US2679345A - Mechanism for metering, positioning, and inserting stoppers with respect to bottles - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1954 2,679,345

T. A. HAYNES MECHANISM FOR MET NG, POSITIONING. AND INSERTING STOPPERS BO 0 TH RESPECT TO TTLEZS Filed March 10 195 4 Sheets-Sheet l lhmentor N THOMAS A. HAYNES Gttorueg May 25, 1954 HAYNES 2,679,345

MECHANISM FOR METERING, POSITIONING. AND INSERTING STOPPERS WITH RESPECT TO BOTTLES Filed March 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IILIIIH ZSnventor THO/VIA 5 A HA YNES May 25, 1954 T. A. HAYNES 2,679,345

MECHANISM FOR METERING, POSITIONING. AND INSERTING STOPPERS WITH RESPECT TO BOTTLES Filed March 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 q 3nventor THOMAS A, HAYNES attorney May 25, 3954 T. A. HAYNES 2,679,345

MECHANISM FOR METERING, POSITIONING. AND INSERTING STOPPERS WITH RESPECT TO BOTTLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 10 1950 SUCTION PUMP TIMER RAM ACTUATOR 3nventor THOMAS A. HA YNES Patented May 25, 1954 MECHANISM FOR METERING, POSITIONING,

AND

SPECT TO BOTTLES Thomas A. Haynes, Wyandotte, Mich., assignor to The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan INSERTING STOPPERS WITH RE- Application March 10, 1950, Serial No. 149,004

1 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a machine for automatically inserting into a bottle a resilient stopper having a flat top and a cylindrical shank, and more particularly to a type thereof cooperable with means including an inclined, sidewardly opening chute for automatically and continuously feeding said stoppers to said machine.

Resilient stoppers, such as those made from relatively soft rubber, having a substantially fiat, circular top and a cylindrical shank are often designed so that the outside diameter of said shank is normally somewhat larger than the inside diameter of the bottle neck into which the stopper is to be inserted, in order to insure a secure, leak-proof fit. Thus, in order to automatically insert such stoppers into bottles, the leading end of the shank of each stopper must be sufiiciently reduced in diameter at the beginning of the insertion operation to permit its entry into the bottle neck.

In addition to reducing the shank diameter, it is necessary that the stoppers be automatically and properly presented to the means effecting such reduction and subsequent insertions.

Devices intended for this purpose have existed for overy fifty years, but, insofar as I am aware, they have all relied on means for applying a compressive force directly to the shank of the stopper as it enters the bottles. Such mechanisms are undesirably complicated for high-speed automatic operation and have not met with general acceptance.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is the provision of a machine for automatically inserting into a bottle a resilient stopper having a substantially flat, circular top and hollow, cylindrical shank.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a machine, as aforesaid, comprising automatic mechanisms for successively receiving said stoppers and presenting them to means whereby the said stopper shank is temporarily reduced in diameter and then inserted into the neck of a bottle after which the said shank is permitted to expand against the inside wall of the bottle neck.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a machine, as aforesaid, by means of which the reduction in the diameter of the stopper shank is accomplished automatically without contacting, in said reduction step, any part of said stopper other than the said flat top thereof, thereby materially assisting in maintaining the sterile condition of the stopper shank.

companying drawings and upon reading the following specification.

In meeting these objects and purposes heretofore mentioned, as well as others incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have provided a machine comprising a stopper metering device cooperable with and securable to the lower end of gravity actuated, stopper feed chute, for controlling the dispensing of said stoppers, one at a time, from said chute. The machine also includes a vertically reciprocable ram disposed near said metering device for inserting the stoppers into bottles. The lower surface of said ram, which is preferably about equal in diameter to the circular top of the stopper, has a concave surface. An exhaust passageway, which opens through said concave surface, is provided in the ram.

A transfer mechanism is pivotally supported between said metering device and said ram to receive a stopper from the metering device and transfer it to a position wherein the flat top surface of the stopper is adjacent to the lower end of the ram and substantailly coaxial therewith. Means are provided on said transfer mechanism for retaining the stopper therein during the transfer movement.

Means may be provided for automatically positioning a bottle beneath, and coaxial with, said ram with each stroke thereof. Such means if used may be either a part of the entire machine or may be a separate device used as an accessory to the stoppering device. Further, means are provided for vertically reciprocating said ram with respect to said bottle and for evacuating air through said passageway when a stopper is placed against said concave surface. Thus, such evacuation not only holds the stopper against the ram lower end, but also effects the reduction in the diameter of the leading end of the shank by distortion of the stopper.

