US2330597A

US2330597A - Receptacle capping apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2330597A
Application number: US495957A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kotcher Irwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-07-23
Filing date: 1943-07-23
Publication date: 1943-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1960-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1943. V 1. KOTCHER 2,330,597

RECEPTACLE CAP'PING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 zbiaker Inventor Attorneys I Sept; 28, 1943. 1. KOTCHER 2,330,597

RECEPTACLE CAPPING APPARATUS Filed July 23, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventor fizua'n fizicfier M A itomeys Sept. 28, 1943. L KOTCHER RECEPTACLE CAPPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed July 25, 1943 In ventor ZZfJ/Zfli' A iiorneys p 1943. I. KOTCHER REC EPTACLE CAPPlNG APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 2-3, 1943 Inventor I Harm-51s Sept. 28, 1943.

I. KOTCHER RECEPTACLE CAPPING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor fliaer 4/ A itorneys Patented Sept. 28, 1943 JUNITED STATE-S PATENT PF! CE r RECEPTAOLE CAPPINGJAPPARATUS.

' Irwin Kotcher, Brooklyn, N. Y.

;A1JDliCEtti0Il July 23, 1943, Serial No; 495,957

8 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to al -receptacle capping device, mainly designed: for applying caps to. cartons which havebeen previously filled, thegeneral object oft-heinventiomb'eing to provide an elevator for lifting a group. of. cartons .from aconveyo'r into-capping position, mechanical and pneumatic means for removing caps from holdersand placing. the caps over openings in the cartons and plunger means for pressing. the caps into the openings of the cartons.

The present invention isanimproyement over that forming. the subject. matter of application filed by; me :on May 19.; 1937.; Serial No. 143,583,

which has matured into Patent. No; 2,167,894,

.dated August 1,1939. I

. The invention is illustrated in. the accompany ing drawings in which:

' Figure 1- anielevational-viewxof the invention.

. Figure 2 is.:a sectionon the:line-Z-Z'of Figure/l.

Figure3 is a'section on the'line 3.:-'-3 of Figure I.

r-Figure 4 is ase-ction on theyline l:4 of Figure l.

.Figure 3; t

Figure '11 is a isecti'onzon'. the line H-l I; of

Figurel.

zFigure 1-2 is amsection' on the: line l3l-3. of Figure 4.

zFigure. 13: is a view of the fingeredmember-for stopping movement of the cartons by the conveyor at the rear endv of the elevator.

Inthesedrawings, the letter A indicates a; supporting. frame adjustably connected as ata tov the foot portions A. The frame carries the front and rear grooved rollers l for the horizontal conveyor 2v which is. composed ofa plurality of endlesscoiled springs which are spaced apart and. lit in the grooves. One of these rollers can be driven in any suitable manner, though in actual practice the conveyor will receive. cartons C from a filling apparatus and the conveyor can-be driven from this filling. apparatusi; .TheJupper reach of the conveyor passes over a horizontally arranged inverted channel-shaped member 3 forming a part of the frame and which is provided with slots extending longitudinally. An elevator E, composed of a plurality of elongated longitudinally extending plate's. 4;: spaced apart and connected through the slots of1the..member. .3 and between place the cartons upon the conveyor;- tally arranged longitudinally extending guide bars 6 are suitably supported by the frame; oneon each ,guidingmeans 23 carried by the frame.

the springs of theconveyor 2. This elevator-is adapted tolift the cartonsoifathe conveyor into cap receiving positions and-then afterthe caps have been applied the elevator is lowered-to reside of the conveyor for holding and guiding the cartons as theyaare' being moved by'the. conveyor and also while they are being moved by the. elevator. Vertically extending rods; l have their upper ends attachedto the elevaton theserods being arranged in pairswith a-pair connected to each end portion of the elevatorythe rodshb'eing preferably of non-circular shape in cross section and pass through similar; shaped holes in'cross 1 :bars 8 at the lower part of theiframe and springs B'connect the"lowerportions ofythe rods to the bars 8 to: normally holdthe elevator. in lowered position. The lower ends of the rodsof each pair areconnected' together by" the, cross pieces-in whichengage the-outer endsi-of a pair oflevers l l' pivoted: intermediate theirends toipartsrof the frame as shown at I2 and a yoke I3 is pivotedtoa part. of' the frame as shown at-M'and hasits free end resting. upon the inner: BI'ldSiOf the levers i I and saidzinnerrend carries a rollenl 5 engagedby a cam it on ahorizontalshaft i-l suitably jou1'-' thus raise the elevator,- th springs 9v returning the elevator to. loweredv position; The of course, is: so formed as to hold'the; elevator-in raised position long enoughior the capping oper ation to-be performedand'then the elevator moves downwardly to replace the cartonsupon the conveyor.

