US2231136A - Closure cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

w. H. NEwEY cLosURE lsummum', APPARATUS Feb,l 11, 1941.

Filed July 19, 1938 ATTOR EY VYYWY Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED NSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,231,136 v cLosURE CLEANING APPARATUS Application July 19, 1938, Serial No. 219,993

2 Claims.

paratus.

One object of the invention is to provide novel and highly efficient apparatus for pneumatically cleaning closures and particularly closures of the type adapted to be applied to containers such as bottles and which nds particular use in removing from new closures the dust and other foreign matter which may have accumulated therein during the manufacture thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel closure feeding mechanism in which provision is made for pneumatically cleaning the closures prior to the application thereof to a container in a novel, simple and practical manner.

With these objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the apparatus for cleaning closures and particularly bottle caps, in the closure cleaning and feeding mechanism and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification. l

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan View of a suiiicient portion of a closure applying machine embodying the present invention to enable the same to be understood; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of the closure feeding apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cleaning apparatus, and Fig. 4

is an enlarged View in cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 illustrating thecleaning nozzle and valve mechanism.

In general, the invention contemplates a novel and practical apparatus for pneumatically cleaning closures such'as bottle caps prior to application to a container, and which finds particular use in removing from new bottle caps the small particles of dust and other foreign matter which may have accumulated therein during the process of manufacture or while in process of shipment or in storage. In the improved closure cleaning apparatus provision is made for directf ing a blast of air into the interior of the closure to the end thatthe dust may be removed by the air current. In its preferred form the invention is embodied in a machine for applying closures to containers in which provision is made for pneumatically cleaning successive closures as they are being fed to the closure applying mechanism. The cleaning apparatus is preferably operatively connected with the mechanism' for feeding the closures to the applying machine to the end that a blast of air is released to clean the interior of a closure each time a closure is withdrawn from the delivery end of the closure feeding mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing, the different features of the invention are illustrated as em- (Cl. 22S-88.1)`

'This invention relates to a closure cleaning ap bodied in a closure applying machine having provision for automatically feeding successive closures to the closure applying mechanism and except as to such details as are hereinafter pointed out, the illustrated closure handling and applying machine may comprise any of the usual `forms of such apparatus now upon the market.

Reference is made to the United States patent to Arthur Clarence Everett, No. 2,082,048, dated June 1, 1937, for'the details of construction and mode of operation of such a prior art closure applying machine.

In theoperation of the prior art closure handling and applying machines, as illustrated in the Everett patent above referred to, a bulk supply of the closures is stored in a hopper from which they are individually withdrawn and deposited right side up in a guide chute. As is generally known, such guide chutes are provided with mechanism for releasing one closure at a time, in timed relation to the operation of the closure applying machine and provision is made for transferring each closure from the end of the chute to a position to be received by a revoluble closure applying chuck. Inasmuch as many portions of the closure lhandling and applying machine of themselves constitute no part of the present invention, it has been deemed sufficient to illustrate only such portions of the machine as will enable the present invention to be understood.

As herein illustrated, the closures I0 are de-` posited in a guide chute indicated generally at I4. The guide chute is mounted upon a supporting bar I6 one end of which is attached to the frame of the closure feeding hoppennot shown. The lower end of the bar I6 is suspended from an arm I8 secured to the top of a vertical shaft 20 forming part of the closure applying machine. The closures are guided in their movement down the chute I4 between adjustable rails 22, 24. A top rail 38, capable of vertical adjustment, is provided to keep the closures` down between the guides.

Provision is made for releasing one closure at a time from the end of the chute I4 in timed relation to the operation of the closure applying machine and as herein shown, the closure releasing mechanism comprises a hooked linger 52 arranged to be raised within the endmost closure of the line to hold the closures back and provision is made for lowering the finger at the proper time in order to release the endmost closure to be transferred to the closure applying mechanism, The linger 52 is adjustably secured link 54 is pivotally supported at its ends by arms 5B, 58 of bell crank levers 60, 62, the second arms of the bell cranks being connected together by a i link 64. 'Ihe mechanism is operated through connections from a cam 80 mounted upon a vertical shaft 82 of the closure applying machine and as herein shown, a shaft 65 upon which the bell crank 62 is secured, is provided with a bevel gear 68 which meshes with a bevel gear '|0 fast upon a rocker shaft 12 mounted in a bracket 14 attached to the supporting bar I6. A lever 15 also secured to the shaft 12 is connected to a lever 'I6 by a link 18 and the lever l5 is rocked by the cam. 80 cooperating with a roller 8 2 carried by a lever 84.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the closure applying mechanism is provided with four closure applying heads or chucks so that for each revolution of the continuously revoluble mechanism of the closure applying machine about the vertical shaft 20 it is necessary to provide four closures. As herein shown, the vertical cam shaft 92 upon which the cam 80 is mounted is arranged to be driven from the closure applying machine at a ratio of 2 to 1 through a train of gears 96, 91. Thecam 80 being provided with two lobes thus causes four closures tobe released at each revolution of the closure applying mechamsm.