For illustrations of the machine to which this invention relates, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view of the said machine substantially as taken along the line I I of Figure 2 and including a fragrnentary showing of a chute associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a broken side elevation view of the said machine including broken fragment of said chute.

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line III--III of Figure 2 and 3 showing the transfer mechanism in the stopper receiving position adjacent to the lower end of the chute.

Figure 4 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line III-III of Figure 2 and showing the transfer mechanism in stopper releasing position.

Figure 5 is a broken front elevation view of said machine, with the ram in the lowered position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line VI-VI- of Figure! with-the ram in the raised position.

Figure '7 is a sectional view of the chute taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a side elevation view of the ram including a partially schematic showing of means for reciprocating said ram and evacuating air through the passageway therein.

Construction As'shown in Figures 1 and 2, the' bottle stoppering machine I'll, hereinafter referred to as the machine, is comprised of a metering devicell, which is cooperable with, and securable to, the lower end of an inclined sidewardly opening chute 12, a pivotable transfer mechanism 53, a vertically reciprocable stopper ram M, and a bottle" guide and positioning device I5.

For the purpose ofconvenience in description, the terms upper or upwardly and lower or downwardly'as used in the following specification shall beunderstood to refer to the machine lfl when positioned and/or operating in its normal manner of use (Figures 2, 5 and 6) The terms inwardly and outwardly shall be understood to have reference to the geometric center of the machineor the parts thereof, and the terms leftwardly and rightwardly shall beunderst'ood to meanleftwardly and rightwardly of the machine f when positioned as appearing in Figures 1 and 2.

In the particular embodiment herein described and disclosed for illustrative purposes, the stopper has a circular top portion of substantially greater diameter than any part of the shank portion. It will be understood, however, that this is not a necessary, or limiting, feature, although its use both facilitates the feeding of the stoppers and provides a sterile covering for the lip of the bottle. It will be recognized that the substance of this invention may also be practiced with headless stoppers.

The stopper chute I2 (Figures 1, 2, 3' and 7), which is not necessarily an integral part of the machine H3, is comprised of an inclined, sidewardly opening channel member having an upwardly extending boss I? integral therewith near the-lower end thereof. The chute is preferably supported at its lower end upon a gear housing 18 by means of the clamp screw I9, which extends through an appropriate openin in the said boss Ill;

The distance between the flanges 2| and 22 (Figures 1' and 7) of the channel member i6 is somewhat greater than'the diameter of the circular top 23 of a resilient stopper 2 5 being conveyed by said chute l2; vA pair of substantially coplanar and parallel guide strips 25 and 26 are secured to the free edges of the flanges 2! and 22. in any conventional manner, so that they extend towards each other anddefine a shank slot 27 of less width than'the-distance between the opposing faces of the flanges 2| and 22. This arrangement of the chute.i2will'permitthestoppers 24 to move 4 down the chute 12 by gravity with their tops 23 substantially within a vertical plane.

The distance between the parallel, opposing edges of said guide strips defining said shank slot 21, is in this embodiment slightly greater than the diameter of the shank 28 of. a stopper 24. The upward extent of the lower guide. strip 26 beyond the upper face of the flange 22 is preferably less than the difference between the radii of the shank and circular top of the stopper 24. Thus, as headed'stoppers here used move down the chute, the weight thereof will be borne by contact between the periphery of the circular top and the upper face of the lower flange 22.

Themetering device H (Figures 2, 4 and 6), which is associatedrwith the lower end of the chute I2, is comprised of a vertically disposed metering plate 2 9 which may be secured to said lower endof the chute l2 by means such as the bolts 3i. That portion of the metering plate 29 which covers the shank slot 21 (Figures. 2, 3. and

6) is provided with a diagonal groove. 32 which is parallel with, and" slightly wider than, the. shank slot 27, and extends completely acrossthe.

adjacent face of the metering plate 29. The groove 32 is of sufiicient depth. to prevent interference between the plate 29' and the stopper shanks 28, which extend through said slot 21,.

as said stoppers move down the chute past the metering plate 29.

