US1804637A - Capping mechanism - Google Patents

Description

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May l2, 1931. Q MQRROW CAPPING MECHANSM Filed May 22, 1928 4 Sheng-sheet 2 May l2, 1931. c. MoRRow CAPPING MECHANISM Filed May y22, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 12, 1,931. c; MORRQW 1,804,637

GAPPING MECHANISM Fmg; May 22, 1928 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR matically Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLIFFORD MORROW, OF CANTON, )I-IIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE H. H. MILLER INDUSTRIES COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO CAPPING MECHANISM Application mea May 22,

This invention relates to a mechanism for capping bottles. The invention is shown embodied in a form of construction for successively feeding caps of the disk type and positioning them within the mouth of a bottle.

The invention is also shown embodied or incorporated in a construction capable of first filling the bottles, so that the movable member which supports the bottles while being filled serves also as the movable support for the bottles while being capped.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved capping mechanism which autooperates to prevent feeding or positiomng of a cap or caps except when a bottlelisin position to receive a cap, Whereby waste of caps and danger ofy jamming of the mechanism is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle capping mechanism that is relatively simple and positive in operation. f

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention vrelates from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a sectionall View of a combined filling and capping mechanism embodying luy-invention; this view being a section substantially on the lline 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing the capping mechanism in plan.

Fig. 3 is a-front elevation of the capping mechanism detached from its support, but with the cap feeder in locked position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown 'in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 isa plan-viewy ofthe parts shown ini-Figs. 3 and'4.A

` Fig-6 is a section on the line-6 6 of Fig. .y yf5, but showing thevposition-.of the parts and abottle inthe movement ofthe latter upwardly readyto-releasef the cap feeder.v

Fig.` 7 is. a view similar to `Figf, buty yshowingth"e bottle. inl its'` extreme 'up' ,posix tion* and 4receiving al cap, and the feeder. re- "leased `a`nd-ready*-to-ffeed adcap to capping fpositinfor thenext bottles.;` 2 t f Fig. 8 is a view similar to 6 7 1928. Serial N0. 279,699.

but showing the position of the parts and the feeder locked, as when a bottle is not positioned in its support.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6, parts being broken away.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Figs. 1 and 7. y

In the drawings, 1 indicates a support on which is mounted a bottle supportin 'member 2 capable of moving upwardly an downwardly and also rotatably thereon, the rotation being effected intermittently, preferably one step between .each up and down movement, so as to successively position `bottles below or in registry with the capping mechanism, as well as the filling valves or nozzles. I have shown my improved capping mechanism incorporated or associated with a filling mechanism, since a single supporting member 2 may be utilized to support and carry the bottles while being filled and capped, so that in each upward movement thereof capping of one bottle and filling of another bottle may be effected simultaneously. This also simplifies the operations since each bottle is positioned and removed from the support but once.

The support 1 comprises a base la on which is mounteda casing 1b. The casmg 1b in turn supports an upright member 10 which serves as a suitable guide and shaft for the member 2 as it moves up and down and rotates; by preference the upright member 1c is supported by a bracket 1d on the inner wall of the casing 1b.`

s indicates a holder for iiqiiiags'uch as milk, having. a. bottom apreferabl coI`n prising a casting. Near `one side the ttom 3a is provided withahollow bossvb internally threaded and screwed on to the .u perend 0f the .upright member'ylcfy In-this arrangement, the supporting member v2fha's a portionf mits readyaccess; to the-bottleholdin ljaws 2a provided on the member 2 so that t ev 'op-N100 erative may position a bottle in each thereof at the position A and rem-ove each bottle at the position B.

The holder 3 is supplied with liquid preferably by an inlet 4 leading from a reservoir. The bottom 3a is provided with a series of openings 5 the axes of which are disposed in an arc struck from the axis on which the member 2 rotates and in each opening 5 is mounted a valve 6 so constructed that upon the engagement of the bottle mouth witha portion thereof in theiupward movement of the member 2, the valve will be opened and allow the liquid to flow into the bottle, providing the latter is not completely filled. I provide a plurality of valves so that in the event the bottle is not filled while operating the first valve it will become filled before passing the last valve. As shown, the valves are uniformly spaced and in each\angular movement of the member 2 it is moved a distance equal to the angle between adjoining valves; andthe capping mechanism is so arranged agularly relative to the last valve 6 that in each period of rest between angular movements a pair of jaws 2a or the opening therebetween registers therewith and each of the valves 6.

