US2258611A

US2258611A - Container capping machine

Info

Publication number: US2258611A
Application number: US325262A
Authority: US
Inventors: John M Hothersall
Original assignee: American Can Co
Current assignee: Primerica Inc
Priority date: 1940-03-21
Filing date: 1940-03-21
Publication date: 1941-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1958-10-14

Description

Oct. 14, 1 J. MFHOTHEIRSALL 2,258,611

CONTAINER CAP P-I NG MACHINE Filed March 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheefl Get. 14,1941. .LM. HOTHERSALL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE Filad latch 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w m U 4.0 3 w v \01. a 4 o 2 L 0 a v 9.

' Patented Oct. 14, 1941 2,258,811 r CONTAINER carrrric momma John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 21, 1940, Serial No. zazsz Claims.

The present invention relates to container capping machines and the like and has particular reference to an improved machine for preforming a thin flexible celluiosic or the like overcap and for securing it to a sealed fibre container.

In the manufacture of fibre containers of the character shown in United States Patent 2,035,979, issued July 6, 1937, to John M. Hothersail, and particularly used for milk, the container after being filled and sealed is preferably proteoted by an overcap of Cellophaneor the like material which is crimped in place over the top end of the container.

The instant invention contemplates an improved machine which cuts the material for such an overcap from a substantially continuous strip. forms the cut-off piece into an overcap, and then secures the formed overcap in place on the container by crimping it tightly over the edges of the container.

An object therefore of the invention is the provision of an improved container overcapping machine wherein the material for the overcap is severed from a substantially continuous strip of the material, the cut-off piece of material is preformed into an overcap, the overcap is positioned on a container and is then permanently sealed in place to protect the surface it covers against contamination.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein the cut-off piece of material is preformed into an overcap by a drawing operation and is simultaneously transferred into a crimping head which thereupon carries the formed overcap into position relative to a container and then seals the overcap in position on the container by a crimping of the edges of the overcap over the edges of the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a machine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away and other parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-4 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail as viewed substantially along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drawings disclose a machine in which blanks A (Fig. 1) are cut from a strip B of Cellophane" or the like material and are preformed into overcaps C of square dish shaped construction having a surrounding flangeD. The formed over- 'way 32.

caps are applied to the topsof fibre milk containers E of the character shown in the above mentioned Hothersall patent. Such containers have a projecting seam edge F over which the flange D of the overcap is crimped tightly in place by pressure applied thereto. usually have an exterior coating of paramn which acts as an adhesive for retaining the overcap in position when once applied by pressure.

The strip B of overcap material is preferably fed from a supply roll of such material carried on a rod ll (Fig. 1) secured in a bracket l2 mounted on a frame I3 which constitutes the main frame of the machine. Feeding of the strip from the supply roll is preferably effected by a pair of cooperating feed rollers l5, I6 between which the strip passes. The rollers frictionally engage the strip. These rollers are mounted on short shafts I! carried in laterally extending side arms it of the bracket l2. The rollers are inter-.

mittently rotated in unison in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine. 7

Hence every time the feed rollers -l 5, I6 rotate, they advance the strip B a sufiicient distance to supply a length of the material equivalent to one overcap.

The end of the strip B so advanced extends down into a vertical slot 21 of a forming die. 22 which is secured to the main frame [3. The forming die includes a fiat out-off knife 24 which slides in a recess 25' which extends across the path of travel of the advance end of the strip B.

The inner end of the knife 24 is provided with a sharp cutting edge. The outer end of the knife is connected to a lever 26 which intermediate its length is carried on a pivot pin 21 secured in a lug 28 formed on the die block. The opposite end of the lever is connected to a link 29 which is actuated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts'of the machine.

Hence at the proper time in the machinecycle the cut-off knife 24 operates to sever a predetermined length of the strip B from the end which was advanced into the die. portion of the strip which constitutes a blank A and is the material used for making one overcap C.

The cut-off blank A of Cellophane remains in the die in a vertical position in the slot 2| and is directly in front of a square forming plunger 3| which operates in a horizontal slide- 33 the outer end of which is connected to an upper bifurcated end of an actuating lever 34.

The lever is mounted on a pivot pin 35 carried in lugs 38 formed on the die block 22. The lower end' of the lever is connected to a link 31 which may be actuated in any suitable manner The containers It is this cut-off The plunger is formed with a stem nuns as soon as the blank A is severed from its strip B, the actuating lever 34 slides the forming plunger 3| inwardly in its slideway and against the severed blank thereupon, pushing it into a square forming die recess 4!. The forming die recess is disposed in the die 22 adjacent the inner side of the strip slot 2| and is in alignment with the path of travel of the plunger 3|.

