US2397733A - Apparatus for handling and coating containers - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1946. w. l. GLADFELTER ET AL v 2,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS Filed July ,14, 1945 8'Sheets-Sheet 1 Willie I 6W.

WiMamiSc/muldt.

w. GLADFELTER ET AL ,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS April 2, 1946.

8 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 14, 1943 April 2, 1946. w. .1; GLADFELTER ET AL 2,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS K Filed July 14, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 'April 2, 1946. w. l. GLADFELTER ET AL 2,397,733

I APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS Filed July 14, 1943. 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 2, 1946. w. l. GLADFELTER ET AL 2,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND'COATING CONTAINERS Filed July 14, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fi .5. g 9

gin/00mm Willie I Gian/ wen April 2, 1946. w. 1. GLADFELTER ET AL 2,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTA INERS Filed July 14, 1943 Y a Sheets-Shet s V L. lGladfltez:

v 0 n I April 2, 1946. w. l. GLADFELTER ET AL v APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS Filed July 14, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 April 2, 1946. w. GLADFELTER ET AL 2,397,733

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING CONTAINERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8v L {h a L 77 A Patented Apr. 2, 1946 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COATING- CONTAINERS Wiltie I. Gladfelter, Philadelphia, Pa., and William A. Schmidt, Chase, Md., assignors to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application July 14, 1943, Serial No. 494,720

19 Claims.

, The present invention relates to apparatus for coating the interiors of containers, such as beer cans, with liquid coating'material such asheated wax compositions. The invention is concerned primarily with improved constructions in the coating machine and in the devices for handling a. line of containers prior to, during and after the actual coating operation.

It is a primary object of the invention to simplify the article handling instrumentalities, and to eliminate a number of separate, independenthandling or transferring operations heretofore employed with apparatus designed for the same general purpose. V

In the coating of metallic containers with wax or the like, it has been the practice first to preheat the containers to a temperature approaching that of the liquid wax composition, to prevent chilling of the wax when it encounters the container walls, and to facilitate the distribution of the coating material thereon. Further, it has been the practice to drain the wax coating material from the interiors of the cans by conveying them, in inverted relation, through a drain oven, where the temperature of the containers 1 and of the coating material i maintained sufficiently high to permit the excess material to flow from the containers, leaving a thin coating on the walls thereof. Finally, it has been the practies to distribute the coating material evenly upon temperature of the containers and the coating material is maintained sufficiently high to permit a slight amount of wax composition to settle along the line'of junction between the side walls and the bottom.

The present invention aims to provide improved article handling and conveying devices in 7 an organization of this general type.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction and operation of the machine for coating the containers with wax, and to improve the container handling devices associated therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide 1 improved means for rendering inoperative the coating instrumentalities associated with the machine when, for one reason or another, containers are not'present in proper relation to receive coating material therefrom.

with the drain oven conveyor.

station at the exit end of the drain oven, where the containers are transferred to the settlin oven conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the delivery of containers to the wax coating machine, and to avoid a transfer of the containers from holders or pockets associated with an infeeddevice to independent holders in the coating machine. To this end, the invention provides means for delivering the containers to the holders associated with the aforementioned continuous conveyor at an infeed station before the holders enter the coating machine and immediately beyond the aforementioned transfer station.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved coating material projecting assemblies in the coating machine, adapted to cooperate in a novel manner with the container carried by the holders associated with the conveyor which is trained for movement through the coating ma-' chine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novelarrangement of can feeler mechanism,

positioned to cooperate with the containers in the holders associated with the above mentioned conveyor, before the holders enter the coating machine, and to provide means responsive to the feeler mechanism for rendering the coating ma- Figure 2 is a plan view of the coating machine and certain of the associated instrumentalities.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the upper portion of the coating machine.

Figure 4 is a similar .view through the lower portion of the machine.

Figur 5 is a fragmentary plan view with certain parts broken away, showing the coating machine table and the mechanism for controlling the operations of the coating. material projecting assemblies.

