US2781946A - Machine for applying slip covers to paper containers - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19, 1957 l. L. WILCOX ET AL 2,781,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS Filed'Aug. 10, 1951 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ISHHC. L. wu cox HERMAN PESC'H Feb. 19, 1957 I. L. WILCOX ET AL 2,781,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild Aug. 10, 1951 INVENTORS Feb. 19, 1957 1.1.. WlLCOX ETAL ,9

MACHINE FOR APPLYING sup COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS /5040 .4. w/zcax l/[AMAN PE-SCH MNAW Feb. 19, 1957 1. L. WILCOX ET AL 2,781,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS /snnc 1.. W/L cox ,5 HERMHN PESCH HTTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1957 1. wlLcdx ETAL 2,781,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS T0 PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 I 15 She'ets-Sheet 'r INVENTORJ 15406 L. W/L cox HRMAN PESCH 4 TTORNE Y5 Feb. 19, 1957 MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINER Filed Aug. 10, 1951 l. 1.. WILCOX ETAL 2,781,946

13 Sheets-Sheet 8 65 l I 40 4 I L. 2b

- INVENTOR5 15406 L. WILCOX HERMAN PESCH Feb. 19, 1957 1.1.. WILCOX ETAL I 2$731,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS To PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10,1951 1s Sheets-Sheet 9 E? 9 INVENTORS v 1504c 1.. m4 cox HfRMfl/Y PESCH Feb. 19, 1957 l. L. WILCOX E'EAL 2,781,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS INVENTORS 7540C L. W/LCOX arraz/vg rs Feb. 19, 1957 I. WILCOX ETAL 2,781,946

. MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 15 Shets-Sheet 11 177' 7 OIPNE Y5 Feb. 19,1957 1. L. WILCOX ETAL 2,731,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 l3 Sheets-Sheet 12 as! us 24 INVENTOR? man: 4. wacox HEAMHN ps-sew- HITORNE YS Feb. 19, 1957 .'wu cox ETAL 2,731,946

MACHINE FOR APPLYING sup covERs T0 PAPER commas :97" r ORNEYS United States Patent N. Y., assignors to Oswego Falls Corporation, Fulton, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application Aug'ust 10,-1951, Serial No. 241,302

2 Claims. (Cir 221-158) This invention relates to apparatus for feeding slip covers to a cover applying. head, more particularly for feeding slip covers formed of readily deformable material, such as paperboard,- and having straight cylindrical flanges.

Containers formed ofpaperboard and like material are now used extensively in packaging food products such, for example, as ice-cream; These containers are usually and preferably closed by the application ofa slip cover that is, a cover formed with adepending cylindrical flange which frictionally encircles the top of the container. In order to effect this frictional engagement, the cylindrical depending flange of the slip cover is formed slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the top of the container. Accordingly, if these cover flanges are deformed, even to a slight extent, they can not be readily applied to the container tops. Heretofore, covers of this type have been applied to" the container tops, one at a time, manually. Thisneeessitatedhandling both the filled container and the cover, and the operation constituted a tedious and repetitive operation on the part of the operator.

This invention has as an object an apparatus of the type described including. a hopper in which a supply of slip covers maybe placed in a commingled state, the apparatus embodying a structure which is operable to separately remove the slip covers from the supply in the hopper, and feed the covers to the applying head of a container cover applying machine without in any way deforming the flanges oft-he covers The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructionshereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention; reference is bad to the accompanying drawings-in which like-characters designate corresponding parts in all the views'.

Figure l is a front elevational view of the machine embodying our inventi'en. I

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the machine shown in Figure- 1* looking to the rig'ht in that figure.

Figure 3- is a view, taken on line Figure' 2, with a portion of the top of the hopper brolien away.

Figure 4 is aview'taken' on-l ine Figure 1.

Figure 5' is a viewtaken on line 5 -5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 isa viewtakenon lined-+6 Figure 3'.

Figure 7 is a View taken on liii'e'7'-7, Figure 6.

Figure 8- is an enlarged View of the up er right hand portion of Figure 6. 4 I

Figure 9' is a view taken on line 9 9, Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a view taken on line 10 -40, Figure 1.

Figures 11 re- 13 inclusive are a series of views illustrating the advancement of a cover from the cover conveyor to the cov'er feed chute with the flange of the cover extending to the left. I

Figure 14 is a View taken online 14-44, Figure 1'3.

