US2591501A - Sanitary milk bottle capping head - Google Patents

Description

April 1952 R. E. BODENDOERFER ET AL 5 5 SANITARY MILK BOTTLE CAPPING HEAD Filed March '7, 1949 s Sheets$heet 1 April 1, 1952 I R. E. BODENDOERFER ETAL 2,591,501

SANITARY MILK BOTTLE CAPPING HEAD Filed March '7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /4 35 .C'ic? April 1, 1952 R. E. BODENDOERFER ET AL 5 5 SANITARY MILK BOTTLE CAPPING HEAD Filed March 7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v -am lllll V HTFOf/VZI S.

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES ENT OFF! CE- 2,591,501

Ray E. Bo'aenabe'rier and David-G. Fee, Milwaultedahdlieriiiaii C. Frent'zel, shorewood; Wis, assign'ors to Federal Manufacturing Milwaukee, Wis acorporation of Wisconsin Application Marcli l, 1949; Serial No. 793282 4 Claims. (Cl. 226'9'2) The present invention relates in-general to inn provement in closing machines for s'ealingreceptacles such as commodity ladenbottles in rapid succession, and relates more specificallyto improvements in the construction and operation of automatic milk bottle cappers'or the like.

The primary object-of our invention isto-provide various improvements-in the-constructionof milk bottle'capping heads whereby such devices may be rapidly dismantled for effective cleaning, and just as rapidlyreassembled'for normal operation.

It has heretofore been common commercial practice in the dairy-industry, to utilize so-called capping heads for the purpose of applying both fiat disks and cup-shaped'closures in rapid suecession to milk laden bottles. Because of the fatty nature of the product and in'or'd'er to maintain the sealing apparatus in sanitary condition, it is necessary to frequently dismantle and clean the 'cap feeding and applying mechanism, and to reassemble the same for normal operation after cleaning has been effected. In all known prior capping head assemblages, ithasbeen necessary in order to effect such dismantling and assembly of the parts; to manipulateretaininfg screws and nuts which not only produced filth collecting pockets and-corners difiicult toclean, but also required considerame time" and c'aused'objectiom able delay in capping operations. Theprio'rcip ping heads w'ere'therefore hard to maintain in sanitarycondition without introducing excessive loss of operating time, besides being relativel complicated in structure.

It is thereforean ir'n'portantobject of the pres"- ent invention to provide a'simplified cap feeding slide structure for milk bottle closure mechanisms, which may be very quickly and most co'nveniently dismantled and assembled bymereiy manipulating a singie retainer pin or smooth element.

Another object of our invention is topro'vide improved instrumentalities' for quickly" assem bling and disassembling milk bottle sealing mechanisms adapted to apply either disk or cup type closures to the receptacles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved milk bottlecapper'whichis simple, compact and durable in construction, and which may be most conveniently cleaned and maintained'in sanitary and'efficient operating condition.

Still another object of this invention is to pro vide an improved'capping head for milk filled bottles'or the like, which may be lrlanufacture'd and sold at moderate cost for co'operation with various typesof 'autom'aticfiller's.

These-and other objects and advantagesof our invention will be apparent from thermmwmg detailed description.

A -cle'ar conception of the features constitiiting the present improvementand of-the constriietien and operation of two "types of capping heads-'e'inbodying the invention, maybe hadby' refe in; to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts.

Fig; 1 isa perspective View o'f 'a' partial-1y dismantled milk bottle capping headfof the" are adapted to 'applycov'erall cup shapedclosiire caps to the successive bottles Fig; 2'is'an enlarged sideelevation or the saine capping head with the slide actuating lever omitted and showing'the" unit assembled for nor: m e:

Fig. 3"is a similarly enlarged top-viewer the assembled capping head of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a likewiseenlarg'edverticalsection through the cap applying zone of the 'coverall capping head-of F' Z'and 3, with mostbfth'e actuating 'me'chani m" orn'ittedbutsliowing a cap in position preparatory toapplida'tion thereof to bo Fig. 51sec eiiplodedpefspebtive view of'a disman'tle'd milk bottle capping" head of the" iyi adapted to apply flat'elosuiedisksto' the suc= cessivebottles Fig- 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the tap ping mechanism shown in" Fig. 5, showing the same assembled;

Fig. '7 i a similarly-enlarged top vi'ewofthe assemblage shown in Fig. 6; and u Fig. 8 is a likewise'enlarged front viewofthe mainframe, bottom plate, and connecting pino f the capping head'disclosed-in Figs." 6' and 7.