In order to prevent the foremost carton. c f .thc

group of cartons from movingwith theconveyor beyond; capping position I provide a vertically movablemember I8, see'Figure 13, which is formed-With a pluralityofupright fingers 19 for passing through the slots in the channel member is and between the springs of:.the conveyor 2, said member 18 being formed with a shank ZlI-having a roller 2.! at its lower end which rides on acam 2'2 onthe shaft ll, the shank being guidedby the '22 is sc -formed that memberv it will be in raised position extending across the path of movement of the cartons-while theelevator is in, lowered positionzsoas to permit agroup of .cartons to be Horizons Thescam moved by the conveyor over the elevator and thus preventing the cartons from being moved by the conveyor beyond capping position. Then as the elevator moves downwardly to replace the capped cartons upon the conveyor member 58 is permitted by the cam 22 to be lowered by the spring 24 so that as the cartons are replaced on the conveyor they can move with the conveyor out of capping position.

A longitudinally extending substantially inverted channel member 25 is supported in horizontal position in an upper portion of the frame, this member having its depending flanges with inner faces 26 which slope upwardly and inwardly with the upper edges of these faces merging into short, vertical walls 21, see Figure 7, said vertical walls forming a space for snugly receiving the upper ends of the cartons for holding the cartons against movement, the sloping faces or walls 36 acting to guide the upper ends of the cartons between the vertical walls 21. The member 25 carries a plurality of short vertically arranged tubular members 28 which open out into the space formed by the walls 26 and 21 and each tubular member at one side thereof is formed with'anopening 29 for the passage of a cap into the tubular member, the bottom wall of the opening 29 being flush with the top of the member 25.

A plurality of plunger cylinders 30 have their lower ends threaded into holes in the member 25 and each cylinder has a rod 3| passing therethrough, each rod having a head 32 at its upper end which acts as a stop for limiting downward movement of the rod by engaging the upper end of the cylinder and a spring 33 is located in each cylinder and has its upper end bearing against the top of the cylinder and its lower end against a collar 34 on the rod for holding the rod in its lowered position with its lower end extending into the space formed by the channel member 25. Thus these plungers tend to force the cartons downwardly out of the space formed by the channel member 25. A plunger is shown in detail in Figure 10.

The caps C come in tubular containers 35 and these containers are placed in vertically arranged tubes 36 arranged in a longitudinally extending row on a supporting member 3l'at the rear upper portion of the frame. A spring actuated latch 38 carried by the upper part of each tube 36 prevents the container 35 from being accidentally pulled from the tube, see Figures 4 and 7. The upper end of each tube curves downwardly from its rear portion to its front portion as shown at 39 and the rear portion is provided with a vertical slot 40, this top portion of each tube extending beyond the upper end of a container 35.

Horizontally arranged guide bars 4| extend rearwardly from the top part of the frame and at their rear ends are connected together by the cross bar 42 and at the rear ends each bar 4| carries a cam projection 43 which extends upwardly as shown in Figure '7. Slides 44 are supported by the bars 4! and a tubular member 45 has its ends reduced and rotatably supported in lugs 44' of the slides 44. An arm 46 has one end rigidly connected to each end of the tubular member 45 and the other end of each arm. carries a roller 4! for engaging the upper edge of a bar 4| and the cam 43, the roller engagingthe cam when a slide nears the outerend of its stroke. tends to hold each arm in lowered position. A plurality of tubular arms 49 extend forwardly from the tubular member 45 and are in communication therewith anda cup 50 is attached to the A spring d6.

forward end of each arm 49. Each cup has a perforated rubber gasket 5| attached to its open end, as shown in Figure 7, and as shown in this figure when the slides 44 approach the rear ends of their strokes the rollers 41 will engage the earns 43 so that the tubular member is partly rotated in a clockwise direction which throws the arms 49 downwardly to place the cups in the upper ends of the tubes 36 and thus a cup will pick up a cap C from a container 35 due to suetion occurring in the tubular parts and the cup as will be hereinafter described. Then the slides with the member 45 and the parts carried thereby are moved forwardly to place the cups 5!) with the caps carried thereby in the tubular members 28 so that the caps can be pressed into the openings in the upper ends of the cartons C. As will be seen, as the slides 44 move forwardly the rollers 47 will move on the cams 43, thus permitting the springs 48 to lower the arms 46 to place the rollers 4'! on the bars 4| and to raise the arms 46 so that the cups will enter the tubular members 26.