Figures 15 to 1 7 inclusive are a series of views, similar to Figures 11 to 13, with the flange of incense extending to" the right.

Figure 18 is a view taken on line 18- 13, Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a view taken on line 1919, Figure 2.-

Figure 20 is aview taken on line 2ll2l Figure 2.

Figure 21 is an enlarged view in elevation of the central position of the chute shown in Figure 2.

Figure 22 is an enlarged sectional view of the actuating shaft and gears for the container advancing member, shown at the right hand center position of Figure 4.

Figure 23 is a top plan view of the cover applying head, the view being taken on a line corresponding to line 23-23, Figure 8.

Figure 24 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2 l-24, Figure 23.

Figure 25 is a view taken on line 25-2S; Figure 24.

Figure 26 is a view taken on line 2'6--26, Figure 24'.

The machine consists of a base 20 in the" form of a box-shaped casting formed with external exterior recesses 21 at each corner for the reception of a screw 22. These screws thread into the bottom wall portion of the base and serve as legs to adjust the height of the machine and to provide means for leveling it, the screws being locked in adjusted position by lock nuts 23.

The machine is operated by a' motor 24 mounted in the base" and being operatively connected to a gear reducing unit 25 by means of a belt 26; Theoutput' shaft 2% of the gear reducing unit 25- is connected to a shaft 29' by driving chains 3t), see Figure 5'. The shaft 29' is journalledhorizontally in bearings 31 formed in web structures of the base. A beveled gear 32 is afiix'e'd to one end of the shaft 29 and arrahged in mesh with a' gear 33 afiixed' to a shaft 34, and the gear 33 is also arranged in mesh with a beveled gear 35 aflixed to a shaft 36. The shaft 36 extends horizontally parallel with the front of the machine and is' journalled in' bearing members 37 also carried by web structures of the base.

The operating mechanism of the machine in the main is mounted upon a housing 40 which consists of another box-shaped casting rectangular in general form and attached to the forward portion of the base, as by screws 41, threading into holes 42 formed in the top portion of the outer wall of the base and a partition 43.

A supply of covers is placed in a hopper 46 having a top cover 47 hinged as at 48, and a bottom wall 49 inclining downwardly toward the housing 40, see Figure 4. The hopper 46 is supported bybrackets 50 secured to the rear side of the housing 40' and by supports 51 extending upwardly from a cover member 52 secured to the top' of the rear portion of the base 20.

The covers gravitate down the inclined bottom wall 4 to the upward run 53 of an endless belt 54. This belt extends transversely across the front open portion of the hopper and is provided with a multiplicity of projections 55' which are engaged by the covers and which cause the covers to be moved upwardly from the hopper. The belt 54 is trained over upper and lower rollers 56, 57. The lower roll 57 is mounted on a shaft 58 journalled at its ends in bearing members 59 mounted on a supporting bracket 60 secured to the rear wall of the housing it? in proximity to the base 20. The bearings 59' carrying the roll 57 are adjustable toward and from the upper roll 56 by adjusting screws 61. The upper roll 56 is affixed to a shaft 63 journalled at one end in a bracket 64 mounted on the top wall of the housing 40, as by screws 65, Figure 8. The opposite end of the shaft 63 is journalled in a bracket 66 also mounted on the top wall of the housing 40. I

The shaft 63 is rotated by the shaft 34- through beveled gears 67, 68, the upper end of the shaft 34 being journalled' in a bearing member 69 also carried by the brackets 64, see Figure 8. The roll 56 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 70" so that the run 53 of; the belt moves upwardly. As the upward flight 53 of the belt passes over the upper roll 56, it is covered by a curved guard 72 formed with notches 73 to permit passage of the projections 55. The outer or forward portion of the guard 72 depends downwardly below the roll 56, as at 74, to direct the covers transferred from the hopper to a trough 75, Figure 4, extending along the front of the machine and from which the covers are conveyed. In order to maintain a supply of the covers against the upward flight 53 of the belt 54, a cylindrical brush member 78 is mounted in proximity to the lower end of the inclined wall 49, see Figure 4, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow 79. The covers are also urged to migrate downwardly along the inclined bottom wall by an electrically operated vibrator 80 attached to the under side of the inclined bottom wall 49.