Figure 5a (Sheet 7) is a circuit diagram suitable for actuating the mechanism shown in Figure 5.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a similar fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 7-1. v v

Figure 8 is a similar fragmentaryhorizontal section taken on line 8-8.

portion of Figure 3, showingthe relation of parts when an empty can holder passes through the machine.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows the general redrain oven 38. The chain is supported in its travel along this horizontal path by carriages or travelers having rollers engaging suitable tracks, as hereinafter explained. The conveyor has a plurality of can holders 39 pivotally connected thereto for swinging movement through substantially 180 from a position holding the containers in inverted, neck-down relation, to a vertical, upright neck-up position. As the holders 39 move under the dial 215, they are held in horizontal position for the reception of containers from the pockets in the dial. They swing downwardly to the inverted position immediately as they leave the dial and are held in that position during their passage through the coating machine,

as they move around through a substantially semi-circular'path along the periphery of the table. They emerge from the coating machine on the far side of the table, as viewed in Figure 1, and travel along the backrun of the conveyor 35, toward the right into the entrance end 40 of the wax drain oven, being held in inverted relation in the holders during their entire passage through the drain oven.

As the holders and the cans emerge from the exit end 38 ofthe drain oven, they are swung upwardly to a horizontal position, where they may pass through a neck-wiping apparatus, of the type shown in Patents Nos, 2,295,576 and 2,295,575,

dated Sept. 15, 1942.

The holders and the containers therein are then swung from the horizontal position upwardly to a vertical, neck-up position, as they approach the lation of the coating machine to the associated machines in the container coating line. A container preheating oven l0, positioned at a relatively high level has a conveyor consisting of a pair of cables I I trained therethrough and guidedabout a pair of sheaves I2 at the deliver end. The cables are passed below guide rollers 13 and then above similar rollers It, 15 to end sheaves l 6, about which they are trained, for return along a run ll, over guide rollers-l8 to the wax settling or distributing oven l9, positioned at a lower level 3 below the preheating oven l0 and preferably supported by a common frame 20. Thus it will be apparent that a single conveyor may be employed for the preheating oven and the wax settling oven,

with an upper run in the former and a lower return run in the latter.

A twister chute 23 receives the containers from multaneously swings them from the vertical,

neck-up position to a substantially horizontal position, as indicated at 25.

A vertically disposed dial-or star wheel 26, hav.-'

ing horizontally positioned peripheral pockets 2! is joumalled for rotation on a horizontal shaft 28 at the discharge end of the twister 23, the shaft being supported by a frame 29 carried by posts 30 supported from the floor 3|. The containers accumulate in substantially a solid line in the twister 23 and are delivered one-by-one to the pockets in the dial for subsequent transfer to the combined coating machine and drain oven conveyor. 7

The latter conveyor preferably comprises a chain 35 trainedfor movement. along a horizontal path, about a sprocket 36 associated with the rotatable table 37 of the coating machine and about a sprocket, not shown, at the far end of the wax 7 lower run ll of the cable conveyor leading to the wax settling oven. The holders position the uprighted cans above the run I! of the cable conveyor and the cans are deposited thereon in upright relation for movement through the wax settling oven.

The devices for clamping the containers in the holders 39 and the cam track means for swin v ing these holders will be described more particularly as the specification proceeds.

The coating machine proper comprises a base 45 having a laterallyofiset portion 46 carrying a motor 41 and a speed reduction assembly 48, the sprocket 49 of which is connected by a chain 50 to a sprocket 5! on the motor shaft, A main driving shaft 52 projecting upwardly from the 50,

speed reducer 48 carries a pinion 53, in mesh with a pinion 54 on a counter shaft 55, servin as the main driving means for the machine, as hereinafter explained. It will be noted that the countershaft 55 is journalled in bearings 56, 51 carried by the pedestal and that a pinion gear 58 is fast upon its upper end.

The base 45 supports a pedestal casting to in which a stationary, vertically disposed column or shaft 6| is mounted. A plurality of struts 62, B3 projecting upwardly and outwardly from the pedestal 60 are connected integrally to an annular platform 64 upon which a steam heating radiator 65 is supported, by bosses 66 projecting upwardly The hub portion 18 of the lower section of the table is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged vertical bores or sockets 14 which are closed at their lower ends by an annular flange 16 of an internally toothed ring gear 16, bolted to the undersurface 'of the hub member 18, and in mesh with'the pinion 58 on the ing; skirt-like casing 8| adapted to contain insulating material and projecting downwardly into the space between the steam heater 66 and the upwardly projecting casing wall 68 of the stationary base.

