US2173602A - Apparatus for delivering can heads - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1939-7 1.. E. DAVIES APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CAN HEADS Filed Jul 11, 1938 IN VENTOR. Dal/09,6,

/ la -0A4 ATTORNEY 5.

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Cap Company, Chicago, 111.,

Delaware a corporation of Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,596

Claims.

This invention relates to packaging, and pertains particularly to apparatus for delivering can heads or covers in succession from a stack for application to receptacles or can bodies.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of such apparatus which will operate with certainty and precision, even though run at a high rate of speed, to accomplish the separation of the can heads from the stack and from one another, and for delivery, one after another, in proper position for presentation for application to the eceptacles upon which they are to be secured.

An incidental object is to provide a very simple mechanism for eflecting a positive separation of a head from a stack while others in the stack are held positively and securely. Another object is the provision of apparatus having the attributes above referred to and which is simple in construction and operation. as well as strong and susceptible of long continued operation without serious wear.

Another object is the provision of such mechanism which accomplishes its intended purposes without subjecting the heads or can closures to 28 detrimental abrasion or to denting or deformation in even the slightest particulars.

Another object is the provision of such apparatus which accomplishes its desired functions without involving handling of the can heads.

U Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the invention or its employment in use.

For purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention, I show in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and hereinafter describe, one form of apparatus in which it may be embodied. It is to be understood, however, that this is presented merely !or purpose of illustration and is not to be interpreted in any fashion for the purpose of limiting the appended claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top view of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on approximately line 29-! of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a detail in the nature of a top view of one of the slide bars and the head-handling members thereof, same being shown on a scale larger than that of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a more or less diagrammatic view in p; the nature of a longitudinal section showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 3 in side elevation and in association with the stack-supporting elements;

Fig. 5 is a detail in the nature of Fig. 4 but showing the head-handling elements in another position, viz., that at which the lowermost head 5 of the stack has been separated and is being dis charged downwardly; and

Fig. 6 is a detail in the nature of a section on line 65 of Figs. 3 and 4, but on a considerably larger scale than those figures.

The invention relates to improvements in that type of mechanism which is used in canning machines ior separating the can heads from a stack and delivering them to the can bodies on which they are to be sealed or double seamed. The pres- 15 cut improvements are of particular advantage in such mechanism for use in machines wherein the can bodies are transmitted progressively with continuous movement, the heads being applied to them while they are in motion. The present 20 invention is in certain respects an improvement in the apparatus forming the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 203,425, filed April 21, 1938, wherein the stack of heads is subjected to contact with hot steam and the heads are transmitted into and applied to the can bodies in an atmosphere of hot steam, for the purpose of displacing air from the head space of the cans.

The nature of the invention will be most quickly 3o ascertained from the following description oi the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawing.

In this drawing 1 have shown simply the appliances for supporting the stack of can heads and for separating the heads successively, one after another, from the bottom of the stack and discharging them in a series for application to the can bodies. Referring first to Fig. 2, let it be understood that the reference numeral Ill desig- 4o nates a convenient portion, such as a casing or frame portion, of the machine by which the heads are applied to the can bodies, for example,

a steam distributor of the general sort forming the subject matter of my Patent No. 2,107,237, granted February 1, 1938, and the reference numeral l2 designates the floor or runway portion of a sloping chute ll down which the heads are to slide one after another to the point where they are applied to the successively presented 60 bodies.

Mounted on thesupport portion II is a frame comprising a pair of stationary side rails l5 which are spaced apart from each other in parallel relationship above and adjacent the upper end portion of the chute. Slidable along the facing sides of the stationary rails ii are the reciprocable rails it, which are disposed in parallel relationship and connected at their rearward ends by a yoke member I1 and adjacent their forward ends by a spacing member is, thus forming a rigid four-sided slidable frame. The yoke member ll carries at its ends rollers l9, which ride upon the upper surfaces of the stationary rails l5, and is connected by suitable thrust-transmitting members 20 with an actuating member 2i which is here represented diagrammatically as a solenoid. A top plate 22 is fixedly secured to the stationary rails l5 and extends across the reciprocable rails I6 and the space therebetween. This top plate is provided with a circular aperture 220. of a size appropriate to permit passage of the intended can heads therethrough, and distributed about this.

aperture are upwardly extending posts 24 arranged substantially tangent to the peripheral wall of the aperture, and thereby being adapted to function as guides for maintaining an upwardly extending stack of can heads in proper vertical alignment above the aperture 22a, so that they may feed, downwardly through said aperture as heads are withdrawn from the bottom of the stack, as hereinafter described. Following the contour of the forward portion of the aperture 220 and attached to and extending downwardly from that portion of the plate 22 is a stop ledge 25, which has its ends spaced from the stationary guide rail l5 sufliciently to permit passage of the reciprocable rails "5. At the opposite or rearward side of the aperture 22a is an apron member 26, which at its upper portion conforms to the curvature of the said aperture, but at its lower portion projects forwardly as an apron 26a. Below the forward portion of the plate 22 and the ledge member is a downwardly extending wall affording a throat or welllike passage downwardly to the sloping runway 82. The space between the bottom of the ledge member 25 and top of the wall 21 is such as to accommodate passage of the spacer l8.

