US2124618A

US2124618A - Apparatus for sorting and feeding receptacle closure caps

Info

Publication number: US2124618A
Application number: US114949A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-12-09
Filing date: 1936-12-09
Publication date: 1938-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 1955-07-26

Description

July 26, 1938. J. A. JOHNSON 2,124,618

APFARATUS FOR SORTING AND FEEDING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS Filed Dec. 9, 1956 5 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

z 5 BY wwa zi 'z 7.9 7 ATTO EY.

July 26, 1938. J JOHNSON 2,124,618

APPARATUS FOR soa'rme AND FEEDING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS Filed Dec. 9, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H f H.

A ORNEY.

July 26, J A JOHNSON 7 2,124,618

APPARATUS FOR SORTING'AND FEEDING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS Filed Dec. 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOR.

i/i'JUH/VFU/V ATT RNEY.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR SORTING AND FEEDING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS I John A. Johnson, Woodhaven, N. Y.

Application December 9, 1936, Serial No. 114,949

16 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for sorting predeterminedly positioned receptacle closure caps and feeding the sorted receptacle closure caps to apparatus for assembling liners in the closure caps or to apparatus for applying the closure caps to receptacles, and particularly for sorting and feeding closure caps having corrugations about the margin of the skirt to yieldingly engage an annular enlargement at the mouth of the receptacle and which closure caps are commonly termed crown caps, or the skirt portion screw threaded for interlocking engagement with corresponding screw threads about the mouth of the receptacle, or a plain smooth surface skirt portion to be slipped on the smooth surface of the mouth of a receptacle, or having lugs in the skirt portion for locking engagement with protuberances or lugs on the mouth of a receptacle.

In the present formsof apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps it is possible to sort and feed one type of closure cap only, either the crown type, or screw threaded, smooth skirt or lug type, therefore, necessitating the use of more than one form of apparatus, or the changing of parts of one form of apparatus to convert said apparatus to another form of apparatus,.where a-business deals in more than one type of closure cap.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide apparatus which is capable of sorting and feeding all types of closure caps without changing parts to adapt the apparatus to be used for the sorting and feeding of different types of closure caps.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus to sort and feed closure caps having the same depth but of different diameters without adjusting the sorting means thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sorting disk which may readily be adjusted to sort closure caps of different depths.

It is still another object ofthe invention to provide a dischargechannel andchute which are readily adjustable to accommodate closure caps of different diameters and depths.

A further object of the invention'is to apply motive power directly to the closure cap sorting and. feeding means and closure cap agitating means whereby the universal use of several power transmitting means is eliminated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus forming the embodiment of the invention with a portion of a closure cap sorting disk broken away to showthe structure of a rotatable drum in relation to an annular supporting member, and a discharge chute broken away.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing in dotted lines the positions of closure-caps leaving 'a hopper casing to the rotatable drum, being prevented from passing between the drum and sortingdisk, and leaving the space between the drum and disk and entering a discharge channel.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the lower portion of the annular supporting member showing in dotted lines an agitating wheel and driving means therefor in full lines.

Figure 4 is a cross' sectional view of the discharge chute taken on the line 44! of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in dotted lines theadjustment of the different parts of the chute for guiding closure caps of different diameters and depths.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of the inner face of the sorting disk having an annular series of equidistantly spaced angular protuberances and showing that closure caps of the slip-on type of all diameters are engaged by at least one of the protuberances.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a flange of the drum, the periphery of the diskand the annular supporting member, and showing a closure cap of the slip-on type in full lines having the closed end facing the disk being retained between the drum and disk, a closure capin dotted lines with the open end facing the disk passing between the drum and disk and said latter closure cap in full lines having passed between the drum and disk.

Figure 7 isa view similar to Figure 6 showing the disk adjusted for sorting and feeding slip-on closure caps of greater depth. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing closure caps having screw threaded skirt portions of different diameters engaged by at least one of theangular protuberances of the sorting disk.

Figure 9 is a View similarto Figure 6 showing screw threaded closurecaps being sorted and fed by the drum and disk.