The means for reciprocating the slides 44 and member 45 include a pair of levers 52 connected together by a bar 53 and pivoted at their lower ends to brackets 54 attached to a lower part of the supporting frame. A link 55 connects the upper end of each lever 52 to the member 45, as shown in Figure 3 and springs 56 connected with the levers 52 and a part of the frame tend to hold the slides in their rearward positions, shown in Figure 7. Bars 58 are slidingly supported in herizontal position by the horizontal guides 59 and each bar 58 has a forked outer end, the prongs of which fit over a lower portion of each lever 52 and the inner end of each bar 53 engages the upper end of a lever 60 the lower end of which is pivoted to a bracket 6|. The upper end of each lever 56 carries a laterally extending pintle for a roller 62 engaged by a cam 63, these cams being carried by the shaft H. The guides 59 have their outer ends of forked construction, as shown in Figure 5 for receiving portions of the levers 52 i. when the same are moved inwardly by the springs 56 when low parts of the earns 63 are engaging the rollers 62. Thus under the action of the springs 56 and cams 63 the levers 52 are oscillated to reciprocate the slides 44 and the tubular member 45 and the parts carried thereby so as to move caps C from tubes 36 intocapping position in the tubular members 28, and then to return the parts to pick-up position as shown in Fig ure 7.

The capping plungers 64 depend from a bar 65 and said plungers pass through guiding bosses 66 extending upwardly from a cross member 6'! at the top of the supporting frame. Each plunger is provided with a head 68 at its lower end for fitting in a cap C and for forcing th cap into a hole in the upper end of a carton C. This bar 65 is supported by the cross pieces 69 and each cross piece 69 is connected to the upper ends of a pair of vertically arranged bars in. The four bars '16 are guided in the frame for vertical movement and are normally held in lowered position by the springs H and, as shown in Figure 9, each pair of bars 79 carries a lower cross bar 12 which carries a roller 73, said rollers being engaged by cams H on the shaft ll, these cams 14 raising and lowering the capping plungers 64 in conjunction with the springs H, the parts acting to lower the plungers 64 after the caps C have been deposited in the tubular parts 28.

In order to prevent damage to the suction cups whichupasses; throughitthe; slctaSB: wherebyesthe and i I the parts attached thereto:: by; accidental downward movementzofithe cappingplungers I provideanglmarmsiTB onithe' linksi 55; to; support the: stop: members i 1 6, which. are located; between the bar 65 and; the. membersxfific; Thus-these .members'ile are moved-hfromi under the abar 65 when theilinksxih moverearwardly SOl. that. the bar-I 653 with the; capping plungers can move-downwardly= but if, for any reason," the-levers 52;;and 'linksi'ji: were not 'moveda then-the; memhersi'lfi wilt prevent the .banfitlfrommovingn downwardly. Jr: manifold '1 l: is; connected: with. the tubular member 45 and. asflexibles conduit '18" connects the; manifold to" a valve 1:9), see "Figure 8, which iszconnected byza conduit 8ittoa vacuumroiirsuctiom producing: device; vAn inletizconduitz 81a is connected: ;with::the1 conduit .18.? in; front? of the valvei'wl and: contains a"--"valve 852; These valves :19 amd'tfirare normally heldaclosedin'anysuitabie manner; and they; areadaptedi to he moved to opencposition by. the 'pivotedwarms; 83'. Each arm has-la roller 8:4" at itsguppertend; fora'engagement by the'i'cam: 22 whi'chractuates the'zstop: member 1:8? and: thiscamiis soz-formed that as: thearmsa lt ofi the: tubular member; QEL'dI'OPPi-HZQ" the tuloes; 3,6 the arm- 83: of 'valve'llii will open said=valvewhile thevalve ."B-Za-I'emains closed; Thus a; vacuum or u shaped gmember is supported for slidingmovement conltheazupright .98 and: the: upper ends; of the limbsrof; the U-shaped "member are curved upwardly andzlrearwa-rdlyi {to-1 provide the ;horns 1,02- for; lifting the: holding dog- 92 into; unopenated position whengthev U;-shaped: member is 'lifilfldz. A block -I 0Y3-.;is1 -:providedat, the lower. end of the U -sh'aped member which has a cam part, see Figure 4,,for; engaging the dog ge, when; the U-shaped member is moved up.wardly, .v to-move said dog 9,5 into--1.1nepera-ted position;e This-member-,- lfill is. raised--te-move the twoqdogs 92-and 95 into; inoperative position, by means of a lever 1M and a link rod which: connects the lever with a part, of the u-shaped member ;see Figure "11-.-