The mechanism for transferring theclosures from the end of the closure feeding chute to the jaws of the closure applying chucks while the latter are revolving and for applying the closures to the containers is fully illustrated and described in the Everett Patent No. 2,082,048, above referred to and is herein indicated generally by transferring arms mounted upon vertical rods |02 carried by a revoluble portion of the closure applying mechanism. The armsv |00 are arranged to be vrocked outwardly to a position to remove a closure from the end of the chute by a stationary cam |04 with which the rollers |05, carried by the arms |08, cooperate during the revoluble movement of the latter. The low portion ||0 of the cam |04 permits the transferring arms |00 to swing inwardly into alignment with the closure applying chucks to permit the latter to receive the closure. 1

In accordance with the present invention, the

apparatus for pneumatically cleaning the closures is-herein indicated generally at |20 and is supported in operative relation to the closures I0 by a bracket |22 attached to the supporting bar` I6. As herein illustrated, the cleaning mechanism comprises an air nozzle |24 supported in a housing |26 and which is in communication with any usual or preferred source of air supply, such as a blower |28 driven by a motor |30. 'Ihe blower is connected to the air nozzle through a flexible hose |32 and through a hole |34 in the housing |26 leading to the nozzle. Although, in practice, a constant stream of air may be utilized for pneumatically cleaning the interior of the closures as they are advanced past the mechanism |20, it is preferred in the illustrated embodiment of the invention to release a blast of air in timed relation to the movement of the closures through the closure feeding chute. To this` end,

a rotary valve member |36 having a port |38 is mounted in the housing |26 and provision is made for rocking the rotary valve member so that each time a closure is released'from the end of the chute the port |38 will be in alignment with the hole |34 in the housing and so that when the closure releasing mechanism is in its raised position, to hold the closures back, the air supply to the nozzle |24 will be cut 01T. As herein shown, the valve member |36 is retained in the housing by a cover |40 secured to the housing by screws |42 and a rocker shaft |44 formed integrally with the valve member is journaled in the hub |45 of the cover |40. The valve is preferably operated .through connections from the closure releasing mechanism and, as herein shown. a lever |48 fast on the end of the rocker shaft '|2 is connected by a link |50 to a lever |52 keyed to the valve shaft |44. In operation, when the closurereleasing mechanism is operated to release a closure from the end of the chute, the rotary valve is rocked clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, to align the port |38 with the-hole |34 in the housing and as the closures move forward a blast of air is released through the orice |54 in the air nozzle. The discharge of air into the interior of the closure causes the foreign particles to be blown downwardly and outwardly and, in practice, any usual or preferred means may be employed for collecting and removing the dust from the area surrounding the cleaning mechanism such as vacuum controlled means, not shown. When the closure releasing mechanism is in its raised position, the valve member is rocked counter-clockwise to remove the port |38 from alignment with the hole |34 in the housing and the air is shut off.

From the description thus far it will be observed that the illustrated cleaning apparatus is adapted to pneumatically clean the closures in a simple, sanitary and efcient manner and finds particular use in connection with a closure applying machine having provision for automatically feeding the closures to the closure applying mechanism.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will 'be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope 'of the following claims.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. 'I'he combination with closure feeding mechanism comprising a feed chute and mechanism for controlling the delivery of successive closures therefrom, of an air nozzle mounted to direct an air stream into the interior of successive closures passing through said chute, means for supplying air under pressure to said nozzle, an air valve controlling the flow through said nozzle and connections between the air valve and the closure delivering mechanism for opening and closing the valve in timed relation to the movements of said closures.

2. The combination with closure feeding mechanism comprising a feed chute and mechanism for controlling the delivery of successive closures therefrom, of an air nozzle mounted to direct an air ystream into the interior of successive closures passing through said chute, means for supplying air under pressure to said nozzle, and means operatively connected with the closure delivery mechanism for controlling the flow of air through said nozzle arranged to release successive blasts of air in timed relation to the movements of said

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