Figure 10 is a View similar to Figures 5 and 8 showing a crown cap being engaged by one of the angular protuberances.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figures 6 and 9 showing crown caps being sorted and fed by the drum and disk. 1

Figure .12 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the sorting and feeding of screw threaded caps having an outwardly extending dome shaped protuberance at the closed end.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figures'9 and 11 showing the sorting and feeding of closure caps having lugs in the skirt portions for locking engagement with screw threads on receptacles;

, and

there is provided a standard I5 adapted to be supported in an elevated position by a base portion l6 thereof mounted on a suitable pedestal (not shown) positioned relative to the apparatus to which the closure caps are to be fed. The upper portion of the standard I5 is arranged with an annular member having different cross sectional diameters, one face or, end portion I6 being of smallest diameter and the other face or end portion l! of largest diameter with an intermediate connecting portioni8 uniformly increasing in diameter from the face portion IE to the face "portion I! and extending in an oblique direction relative to the horizontal planes in which the portions l6 and I! extend. At the lower portion of the annular member in vertical alinement with the axis thereof, the horizontal face portion I1 is cut away and the standard [5 is arranged with a sloping face 19 extending from and co-operating with the oblique intermediate portion I8 to form a slide for the discharged closure caps, which will be more fully described hereinafter. g V

The standard l5 supports a hopper casing '20 having an opening 2| at the upper portion through which closure caps C are delivered to the hopper and a bottom wall declining toward an opening22 in the front wall of the casing through which the closure caps are discharged from the casing. The hopper casing 20 is 'mounted on the annular member of the standard l5 with'the discharge opening 22 centrally of and in spaced relation to the face portion 16 of said annular member by a series of spacing members 23 secured at one end in bosses 24 arranged on the portion IS with the opposite ends of the spacing members abutting the front wall of the hopper casing 20 encircling the opening 22 and secured thereto by bolts 25 engaged in perforations in the casing wall and the spacing members 23, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The closure caps leaving the casing 20 through the opening 22 will enter a tapering drum 26 having a laterally extending flange 21 at the end of larger diameter arranged with an annular ridge about the outer periphery thereof with the inner side bevelled, as at 28. The drum is rotatably supported with the end of smaller diameterin registry with the discharge opening 22 .of, the hopper casing 20 and the, flange 21 terminatfan end portion of a shaft 3! bya key,.as indicated in dotted lines at 32 in Figure 2, and retained against longitudinal movement-by an'enlarged screw threaded intermediate portion 33 of the shaftfand a washer and nut engaged on the end of .theshaft, as at 34. The opposite endrof t e shaft al .is rotatably mounted inbearin Figures'fi, 7, 9, 11 to 14, inclusive.

bosses 35 of parallelly spaced portions of an arm 33' pivotally supported at one end on a pin 31 engaged in said end of thearm and spaced ears 33 extended from the face portion ll of the annular member of the standard Hi, the opposite end of the arm 36 being bifurcated tobe engaged by a hasp 39 pivotally mounted'on the face portion ll and releasably retained in engagement with the bifurcation of the arm 36 by a wing nut 49 screw threaded'onto the hasp, as shown in Figure 1, so that the drum may be swung on the pivot pin 3'! into or out of the annular member of the standard i5, and be retained in position within the annular member.

The closure caps are fed from the hopper casing 20 by the rotation of the drum 26 in co-op- 'eration with a sorting disk 42 having an inter- .nally screw threaded hub 43 projecting centrally from a face thereof and adjustably mounted on the enlarged screw threaded portion'33 of the shaft 3|, so that the disk may be adjusted toward and away from and positioned in predetermined spaced relation to the drum flange to permit the feeding of caps of different depths, as shown in The disk 42 is releasably retained in adjusted position by a split portion 44 arranged at the free end of the hub with alined openings, one of said openings being screw threaded for the engagement of a clamping screw 45 adapted to draw the sections of thesplit portion together and clamp the hub to the shaft whereby rotation of the shaft will be imparted simultaneously to the drum and disk.

the annular member to prevent discharge of the closure caps from the drum 2% except at the sloping-face portion IS. The peripheral portion 46 of the disk will form the outer face of the disk to dish shape in cross section, as shown in Figure 2. On the inner face of the disk is arranged an annular series of triangular protuberances 41 equidistantly spaced from each other a distance less than the diameter of the smallest closure cap now in universal use, and the faces of the angle 7 portions or the exposed'sides of the triangle of the protuberances are integral with the inner face of the disk, as shown in Figures 5, 8 and 10, with the outer angle portions extending as continuations of the peripheral portion 46. The'protuberances taper from the inner angle portions to the outer angle portions, as shown in Figures 1, 5, 8 and 10, and they are radially disposed rela- 1 tive to the shaft 3|.