The annular wall 18 of the reservoir carries an outwardly projecting cover or shield 83 for the inner portion of the reservoir, which may be made up of a pluralit of sections appropriately secured together and supported by pins 84, threaded into radial bores adjacent the upper end of the wall, the shield being provided with openings 85 for the reception of pump actuating rods hereinafter described.

The table 31 further comprises an upper section 86, journalled about the column 6| and supported upon thrust bearing assemblies 81 carried by the upper end of a stationary sleeve 88 keyed to the central section of the column 6 I. The upper table waxin the reservoir, a piston |I1 therein, urged upwardly by a coil compression spring H8, and

a conduit member II8 communicating at one end with the cylinder and at the other end with a nozzle pipe I 28, bolted thereon. The pipe I28 carries a nipple I2I having a coating material projecting tip I22 at its upper end. Each assembl includes a pump actuator comprising a rod Y I25, having its lower end resting upon the piston II 'I and extending upwardly through the aligned opening 85 in the shield plate 83. The rod extends upwardly through an opening I26 in the cam following frame 86 and has an enlarged up,

per end I21 .disposed in a similarly enlarged bore in a sleeve member I28 disposed in a vertical bore I28 in the cam follower- 86 and constituting an enlarged continuation of the bore I26 therein.

' The head I21 of the rod I25 is normally seated section 86 has formed therein a plurality of sets of vertical bores, each set comprising three bores 88, 8| and 82, centered onradial lines, as shown in Figures 2 and 3; Each inner bore 88 is aligned with a corresponding bore 14 in the lower table section, and a vertical rod 83, secured therein,,

serves as a connecting means for the upper and lower table sections, rigidly securing them t0- gether for rotation as a unit. Further, a rodfor shaft 84, fast in each bore 8|, bears firmly against a seat 85 formed in the shield 83 above its line of connection with the inner wall I8 of the reservoir.

Each pair of rods 83, 84 constitute a vertical guiding means for a vertically reciprocable cam following block or frame 86 having vertical bores 81, 88 embracing the rods and a cam following roller 88 disposed in a cam groove I88 formed in the periphery of a cam plate I8I, integral with the sleeve 88, fast upon the column 6|. Hence,

against the bottom of the enlarged bore in the sleeve I28 by meansof a relativelyheavy coil spring I38 compressed under a transverse pin I3I. The upper end of the sleeve I28 is slidably mounted in the bore 82 in the upper table section 86.

It will be apparent from a consideration of the parts so far described that the pump actuator, comprising the rod I25 and the sleeve I28, is received in and embraced by the cam following block 86 for relative sliding movement of the latter with respect to the former. In order that movement may be transmitted from the cam follower to the pump actuator, means are provided for normally connecting them together for movement in unison. As shown most clearly in Figure 5, each cam follower 86 has a keyway I33 cut in its side face, for the reception of a radially slidable key I34, having a relieved portion I35 clearing the guide rods 83, 84 in both positions of the key. The relieved portion I35 clears the sleeve I28 and disconnects the-cam follower from the pump actuator when the key is in its radially outermost position, but when the key is moved as the table rotates, as hereinafter explained,

the cam following blocks or frames 86 are reciprocated vertically on the rods 83, 84, lubricant being supplied by nipples I82, I83, communicating through passages I84, I 85 with appropriate chambers in the bores 87, 88.

The upper table section 86 also carries a sectional, annular sprocket plate I88, having a series of teeth I88 for engagement with the conveyor chain 85, hereinafter described, Another sectional ring or plate II8, mounted above the sprocket I88, receives and supports the rollers carried by the carriages or travellers associated with the conveyor chain and can holders, to carry the weight of those elements and to relieve the sprocket 588 therefrom.