The brush 78 is fixed to a shaft 81 journallcd at its ends in the side walls of the hopper. This shaft is rotated intermittently by a pawl member 82 connected to an arm 83 by a rod 84. The arm 83 i fixed to the outer end of a shaft 85 journalled in one of the brackets 60, and which has affixed at its inner end, an arm 86. The free end of the arm 86 is provided with a roller 87 positioned in a cam track groove 88 formed in one of the end disks 89 of the roll 57. Rotation of the roll 57 in the end piece 89 causes the arm 86 to be oscillated by the cam groove 88 and likewise etfects oscillation of the outer arm 83, see Figures 2 and 19. The ends of the rod 84 may be adjusted along the arms 82, 83, to provide the extent of the intermittent rotation of the brush 78.

The covers are applied to the tops of the containers by an applying head indicated generally at 90, the covers being fed to the head 90 by a chute 91 extending upwardly from the head substantially vertically, the upper end of the chute being divided into two portions 92, 93, having enlarged rectangular cover receiving openings 94, 95, respectively. The covers are conveyed from the horizontal trough 75 to the upper ends of the chute 91 by a conveyor arrangement extending across the front of the machine and then upwardly to the entrance passages 94, 95, of the chute. This conveyor is in the form of an endles chain 96 trained about a sprocket 97 journalled on a stud 98 supported by a bracket 99 carried by the bracket 64. The sprocket 97 has keyed to it a beveled gear 100 arranged in mesh with a gear 101 positioned on a collar 102 keyed to the vertical shaft 34, the gear 101 being connected to the collar 102 by a shear pin 103, see Figure 8.

The upper flight 105 of the chain is trained about an idler sprocket 106 and extends vertically to an idler sprocket 107 and thence horizontally to an idler sprocket 108 about which it is trained with the return flight passing about sprocket 110, 111, to the sprocket 97. The sprockets 106111 are journalled in a framework 112 arranged in register with the trough 75 and extending upwardly on the right side of the machine and transversely across the top portion of the machine, the framework being partially supported by uprights 113, see Figure 9, extending upwardly from the housing 40. The chain 96, 105, is provided at spaced intervals with pins 115. The framework 112 is provided with an angle iron partition member 116 positioned between the upward and downward flight of the chain and forms a continuation of the bottom wall of the trough 75, the upward flight 105 of the conveyor chain being positioned between the partition member 116 and the edge wall 117 of the framework, the members 116, 117, forming a guide for the covers 120 through which they are advanced by the pins 115.

From the structure thus far described, it will be apparcut that the covers are moved from the hopper 46 by the belt 53, the covers being advanced upwardly onto the guard member 72 and are moved over the same by succeeding covers in the procession. The covers drop into the chute 75, at which time they are on edge, or in vertical position, as shown by dotted outline 120, Figure 9, and are immediately engaged by the pins 115 of the conveyor chain and conveyed upwardly about the axis of the sprocket 108 in proximity to the upper entrances 94, 95, of the chute 91. As the covers are advanced over the guard members 72, they are not in any specific or prearranged relation and occassionally there are more covers discharged by the belt 53 over the guards 72 than there are spaces between the conveyor pins 115, whereby there may be one or more covers positioned above the covers in the chute 75, as indicated by the dotted outline 121. To prevent the advancement of more than one row of covers by the conveyor chain 96, a ring 122 is suspended on a pin 123, the ring being suspended in registration with the covers being advanced by the conveyor. This ring serves as a yielding means to retain advancement of covers positioned as at 121, holding such covers back until there is an empty space between the pins in which they will fall and thus prevent such covers from being advanced and jamming in the conveyor.

As the covers are advanced upwardly by the pins 115 about the sprocket 108, they enter a vertically extending continuation of the conveyor passageway and are guided by plates 131 between a pair of rolls 132. These rolls are journalled on pins 133 mounted in arms 134 pivotally mounted at their lower ends as at 135, see Figure 10, in brackets 136 secured to the vertical portion 130 of the passageway. The pins 133 extend outwardly at each end beyond the arms 134, and tension springs 140 are secured to these projecting ends and to screws 141 adjustably mounted in slots 142 formed in opposite side portions 143 of the vertical portion 130 of the cover passageway. The springs 140 yieldingly urge the rolls 132 together and their surfaces are convex, as indicated in Figure 9.