The operating mechanism comprises the following: 7 is a member driven by any suitable means (not shown). The member 7 drives a shaft 8 which through gears 9, 10, drives a shaft 11. The shaft 11, through a Worm 12 and worm gear 13, drives a transverse shaft 14. 15 is a cam fixed to the shaft 14. 16 is a roller engaging the cam, mounted on the lower end of a thrust member 17 slidable within the upright member 1c. The upper end of the thrust member carries a cross rod 18, which extends through slots 19 formed in the member 1c and is connected to a tubular member 20 to raise and lower the latter. The tubular member slides on the upright member 1c and also forms a shaft on which a sleeve 21 rotates. The sleeve 21 carries the supporting member2. Suitable means, a portion of which is shown at 22 and forming a part of the operating mechanism, is connected to the sleeve`21 to rotate it predetermineddistances intermittently to effect the registry already referred to.

The driving connection shown consists of an up-standing pin 23 and bifurcated lugs 24 on sleeve 21, one of which lugs is arranged to straddle the pin each time the sleeve moves to its lower position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, there being as many lugs 24 on the lower end of the sleeve as there are jaws 2a on the member 2. To lock the member 2 against rotative movement when moved to its upper position, each-lug 24 is adapted to engage a pin 25 fixed to and depending from the upper wall ofthe casing 1b.

The operating means ma be similar to that shown in Letters Patent o. 1,463,998, dated August 7, 1923. .It will be understood that the raising and lowering means and rotating means co-operate so that the member 2 is raised and lowered and rotated one step or predetermined distance alternately, the rotative movements being effected when the member 2 is in its lower position. As the means for operating the member 2 form no part of the present invention7 further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The jaws 2a preferably comprise recesses formed in the periphery of the member 2, these recesses being suitably shaped and of a size to receive the neck of the bottle, whereby its collar or fiange portion around the bottle mount may rest on the upper surface of the member and be supported thereby. To yieldinglyy lock 'the bottles in the recesses, I provide in each recess a pair of pins 26. The pins are slidably mounted in the side walls of the recess and are normally pressed outwardly by springs also mounted within the wall of the recess. These pins yieldingly engage the opposite outer portions of the bottle neck to hold the latter in the adjacent recess, but readily recede into their supporting openings to allow the operative to position each bottle neck in the recess or remove it therefrom.

27 indicates a bracket extending outwardly from the casting 3a, bein preferably bolted to the lower side thereof. The bracket 27 is shaped to provide two legs 28, 28, to provide operating space for parts to be later described. The legs support at their outer ends upright rods 29. The rods 29 serve as supports and guides for a cross head 30 which has hollow bosses 31 slidably fitting the rods. The bosses 31 rest on collars or sleeves 32 removably fitting the rods 29. By substituting sleeves of a different length, the cross head 30 may be supported at any desired height. Between the upper end of each boss 31 and a collar 33 threaded on the upper end of the adjacent rod 29 and surrounding the latter is a coiled spring 34, the springs 34 normally acting on the bosses 31 and serving as a yielding support or abutment for the cross head to -yieldingly resist upward movement thereof,

as will later appear. By adjusting the collars 33, thetension of the springs 34 may be increased or diminished as may be deslred. As shown, the intermediate portion of the cross head 30 is shaped to form a collar 35 in which is adjustably supported the shank 36 of a cylindrical shaped device 37. The lower end of the device 37 operates to seat a cap C in the mouth d of each bottle D in the upward movement of the latter, as will be hereinafter set forth, for which reason the device has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the caps. The shank 36 snugly fits the collar 35 so that it will be supported in a substantially rigid manner, but it may be adjusted endwise so that the lower end of the device 37 will disposed at the holder for the caps'C for the bottle mouths.V

proper position to effect the seating of the caps, a set screw 38 servingl to engage the shank and secure it in its adjusted osition,

1 39 indicates a tubular member s idably fitting the device 37 and movable upwardly and downwardly thereon. The lower end of the lnember 39 is open to permit the device 37 to project therethrough in or during its upward movement; the upper end of the member is formed with an opening 40 through which the shank 36 extends. 41 indicates a The holder 41 referably comprises two substantially semi-circular walls 41a, 41a,

formed integrally with the wall of the mem-l ber 39 and forming a chamber corresponding in cross section to the shape of the caps. The free ends of the walls 41a are slightly spaced to form an opening from top to bot- -tom of the holder whereby the feed and supply of the caps may be inspected from time to time. The lower portion of the holder 41 has a bore'substantially equal to the diameter of the caps C; above this portion, the bore is enlar ed slightly as shown at 41?). As the caps are usually supplied in tubes, this form of construction allows the open end of the tube to be inserted in the holder and engaged with the shoulder 41?) so that the caps may gravitate downwardly through the lower portion of the holder. In this arrangement, the tube cooperates with the wal s 41a to cover the caps and as an extension of the holder, thus making it unnecessary to increase the hei ht of the holder, but

at the same time provi ing for a large supply of caps each time a tube of caps is placed within the walls 41a.