The lower table section, and more particularly the bottom 88 of the wax reservoir, carries a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies, one for each set of vertically extending rods and cam following frames 86. Each assembly comprises a pump cylinder II5 having an intake slot H6 in its side wall, immersed in the hot liquid inwardly, its projecting edge engages an annular groove I36 in the periphery of the sleeve and effectively locks the cam follower to the pump actuator assembly, so'that vertically reciprocating movement is imparted from the former to the latter, to reciprocate the piston I I! and project heated wax upwardly through the nozzle tip I22 into the interior of a can positioned thereabove, under thecontrol of the cam groove I88. It will be noted that the keys I34 are maintained in the keyways by engagement of their rear faces with the adjacent side faces of the adjacent cam following blocks or frames, as shown in Figure ,5.

In some cases it is desired to effect the connection between the cam following blocks and the pump actuators when the keys are in their radially outermost positions instead of in their inner positions, as shown in Figure 5. may be effected by employing a set of keys of the type shown in Figure 12, each comprising a 'relieved portion I35a forthe guide rods 83, 84,

driving engagement between the cam follower and the pump actuator.

The central cam plate I8I carries an upper, short, supplemental cam surface I38, positioned to be engaged by the inner end faces of the keys I34, so that each key is projected to its outermost This change I cam I38 terminates in a steep. substantially radial shoulder I39 so that each key I34 may be pro-v jected inwardly from the radially outermost to the radially innermost position, to engage or disengage the pump actuator, as the case may be;

depending upon the type of key employed. As shown in Figure 5, an exteriorly positioned cam surface I40, normally positioned in the path of movement of the ends of the keys I34 serves to project them inwardly to effect the desired connection between the cam followers and the pump actuators. The'cam I40 projects from the lower end of a sleeve I4I,' mounted for oscillation upon a vertical shaft I42, supported from above, as hereinafter explained. At its upper end, the

I osition during each revolution of the table. The

wardly" facing strips I61, constituting track surv faces as hereinafter explained.

sleeve carries a tail piece I43 having spaced stops I44, I45 embracing a pin I46 to limit the oscillating movement of the sleeve and the cam I40,

under the influence of a spring I41 in one direc- I tion and a solenoid I48 in the other direction,

the solenoid is deenergized, however, the spring' I41 retracts the cam I40, so that the keys I34 are left intheir outwardly projected, inoperative position, to which they were moved by the-stationary, central cam I38.

If keys of the type shown in Figure 12 are employed, the cam I40 will .be normally in the retracted position and the solenoid normally deenergized, to the end that the keys will remain in their outwardly projected, operative position. When the solenoid is energized, however, the movable cam I40 will be projected into the path of movement of the keys I34,- thereby moving them inwardly to the inoperative position.

After describing a preferred mechanism for supporting and conveying the line of cans, the device for controlling -the operation of the solenoid I48 and the movable cam I40 will be referred to. I

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 9, the central column 6| of the machine carries a cap I55, clamped thereto and serving-as a support for a laterally extending channelv member I56, secured at its other end to the drain oven or the supporting framework therefor, not shown. As

a point adjacent the periphery of the upper section of the rotatable table, the channel member I56 carries a yoke or hanger I51 having apair of depending armsl58, I59 formed integrally The forwardly projecting arm of thehanger I51 supports a pair of upwardly projecting guide I plates I68, I69, defining a channel forthe run I1 of the cable conveyor leading to the wax settling oven.

The outer ends of the hanger also carrydepending brackets I10, I which support a strip I12, extending along a, curved path, around the periphery of the upper section of the wax coating machine in position to prevent .inadvertent outward swinging movement of the pivoted can holder s 39 under the influence of centrifugal force.

Alternate links of the conveyor chain 36 carry a pair of upwardly and downwardly projecting wings I15, to which travellers or carriages I16 are secured, each carriage having a pair of supporting rollers I11 journalled on inclined axes-at its upper end, riding along the track rods I62. Vertically disposed rollers I18 carried by the chain pintles, are positioned to engage the guide strips I61 and prevent tipping f the carriages relative to the tracks.

The can holders 39 comprise cradle members I80, pivoted tothe carriages at I8I for swinging movement in a, vertical plane from an inverted, neck-down position, to an upright, neck-up position. Each cradle has a seat I82 for thebottom edge of the side wall of a container 200 and for the double-seam 20I thereof, and a pair of wings I83 for engaging the side wall'adjacent the upper end. A clamping yoke member I84, pivoted to the cradle at I86, has-a bifurcated end I86 shaped therewith and serving as supporting means for longitudinally extending tracks members I60, I61, in the form of channel sections, disposed in parallel relation and leading to and from the table of the coating machine, substantially tangentially with respect thereto. These channel members extend from the periphery of the table to the ends of the wax. drain oven, where they are supported in any appropriate manner by the framework thereof.