' The bar '93 is raisedbyqmeansof ashort lever M 6 --piveted intermediate its; ends to a" depending part of the; frame with its freeend passing, into I v roller. lllU .,on..cam [6 will engage the lever lllB suction 1 will; be; produced: in: the; cups 59:"sm11h'at the camv willvpermitvthes valve 19: tol close and will; open; thee valve r1325 sonthat, I the: suctionw-o-r and) thus cause. the shortilever [-05 to. raiseiban93 v V to tcausethe ldogyl i moiraise the rack-loan 90 vacuum inathencupstfiil is; brokenbwairi entering I through thecbnduih 81, :into-ithe; conduit J31 Jand thusyinto the cups; This causeszthe-icaps-tadrop from; the cups and then the cup; carry ingdparts move'hacln to the; positionshown; in- Eigure/ 7- and then the: valve 1-82- is permitted torcloser and the valvefiii again" opened to; create; a' suction" in the-cups; Ofcourse; :thatlpart of thesconduit-lfi connected with:thevalve la is not-flexiblebut a suflicient part of the conduit sheuldrbeimade flexible so as, to'- not interfere with; the sliding movement; of the-member: 535 and;- thee parts-asso- 'CiQJtEd tI-IG'Z'BWEIIZ I "Pistons B5aarearranged in. the containers :58 for. raising;--thecaps G" asycaps are-removeddirem the upper ends" thereof :The; rods 851-pithe epistonsapass-threugh thelower endsof the members 35:;and: the tubes 3.3 ,and are: suitably-isuppoizted forgvertical movement. -The=lowen ends;- of. these rods areiconnected an anglerhan a which has its reduced ends as enga ing;auidinggroovesin the uprie-ht bars. 35: terrains: part of, the support-.- ing fiiamei, A vvertical-l-y-rarranged-=rack barthastits lower endv connected toithe' central. part ofrthe .bar 8-! and this. rackehar operates in: theiguidewhich,. in\turn raisesithe.member 8.! to raisethe pistons. 85;,and thus. the capsCcare keptatthe upper. endslofsthe containers wherenthey canbe pickedup by the suction cups" NVhen it is desired to lower therbar the lever H14v is .,-pulled; upwardly which throughmeans ofwthe links miwill raise the U-shaped member me e release theidogsand this will, permit-the, piston carrying parts, tolcwer -so that a newsupply oicailslc'an he placedinithe tubes'36'.

' In .order to preventftherollersfli' carried I the barsillj from engaging the; low parts ofgthe' cams i'M cross, pieces 'lllfj are carried by lower partsioil the main framefand act; as,stops for lim;

en idow war m nt of t b s- 95%. shownin-Ei'guresfiand 9.

. Thus a group of cartons "are brought over the elevator bythe conveyor and the firstfcarton 'of the group ,is plievented' from moving beyond the'elevator'byf;the,stop member l8 beingflifted by the c -2250a t an; it 'andthen' thegrollp off cartons, is lifted'fbyfthe elevator until; their I i tops enteri'the space formed by theflangesof way 9I attached to the front faoe of the member 7 3J and aheldingidog; 2'. is-piveted to thei lower part of,v theguidewaylfit: and: engages .thelracl;

barrunder. the action; ot cg'ravityeas =Sh0W.-I1l' imfig:

ures 4 and;;12-. A vertically mevableabw fifi has' right: angularly extending-ears teat itsupper end 7 between which; is; pivoted 7 a dog; at asv shown; in

Figures A, and: 11, this-dog beingzadapted to en:- gage. the teeth'rofcthemrack bar. This bar is guided: for; v verticaliqmovement by ;the guiding means flfiand is normallmheldin lowered: position a: spring. fifivandw it is; located in rear of; an upright:: 92 ierme'dc with aslot 59; isee. Figure ll.