42 indicates an annular member secured to the lower end of the tubular member 39 and carrying at one side a guide 43 extending in a direction parallel to a line cutting the axes of the member 39 and holder 41 so as to lie below the latter. As shown in Fig. -7, the guide 43 receives the lowermost cap C when the feeder 44 (to which reference will later be made) is moved to its outer position and forms a delivery plate for the cap when the feeder 44 moves to its inner osition, as shown in Fig. 6, the annular member 42 being cut away at 45 to permit each cap C to be fed into capping position at or below the lower end of the member 39. The annular member 42 is secured by suitable screws to a fiange 46 extending partially around the lower end of themember 39. The inner wall of the annular member 42 is formed with a series of ribs 47 the purpose of which is to form a 'rou h surface to prevent the caps from dropping through the member; and the lower end of the annular member is shaped to cause a centering of the bottle mouth with respectto the tubulark member 39 .as the bottle D moves u wardly and its free end engages therewit (see Fig. 7).

The feeder 44 comprises a plate 44a slidable on the uide 43 and having a thickness equal to or sllghtly less than that of a cap so as to engage the lowermost one of the pile or stack, its front or feeding edge being curved, as shown in Fig. 9. The central portion of the plate 44a is thickened to form on its lower face a rib 446 fitting a channel 48 formed in the guide 43 and guided thereby.

The outer portion of the plate 44a has laterall extending portions 49 which are secure by screws 49a to a yoke 50 having portions slidably engaging the outer longitudinal sides of the guide 43 (see Fig. 10) The lateral portions 49 are arranged to engage abutments 49 at either side of the guide 43 to arrest the inward movement of the feeder 44. It will be understood that through the engagement of the feeder 44 with the abutment.

the yoke 50 is provided with a pair of upstanding lugs 51 between which is pivoted, by a pivot pin, the outer end of a link 52. The opposite or inner ends of the links 52 are connected to the legs 53 of a bifurcated lever 54, fulcrumed at 55 on a lug 56 provided on the inner side wall of the tubular member 39. The opposite endof the lever 54 is pivotally connected to the outer end of a link 57. The inner end of the link 57 is pivotally connected to the shank 36 of the seating device 37, the shank being formed with slot 36a to receive the link 57 and to permit it to swing about its pivot, and the'tubular member 39 being formed with a slot 39a through which the link 57 swings. y

Fi 6 shows the position of the tubular mem er 39, feeder 44 and linkage between the latter and the capping device 37 when the bottle supporting member 2 is rotating and during its up movement before engagement with the annular member 42 and during its down movement following its disengagement from the latter. This view also showsthe supporting member 2 and a bottle D thereon moving upwardly. By further movement upwardly of the bottle to the position shown in Fig. 7, the bottle engages the member 42 and slides the tubular member 390m the seating device 37 .and permits the latter to force or seat the cap C in the bottle mouth d and the tubular member in turn, through the linkage moves the vfeeder 44'to its outer position beyond the pile of-capsC. lAs the `member 39 positioned y"for seating ini' lthe mouth of the next bottlefwh'ich operation is ShOWIlIlD Figi '-=.j. 1 55 moved upwardly.

I provide means, indicated as an entirety at 58, for locking and releasing the feeder dependent upon whether a bottle D is positloned in any one or more jaws 2a in the successive up and downward movements of the member 2; that is, the feeder 44 is locked against inward or feeding movement in the event, in the upward movement of the member 2, the jaws aligned with the capping device 37 do not carry a bottle and it will remain locked until a bottle is positioned and As a result, the feeding of the caps C will be dependent upon the positioning of a bottle in the aws and waste of caps or jamming thereof when for any reason the operative fails to position bottle D in any o-nel or more of the recesses 2a, is avoided. The locking and releasing means 58 comprise a slot or opening 59 formed in the plate 44a, preferably in its front edge, a trigger 60 trunnioned on the guide 43 between depending portions thereof and having one end disposed in the path of movement of the bottle mouth upwardly (see Fig. 6) and carrying at its opposite end an upstanding pin 61 adapted to project into the slot 59, and a spring 62 secured to the guide 43 and normally acting on the trigger to swing its pin carrying end upwardly and its opposite end downwardly. When the bottle engaging end of the` trigger. is moved to its upper position, as shown in Fig. 7 the pin 61 is below the feederplate44a andhence permits the latter to feed a cap C to the member 39. As shown in Fig. 6, as the bottle mouth approaches the member 42 it engages the trigger 60 and swings the pin 61 to a position below the feed plate 44a and remains in engagement with the trigger until its movement upwardly is complete and while receding downwardly until after the forward edge of the feed plate, in the next forward movement thereof has passed the pin 61. As the bottle mouth is interposed between the support 2 and the trigger 460, it will be seen that when the operative failsto position a bottle in one or more jaws at the position A, operation of the trigger when these jaws align with the capping mechanism will not be effected; accordingly, the previously fed cap C will remain in position below the capping device 37 and the feeder 44 remains locked by the pin 61 so that the next cap is not fed to the seating or cappin position, the feeder remaining in this loc ed position until released by the operation of the trigger 60 through the engagement therewith by a bottle that has been positioned in a succeeding pair ofl jaws. Fig. 8 shows the operation of the' parts when the bottle D has been omitted from a pair of jaws 2a. Under these conditions, the upper faces of the jaws or member 2, in the upward movement thereof engages the annular ember 42 and raises the tubular member 39 sliding it on the device 37,