As best shown in Figure 9, the upper flanges of the channel members I60, I6I carry track rods I 62, we1ded or otherwise secured thereto, while the lower fianges support horizontal plates I63 and strips I64, I65, defining a downwardly facing guide channel I66. The vertical webs of the to engage the conical end 203 of the container, to urge the same against the seat I82 under the influence of a tensionspring 181. The opposite end of each clamp member I84 carries a roller I68, adapted to engage a cam rail, toswing the clamp against the action of the spring I81 to release the container at a predetermined time.

Each pivoted cradle member I also has a lat erally projecting arm I88, carrying a roller I90, disposed in the. channel I66 between the downwardly projecting guide strips I64, I65, to maintain the can holder in predetermined position relative to the carriage I16. This roller I80 engages a cam rail I9I at predetermined times to swing the cradle from the neck/down position, upwardly to a horizontal position and then to the vertical, neck-up position for transfer of the container to the conveyor leading to the wax settling oven.

Reference is made to the copending application of Gladfelter and Ehrlich, Serial No. 405,866, filed August 7, 1941, for a complete description of a similar, though specifically different, can holder assembly.

The depending bracket I10 carried by the forwardly projecting arm of the hanger I51 has secured thereto a rearwardly projecting angle iron 205 carrying the can feeler mechanism, which controls the operation of the solenoid I48. As

thereto by screws 209 disposed in slots 2I0, so that the plate may be longitudinally adjusted throughpredetermined limits. 'The lever 201 carries: an upwardly projecting finger 2II,

adapted to engage a button 2I2 ofa micro switch 2I8, mounted upon the horizontal flange of the angle iron 205.

channel members I60, I6I similarly carry out- 15 The finger 2II is normally held out of contact I run of the conveyor II.

aromas .tween the finger and the switch casing 2I3, swings the feeler plate 208, the lever 20'! and the finger 2H inwardly into contact with the button 2I2,

thereby either opening or closing the circuit leading to the solenoid I48, dependirg upon whether a normally closed micro switch and circuit, as shown in Figure 5a, are employed, or a normally open micro switch ,and circuit, as shown in Figure 12a, which, in turn, depends upon the use of locking keys of the types shown in Figure 5 or Figure 12. In any event, when the switch 2I3 is actuated by an empty holder passing the 'feeler plate 206, the movable cam I40 is shifted by the solenoid or by the spring I 41 to a position such that the key associated with the corresponding coating'material projecting assembly isprojected to, or remains in, the inoperative position, to the end that, when that particular assembly joins the empty can holder, the cam following block or frame 96 associated therewith is free to reciprocate vertically, without transmitting corresponding movement to the pump actuating rod I 25 and the piston I I1, ,as shown in Figure 13.

The table of the coating machine is driven at predetermined speed by the speed reducer 48, acting through gears 53, 54, shaft 55 and pinion 58, in mesh with the large, internal ring gear I6. The conveyor II,.trained through the preheating oven I0 and the wax settling oven I9, is driven by independent means at a speed correlated with the speed of movement of the wax coating machine table and the conveyor 35, driven thereby. It is important that the infeed dial 26, which receives the containers from the chute or twister 23 and delivers the same to the holders associated connected by a chain 22I to another sprocket 222 fast on a vertical shaft 223, geared to the horizontal shaft 28 by bevel gears, not shown, in a casing 224 carried by a bracket 225, mounted on the upper ends of the supporting rods 30.

Hence, the dial 26, fast on the shaft 28, is driven at a peripheral speed corresponding to the speed of movement of the conveyor chain 35.