A substantially vertical. feed arm 33' (Figures 2, 3 and 6), having a substantially horizontally disposed feed finger 34, is pivotally supported near its lower end uponthe'metering plate 29 adjacent to the rightward edge thereof. A feed finger opening 35 is provided in the. metering plate 29 adjacent tothe rightward edge thereof for reception of the feed finger 34 therethrough and into the path of a stopper 24.movingdown the chute l2. A feed arm spring 36 urges the feed finger-3A through the opening'35 into the path of a said stopper.

A substantially vertical check arm 31 (Figures 2, 3 andfi) is pivotally supported intermediate its upper and lower ends adjacent to, and leftwardly of, the feed arm 33' at a point on the metering plate 29 slightly below the feed finger 34. The checkarm 31 is provided with a substantially horizontal check finger 38 at the upper end thereof which is extendible through a check opening 39, leftwardly of the feed finger opening 35, in the metering plate 29' and into the path ofa stopper 24 moving down the chute l2.

As will be shown hereinafter, both the feed :and check fingers cannot extend fully into the path of a stopper 24 at the same time. Therefore, the spacing between the said fingers must be sufficient to permit the check finger 38 to engage the rightward side of the shank 28 of one stopper as another stopper is being released by the feed finger 34.

The lower end of the check arm 31 (Figures 2, 5 and 6) is provided with a substantially horizontal, release rod 4! which extends ri htwardly therefrom between the metering plate 29 and the feed arm 33 for engagement with said feed arm. A notch 42, provided in the metering plate 29 ad'iacent to the rightward edge thereof and aligned with the lower end of the check arm 31. permits movement of said check arm lower end through the plane of the outside surface of the metering plate. The lower end of the check arm SJ'is'urged into said slot by the checkarm spring 40, thereby removing theche'ck finger 38 from the path of the stoppers 24 as they move down .the chute I2. Such action of the check arm 31 permits the feed arm spring 36 to urge the feed finger 34 into the path of the stoppers 24 in the chute I2.

The transfer mechanism I3 (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6), is comprised of a transfer arm 43, which is pivotally supported upon the rightward end of the gear housing I8, and a transfer plate 44, preferably integral with the free end of said arm 43, and substantially perpendicular thereto. When the transfer arm is in the stopper receiving position, the transfer plate 44 is vertically disposed in alignment with, and adjacent to, the metering plate 29 at the lower end of the chute I2.

The transfer plate 44 is provided with a blind slot 45 (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6) having sidewalls substantially parallel and alignable with the inside of the channel member I6 and shank slot 21 of the chute I2 when said plate 44 is in said vertical position. The transfer plate slot 45 is blind at the rightward end thereof for the purpose of embracing a stopper 24 as it is released from the chute I2 by the feed finger 34 into the slot 45.

A stopper retainer 41 (Figures 2, 4 and 5), comprising a retainer arm 48 and a counterweight 49 secured thereto, is pivotally supported at one end of said arm 48 upon the transfer plate 44 ad jacent to the transfer arm 43. A retainer bar 50 is mounted upon the other end of said arm 48 for engaging the top 23 of a stopper 24 disposed within the slot 45. When the transfer plate 44 is in the vertical position (Fi ures 2 and 5), the stopper retainer 41 is pivoted by the counterwei ht 49 so that the retainer bar 50 is held against the top of the stopper 24 (Fi ure 3) thereby preventing displacement of the stopper from the transfer plate slot 45. When the transfer plate 44 moves into its horizontal position, the bar 50 is moved upwardly and away from the plate 44 to release the stopper held therein.

A contact plate 5| (Figures 2, 5 and 6) is mounted in any convenient manner upon the outer face of the transfer plate 44 at the lower end thereof for engagement by the extended end of the release rod 4| mounted on the check arm 31, When the transfer plate 44 is moved into the said vertical position (Figures 3 and 5), the contact plate 5| engages said rod 4| and urges it away from the metering plate 29, thereby causing said rod 4| to engage the check arm 31 and urge the up er end thereof away from said metering plate 29. f the feed finger from the shank slot and an insertion of the check finger into the shank slot 21.

The stopper ram I4 (Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8) is supported adiacent to the gear housing I8 for vertically reciprocable movement by the ram actuator 46 Figure 8 of any conventional type and is positioned so that it is coaxial with a stopper 24 held within the rightward end of the transfer slot 45 in the transfer plate 44 when said transfer plate is disposed in a substantially horizontal position (Figure 6). When the ram I4 is at the upper limit of its stroke, and the transfer plate 44 is pivoted to the said horizontal position, the top 23 of a stopper 24 held in the slot 45 is brought snugly adjacent to the lower end 52 of the ram I4.