The die recess 4| is only slightly larger than the plunger that fits into it but is considerably smaller than the blank A. Hence when the plunger forc s the blank into the recess it folds theoverhanging edges of the blank down over the sides of the plunger and tucks in the corners. It is this folding action that preforms the flanges D or. the overcap,

After thus forming the overcap C, the forming plunger it continues its inward path of travel and pushes the finished overcap out of the forming recess 4| and into a waiting clinching head 45 (Figs. land 2) of'an adjacent sealing mech anism. The forming plunger then returns to'its original position in readiness for the next advancement of the strip B.

There are preferably four of the clinching heads 45 and each head includes a hollow square anvil 46 which is formed on the outer end of a radial arm 41 of a rotatable spider wheel or member 48. There are thus four arms on the spider. The spider is mounted on a horizontal shaft 45 which extends through a face cam 5| secured to the main frame It and which is carried in a bearing 52 formed in the frame.

Surrounding the anvil 46 of each head 45 are four clinching jaws 55, one for each side of the square anvil. It is these jaws which receive the formed overcap C from the forming plunger 3| and which thereupon hold the overcap for future application to a container as will be hereinafter explained.

The laws 55 are formed on bell cranks 55 mounted on pivot pins 51 carried in lugs 58 which project from the anvil. The bell cranks of each head are connected by links 58 to a sleeve 5| which slides on its corresponding spider arm 41,

The clinching laws 55 of each head are normally maintained in an open or spread apart position by a tension spring 84. There is one of these springs for each head. One end of the spring is hooked over a pin 55 secured in the hub of the spider 48. The other end is hooked over a pin 65 which is secured in the sleeve 8|.

The jaws 55 are locked against movement or are moved by a cam roller 88 which operates in an annular groove 89 formed in the face cam 5!. These cam rollers are' carried on pins 'II secured in each of the head sleeves ll.

' The spider 48 on which the clinching heads 45 are mounted is intermittently rotated to bring a head into alignment with the die 22 to receive its overcap C as hereinbefore explained. This rotation of the spider is effected by 8. Geneva mechanism best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The mechanism includes a Geneva wheel which is formed on the inner end of the spider shaft 48 and which is provided with actuating slots 14 and locking surfaces 11. The Geneva wheel meshes with an actuating disc I8 which is formed with a locking cam 18 and carries a roller 8|. The disc is mounted on a continuously rotating disc shaft 83.

Rotation of the disc shaft 83 is preferably brought about by a gear which is formed integrally with the disc 18. The gear meshes with a gear 88 mounted on the inner end of a driving shaft 81 journaled in a bearing 88 formed in the main frame l3. On its outer end the shaft carries a gear 89 which is driven by a pinion 9| carried on the rotor shaft 92 of an electric motor 93.

Hence during a portion of each revolution of the disc shaft 83 the roller 8| on the disc 18 engages in a slot 16 of the Geneva wheel 15 and thus turns the spider shaft 49 through a partial rotation. -Since there are preferably four clinching heads on the wheel this partial rotation is a quarter revolution. During the remainder of the revolution of the disc 18 its locking cam 19 engages a locking surface H of the Geneva wheel and thus maintains the spider in a stationary condition.

During the quarter turn of the spider 48 a head 45 is brought into alignment with the die 22 to receive its overcap C and while the spider is held stationary the overcap is inserted into the head as hereinbefore explained.

After an overcap C has been received in the laws 55 of a clinching head 45, the spider 48 on its next quarter turn brings the head and the overcap carried therein into position at an applying station generally indicated by the numeral 85 (Figs. 1 and 2). At this station the overcap is directly above a container E supported on a lifter plate 98 formed on the upper end of a rod 9'! which is slidable in a bearing 98 formed in the main frame l3. The container may be placed on the lifter plate in any suitable manner as by hand. The lifter plate is adapted to be raised toward the head in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

When a container E is in position on the lifter plate 95 the latter moves up and thus pushes the upper end of the container up into the overcap C held in the jaws of the head 45. While in this raised position the jaws move inwardly against the flanges D of the overcap and thus fold them under the projecting seam edges F of the container and tightly press them upwardly against the head anvil 48. This clinching action causes the folded over edges of the overcap to tightly adhere to the paraflin covered surface of the container and thus seals the overcap in place on the container. This app of the overcap is done while the wheel 48 is stationary.

Closing of the head jaws 55 to effect this overcap sealing operation is brought about by a cam Ill (Figs. 2 and 4) which is formed on the inner end of the Geneva disc shaft 83. The cam is located in a recess I82 formed in the cam 5| adjacent the annular groove 58 at the applying station. Since the cam is formed on the shaft)! it is rotated in time with the other moving parts of the machine and thusmakes one revolution for each quarter turn of the spider 45.

Hence while the spider 48 is stationary the cam [0| engages against the roller 85 of the head at the applying station and depresses the roller into an auxiliary recess I03 formed in the cam-5| directly below the recess I82. This depression of the roller slides the head sleeve 8| downwardly on its spider arm 41 and thus actuates the head bell cranks 56 to shift the laws 55 into overcap clinching position.

