US2689647A

US2689647A - Bottle cap position detector

Info

Publication number: US2689647A
Application number: US307486A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack H Hofstetter; Paul R Wiewandt
Original assignee: Purex Corp Ltd
Current assignee: Purex Corp Ltd
Priority date: 1952-09-02
Filing date: 1952-09-02
Publication date: 1954-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1971-09-21

Description

P 1954 J. H. HOFSTETTER arm. 2,689,647

BOTTLE CAP POSITION DETECTOR Filed Sept. 2, 1952 CLICK H HORSTETTEQ, I Equz. R. WQWAND 3/ INVENTORS. 12 8.? arm :2? 11 Arroe/vEY.

Patented Sept. 21, 1954 BOTTLE CAP POSITION DETECTOR Jack H. Hofstetter, Downcy, and Paul R. Wiewandt, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Purex Corporation, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 2, 1952, Serial No. 307,486

12 Claims.

This invention has to do with improved devices for detecting the applied condition of caps on machine filled and closed containers, and with particular reference to liquid-filled bottles having screw caps containing sealing liners which engage against the mouth rims of the bottles. The invention further contemplates an improved electrically controlled system for detecting misapplied caps, and for automatically rejecting them from the filled container line.

As is known, in the machine application of the caps to the bottles, an occasional cap may have faulty application to the bottle for any of various reasons, including misalinement of the cap and bottle threads, resulting in a cooked position of the cap on the bottle, as well as accidental exclusion of the liner from the cap, or the inclusion of more thanthe proper single liner. In any of these events, the faultily capped bottle should be rejected and the condition of its cap corrected.

Heretofore faulty cap detectors have been proposed and operated on the principal of gauging the elevation of the cap, or the high point of its top surface, above the base on which the bottle 1 is supported. Because only small distances may be involved, and since the overall vertical dimension of the bottles may vary, such proposals have lacked the desired selectivity in accurately determining the condition of the cap.

The invention has for one 'of its objects to provide an improved cap detector which determines any faulty positioning of the cap relative to the immediate d mension of the bottle neck, as distinguished from the overall height of the bottle. In this connection, the present detector is designed for use onbottles having an annular flange directly below the cap threads, and in a manner such that' by engagement of the body of the detector with the flange the latter becomes a reference base having practically no dimensional variation from the mouth and threads, from which the cap position may begauged.

Generally consideredfthe detector comprises a holder or body adapted to ride upon the bottle flange as the bottles are advanced beneath and past the detector, the holder being mounted for vertical movement to assure itsaccurate conformance with the elevation of the flange. The holder carries a relatively movable detector finger the lower cap-engaging extremity of which has a predetermined spacing above the flange-engaging surfaces of the holder, so that where lacking a liner and therefore positioned too low on the bottle, the cap will pass beneath the finger without deflecting it; or where the cap contains more than the proper liner thickness, or is not fully screwed down on the bottle, or has been screwed in a cocked position, the finger will be excessively deflected to actuate, through an appropriate switch, a delayed action mechanism which will reject the bottle. A normally and properly applied cap will deflect the finger to only a limited degree, and to which the switch control is unresponsive in its rejecting function. The invention has various additional. features and objects, as well as numerous novel structural aspects and details, all of which however will be understood most readily and to best advantage without necessity for further preliminary discussion, from the following detailed description of a typical and illustrative embodiment of the invention shown by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general plan view showing the conveyed bottle line and the association between the cap detector and the rejecting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged scale front elevational view of the detector;

Fig. 3 is a left side view of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating different possible positions of the detector finger in accordance with the condition of the bottle cap.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the cap detecting and bottle rejecting mechanisms may be applied to v a line comprising a conveyor Ill carrying liquid filled bottles II from a machine (not shown) which screws the caps 12 on the bottles. The latter may be advanced between guides I3 interrupted at the location of a reject platform or conveyor I4 and the opposed and later described pusher device l5.