As the covers 120 are moved upwardly between the rolls 132, the rolls are spread apart by the flange 146 of the cover and after the leading portion of the flange has passed between the rolls, they are permitted to move together, as indicated in Figure 10, engaging opposite sides of the discoidal portion of the cover. As the cover is progressed upwardly between the rolls 132, the opposite side of the flange 146 engages the convex surface of the rolls, causing the cover to tilt in the direction in which the flange 146 facesthat is in Figure 10, the cover will tilt over the right hand roll 132 and will fall into the entrance opening 94 of the chute. This movement of the cover is illustrated in Figures 15 to 18 inclusive. In Figure 15, the cover passing between the rolls 132 is indicated at A, the cover being advanced upwardly by the next succeeding cover B. In Figure 16, the cover A has been advanced upwardly and has commenced to tilt over the right hand roll 132. In Figure 17, the cover A has been moved from between the rolls 132 and is about to drop into the entrance opening 94. Figure 18 illustrates the position of the cover A, looking to the left Figure 17, as indicated by the line 18-18.

In proximity to the juncture of the upper chute portions 92, 93, with the main chute proper 91, there is a branch chute 150 leading to the hopper 47. The inner walls of the chutes 91, 150 meet at an apex 151, Figure 21. The front side or walls of the chutes 91, 150, are cut out to form a rectangular opening 152. A triangular shaped plate 153 is positioned over this opening, the upper edge of the plate being formed with a transversely extending slot 154 to receive screws 155 threading into a spacer block 156 secured to the front wall of the chute, see Figures 20, 21.

The plate 153 is also formed with a vertically extending slot 157 to adjustably receive a stud 158 extending into the juncture of the chutes. The stud 158 can be adjusted vertically in the slot 157 and can be adjusted transversely by such adjustment of the plate 153 by means of the slots 154 and screws 155, all whereby the stud 158 can be fixed in a predetermined position relative to the apex 151. With the stud positioned slightly above and to the left of the apex, see Figure 21, covers falling downwardly from either of the upper chute portions 92,

93, will strike the stud 158 and, because it is at one side of the center, will direct the covers into the chute 91. However, when the chute 91 becomes filled up to or above the apex 151, the falling covers will strike the top cover in the chute and be directed through the overflow chute 150 and returned to the hopper 47.

The filled containers are advanced to and from the machine by a conventional conveyor 170 extending transversely across the front of the machine, as illustrated in Figure 3, the conveyor moving from left to right in that figure, and the containers being indicated by dotted outline 171. The containers are advanced under the cover applying head 90 by being moved along a container support in the form of a plate 172 secured to the front of the housing 40 by means of brackets 173. The conveyor 170 is arranged in the same plane as the plate 172 and moves along the front edge of the plate. The containers are moved inwardly from the conveyor 170 onto the plate 172 by a pusher 174 afiixed to the upper end of a lever 175. The lower end of the lever is fixed to a shaft 176 journalled in the lower portion of a cam housing 177, the upper end of which is formed with a bracket 178 attached to the front of the housing 40 adjacent the upper edge thereof, as by screws 180, and the housing 177 is supported by a bracket 181 attached to the front side of the base 20.

A shaft 182 is journalled horizontally in a cam housing and is operatively connected to a shaft 183 journalled in a bracket 185 mounted in the housing 40. The shafts 182, 183 are driven by a gear 186 mounted on the inner end of the shaft 183, see Figure 6, meshing with a gear 187 mounted on the vertical shaft 34. A face cam 188 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 182 and is engaged by an arm 190 afiixed to the shaft 176 in the cam housing. The lever 175 and the pusher 174 is urged inwardly by a tension spring 191, and these members are moved outwardly, to the position shown in Figure 6, by means of the cam 188. The upper end portion of the lever 175 is guided by a U-shaped bracket 194.

When a container has been moved off from the conveyor 170 onto the plate 172 by inward movement of the pusher 174, as shown in Figure 3, the container is engaged by a container advancing member 195 which extends forwardly from a bar 196, the upper and lower edges of which are beveled to slidably fit between the guide members, the bar being supported on guide members 197, 198, and the upper edge of the bar slidably engaging a guide 199, the guides 197, 198, being fastened to the front of the housing 40, as by screws 200, and with their confronting ends arranged in spaced relation, see Figure 7, the upper edge of the bar 196 being slidably mounted in a guide 201 supported by brackets 202. The lower edge of the bar 196 is in the form of a gear rack having teeth 203 arranged in mesh with a gear 204.