After such a clinching operation the rotating cam Iii permits the tension spring 54 to draw the cam roller 88 and sleeve 8| upwardly into combination devices ior ieeding a strip M their original positions. This action opens the jaws It so that they are clear of the container. Thereupon the litter plate 98 and its container return to their lowered original positions to permit discharge of the overcapped container and to the and it will be apparent thatvarious changesmay bemade inthe ionn.

construction-and arrangement of the parts,withoutirom themirit and scope of the .inventioniorgsacriflcingfall or in material ad-' mhereinbeiore described beingme'rely preierred embodiment thereon r. tainerhaving a proiccting edge, which comprises overcap along-a predetermined path or travell'awtationarydie adjacent said path 0! travel ror pree-iorming from said strip a dish shaped ovcrcaphaving'a surrounding flange, an

intermittently rotatable spider member having extending arms each terminating in a a surrounding flange to be secured to a container, a clinching head located adjacent said overcap forming means for receiving a pro-formed overcap therefrom, devices for shifting said clinching head into a position adjacent a' container, a litter pad for pushing said container into said overcap, clinching jaws on said clinching head engageable with the flange of said formed overcap, means slidably mounted relative to said clinching head and connected to said jaws, and devices engage able with said slidably mounted means and mov-.

able in synchronism with the shifting movement of the clinching head for actuating said jaws to fold the saidilange of the overcap into sealing 'engagement'with said container.

4. Amachine for applying an overcap to a container having a projecting edge, which comprises in combination stationary overcap die iormingmeansior producing an overcap having a surroundingnange to be secured to a containcr, a spider member disposed adjacent said lorapplrin'g an overcapto aconclinching-head for receiving a pro-formed overca'pfhndior positioning it onto a container. clinchin i'awsoneachoisaidclinchingheads i'orholding's'aid received overcap, a sleeve mcmber slidably mounted on each or said spider arms and operatively connected to said jaws, and operative in time'with the intermittent rotation oiy said spider member for moving said sleeve members on and relative to said spider armstcmov'esaid laws against the flanges oi niccessivelypositloned overcaps for 1iangcs. oi the-latter aroundsuccessive container ledges to permanently secure the overcaps in position onsthe containers.

. .2. A machine for applying an overcap to a container having. a projecting ledge, which comprises in combination a stationary overcap pre-iorming die, a pair or intermittentlv rotated feed rollers disposed adjacent-{said die for feeding a strip oi.

sheet overcap material a predetermined distance into said die, a cut-oi! knife in said die to: severing a blank from said strip, a reciprocating plunger cooperating with said die to term said flange projecting laterally therefrom, an intermittently rotating clinching head having clinchforming means, "and including a plurality. oi

radially'extending arms each having a clinching head at its outer end, clinching laws on said heads, means including a sleeve slidably mounted on a said arm or the spider member for normally holding said jaws in open position, actuating devices ior intermittently rotating said spidermem-v I her to bring a head intoposition adjacent said forming means to receive between said jaws a preformed overcap from said forming means, said actuating devices also shitting said head and its overcap into position adjacent said container, elements for inserting the projecting edge oi said 7 container into said flanged overcap while the spider wheel isstationary, and means for moving said sleeve on and relative to its said spider memberarmtoclosesaidjawsontheiiangeoithe overcap while the head is stationary to fold said "so flange around the projecting edge of the con-' and to press the iiange into sealing en- Basement therewith. I

5. A machine for applying an overcap to-a container having a' projecting edge, which comprises in combination overcap forming means for producing an overcap having a surrounding flange to be secured to a container, a spider wheel disposed adjacent said forming means and having a plurality of radial arms, a clinching head having an anvil iormed on the outer end or each spider arm, a plurality oi movable jaws surrounding said anvil, a spring held slide on e'achoi said spider arms having link connections with said jaws, a cam roller on each oi said slides. a stablankinto an 'overcap having a to said clinching head and movable in timed re- I lation with the intermittent rotation 01 the latter tor moving said clinching jaws into operative engagement with the iiange of the positioned overcap for bending said flange around the container ledge to secure the overrap in position on the container. Y

3. A machine for applying an overcap to a container having a piniiietins edge, which comprises in comhinatieri evercap die forming means ior promising an ever-cap havingtionary cam in which said cam rollers operate to maintain said jaws in a normally open position,

means for intermittently rotating said spider wheel to brin a clinching head adjacent said forming means to receive a preformed overcap in the open jaws of said head and for iurther rotating said spider wheel to bring the head and its over-cap into position adjacent ahead of a container to be capped, a litter pad for pushing the end of the container into the overcap and against said head anvil, and auxiliary cam devices operating in a recess 01 said holding cam and operable against the cam roller on said slide i'or shifting said slide on its spider arm to close said jaws on theiiange or said overcap to clinch it iast'to said container.

7 JOHN M. HOI'HERQALL.