The elements for supporting and separating and discharging the heads one after another from the bottom of the stack are carried on the reciprocable rails l6, and those of the left hand rail are shown in top view in Fig. 3, it being understood that the opposite rail is similarly equipped with like elements in opposite positions, as illustrated generally in Fig. 1.

These head-handling elements on each of the reciprocable rails l6 comprise a supporting detent 30, a. separator 3|, and a holding detent comprising a plurality of narrow ledge- like members 32, 32' and 32" (see Fig. 6) disposed one below another. Each of these elements extends inwardly from the rail upon which it is carried. The supporting detents are of such width, and so located on the rails it, that when the latter are in their retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, said detents 30 will present top surfaces of substantial width projecting inwardly under the area of the lateral portions of the aperture 220. It is upon these surfaces of the detents 20 that the stack of heads, which occupies the aperture 22a and the space between the posts 24 thereabove, is supported, when the rails ii are in their normal or retracted position, the lowermost head then resting upon said detents 30.

The ledges 32, 32' and 32", constituting the holding detents, present narrow inwardly-directed margins which are spaced vertically in proper relationship so that they can enter the converging spaces between the curved outer marginal portions of the can heads, as illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the lowermost head is designated by the reference character hi, the next higher by the reference character hr, the next ha, and the next hr, so that a plurality of the heads which are in the stack immediately above the lowermost head may be supported on the said ledges when the slide frame is in an advanced position. The forward ends of these ledges are just to the rear of the transverse diameter of the aperture 221:, so that they will be just to the rear of the peripheries of the heads when the slide frame is in its rearward position and the stack of heads is supported on the supporting detents 30. Such relationship is illustrated approximately in Fig. 3.

The separator 3| is disposed to the reanof the supporting detents 30 and it has a thin forwardly extending blade which has its forward edge disposed approximately in the horizontal plane of the lowermost ledge 32", viz., in a position such as to enter immediately above the lowermost head of the stack. This blade is of suflicient width, as seen in Fig. 1, so as to enter between portions of the lowermost and next higher heads which are in actual contact with each other.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated the relationship of the parts to the stack of heads when the reciprocable slide frame is in its rearward or retracted position, the stack of heads (which are shown in dotted lines) being supported on the supporting detents 30, the heads which are within the aperture 22a being retained by the wall of said aperture against movement horizontally in any direction, and those which are below the plate 22 being retained against forward movement by the ledge member 25, against rearward movement by the apron member 26 (see Fig. 2), and against lateral movement by the reciprocable rails l6 (see Fig. 6).

For operation of the mechanism to separate and discharge the lowermost head from the stack, the reciprocable frame is propelled forwardly, as by its actuating means 2|, until the detents attain approximately the positions shown in Fig. 5. By such movement, the supporting detents 30 are carried to a position where they are entirely clear of the lowermost head hi while the holding detents are advanced to the position where their ledges engage under and support the three heads next above the lowermost, as in the manner illustrated in Fig.6. In Fig. 5 the heads are shown in elevation, and it will be observed that the separators 3| have been intruded between the lowermost head hi and the next higher head he so as to insure that the lowermost head be separated from the next higher one and moved downwardly. This precludes any possibility of the lowermost head being held against discharge by being stuck to the next higher head of the stack by sealing composition which is commonly employed in such heads or by moisture of condensation which may be present under certain circumstances when the heads in the stack are subjected to contact with hot steam for purpose of sterilization, displacement of air, or the like. Incident to this forward movement of the reciprocating frame, the spacer member I8 has been moved so as to close the space below the ledge member 25, as shown in Fig. 5, it being thus completely out from under the falling lowermost head.

As the lowermost head falls, its rearward margin engages the apron 26a which projects a slight distance into its path, thus retarding the falling movement of the rearward portion of the'head, so that its forward portion swings through a descending arc until it reaches the sloping runway I2. Thereupon the head slides down the runway, by gravity, to the point at which it is delivered or applied to the receptacle for which 32", 32', and 32. Accordingly, while said ledges do not extend very deeply between heads, the aggregate area contacted by them is considerable, and quite ample to allord secure support for the entire stack of heads. It is to be observed, furthermore, that there is no downward shifting or movement of any of the-other heads incident to the separation and discharge of the lowermost head, and the separators 3|, being at that time below the area of thestack, aflord an additional safety means which would be eflective to stop the descent of any head which might in any i'ashion escape from the lowermost ledges all With the return of the reciprocable frame, the ledges 32, 32', 32" are withdrawn rearwardly from engagement with the heads, and at the same time the holding detents 32 are moved under the stack into position where the now lowermost head comes to rest upon them when the holding detents are withdrawn.