It is thought that the operation of the apparatus described above will be apparent from a consideration of this specification. A line of containers, such as the beer cans 200, are carried through the preheating oven I0 in upright relation and emerged therefrom on the upper The conveyor drops downwardly below the lower rails of the twister 23, leaving the containers supported thereon. The containers move down the twister under the influence of gravity and are tipped forwardly, as viewed in Figure 1, from an upright position to a. horizontal position adjacent the lower end thereof. They are picked up, one by one, by the pockets 2! in the vertical dial 26 and are delivered therefrom in horizontal relation to the holders 39 associated with the conveyor chain 35, as the holders pass beneath the dial in horizontal position. the movements of the dial and the conerative position.

veyor chain 35 being timed so that the holders and pockets register below the dial.

The holders swing downwardly to the. vertical,- inverted position as they leave the dial and, in the latter position, pass the feeler 208. So long as the feeler engages the cans, the switch 2I3 remains closed and the solenoid I46 is energized, thereby maintaining the movable cam I40 in the, path of movement of the keys I34 and projecting the latter inwardly to the operative position, connecting the cam following blocks 96 with the pump actuating rods 93. Hence, as the cans pass around the machine in the holders 39, a stream of wax is projected upwardly through the nozzle tips I22 into the interiors of the cans. A major portion of the excess wax drains back into the reservoir, while the remainder, except 4 for the desired thin coating, drains therefrom as the containers pass in inverted position through the wax drain oven.

If one or more holders fail to receive cans from the dial 26, so that they are empty as they pass the feeler. 208, the latter is moved inwardly under the influence of the spring 2, thereby contacting the button M2 and opening the switch 213, which, in this arrangement is a normally closed switch, as indicated in Figure 5a. The solenoid I48 is immediately deenergized and the movable cam I40 is shifted by the spring I 41, out of the path of movement of the keys I34, so that the keys are left in their outwardlyprojected, inop- The feeler and the movable cam are so positioned that they operate upon corresponding can holders and coating material projecting assemblies. That is to say, the holder disposed opposite the feeler at any particular instant will ultimately be combined in the machine with the projecting assembly which at that instant is disposed opposite the cam I40. Hence, the coating material projecting assembly corresponding to an empty holder will be rendered inoperative by the disconnection of the cam following block 96 from the pump actuating rod I25, and coating material will not be projected upwardly when the holder therea'bove is empty.

If a key of the type shown in Figure 12 is employed, the movable cam I40 is normally maintained in the retracted position, out of the path of movement of the keys. However, when an emptyholder is presented to the feeler 206, the normally open switch, used in this arrangement, as shown in Figure 12a, will be closed, thereby energizing the solenoid and swinging the cam I40 by a cam rail engaging the rollers I88, thereby releasing the cans from the holders and permitting the same to be carried away by the cable conveyor.

The containers pass through the wax settling oven in upright, neck-up position, where they are walls of the containers and more particularly to accumulate along the line of junction between the side walls and the bottom end members, to seal the double seam.

Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity by reference to the embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings, it must be understood that it is not .for operating said member upon rotation of the table, and means for rendering the member inoperative when no can is present in the associated holder.

2. A machine for coating the interiors of cans with a liquid coating material, comprising a rotatable table, a plurality of holders associated therewith adapted to support cans in inverted, neck-down position, a plurality of upwardly directed coating material nozzles below the cans, a pump associated with each nozzle and including a relatively stationary cylinder and a vertically movable piston, a piston actuatingrod for each piston, a vertically reciprocable member adjacent each rod carried by the table, cam means for reciprocating the member as the table rotates, and means for establishing operative connection between the member and the rod when a container is present in the associated bracket.

3. A machine in accordance with claim 2 characterized by the inclusion of means for shiftin said connecting means to an inoperative position in the absence of a can in the associated bracket.

4. A can coating machine comprising a rotatable table, vertically fixed can holding means associated therewith for supporting a plurality of cans at a fixed elevation with respect to the table in neck-down position, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies carried by the table, a stationary cam for actuating said assemblies as the table rotates, and means for controlling the operation of said assemblies, each assembly comprising a nozzle fixed with respect to the table, a pump connected thereto, a pump actuating rod, a reciprocable cam following member operatively associated with said cam, and movable connecting means for establishing a driving connection between the member and the rod in one position and for breaking said connection in another position, said controlling means comprising a shiftable cam for controlling the position of said movable connecting means, depending upon the presence or absence of cans in the can holding'means.