The cap detector, generally indicated at I6 comprises a body or finger and switch holder structure I! suspended from a support 18 by arm l9 having a screw and slot connection at 20 with the support to permit accurate alinement of the detectors with the bottle caps as they are advanced beneath and past the detector.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the holder structure l1 comprises apair of spaced side members 2| interconnected by a bolt 22 which also passes through and mounts between the members the body or housing 23 of an electrical switch. The holder is suspended from one end 24 on the supporting arm l9 by way of pin '25 secured to the underside of the flange and terminating within vertical slots 26 in the members 2|. Thus the holder and parts carried thereby are capable of vertical movement within the range of the slots 28, upward movement being resisted by coil springs 2'! confined between flange 24 and the top surface of the switch housing 23.

At their lower ends, the side members 2| have tongue and groove connections at 33 with the bottom extensions 3| which are spaced apart a distance in excess of the diameter of the bottle cap [2, and which carry a pair of parallel strips or shoes 32 forming a guideway which receives the bottle neck immediately below the cap. As illustrated, the bottle H has formed directly below the cap-received screw threads, an annular flange 33 which, by reason of its direct proximity to the threaded mouth of the neck, establishes an accurate reference point or base for gauging the correctness of the cap position. Thus as the bottles are advanced on the conveyor is beneath the detector, the flanges 32 ride upon the bottle flange 33, any variations in the fiange elevations due to variances in the bottle dimensions, being compensated by the capacity for upward displacement of the entire detector assembly. The lower extensions 3| of the side sections of the holder may be suitably retained, as by dowel pins 34.

Carried within the holder below the switch is a detector finger 35 attached to and depending from a rotatable pin 36. The bottom gauging extremity 35a of the finger normally is positioned at an accurately predetermined distance above the flanges 32, this distance being such that when deflected to the later described intermediate position 31, the finger will have become elevated to the height of the top surface of a normal and properly applied cap. The detector finger 35 has the angular configuration shown in Fig. i, and includes a top portion 38 which engages against the rounded end of the vertically movable switch stem 39. Referring to Fig. 3, the switch housing or carrier 23 is mounted for pivotal adjustment about belt 22- toadiustably position the switch stem 39 relative. to the angula-rly positioned contacting portion 38 of the detector finger. The switch is. held in adiusted position as by screw all threaded intothe switch housing through an arouate slot ti in theside member 2 i.

It maybe assumed that when correctly applied to the bottle, the cap l2 will be screwed down to the Fig. 4 position against a single sealing tioned or applied, as where the cap may not contain the liner. 42, in which event the cap will ride low onthe bottle, or when the cap may contain more than a single liner, in which event the cap will be positioned excessively high on the bottle, or where the cap and bottle threads may be improperly mated and the can then. will assume a coclred? position as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4..

As the bottle leaves the detector, but while the finger 35 is still engaged against and positioned in, accordance with the elevation of the cap, the side of the bottle engages and closes a switch. 45 connected into an electrical circuit 4-6 in series with the switch 23.. As. illustrated in Fig. 1,. the circuit also contains a delayed action relay switch 11 and is connected to the controller end 48 of the bottle rejector mechanism IS. The latter comprises a cylinder 49 containing a piston 50 displaceable againstv the resistance of spring 5| by compressed air delivered through line 52,, to

so project shoe 53 on the piston rod against a faultily capped bottle Ha as to displace it laterally from the conveyor IE to the reject station or conveyor M. Delivery of air through line 52 to the cylinder is governed by a usual known type of electrically actuated valve in the controller head #8. The switch at may be of the multiple relay, delayed action type responsive to selective actuation of the switch 23 by finger 35, to cause the pusher 53 to reject the bottles having faulty caps.

Referring again to Fig. i, the switch 23 may be a normally closed microswitch which opens upon downward movement of the stem 39 from the Fig. 4 position. Normally, in the illustrated position of finger 35, portion 38 of the latter engages the lower rounded, end of the stem at one side of its axis and maintains the stem in elevated switch closing position. As the lower end of the finger is rotated to the dotted line position indicated at 3?, the upper finger extremity 38 assumes a horizontal position, lowering the stem 39 and opening the switch. Upon continued swinging of the finger to the 3M position, the angularity of the finger extremity 38 is reversed from the Fig. a showing, and stem is is elevated to again close the switch.