In the operation of the apparatus the closure 7 caps are tumbled about the drum and forced against the disk where they come into contact with the protuberances 41. Should a closure cap be positioned so that the closed end thereof is engaged by a protuberance or protuberances, de pending upon the diameter of the closure cap, the

open end of the closure cap will engage the ridgejv 28 of the drum flange 21 and be preventedfrom I passing between the drum flange anddisk, and aclosure cap having the open end facing the protuberances will be permitted to' pass between the the closure cap will be positioned in the spaces between the protuberances, as shown in Figures 6, 7, 9 and 14. The closure caps that are engaged by the ridge 28 and prevented from being fed by the apparatus are disengaged from said position by the rotation of the drum and disk and properly positioned relative to the ridgev 28 and the protuberances 47 by the continual rotation of the drum and disk.

The closure caps after they pass between the ridge 23 and the protuberances 4! will engage and slide down the sloping face I9 of the bracket I5 with the closed ends thereof lowermost under the guidance of the peripheral portion 46 of the disk 42. To assure a continuous discharge of closure caps over the sloping face I9 and prevent a jamming of the closure caps, the sloping face I9 is arranged with a channel by extending one end of the portion ll of the annular member in a vertical direction along one side of the sloping face I9, as at 48 in Figure 1, to form one side of the channel. The other side of the channel is adjustable to accommodate closure caps of different diameters and comprises an elongated plate 49 having at one end an extension 50 extending at an obtuse angle from the plate and said plate being slidably mounted in a slideway 5I arranged in a portion of the bracket I5 and the annular member extending below and tangentially of the portion I I, so that the upper edge of the plate will be a support for the closure caps that have passed between the ridge 28 and the protuberances 4! and extend as. a'continuation of the portion II, as shown in Figure 1. The plate 49 is supported and adjusted in the slideway 5! by a lead screw 52 screw threaded at one end into the plate with the opposite end rotatably mounted in a bifurcation 53 extending from the end of the slideway and said screw having a manipulating head exteriorly of said bifurcation to facilitate the adjustment of the screw and plate portion 59 toward and away from the wall 48. The plate is releasably retained in adjusted position by a clamping screw 54 engaging an elongated slot 55 in the plate 49 and screw threaded in the bottom wall of the slideway to clamp a washer 54 against the plate, as shown in Figure l. The plate 49 is shown in full lines in Figure 1 in position to guide closure caps of smallest diameter and in dotted lines to guide closure caps of greatest diameter. The plate 49 has a curved corner, as at 56, to facilitate the guiding of the closure caps into the vertical channel of the sloping face I9. e

To maintain the closure caps in a single layer and in flat condition in the channel formed by the wall 48 and plate 49, 59, there is provided a cover plate 51 of a shape to completely cover the space above the sloping face I9 between the wall 48 and the slideway 5I and having a boss 58 at one side portion projecting from the outer face thereof and arranged with a restricted opening at the upper end, as at 59 in Figure 2, for the rotatable mounting of a lead screw 60 having a knurled head 6| attached to an end thereof projecting exteriorly of the boss. The opposite end of the lead screw is screw threaded in a post 62' fixed in and extending perpendicularly from the.

portion of the standard I5 forming the slideway 5! to slidably engage the boss 58, so that the actuation of the lead screw will move the boss 58 on the post 52 and position the plate 51 toward and away from the sloping face I9 to accommodate closure caps of different depths on the sloping face It, as shown in Figures 6, 7, 9, 11.tol4,

inclusiva. The plate 51 is releasably retained in adjusted position by a set screw mounted in the boss 58 to abut the post 62, as at 63;

The closure caps are urged to enter the channel I9, 48, 50 by an agitating wheel 64 having serrations about the periphery thereof and r0- tatably mounted in a chamber formed by a recess 64 in the standard I5 and casing 65 bolted to the standard and forming a part of the channel wall 48. The wheel 64 is mounted to have a peripheral portion thereof strike the closure caps in the channel I9, 48, 59 by a shaft 66 rotatably supported in a bearing boss 6! integral with and projecting from the standard I5 and a bearing boss integral with and extending exteriorly from the casing 65.