5. A can coating machine comprising a rotatable table, vertically fixed can holding means as-' sociated therewith for supporting. a plurality of cans at a fixed elevation with respect to the table in neck-down position, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies carried by the table, a stationary cam for actuating the assemblies as the table rotates, and means for controlling the operation of said assemblies, each assembly comprising a relatively fixed, upwardly projecting nozzle aligned with the can in the associated holder, a pump connected to and positioned laterally with respect to the nozzle, an upwardly extending pump actuator rod, a reciprocable cam following member operatively associated with said cam and having a vertical bore embracing the actuator,

and movable connecting means carried by the member for establishing a driving connection between the member and the actuator in one position and for breaking said connection in another position, said controlling means comprising means actuated by the presence or absence of cans in slidably embracing the actuator, and a key car-,

ried by the member for establishing driving connection with the actuator in one position and for disconnecting the same in another position, said controlling means comprising means for shifting the postions of the keys, depending upon the presence or absence of cans in the holding means.

7. A can coating machine comprising a rotatable table, can holding means thereon for supporting a plurality of cans in vertically fixed, neck-down position, a plurality'of coating material projecting assemblies carried by the table and means for controlling the operation of said assemblies, each assembly comprising a relatively fixed nozzle, a pump connected thereto, a vertically extending pump actuator having a transverse key-way therein, a vertically reciprocable member slidably embracing the actuator and a movable key carried by the member having a portion adapted to enter said key-way to establish driving connection with the actuator in one position and having a relieved portion adapted in another position of the key to disconnect the member from the actuator, said controlling means comprising means for shifting the positions of I the keys, depending upon the presence or absence of cans in the holding means.

8. A can coating machine comprising a rotatable table, can holding means thereon for supporting a plurality of cans in vertically fixed, neck-down position, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies carried'by the table and means for controlling the operation of said assemblies, each assembly comprising a relatively fixed nozzle, a pump connected thereto, a vertically extending pump actuator having a transverse key-way therein, a vertically reciprocable member slidably mbracing the actuator and a key carried by the member for radial sliding movement between inner and outer positions, said key having a portion adapted to enter the keyway in one position to establish driving connection with the acuator and in the other position to disconnect the same, said controlling means comprising means for shifting the radial positions of the keys depending upon the presence or absence of the cans in the holding means.

9. A can coating machine comprising a rotatable table, can holding means thereon for supporting a' plurality of cans in neck-down position,

assay-r se actuating the assemblies as the table rotates, and

means for controlling the operation of said as semblies', each assembly comprising 'a relatively fixed, upwardly projecting nozzle, a pump connected thereto, a verticallyextending pump ac-- tuator, a vertically reciprocable camfollowing member operatively associated with said cam and slidably surrounding said actuator, and a radially moving key carried-by'the member for establishing driving connection with said actuator in one position and for breaking said connection in another postion, said controllng means comprising a second stationary cam adapted to project each tionary, substantially vertical column, a table journalled for rotation thereon and comprising a lower section having a reservoir therein and an upper section having a plurality of can holders supported thereon, means spaced outwardly from said column connecting the upper and lower sections for movementin unison, a stationary cam on the column opposite said means, a plurality of vertically movable cam following frames slidably mounted on said means and engaging said stationary cam, a plurality of coating pumps and nozzles communicating with the reservoir and carried by the lower section, and means for actuating the pumps, each of said means comprising an actuator slidably disposed in the associated frame, and means for operativeiy connecting the frame to the actuator, whereby movement is transmitted thereto.

11. A can coating machine comprising a stationary, substantially verticalv column, a table a lower section having a reservoir therein and an upper section having a plurality of can holders supported. thereon, means spaced outwardly from said column connecting the upper and lower sections for movement in unison, a stationary cam on the column opposite said means, a plu rality of vertical movable cam following frames slidably mounted on said means and engaging said stationary cam, a plurality of coating pumps and nozzles communicating with the reservoir and carried by the lower section, and means for actuating the pumps, each of said means comprising an actuator slidably disposed in the associated frame, means for operatively connecting the frame to the actuator, whereby movement is transmitted thereto, and means for disconnecting the frame from the actuator in the absence of a can in the associated holder, whereby movement is not transmitted from, the frame to the pump actuator when no can is in position to receive coating material from the pump and the nozzle.