It will be understood that the operation oi the reciprocable frame maybe timed or controlled in any suitable fashion so that the delivery of the heads is coordinated with the presentationof can bodies or receptacles to receive them. The heads are placed in the holder formed by the guide posts 24 from time to time as required,

preferably being deposited therein from receptacles in which they are already previously stacked or nested at the place where they are manufactured.

It will be apparent that the apparatus em-. bodies various features which are 01' distinct advantage, in that means are provided for eil'ecting the handling, separating and discharge of ,the

. holding detent at diilerent locations longitudinal- 7 1y thereof and each movable into and out of the area occupied by the heads in the stack, said i holding detent comprising a plurality of ledges spaced one above another, their vertical spacing and width being such that they may enter between marginal portions only of a plurality of superimposed heads in the stack when the lowermost thereof is supported on the supporting detents.

2. In apparatus for delivering can heads which includes means for guiding a stack of heads, a combination comprising a pair of rails arranged in spaced relationship below the stack-guiding means and each provided with a supporting detent and a holding detent and at least one of them with a separating member, said detents being arranged at different locations longitudinally of the rails, means for reciprocating said rails to move the detents successively into and out of positions to engage one or more heads in the stack, said holding detents being oiIset outwardly from said supporting detents and being movable into supporting position relative to a plurality of heads above the lowermost in the stack when the latter is supported on the supporting detents, and the separating member being disposed in position-t enter between the lowermost and next higher head in the stack when the supporting detents are in position to support the latter.

3. In apparatus for delivering can heads, in combination, a sloping runway, 'means thereabove for guiding a stack of heads in vertical position, a pair of rails reciprocable at a level between said runway and stack-guiding means and each provided with a supporting detent and a in both the vertical and the horizontal relationships and are movable alternately into and out of supporting position with respect to a head in the stack by the reciprocatory movement of the rail, whereby the heads may be discharged singly from the bottom of the stack onto the sloping runway, said runway sloping at an angle such that the heads slide down it by gravity'from below the stack.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 3 and including an apron member projecting a short dis tance under the area of the stack adjacent the high end of the runway in position to be contacted by a marginal portion oi a head which is dropping from the stack, whereby to direct the head toward a parallel relationship with the sloping runway.

5. In apparatus for delivering can heads which includes means for guiding a stack of heads, a delivery device comprising a pair of reciprocable rails each having a supporting detent arranged to be moved to a position under the lowermost head of the stack when the rails are moved in one direction and to beremoved from under said head by movement of the rails in the other direction, and a holding detent comprising a plurality of narrow ledges spaced one above another and disposed at an elevation higher than the supporting detent in positions to enter slidabiy betwecn'the marginal portions of a plurality of superimposed heads in the stack above the lower most upon movement of therails in one direction and to be moved out of engagement with the heads by movement of the rails in the other direction.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 5 and wherein at least one of the railshas a separating member thereon which is disposed to enter between contacting portions of the lowermost and super- Jacent heads after the holding detents are in position to support the latter.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim 5 and wherein the supporting detents are arranged'opposite each other and the holding'detents are arranged opposite each other. I 8. Apparatus as specified in claim 5 and where in the lowermost ledges of the holding detent are offset in a vertical relationship from the supporting detents to a distance approximating the depth 01 the marginal portion of the can head which the apparatus is designed to handle.

to maintain the stack in alignment with said aperture, parallel rails reclprocable under the plate in positions tangent to the area of the aperture, detents on said rails movable into an! out of the area of the aperture by reciprocation of said rails. and stop members extending downwardly from the plate between the rails at the forward and rearward sides of the aperture in positions-to prevent movement of the heads in the directions of movement of the rails and detents. 10

LYNN E. DAVIES.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,175,602.

September 19, l 93 9.

LYNN E DAVIES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed'specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: -Page 5,

ond column, line 8, claim 2, for the word "outwardly" read upwardly; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 51st day of October, A. D. 1939.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

to maintain the stack in alignment with said aperture, parallel rails reclprocable under the plate in positions tangent to the area of the aperture, detents on said rails movable into an! out of the area of the aperture by reciprocation of said rails. and stop members extending downwardly from the plate between the rails at the forward and rearward sides of the aperture in positions-to prevent movement of the heads in the directions of movement of the rails and detents. 10

LYNN E. DAVIES.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,175,602.

September 19, l 93 9.

LYNN E DAVIES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed'specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: -Page 5,

ond column, line 8, claim 2, for the word "outwardly" read upwardly; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 51st day of October, A. D. 1939.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Images