A; substantially UV-.eshapecl' memberrlilll is: provided the rriem ber the elevatoribeing "raised by the camj l'fii leverj I l and 'the; rods T. Caps; C1 are conveyed from the containersin tubesQSS'by the fslicl'es my and the tubular member 45 and the parts attached thereto to thetuhul ar parts, 28 and then the slides-jreturnfto pick up another group of caps} I'he' icapsj; are, pushed 'into' the qarton's by the plunger's "64' ct ed by the" uprightrodsflll and the can necate mcn ing to raise theplungersand thesprings'l-l act ing to move the-plungis' downwardy to press e thecapsi-nto "thefhole's of the-cartons. -'I*hen the plungers are raised by the cai'ns 'M andthe elevator is moved" downwardly to replace the cappedcartons back upon the-conveyor and befo're this'happens the stop'i'nember' I8 is lowered sothat thefi'conveyorcan move the cartons from overthe elevator."- vThen anewlgroup of cartons ismoved by the conveyors overthe elevator so that this new: groupiof .cartonst can. be capped;

suction to the cups 50 and the roller 1 I!) on cam l B feeding the caps upwardly so that they can be picked up by the cups 50, the cams 63 reciprocating the cap pick up means by means of the levers 52 and links 55, the springs 56 turning the pick up means to rearmost position; The spring plungers in the housings 30 act to prevent the cartons from sticking in the member 25.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In a receptacle capping machine, a supporting frame, a conveyor for bringing the receptacles into capping position, a stop member supported for vertical movement in the frame and when raised preventing movement of the receptacles by the conveyor, beyond capping position, an elevator for raising the receptacles off the conveyor, a member in the upper portion of the frame for receiving the upper ends of the receptacles when raised by the elevator, a horizontally movable carriage, cap supporting means, plungers for forcing the caps into the receptacles, a shaft journaled in the frame, cams on the shaft, means actuated by the cams for operating the elevator, the stop member, the carriage and the plungers, suction means carried by the carriage for picking up the caps from the cap supporting means and holding the caps while the carriage is being moved to depositing position after which the suction means are rendered inactive, a conduit connected with the suction means of the carriage and adapted to be connected with a source of suction, valve means in the conduit, and one of the camsof the shaft actuating the valve means.

2. In a receptacle capping machine, a supporting frame, a conveyor for bringing the receptacles into capping position, a stop member supported for vertical movement in the frame and when raised preventing movement of the receptacles by the conveyor, beyond capping position, an elevator for raising the receptacles off the conveyor, a member in the upper portion of the frame for receiving the upper ends of the receptacles when raised by the elevator, a horizontally movable carriage, cap supporting means, plungers for forcing the caps into the receptacles, a shaft journaled in the frame, cams on the shaft, means actuated by the cams for operating the elevator, the stop member, the carriage and the plungers, suction means carried by the carriage for picking up the cap from the cap supporting means and holding the caps while the carriage is being moved to depositing, position after which the suction means are. rendered inactive, a conduit connected with the suction means of the carriage, valve means in the con- .duit, and one of. the cams of the shaft actuating the valve means, said cap supporting means including tubular members, means for feeding the caps upwardly in said tubular members and means for operating the feeding means from one of the cams.

3. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, an inverted channel member supported in the upper part of the frame, the flanges of which have upwardly and inwardly sloping walls terminating at their upper ends in vertical walls for receiving the upper end of a carton, a tubular member extending upwardly from the channel member and in communication with a portion of the space formed by the flanges of said channel member, a horizontally movable invention, what is carriage supported by the frame, a tubular member supported for rocking movement in the carriage, a tubular arm extending forwardly from the tubular member, a suction cup carried by the forward end of the arm, a vertically arranged tubular member for receiving caps, cam means for tilting the first-mentioned tubular member to place the cup in position to pick up a cap when the carriage is in its rearward position, the cup depositing the cap in the tubular member of the channel member when the carriage is in its forward position, a conduit connected with the tubular member of the carriage and adapted to be connected with a source of suction, valve means in the conduit normally closing the conduit, other valve means for connecting the conduit with the atmosphere, a cam for'opening the first valve means and closing the second valve means when the carriage is in is rearward position and while the carriage is traveling to its forward position, after which the cam closes the first valve means and opens the second valve means to cause the cup to release the cap to place the cap in the tubular member of the channel member, a plungerfor forcing the cap into the carton, an elevator for raising and lowering the carton, means for actuating the elevator, means for actuating the carriage and means for actuating the plunger, said means including a single shaft on which the cam for operating the valve means is arranged.

4. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, an inverted channel member, the flanges of which form a space for receiving upper ends of cartons, said member having openings vertically arranged therein, means for feedging caps into said openings, a plurality of vertically movable plungers carried by the frame, a bar to which the upper ends of the plungers ar connected, members depending from the bar, spring means connected to said members for moving them and the bar downwardly to cause the plungers to force the caps into the cartons, and cam means for raising the members against the'action of the sp g means.

' 5. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, an inverted channel member, the flanges of which forma space for receiving upper ends of cartons, said member having openings vertically arranged therein, means for feeding caps into said openings, a plurality'of vertically movable plungers carried by theframe, a bar to which the upper ends of the plungers are connected, members depending from the bar, spring means connected to said members for moving them and the bar downwardly to cause the plungers to force the caps into the cartons, and cam means for raising the members against the action of the spring means, and spring plungers for forcing the cartons from out of the space formed by the channel member.

6. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, a horizontally movabl carriage supported by the frame, capping means in the frame,

vertically arranged cap containers supported by the frame in rear of the capping means, a tubular member supported for rocking movement in the carriage, tubular arms extending forwardly from the tubular member, a suction cup at the forward end of each arm, armsextending rearwardly from the tubular member, spring means connected with the last-mentioned arms I for holding the tubular arms/in raised position, cam means engaging the second-mentioned arms at the rear end of the stroke of the carriage for tilting the tubular member to place the cups in the cap containers, means for reciprocating the carriage, the cups placing the caps in capping position at the end of the forward stroke of the carriage, a conduit connected with the tubular member and adapted to be connected with a source of suction, a valve normally closed in the conduit, a pipe connecting the conduit in front of the valve with the atmosphere, a normally closed valve in said pipe, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the cups are in the cap containers and while the carriage is moving forwardly, said means opening the second valve when the carriage reaches its forward position to break the suction in the cups.

7. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, a horizontally movable carriage supported by the frame, capping means in the frame,

vertically arranged cap containers supported by the frame in rear of the capping means, a tubular member supported for rocking movement in the carriage, tubular arms extending forwardly from the tubular member, a suction cup at the forward endof each arm, arms extending rearwardly from the tubular member, spring means connected with the last-mentioned arms for holding the tubular arms in raised position, cam means engaging the second-mentioned arms at the rear end of the stroke of the carriage for tilting the tubular member to-place the cups in the cap containers, means for reciprocating the carriage, the cups placing the caps in capping position at the end of the forward stroke of the carriage, a conduit connected with the tubular member and adapted to be connected with a source of suction, a valve normally closed in the conduit, a pipe connecting the conduit in front of the valve with the atmosphere, a normally closed valve in said pipe, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the cups are in the cap containers and while the carriage is moving forwardly, said means opening the second valve when the carriage reaches its forward position to break the suction in the cups, a piston in each container for moving the cups upwardly therein, a rack bar, means for connecting the rack bar with the pistons, a dog, a member carrying the dog, means for reciprocating the dog carrying member, a holding dog for the rack bar and manually operated means for moving the dogs to releasing position.

8. In a carton capping machine, a supporting frame, a member in the upper portion thereof, for receiving the upper ends of cartons to be capped, cap containers supported in the frame, a horizontally movable carriage, means carried by the carriage for conveying caps from the containers to the member, vertically arranged levers, links connecting the upper ends of the le-- vers to the carriage, sprin means connected with the levers for holding the carriage in its rearward position, cam means for moving the levers outwardly to move the carriage to its forward position, means for raising and lowering the cartons, plungers for forcin the caps into the cartons, means for actuating the plungers, and means carried by the links for preventing downward movement of the plungers while the carriage is in its forward position.

' IRWIN KOTCHER.