receiving the filled cans and for presenting the same in succession to the seaming devicesya straight line support and guiding device arranged substantially at a,

tangent to the path of travel of the can receiving members at the point Where the filled cans are delivered thereto a feed drum extending lengthwise of said support and having the end thereof extending beneath said rotating can receiving members, said feed drum having a thread formed thereon for feeding the cans along said support, said thread being shaped and timed so as to place the cans in succession inthe receiving members of the rotating turret.

A closing machine for filled cans comprising a series of'seaming device-s equally spaced and traveling continuously in a circular path, a rotating turret having pockets forms therein spaced the same distance as the seaming devices and operating to present. tilled cans in succession to said seaming ole inc vices, a straight line support and guiding device arranged substantially at a tangent to the path ol. travel of the pockets in said rotating turret at the point where the filled cans are delivered to said pockets. ,a feed drum extending lengthwise of said support 'and having the end thereof extending beneathsaid rotating pockets, said felt drum having the thread thereof provided with 'a graduall increased pitch at the delivery end of the drum, said thread being shaped and timed so as to accelerate the filled cans, properly space the same, and place said filled.

eans in the pockets of H -rotating turrets.

11. l\ closing mar (or filled cans comprising a series ol seaming devices equally spaced and traveling continuously in a circula'r path, a halt mold associated \vitl-Yeach seaming device, a rotating assembling tur ret having half molds'spaced the same 'CllS- tanee as the half molds associated with the seannng devices, said assembling turret rotating continuously and timed so that the half molds thereof cooperate wit-lithe halt molds-associated with the seaming devices for rounding up and presenting the filled cans to the seaming devices, a straight line support and guiding device arranged ,at a

, tangent to said assembling turretat the point where the cans are deliveredj thereto, a threaded drum located beneath 1 d support and positioned so that the thread projects above the support for moving the filled cans along the support, said drum having the end thereot' adjacent the assembling turret extending beneath the traveling half molds thereof and shaped and timedso as to present the filled cans in succession to said half molds of the assembling turret.

12. The combination of a closing machine for tilled cans comprising a series of seaming devices equally spaced and traveling continuously in a circular path, a rotating assembling turret having a series of pockets thread thereon for engaging the filled cans and moving the same along the supporting members, said spiral thread being shaped and timed so as to place the filled cans in succession in the pockets of the rotating turret.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures. v

JOHN C. TALIAFERRO. 4 ALFRED L. KRONQUEST.

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