which relative movement through the linkage slides the feeder outwardly to its outer position, which allows the pin 6l (which is normally pressed upwardly) to project into the slot 59, and lock the feeder against inward movement when the jaws 2a and member 2 move downwardly. Accordingly it will be seen that the feeding or delivery of the lowermost cap C from the holder 41 is not effected. The pin 61 will remain in its lockingposition until a pair of jaws carrying a bottle D aligns with the capping device; then as the bottle moves upwardly, its mouth will engage the trigger and withdraw the pin 61, allowing the feeder 44 to slide inwardly as the bottle moves downwardly thus feeding a cap for the next or succeeding bottle that is brought into capping position.

63 indicates a conduit for supplying lubricants to parts of the apparatus.

By providing the springs 29 between the cross head 30 and collars 33, a yielding resistance is provided to effect a seating and sealing of the caps in the bottle mouths; these springs also compensate for movement of the device 37 upwardly beyond the positionv necessary to eEect capping.

It will be noted lthat in my form of construction, the bottles are supported or suspended by their necks, so that bottles, irrespective oftheir capacities may be pre'- sented to the filling valves and capper mechanism without requiring adjustment or changing of any part or parts of themachine. In this arrangement the bottle support, when in its lowermost. position, is slightly below the capping mechanism and engages with a portion thereof in its upward movement, but by providing a locking and releasing means, which is controlled by a portion of the bottle, the feed of the caps takes place only when a bottle is in position, so that the engagement of the bottle support with the operation of a portion of the capping mechanism is ineffective to feed a cap.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of 'the class described, the combination of a support, a member movable upwardly and downwardly on said support and arranged to hold a bottle, a capping mechanism on said support comprising a fixed element engaging a cap to seat it in the bottle mouth in the upward movement of the bottle and an element movable on said fixed element, a reciprocating feeder carried by said movable element, a linkage connected to said elements and operated by their relalli tive movements for reciprocating said feeder, means for locking the feeder against movement, said means including a device disposed in the path of movement of a portion of the bottle for preventing operation of said locking means.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a support, a member movable upwardly and downwardly thereon and arranged to hold a bottle, a capping mechanism on said support, said mechanism including a movable element arranged to be moved by said member or a bottle when the latter is positioned thereon, a feeder actuatedv by said elements, means for locking the feeder against movement in one direction, and means arranged to be engaged by a portion of the bottle for moving the locking means to an inoperative position.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a support, a member movable upwardly and downwardly thereon and provided with means for engaging the neck of a bottle to hold it, a capping mechanism on said support, said mechanism including a movable element arranged `to be moved by said member or a bottle when the latter 1s positioned thereon, a feeder actuated by said element, means for locking the feeder against movement in one direction, and means disposed below said movable element and arranged to be engaged by the bottle mouth to move said locking means into inoperative position.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a support, a member movable upwardly and downwardly thereon and provided with means for engaging the neck of direction, said device vhaving a portion arranged to be engaged and operated by each bottle to move said device into inoperative scribed my name.

CLIFFORD MORROW.

a bottle to hold it, a capping mechanism on said support, said mechanism including a movable element arranged to be moved by said member or a bottle whren the latter is positioned thereon,`a feeder actuated by said element, means for locking the feeder against movement in one direction, said locking means comprising a trunnioned device one end of which is arranged to engage said feeder to lock it against movement in one direction and the other end of which is 'ar ranged to be engaged by the bottle to move the opposite end out of locking position and a spring for swinging said device in one direction.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of asupport, a member mounted thereon to move upwardly and downwardly and rotatively predetermined distances and carrying devices for removably holding bottles, a capping mechanism on said support comprising a seating device, a reciprocating feeder and a device actuated by said bottle .holdin i member or the'respective bottles thereo for operating said feeder, and a spring operated device normally positioned to lock said feeder against movement 1n one

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