The ram lower end 52, which is provided with a concave surface 53 (Figure is preferably approximately equal in diameter to the diameter of the stopper circular top 23. An exhaust'pas- Such movements effect a withdrawal.

sageway 54, which communicates through the concave surface 53 with the cavity 55 formed thereby, is provided in the ram I 4.

A suction device 65 (Figure 8) of any conventional type for creating a vacuum is connected by means of a flexible hose 66 to the upper end of the passageway 54. A timer 61, also of a conventional type, may be electrically connected both to the suction device 65 and the ram actuator 46 for coordinating the action of the suction device 65 with the movement of the ram I4. Said timer may also be used to coordinate the movement of the ram I4 with the movement of the transfer mechanism I3 if the transfer mechanism is independently driven, or the transfer mechanism may be mechanically connected to the ram for movement therewith by any conventional means.

When the ram I4 is at the lower limit of its stroke, the stopper 24, held thereto by the vacueration of the machine normally commences with um created in the cavity 55, will be firmly sea-ted within the neck of the bottle 56 (Figure 5) placed therebelow.

The bottle 56 may be automatically moved into position beneath the ram I4 by any suitable guide and positioning means, such as the bottle positioning arms 51 and 58 (Figure 1) mounted upon the longitudinally reciprocal guide bars 6| and 62 which are supported upon the bed 63 of the machine to which this invention relates. The guide bars BI and 62 are spaced from each other just enough to permit movement of th bottles 56 therebetween.

Operation At the beginning of an operation cycle, the transfer plate 44 is vertically disposed adjacent to the lower end of the chute I2 (Figure 5), the ram I4 is in the raised position (Figure 6), and a bottle 56 is disposed co-axial with and directly below the ram 4. When the transfer plate is vertically disposed, the contact plate 5| engages the release rod 4| thereby moving the check finger 38 into the shank slot 21 and removing the feed finger 34 therefrom, as hereinabove described in detail.

- Resilient stoppers 24 are fed-into the upper end of the chute I2 (Figures 1 and 2) by any convenient means so that their fiat circular tops 23 lie substantially within a vertical plane and support the weight of the stoppers, and so that their shanks 28 extend through the shank slot 21.

The first stopper 24 placed in the chute I2 rolls downwardly and rightwardly by the. force of gravity until it is intercepted near the lower end of the chute by the check finger 38 and comes to rest in position A (Figures 2 and 3). The opthe pivotal movement of the transfer plate 44 from said vertical position to the horizontal position (Figures 4 and 6). However, if the machine It! has not been previously operated, the slot 45 in the transfer plate 44 will be empty during the first movement of the transfer mechanism l3. Thus, means may be provided for preventing advancement of a bottle 56- from its position beneath the ram I4 when no stopper is within the blind slot 45 of the transfer plate 44.

' As the transfer plate 44 (Figures 5 and 6) is moved from the vertical position toward the horizontal position, the release rod 4| is indirectly urged by the springs 36 and 4|! to follow said plate 44 until the check arm 31, to which said rod 4| is secured, engages the upper edge of the notch into said slot 2?. Thus, the said first stopper 25 is permited to move from position A (Figure 2) to position B (Figure 4) where it is intercepted by and bears against the feed finger 34. The rest of the stoppers in the chute 1?. advance downwardly equivalent distances where they remain until the transfer plate 4' is returned to its vertical position.

When such return is efiected, the contact plate 51 again engages the rod 4|, thereby pivoting the feed finger 3-: out of the shank slot 27 and pivoting the check finger into said slot 21. This action permits said first stopper 25 in position B (Figure 4) to roll into position C (Figures 2 and 3) in the transfer plate slot 45, while permitting the next following stopper to be intercepted by the check finger 3! in position A (Figure 2). The first stopper E l is held in position C by the stopper retainer ll (Figures 3 and 5) while the transfer plate M is in its vertical position.

When the transfer plate M is again pivoted from the vertical to the horizontal position, the said next following stopper is permitted to advance from position A to position B, as above de-' scribed with reference to the first stopper, and the first stopper is moved into position with its fiat top adjacent to the concave surface 53 at the lower end 52 of the ram it (Figure 6) which is in the raised position. As the transfer plate 4-3 moves into said horizontal position, the counterweight 49 pivots the retainer bar 5!] away from engagement with the circular top 23 of the stopper 24 as well as out of the path of the ram M.