The drum 26, disk 42 and agitating wheel 64 are actuated by the same power means, such as an electric motor, not shown, through a drive belt 69 engaged about a pulley on the drive shaft of the motor and a pulley It fixedly mounted on the shaft 3! between the parallel portions of the arm 35 with a stretch of the belt engaging a portion of a pulley IIfixedly mounted on an end portion of the shaft 66 extending from the hearing boss 68.

The closure caps having the open ends facing the disk 42 are delivered from the channel I9,

. 48, 59 to a depository, or an apparatus for assembling scaling pads in' the closure caps, or to means to apply the closure caps to receptacles, by a chute comprising a channel member I2 hav ing at one end a rectangular portion extending transversely thereof to engage a recessed portion portion in the standard I5, as at I3 in Figure 2, and secured in said recess by screws 14. The channel member I2 is arranged with adjustable guide means to'maintain the feed of closure caps of different sizes in a single column injsaid channel member in the form of an adjustable side wall comprising a plate or longitudinal strip of material I5 adjustably supported in a side wall of the channel member I2 to have movement toward and away from the opposite side wall of the channel member by rods I6 slidably mounted in said side wall of the channel member with one end fixed to the plate I5 and the opposite end extending exteriorly of the side wall and arranged with a manipulating knob 11. The number of rods I6 used depends on the length of the chute and each rod is retained in adjusted position by set screw I8 mounted in the side wall to engage the rod. The guide plate 15 is shown in Figures 1 and t in full lines in position to guide closure caps of smallest diameter and in dotted lines in position to guide closure caps of greatest diameter. To maintain closure caps in a single layer and in flat condition on the chute in co-operation with the cover plate 51 there is provided a longitudinal member I9 slidably supported on rods 89 and retained in adjusted position on said rods corresponding to the adjusted position of the plate I5 by set screws 8| threaded in one edge of the longitudinal memberto abut the rods 80. The rods are adjustably mounted on the side wall opposite to the side wall of the channel member in which the rods I6 are mounted by fixing one end of the rods in brackets 82 adjustably mounted on said side wall of the channel member by clamping screws 83 screw threaded in the side wall and engaged in an elongated opening 84 in each bracket with a washer 85 interposed between the heads of the clamping screws and the brackets, the elongated openings permitting the brackets to be adjusted in a vertical direction relative to'the plane of the channel member to position the longitudinal member is toward and away from the closure caps on the channel member to guide closure caps of different depths, as shown in Figure 4.

Due to the bevelled ridge 28 of the drum flange 21, the peripheral portion 46 and angular protuberances 41 of the disk 42, and the sloping face it of the standard I5, any type of closure caps, such as the slip-on, screw threaded, lug and crown types of closure caps, as shown in Figures 5 to l4, inclusive, may readily be sorted and fed by the apparatus by properly adjusting the disk 42,

plates

49, 51,15, longitudinal member 19 and bracket 82. The sorting disk 42'is not adjusted for the different types of closure caps having different diameters but of the same depth, as the protuberances 41 are spaced from each other to have the closure caps of smallest diameter engaged by'at least one of said protuberances. The