While the invention has been-shown and described herein as-havingb'een applied to only two specific types of milk b'o'ttle capping heads, it is not our intention to unnecessarily restrict the applicability of the improved features by virtue of these limited embodiments; andit-isalso contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be-g iven the broadest possible interpretation consistent withthe disclosure.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 4' inclusive; the overall cappe'r shown therein comprises in general a vertically movable main casing or frame [0 havingan-upright stacked cap recep: tacle H and a vertical suspension rod bore: 12 therein, and'being provided with an integral horizontal base I3 at the lower open ends of the receptacle and bore; a bottom late I4 having integral opposite hook flanges I5 cooperable with the opposite sides of the base I3, and also having an open rear slot I6 cooperable with a depending headed projection II permanently secured to the rear of the base I3, and a bottle head receiving opening I8 disposed in vertical alinement with the bore l2; a cap transfer slide I9' normally slidably confined between the frame base I3 and the bottom plate I4 by the flanges I5 and projection I1 and slot I6, and by an assembly pin 20 coacting with alineable holes 2|, 22 formed in the front portions of the base I3 and plate I4 respectively; opposite oscillatory side arms 23 swingable upon a pivot shaft 24 mounted in and piercing the frame l and having a rock lever 25 secured to an outer end thereof, each of the arms 23 being provided with a wedge surface 26 and having its swinging extremity connected to the adjacent side of the slide I9 by a link 21; a fixed frame suspension rod 28 slidably coacting with th frame bore l2 and having opposite side pins 29 extending through upright slots 36 in the frame I0 for cooperation with the wedge surfaces 26; and a cap applying plug 3I pressed within the lower end of the bore I2 and being cooperable with the successive bottle caps 33 to apply the same to the milk filled successive bottle heads when elevated through the opening I8.

The frame I8 and base I3 are preferably formed as a single block of corrosion-proof metal, devoid of unnecessary pockets and sharp corners, and the cap receptacle II is slotted at the rear and is adapted to hold a considerable supply of the so-called overall bottle caps 33 stacked upon each other with the peripheral cap flanges directed downwardly. The bottom plate I4 and the cap transfer slide I9 as well as other parts of the mechanism, are also preferably formed of corrosion resistant material, and when the frame and bottom plate have been properly assembled as in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the rear slot I6 engages the projection I1 and the flanges I engage the base I3 while the vertically removable smooth retaining pin 26 coacts with the alined holes 2|, 22 to hold the frame I0 and plate I4 in spaced relation so as to permit free reciprocation of the slide I9 therebetween. However, upon upward withdrawal of the pin 26, the bottom plate I4 and slide I9 may be pulled forwardly to release the plate I4 from the frame base I3 and to cause the plate and slide to drop away from the frame Ill for convenient cleaning, as depicted in Fig. 1. Reassembly of the mechanism after such dismantling has been effected may be just as quickly accomplished, thus making it possible to ffect cleaning with minimum loss of time.

The front edge of the slide I9 is curved to conform with the periphery of the caps 33, and the thickness of this edge is also approximately equal to the cap height; so that each forward movement of the slide I9 as shown in dot-anddash lines in Fig. 2 and produced by the lever 25 through the arms 23 and links 21 will feed afresh cap 33 over the opening I8 from the lower end of the supply stack. However, each rearward movement of the slide l9 caused by the pins 29 coacting with the wedge surfaces 26 of the arms 23 will return the slide l9 to cap receiving position, as illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 2. The entire capping unit is vertically slidably suspended from the lower end of the sta-- tionary suspension rod 23 which snugly engages the front frame bore I2 above the fixed plug 3I,

and the successive liquid filled bottles are adapted to be elevated so as to cause the caps 33 to be applied to the heads thereof by the plug 3| and to thereafter lift the frame I0 bodily in order to cause the fixed pins 29 to swing the arms 23 rearwardly, while the lever 25 is automatically operable in a well known manner to swing the arms 23 forwardly whenever the frame I0 descends along its suspension rod 28. The swinging ends of the arms 23 are pivotally attached to corresponding ends of the links 21 and the opposite corresponding ends of these links are likewise secured to integral flanges 35 at the opposite sides of the slide I9, and the portion of the bottom plate It beneath the opening I8 is preferably tapered as in Fig. 4 in order to properly guide the bottle heads.