The air within the cavity 55 between the concave surface 53 and the stopper top 23 is exhausted by the device (55 through the passage 54 and the hose E6, thereby securing the stopper 24 to the ram lower end 52 by suction, and simultaneously reducing the diameter of the leading, or lower, end of the shank 23 by the distortion resultin from said suction (Figure 5) The next return movement of the transfer mechanism i3, placing the transfer plate 44 back into the vertical position, is followed by the downward stroke of the ram i l. The stopper is driven by this stroke into the neck of the bottle 58, whereupon the suction is released and the ram is returned to its raised position by the ram actuator 46 Figure 8 for reception of another stopper.

The above described cycle includes, by way of summary, the following steps: 1) the advancement of a stopper from position B in the chute $2 to position C in the transfer plate slot, (2)

movement of the transfer plate 44 from the vertical to the horizontal position, (3) engagement and pick-up of the stopper by the ram M and concurrent, reduction in the shank diameter of the lower end of the stopper, (4) the return movement of the transfer plate 44 to the vertical position, (5) insertion of the stopper into the bottle '58 by the ram Hi, and the return stroke of the ram. These steps may be repeated, completely automatically, as long as desired or required. Means for effecting automatic positioning of the bottles beneath the ram, and removal thereof after insertion of a stopper thereinto, may or may not be made an integral part of this machine, since any one of a number of conventional mechanisms for handling bottles in this manner may be used.

While it has been assumed throughout the above disclosure that the ram would reciprocate, and such is the preferred construction, it will be 8 appreciated that in some instances it may be desirable to cause the bottle support to reciprocate instead. However, as long as the remainder of the device, herein described, remains substantially unchanged, such a modified construction, as well as similar variations or modifications, shall be considered within the scope of this invention, unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for automatically inserting a resilient stopper, having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank, into a bottle neck whose inside diameter is less than the normal diameter of said shank, the combination comprising: a vertically and axially reciprocable ram having a concave surface defining a portion of a sphere at the lower end thereof and a suction opening through said surface; a transfer arm Divotally supported adjacent to said ra-m about an axis perpendicular and fixed with respect to the axis of the ram, and a plate secured to said arm, and movable thereby from a vertical position to a horizontal position said plate having a slot therein for reception of a stopper when said plate is in a vertical position, and said transfer arm being disposed for positioning the top of said stopper against the lower end of the ram and opposed to said opening when said plate is in a horizontal position and said ram is fully raised; stopper retaining means mounted upon said plate; suction means connected with said suction opening; stopper supply means including a metering device operable by said plate as it moves into the vertical position for feeding a stopper into said slot.

2. In a machine for automatically inserting a resilient stopper, having a fiat top and a hollow, cylindrical shank, into a bottle neck whose inside diameter is less than the normal diameter of said shank, the combination comprising: a vertically and axially reciprocable ram having a concave surface at the lower end thereof and a suction opening through said surface; a transfer arm pivotally supported adjacent to said ram about an axis perpendicular and fixed with respect to the axis of the ram, and a plate secured to said arm and movable by said transfer arm from the vertical position to a horizontal position and return said plate having a slot therein for reception of a stopper when said plate is in a vertical position and for positioning the top of said stopper against said ram lower end and opposed to said opening when said plate is in a horizontal position; stopper retaining means mounted upon said plate; suction means connected with said suction opening, and means responsive to movement of said arm effecting actuation of the suction means when said stopper is adjacent to said concave surface; stopper supply means including a metering device operable by said plate as it moves into the vertical position for feeding a stopper into said slot; and means effecting reciprocation of said ram in timed relationship to movement of said plate between its horizontal and vertical positions.