12. A can coating machine comprising a stationary, substantially vertical column, a table journalled for rotation thereon and comprising a lower section having a reservoir therein and an upper section having a plurality of can holders supported thereon and restrained against relative vertical movement with respect thereto, a

plurality of pairs of rods spaced outwardly from said column and connecting the upper and lower sections for movement in unison, a stationary cam on the column opposite said rods, a plurality of vertically movable cam following frames slidably mounted on said pairs of rods and engag ing said stationary cam, a plurality ofcoating pumps and nozzles aligned with the can holders and carried by the lower section, and means for actuating the pumps, each of said meansv comprising a pump actuating rod slidably disposed in the associated cam following frame, means for operatively connecting the frame to the actuating rod, whereby movement is transmitted thereto, and means 'for disconnecting the frame from the actuating rod in the absence of a cam in the associated holder, whereby movement is not;

transmitted from the frame to the rod when no can is in position to receive coating material from the pump and the nozzle.

13. A machine for coating the interiors of cans with a liquid coating material, comprising a rox-tatable table, a plurality of can holders movable with the table in vertically fixed postion thereon for supporting the cans in inverted relation, a plurality of upwardly projecting nozzles carried by the table, fixed with respect thereto and terminating immediately below the lower ends of the cans in the holders, an independent pump communicating with each nozzle, a vertically reciprocating member associated with each pump,

means for connecting the member to the pump to actuate the latter when a can is present in the associated holder, and means for disconnecting the pump from the member in the absence of a can in'the holder.

14. In combination, a machine for coating the interiors of cans with wax, an endless chain having a plurality of can holders thereon trained for movement through said machine and through journalled for rotation thereon and comprising a path remote therefrom, and control means for the coating machine, said machine comprising a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies movable with the can holders on the chain and aligned therewith as the holders travel through the machine, said control means comprising a can feeler disposed adjacent the chain at a point spaced from the coating machine, means. for displacing the feeler when an empty can holder on the chain is presented thereto, and means actuated by the displacement of the feeler for rendering inoperative the coating material projecting assembly which subsequently is aligned and travels with the empty holder.

15, An apparatus for coating the interiors of cans comprising a rotatable table, a conveyor having an infeed run leading toward the table and a peripheral run trained about a portion of the table, a plurality of can holders carried by the conveyor, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies carried by the table for movement along a circular path in position to cooperate with the holders to coat the interiors of the cans while the holders and the cans travel through said peripheral run, means adjacent the circular path of movement of the associated assemblies but positioned in advance. of the peripheral run of the holders for selectively rendering the assemblies inoperative, acan feeler disposed adjacent the infeed run of the conveyor, means for displacing the feeler when an empty holder is presented thereto and means actuated by the parallel tracks leading toward and from the table, a conveyor supported by said tracks and trained about the table, a plurality of can holders carried by the conveyor, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies on the table in posiwhen an empty can holder approaching the table is presented thereto, and means actuated by the displacement of the feeler for actuating the first-mentioned means, to render inoperative the assembly which is subsequently positioned in cooperative relation with the empty holder.

17. An apparatus for coating the interiors of cans, comprising a rotatable table, a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel tracks leading toward and from the table, supporting means for the ends of the tracks adjacent the table, a conveyor trained for movement along said tracks and along a peripheral path around the opposite side of the table, a plurality of can holders carried by the conveyor, a plurality of coating material projecting assemblies carried by tle table in position to cooperate with the holders as the latter move along said peripheral path, means carried by said track supporting means adjacent the table and ahead of said peripheral path for selectively rendering the assemblies inoperative,

terial projecting assemblies inoperative.

a can feeler, adjacent the track leading toward the table and positioned ahead of the table, means for displacing the feeler when an empty can holder is approaching the table, and means 19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 15,

characterized in that the feeler comprises an electric switch normally held closed by a series j of cans in the holders and means for opening the switch when an empty holder is presented, and in that the means for rendering the coating material assemblies inoperative comprises a movable cam, a solenoid energized by said switch for projecting the cam into an inoperative position and a spring for projecting said cam into a position to operate said means when the solenoid is deenergized. V

WILTIE I. GLADFELTER. WILLIAM A. SCHMIDT.

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