In considering the operation of the system, assume first that the cap of the bottle advanced beneath the detector contains no liner 42. The cap accordingly will ride low on the bottle and pass beneath the finger 35 without engaging it, or at least without deflecting the finger to a switch opening position. Upon closure of the switch 45, the pneumatic pusher device i5 will be so actuated under control of the delayed action relay switch 47, to eject the bottle when it arrives at the i la position. Assume next that the cap contains a single liner and is properly screwed on the bottle. Here the cap will deflect the finger 35 to its 3'5 position, opening the switch 23 and thus allowing the bottle to pass on through the conveyor system without energization of the ejector. Finally, assume that the cap has. a cooked position on the bottle, as shown in- Fig. i. The raised position of the cap causes the finger 35 to be deflected to its its position, elosing'theswitch 23 and thus conditioning the circuit upon closure of's-W-itch i5, for rejection of the bottle.

We claim:

1. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning ofa cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride'on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the; height of the shoulders on a plurality of saidbo-ttles, a detector member car-= ried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and dim placeableupwardlydifferentially by caps having different elevations-on the bottles, and; switch means actuatedv by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member.

2. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of. a cap on. the neck. oi a bottle having a an annular shoulder on the. neck below the. cap, comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said. shoulder. as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a the displacement of the member.

-3. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprisinga vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly differentially by caps having different elevations on the bottles, and switch means carried by the holder and actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member.

4. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member be ing engageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly differentially by caps having different elevations on the bottles, switch means carried by the holder and actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member, and means for adjusting the position of said switch means relative to said member.

5. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder comprising a pair of spaced parallel surfaces between which the bottle neck is received and adapted to ride upon said shoulderas the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engageand ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly differentially by caps having different elevations on the bottles, and switch means actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member.

6. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a support, a holder having a bottom portion adapted to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means suspending the holder from the support at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, yielding means resisting upward movement of the holder relative to the support, a detector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly difierentially by caps having different elevations on the bottles, and switch means actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member.

'7. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted to receive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a. plurality of said bottles, a detector finger pivotally depending between said sides to be engageable with and deflectible by the bottle cap, and a switch carried by the holder above said finger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the finger.

8. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted to receive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a,

plurality of said bottles, a detector finger pivotally depending between said sides to be engageable with and deflectible by the bottle cap, a switch carried by the holder above said finger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the finger, and means for variably adjusting the relative positions of the switch and finger.

9. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly differentially by caps having difierent elevations on the bottles, and switch means actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with "the displacement of the member, said detector member having a switch engaging surface movable progressively downwardly and then upwardly in response to continued upward movement of the cap-engaging portion of the member.

10. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck oi a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced. sides adapted to receive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector finger pivotally-dep'ending between said sides to be engageable with. and deflectible by the bottle cap, and a switch carried by the holder above said finger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the finger, said finger having upper angu' said shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with varia tions in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles,- adetector member carried by and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceable up- 8 wardly differentially by caps having different elevations on the bottles, switch means actuated by said member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of the member, and electrically controlled bottle displacement means actuated by said switch.

12. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap, comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted to receive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder andior vertical movement during operation of the device in accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detector finger pivotally depending between said sides to be engageable with and deflectible by the bottle cap, a switch carried by the holder above said finger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuit inaccordance with the displacement of the finger, and electrically controlled bottle displacement means actuated by said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date' 2,314,310 Jackson et al Mar.'16, 1943 2,346,583 Jackson Apr. 11, 1944 2,352,091 Fedorchak June 20, 1944 2,355,719 Fedrochak Aug. 15, 1944 2,368,796 Ardell Feb. 6, 195