3. In a device for selectively receiving a resilient stopper having a substantially fiat top and a cylindrical shank from a supply means, and for transferring and positioning said stopper for insertion into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: an inclined, sidewardly opening chute for advancing stoppers with their flat tops substantially in a vertical plane and support means secured-to said chute near thev lower end thereof; a substantially vertical check arm pivotally supported intermediate its ends upon said support means and having a finger at one end thereof insertable into said chute near the lower end thereof; a rod extending from the other end of said check arm toward said chute lower end; a substantially vertical feed arm pivotally supported near one end thereof upon said support means adjacent to said check finger and having a finger at the other end thereof insertable into said chute between the check finger and the chute lower end, said rod extending between said feed arm and said support means and being engageable by said feed arm; resilient means urging said feed finger into said chute and against said bar, thereby urging said check finger out of said chute; a transfer mechanism having an arm pivotally supported upon said support means adjacent to the lower end of said chute and having a slot alignable with said chute, when said arm is in one pivotal position for reception of a stopper thereinto, said transfer mechanism being engageable by the extended end of said rod; and a stopper retaining means mounted upon said mechanism for releasably holding said stopper in said slot; whereby movement of said mechanism out of alignment with the chute pivots the check finger out of the chute and pivots the feed finger into the chute, and movement of said mechanism into alignment with said chute pivots the check finger into the chute and pivots the feed finger out of the chute.

4. In a device for selectively receiving a resilient stopper having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank from a supply means, and for transferrin and positioning said stopper for insertion into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: an inclined, sidewardly openin chute fOr advancing stoppers with their flat tops in a substantially vertical plane, and support means secured to said chute near the lower end thereof, a vertically disposed check arm pivotally mounted intermediate its upper and lower ends upon said support means at a point below said chute, said arm havin a finger at the upper end thereof insertable into said chute near the lower end thereof; a rod extending from the lower end of the check finger toward the chute lower end; a vertically disposed feed arm pivotally mounted at the lower end thereof upon said support means at a point below said rod, the upper end of the feed arm having a finger insertable into said chute between the check arm and the chute lower end, said rod being engageable by said feed arm; resilient means urging the feed finger toward the chute and against said rod and resilient means urging the check finger away from the chute; a transfer plate having an arm secured thereto and pivotally mounted upon said support means adjacent to the lower end of said chute for movement of said plate between a vertical and horizontal position, said plate having a slot therein alignable with said chute, and bein engageable by said rod, when in said vertical position; and a stopper retainin bar pivotally supported upon said arm and having a counterweight secured thereto; whereby movement of the arm from vertical to horizontal position pivots the check finger out of the chute and the feed finger into the chute and pivots the bar out of stopper retaining position, and movement of said arm from horizontal to vertical position pivots the check finger into the chute and the feed finger out of the chute and pivots the bar into stopper retaining position.

5. In a device for selectively receiving a resilient stopper, having a substantially fiat top and a cylindrical shank, from a supply means, and for transferring and positioning said stopper for insertion into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: an inclined chute; support means; a substantially vertical check arm pivotally supported intermediate its ends upon said support means and having a finger at one end thereof insertable into said chute near the lower end thereof; a rod extending from the other end of said check arm toward said chute lower end a substantially vertical feed arm pivotally supported near one end thereof upon said support means adjacent to said check finger and having a finger at the other end thereof insertable into said chute between the check finger and the chute lower end, said rod extending between said feed arm and said sup port means and being engageable by saidfeed arm; resilient means urging said feed finger into said chute and against said bar, thereby urging said check finger out of said chute; a transfer mechanism having an arm pivotally supported upon.

said support means and having a slot alignable with said chute, when said arm is in one pivotal position for reception of a stopper thereinto, said transfer mechanism being engageable by the extended end of said rod; whereby movement of said mechanism out of alignment with the chute pivots the check finger out of the chute and pivots the feed finger into the chute, and movement of said mechanism into alignment with said chute pivots the check finger into the chute and pivots the feed finger out of the chute.

6. In a machine for inserting a resilient stopper, having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank, into a bottle neck whose inside diameter is less than the normal diameter of said shank, the combination comprising: a single axially reciprocable ram having a concave surface definin a portion of a sphere at the lower end thereof and a suction opening through said surface; an inclined, sidewardly opening, chute for advancing stoppers with their fiat tops substantially in a vertical plane; means positioning said chute adjacent said ram; a transfer mechanism including a plate having a slot therein of substantially the same cross-section as the opening within said chute and including also means for pivotally supporting said plate for movement between a vertical position and a horizontal position, said plate when in said vertical position having its slot aligned with said chute at the lower end of said chute and when in said horizontal position bein below said ram; a metering device including a pair of fingers pivotally supported adjacent said chute and including also means causing said fingers to enter into said chute alternately with respect to each other at spaced positions along the length of said chute; resilient means causing the lowermost of said fingers normally to be entered into said chute and the uppermost thereof to be retracted out and axially reciprocable ram havin a concave.