Referring especially to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, the disk type capper shown therein comprises in general a vertically movable main casing or housing 40 having an upright stacked closure disk receptacle 4i and a vertical suspension rod bore 42 therein, and being provided with an integral horizontal base 43 at the lower open ends of the receptacle and bore; a bottom plate 44 having integral opposite hook fianges 45 cooperable with the opposite sides of the base 43, and also having an open rear slot 46 cooperable with a depending headed projection 41 fixedly secured to the rear of the base 43, and a bottle head receiving opening 48 located in vertical alinement with the bore 42; a disk cap transfer slide 49 normally slidably confined in the space between the frame base 43 and the bottom plate 44 by the flanges 45 and slot 46 and projection 41, and by an assembly pin 59 coacting with alineable holes 5|, 52 formed in the base 43 and plate 44 respectively; opposite oscillatory side arms 53 swingable upon a pivot bolt 54 carried by and piercing the frame 40, each of these arms 53 having a hook projection 55 and a cooperating wedge surface 56, and also having its swinging lower extremity connected to an actuating yoke 65 for the slide 49 by a link 51; a fixed frame suspension rod 58 slidably coacting with the frame bore 42 and having opposite side roller pins 59 slidable within slots 60 formed in the frame 40, these pins being cooperable with the arm projections 55 and with the wedge surfaces 56; a cap applying head 6| formed integral with the lower end of the frame suspension rod 58 for forcing the disk caps 63 into the openings of the successive milk filled bottles; and a helical compression spring 62 embracing the rod 58 above the frame 46 and reacting against a washer 64 secured to the rod.

The frame 46 and base 43 of the disk capper are also preferably formed as a single block of corrosion resistant metal, devoid of unnecessary pockets and corners, and the disk receptacle 4| is slotted at the rear and is adapted to hold a substantial supply of flat disc caps 63 stacked upon each other. The bottom plate 44 and the disk cap transfer slide 49 as well as other parts of the assemblage, are likewise preferably formed of corrosion resistant material, and when the frame and bottom plate have been properly assembled as in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the rear slot 46 engages the projection 41 and the flanges 45 engage side rails 66 on the base 43 while the vertically removable smooth retainer pin 56 coacts with the alined holes 5|, 52 to retain frame 49 and plate 44 in spaced relation so as to permit free reciprocation of the slide 49 therebetween. However, when the pin 50 is lifted out of the opening 52, the-bottom plate 44 may be pulled forward to release the plate 44 and the slide 49 -from the base 43 and yoke 65, as depicted in Fig. 5.' The slide actuating yoke 65 coacts loosely with the opposite sides of the slide 49 and engages the rails 66 with which the hook flanges 45 also coact; and when the capping unit has been thus dismantled, reassembly of the mechanism may be just as easily and quickly effected after the parts have been cleaned, with minimum-waste of time.

The front edge of the slide 49 is curved to conform with the peripheral curvature of the flat disk caps 63 as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the thickness of the slide 49 is approximately equal to the thickness of each disk cap 63 so that each forward motion of the slide bythe expanding helical spring 62 andby the projections 55 coacting with the roller pins 59, whenever a bottle has beencapped and is withdrawn from the opening 48, will transfer a fresh cap 63 from the supply stack to the'capping zone. However, each rearward motion of the slide 49 caused by the roller pins 59 coacting with the wedge surfaces 56 of the arms 53, when the frame 48 is lifted by an ascending liquid filled bottle, will be accompanied by a compression of the spring 62 and a descent of the cap supply stack. Since the entire capping unit is suspended from and is slidable vertically along the stationary rod 58 which snugly engages the front frame bore 42, the successive bottles will be capped by the head 6| which forces the caps 63 into the bottle openings when the bottles are raised into capping position. During such alternate lowering and raising of the frame 40 and associated parts, by the successive liquid filled bottles, the slide actuating yoke 65 will be reciprocated along the side rails 66 of the bottom plate 44 by the oscillating arms 53, and the portion of the plate 44 beneath the opening 48 is preferably tapered as shown in Fig. 8 in order to properly guide and center the bottle necks relative to the plunger head 6|.