disk 42 is adjusted only for closure caps of different depths by loosening the clamping screw 45 and rotating the'disk on the screw threaded portion 33 of the shaft 3|. The closure plate 51 and theb'racket member 82 are adjusted correspondingly to the adjustment of the disk 42 on the threaded portion 33, so that the'spac'es between the peripheral portion 46 and sloping face I9, between the closure plate 51 and sloping face l9, and between the lower edge of the longitudinal member l9 and the bottom of the channel member 72, will be the same. The plate 15 is adjusted relative; to the side wall of the channel member 72 opposite to the wall of'said channel member in which the rods 16 are mounted to guide closure 7 caps of different diameters in a single column and the longitudinal member 19 is adjusted on the 'rods 86 correspondingly to the adjustment of the plate 15 to extend centrally of closure caps of different diameters, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The closure caps having the open ends thereof engaged by thebevelledridgeZB of the drum flange 2'! will be prevented from passing to the sloping face H! by the protuberances 41 engaging the closed ends or a protuberance extending therefrom, as shown in Figure 12, and will be returned to the drum by the rotation of the drum and disk.

While I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that Various modiflca-' tions may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts, and that portions of the ,invention may be used without others and come 7 within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps, a hopper casing having a discharge 'outlet opening, a drum rotatably mounted with one end in registry with the outlet opening of the hopper casing, a disk rotatably mounted in spaced relation with the end of the drum opposite the end in registry with the outlet opening of the hopper casing and arranged with a peripheral portion extending from the disk in an outwardly oblique direction from the drum and a series" of triangular protuberances on the inner face of the disk equidistantly spaced from each other and in per casing, a disk rotatably mounted in spaced relation with the end of the drum opposite the 7 end of the drum in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing and arranged with a peripheral portionextending from the disk in an outwardly oblique direction from the drum and an annular series of triangular protuberances on theinner face of the disk adjacent the out wardly extending peripheral portion thereof, said protuberance having a side portion of the triangle extending in line with said peripheral portion and said triangular protuberances being in opposed relation to the adjacent end of the drum to engage in closure caps and permit passage of said closure caps between'the drum and disk.

3. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps, a hopper casing having a discharge opening, a drum rotatably mounted with one end in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing and the opposite end being arranged with a lateral flange having a peripheral ridge extending from the face thereof, a disk rotatably mounted in spaced relation with the flanged end of the drum and having a'peripheral portion ex-f tending from the disk .in an outwardly oblique direction from the drum, and said disk being arranged with an annular series of triangular protuberances arranged on the face of the disk in opposed relation to the flange of the drum adapted to co-operate' with the peripheral ridge of the drum flange to permit passage of sidewardly extending closure caps having the open ends facing the protuberances between the disk and drum flange and prevent passage of closure caps having the open ends facing the drum flange betwee the drum flange and disk.

4. Apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner side Wall of the ridge of the drum flange extends at an angle intersecting the peripheral portion of the disk.

. 5. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps, an annular member, a hopper casing sup ported by the annular member and having a discharge opening in spaced relation with the annular member, a drum rotatably supported by the annular member with one end adjacent to and in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing and the opposite end of the drum terminating in the annular member, a disk rotatably.

supported by and positioned'in the annular memher and having the peripheral'portion extending: in spaced relation to a portion of the annular member intermediate the opposite ends thereof,

and said disk having an annular series oftriangular protuberances arranged thereonv adjacent to the peripheral portion of thedisk and in opposed relation to the end of the drum in the annular member to engage in closure caps and permit said'caps to pass through the space between the peripheral portion of the disk and the intermediate portion of the annular member and prevent closure caps having the closed ends facing the protuberances from passing through said space.

6. Apparatus for sorting and feeding closure. caps as claimed in claim 5, wherein the intermediate portion of the annular member and the peripheral portion of the disk extend in an outwardly oblique direction from the drum.

7. Apparatus for sorting, and-feeding closure 4 caps as claimed in claim 5, wherein the opposite end'portions of the annular member are of different diameters concentrically of the axisof rotation of the drum and disk, and the intermediate Cal portion of the annular member extends at an obtuse angle to the opposite end portions.

8. Apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outer end of the annular member at the lower portion thereof extends as a continuation of the intermediate portion of said member to "form a slide for closure caps passing between the intermediate portion of the annular member and peripheral portion of the disk.

9. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps of different sizes, a hopper casing having a discharge opening, a shaft rotatably mounted centrally of the discharge opening of the hopper casing and having a screw threaded portion, a drum fixed on theshaft with one end adjacent to and in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing, a disk having an internally screw threaded hub engaged on the screw threaded por tion of the shaft to provide the disk with adjustment toward and away from the end of the drum opposite the end adjacent to the discharge opening of the hopper casing, said hub having a longitudinally split portion, and means adjustably engaged in the split portion of the hub of the disk and adapted to be actuated to clamp the hub of the disk to the shaft and retain the disk in predetermined spaced relation to the drum.

10. In apparatus for sorting and feeding clo- 'sure caps of different sizes, a hopper casing having a discharge opening, a shaft rotatably mounted centrally of the discharge opening, a drum fixed on the shaft with one end adjacent to and in registry with the discharge opening, a disk mounted on the shaft to rotate with and have adjustment on the shaft toward and away from the end of the drum opposite the end adjacent the discharge opening and said disk being adapted to be retained on the shaft in predetermined spaced relation with said end of the drum, a pulley fixed on the shaft, a wheel rotatably mounted adjacent the peripheries of the drum and disk with a peripheral portion thereof positioned in a plane extending in the space between the drum and disk to agitate the closure caps, a second pulley conadjustment toward and away from the end of the drum opposite the end juxtaposed to the discharge opening to predeterminedly space the disk from the end of the drum and permit the passage of closure caps of different depths through said space, and said disk having an outwardly extending peripheral portion extending outwardly at an acute angle from the end of the drum, an annular member encircling the space between the drum and disk having a portion with a channel extending from the lower portion thereof and leading from the space between the drum and disk, and a plate removably mounted on the annular member to extend over the channel as a continuation of the peripheral portion of the disk and adapted to have adjustment toward and away from the channel portion of the annular member to correspond to the adjustment of the disk relative to the drum.

12. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps of different diameters and depths as claimed in claim 11, a chute extended from the channel of the annular member, and a guide rail supported by the chute to extend longitudinally above the chute and have adjustment toward and away from the chute correspondingly to the adjustment of the plate to maintain closure caps of different depths in flat position on the chute.

13. In apparatus for sorting and feeding clo sure caps of different diameters and depths as claimed in claim 11, a channel shaped chute extended from the channel of the annular member, a longitudinal member adjustably mounted in a side wall of the chute to constitute a side guide wall and accommodate the chute for closure caps of different diameters, a support adjustably mounted on the opposite side wall of the chute to have movement in a direction perpendicularly to the chute and having a lateral member extending transversely above the chute, and a longitudinal guide rail slidably mounted on the lateral member of the support to maintain closure caps of different depths in flat position on the chute and have adjustment corresponding to the adjustment of the side guide wall.

14. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps of different diameters and depths, a hopper casing having a discharge opening, a drum rotatably mounted with one end juxtaposed to and in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing, a disk mounted to rotate with the drum and have adjustment toward and away from the end of the drum opposite the end in registry with the discharge opening of the hopper casing and having a peripheral portion extending beyond the drum at an acute angle thereto, said disk having an annular series of triangular protuberancesequidistantly spaced about the inner face of the disk in opposed relation to the drum, the distance between said protuberances being less than the diameter of the smallest closure cap the apparatus is adapted to feed, an annular member encircling the drum and disk having a portion intermediate the opposite ends thereof extending in spaced relation with the angular peripheral portion of the disk with a channel portion extending beyond the angular peripheral portion of the disk at the lower section of the annular member, and a plate slidably mounted on the annular member and having an end portion extending beyond a side wall of the channel portion of the annular member in opposed relation to the opposite side wall'of said channel portion and adapted to have adjustment toward and away from said opposite side wall of the channel portion.

15. In apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps of difi'erent diameters and depths as claimed in claim 14, a channel shaped chute extended from the channel portion of the annular member, and a longitudinal member adjustably mounted in a side wall of the chute to have adjustment corresponding to the adjustment of the plate to accommodate the chute for closure caps of different diameters.

16. Apparatus for sorting and feeding closure caps of different diameters and depths as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plate is mounted on the annular member to extend tangentially of the outer end of the annular member and adapted to support the closure caps positioned between the disk and drum.

JOHN A. JOHNSON.