surface defining a portion of a sphere at the lower end thereof and a suction opening through said surface; a transfer arm pivotally supported adjacent to said ram about an axis perpendicular and fixed with respect to the axis of the ram, and a plate secured to said arm and movable thereby from a vertical position to a horizontal position said plate having a slot therein for reception of a stopper when said plate is in a vertical position, and said transfer arm being disposed for positioning the top of said stopper against the lower end of the ram and opposed to said openin when said plate is in a horizontal position and said ram is fully raised the slot being alignable with the opening in said chute when the plate is in its vertical position and said slot being terminated to provide a stopper-holding zone concentric with a predetermined point; said predetermined point being located on the axis extended of said ra-m when said plate is in its horizontal position.

8. In a machine for automatically inserting a stopper, having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank, into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: a vertically and axially reciprocable ram; an inclined chute having a sidewardly opening slot therein and means positioning same adjacent the lower end of said ram; a plate having a deauended slot therein of the same cross-section as said slot in said chute and positionable in a vertical position at the lower end of said chute so that the slot in the plate becomes an extension of the slot in said chute; a transfer arm afixed to said plate and pivotal on an axis perpendicular to the axis of said ram and disposed in one position for positioning said plate in said vertical position adjacent the lower end of said chute and in another position for positioning said plate in a horizontal position -below said ram; a metering device associated with said chute operable by said plate as it moves into said vertical position for feeding a stopper into said slot in said plate.

9. In a device for selectively receiving a resilient stopper, having a substantially flat top and a cylindrical shank, from a supply means, and for transferring and positioning said stopper for insertion into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: an inclined, sidewardly opening chute for advancing stoppers with their fiat tops substantially in a vertical plane and support means secured to said chute; a pair of arms pivotally affixed to said chute and each having fingers extending into same, said fingers being spaced apart with respect to each other along the length of said chute; resilient means normally urging the lowermost of said fingers into said chute and the uppermost thereof out of said chute; a transfer mechanism having an arm pivotally supported upon said support means adjacent to the lower end of said chute and having a slot alignable with said'chute when said transfer arm is in one pivotal position for reception of a stopper thereinto; means actuated when said transfer arm comes into said one pivotal position for moving 12 the upper of said fingers into said chute and the lower of said fingers out of said chute; and a stopper-retaining means mounted upon said mechanism for releasably holding said stopper in said slot; whereby movement of said mechanism' out of alignment with the chute pivots the uppermost finger out of the chute and pivots the lowermost finger into the chute, and movement of said mechanism into alignment with said chute pivots the uppermost finger into the chute and pivots the lowermost finger out of the chute.

10. In a device for selectively receiving a resilient stopper, having a substantially flat top and a cylindrical shank, from a supply means, and for transferring and positioning said stopper for insertion into a bottle neck, the combination comprising: an inclined, sidewardly opening chute for advancing stoppers with their flat tops substantially in a vertical plane; and support means secured to said chute; a check arm pivotally supported with respect to said chute and having a check finger at one end thereof insertable into said chute; a feed arm pivotally supported with respect to said chute and spaced along said chute from said check arm and having a feed finger thereon insertable into said chute between said check finger and the lower end of said chute; means including resilient means urging said check finger into said chute and said feed finger out of said chute; a transfer mechanism having an arm pivotally supported upon said support means adjacent to the lower end of said chute and having a slot alignable with said chute, when said transfer arm is in one pivotal position, for reception of a stopper thereinto; means actuated by the movement of said transfer arm into said one pivotal position for moving said feed finger into said chute and simultaneously moving said check finger out of said chute; and a stopper-retaining means mounted upon said mechanism for releasably holding said stopper in said slot; whereby movement of said mechanism out of alignment with the chute pivots the check finger out of the chute and pivots the feed finger into the chute, and movement of said mechanism into alignment with said chute pivots the check finger into the chute and pivots the feed finger out of the chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 651,050 Muslar June 5, 1900 1,083,768 Stone Jan. 6, 1914 1,553,738 Arey Sept. 15, 1925 1,641,743 Dawson Sept. 6, 1927 1,748,961 Risser Mar. 4, 1930 1,949,960 Franzen et al. Mar. 6, 1934 2,042,733 Risser June 2, 1936 2,325,557 Terry July 27, 1943

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