Both types of cappers illustrated function to automatically apply the caps 33, 63 to the successive liquid filled bottles whenever the latter are elevated to raise the frames I0, 40 upon their fixed suspension rods 28, 58 respectively; and to feed fresh caps 33, 63 into the capping zone when the frames I0, 48 drop by gravity. Both of these capping assemblages may be quickly dismantled for inspection and thorough cleaning as in Figs. 1 and by merely withdrawing a single retainer pin 20, 59 and by thereafter sliding the bottom plate I 4, 44 forwardly to release the same; and both cappers may also be just as quickly reassembled for normal operation by merely restoring the bottom plates I4, 44 to the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and by merely dropping the retainer pin 20, 50 into the alined receiving holes of the frame and bottom plate, thus obviously making provision for rapid and convenient dismantling and reassembling of the mechanisms. The normal operation of the two types of units, is well known to those familiar with the milk bottle capping art, and the mode of suspending the stationary rods 28, 58 is also well known.

From the foregoing detailed description it should be apparent that our present invention in fact provides improvements in the construction of milk bottle capping heads or units, whereby such devices may be rapidly dismantled for effective cleansing, and just as rapidly reassembled for normal operation. Such operations may be corners.

conveniently effectedbynmerely manipulating a single smooth retainer pinv 28, 581 :andby sliding the bottom plate I4, 44 along the frame base I3, 43, and the invention is conveniently applicable to either a disk capper or to an overall capper. The several improved capping units shown are obviously simple, compact and durable in construction while being devoid of inaccessible and unnecessary filth accumulatingv pockets and The devices may also be manufactured and sold at moderate cost, for cooperation with various types of bottlefilling machines, and both types of cappers shown herein have'provenhigh- 1y satisfactory and successful in actual commercial operation.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise'mode of operation of the two specific types of cappers shown and described herein, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

We claim: 7

1. A milk bottle capper comprising, a Vertically movable suspended frame having an integral protruding base provided with integral opposite side rails and also having a receptacle for delivering closure caps through the base, a feed slide movable along the lower surface of said base to transfer the successive caps from said receptacle to a laterally disposed capping zone, a bottom plate having integral hook flanges coacting with said rails to support said slide and also having an opening between said flanges and communicating with said capping zone, and a freely vertically removable pin coacting with said base and plate to normally prevent relative shifting thereof, said bottom plate flanges being freely laterally removable from said base rails only when said pin has been removed.

2. A milk bottle capper comprising, a vertically movable suspended frame having an integral protruding base provided with integral opposite side rails and a rear depending projection and also having a receptacle for delivering closure caps through the base, a feed slide movable along the lower surface of said base to transfer the successive caps from said receptacle to a laterally disposed capping zone, a bottom plate having integral hook flanges coacting with said rails and a slot coacting with said projection to support said slide and also having an opening between said flanges communicating with said capping zone, and a freely vertically removable pin having a head resting upon said base and a shank coacting with said base and plate to normally prevent relative shifting thereof, said bottom plate flanges and slot being freely laterally removable from said base rails and projection only when said pin has been removed.

3. A milk bottle capper comprising, a frame suspended for vertical movement along an upright axis and having a base provided with integral opposite side rails and also having a receptacle disposed laterally of said axis for delivering closure caps in succession through the base, a feed slide movable along the lower surface of said base to transfer successive caps from said receptacle to a capping zone at said axis, a bottom plate supporting said slide and having integral hook flanges cooperable with said rails and an opening between said flanges communicating with said zone from beneath, and a freely removable pin resting upon the base and having a shank coacting with said base and plate to normally prevent relative shifting thereof, said bottom plate flanges being freely removable from said base rails only after said pin has been removed.

4. A milk bottle capper comprising, a frame suspended for vertical movement along an upright axis and having a base provided with integral side rails and a depending headed projection and also having a receptacle disposed laterally of said axis for delivering closure caps in succession through the base, a feed slide movable along the lower surface of said base to transfer successive caps from said receptacle to a capping zone at said axis, a bottom plate supporting said slide and having integral hook flanges cooperable with said rails and a slot cooperable with said projection and also having an opening between said flanges communicating with said zone from beneath, and a freely removable pin resting upon said base and having a shank coacting with said base and plate to normally prevent relative shifting thereof, said bottom plate flanges and slot being freely removable from said base rails and projecting only after said pin has been removed.

RAY E. BODENDOERFER.

DAVID C. FEE.

HERMAN C. FRENTZEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,097,383 Riemer Oct. 26, 1937 2,384,052 Stewart et a1. Sept. 4, 1945 2,473,523 Henschen June 21, 1949 2,518,294 Dennis et al Aug. 8, 1950 2,524,594 Franz Oct. 3, 1950 2,533,437 Dennis et al Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 456,262 Germany Feb. 20, 1928

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