A shaft 206 is journalled in the front wall of the housing 40 and has afiixed to its outer end a collar 207, see Figure 22. The gear 204 is mounted upon the hub of the collar and is secured thereto as by screws 208 extending through circumferentially extending slots 209 formed in the gear, this arrangement permitting the gear to be rotatably adjusted relative to the collar and shaft. A gear 210 is afiixed to the inner end of the shaft 206 and is engaged by a gear quadrant portion 211 formed on the upper end of a lever 212 pivoted intermediate its ends at 213 on a boss 214 extending forwardly from the rear wall of the housing 40, see Figure 4. The lever 212 is provided with a roller 215 at its lower end arranged in the groove 216 of a cam 217 mounted on the shaft 36, see Figures and 7. The cam 217 effects oscillation of the lever 212 about its pivot 213, and the quadrant 211 effects rotation of the shaft 206 first in one direction and then in the other and through the gear 204, reciprocation is imparted to the rack 196 and the container advancing member 195 attached thereto. It will be apparent that with this arrangement, the pusher 174 and the container advancing member 195 are operated in timed relation.

The covered containers are directed from the plate 172 back onto the conveyor 170 by a guide 220, see Figure 3. The capping head is carried by a bracket 225 adjustable vertically on a post 226 extending upwardly from the outer top edge of the housing 40. The bracket is clamped to the post, as by screws 227, and is provided with a threaded aperture 228 to receive an adjusting screw 229 carried by a collar 230 clamped to the post 226 above the bracket. The screw 229 serves to eifect vertical adjustment of the bracket on the post.

The bracket 225 is fixed to the front wall 231 of a U-shaped member having side portions 232, the bracket being attached to the U member as by screws 234. A supporting member 235 is positioned between the side portions 232 of the U member and is affixed thereto as by screws 236 extending through the side portions and threading into the edges of the supporting member 235. The supporting member is formed with a pair of inwardly extending bosses 240 located adjacent its upper edge, and with a pair of similar bosses 241 located adjacent its lower edge. It also has a boss 242 positioned intermediate the bosses 240, 241. The bosses 240, 241 are apertured to receive rods 244, and the center boss 242 is formed with a slot to receive a rod 245. The rods 244 are fixedly mounted in the bosses 240, 241, as by set screws 246, and these rods carry, at their ends, side pieces 247 fixedly secured to the rods, as by .set screws 248. These side pieces are formed with grooves or-channels 249 arranged in confronting relationship and forming a continuation of the lower end of the cover chute 91, see Figures 23, 24. The front wall 250 of the channels 249 terminates at a point in approximate registration with the central boss 242, see Figure 24. The rear wall 251 continues downwardly and is curved forwardly, as at 252, and merges into a horizontally extending flange 253. The chute 91 is connected to the side members 247 by U-shaped pieces 254 fastened to the side members, as by screws 255, and slidably engaging the lower end of the chute 91. This arrangement permits vertical adjustment of the head relative to the chute.

The rod 245 is provided with collars 256 engaging opposite sides of the center boss 242 and thereby preventing axial movement of the rod relative to the boss. The end'portions of the rod are threaded right and left hand, and thread into apertures formed in the side members 247. One end of the rod 245 projects through one of the side plates 232, as at 258 and is made non-circular for the reception of a key and wrench with which the rod may be rotated. This arrangement permits the side members 247 to be moved toward and from each other when the set screws 248 are loosened and thus varying the width of the passage formed by the channel portions 249 to accommodate container covers of different diameters.

A cover 121? is illustrated in dotted outline descending in the channel portions 249, Figure 24. As this cover engages the curved portion of the rear Walls 251 of the channel formation, it is directed toward horizontal posi tion as shown by the lower cover in that view in dotted outline. The cover is prevented from passing forwardly off from the flanges 253 by a rod 259 positioned just forwardly of the ends of the flanges 253 and slightly above the same, the rod extending transversely of the head and being mounted at its ends in arms 260 which are pivotally mounted adjacent their rear ends on pins 261 in the support member 235, and the rear portion of the arms is urged upwardly by coil tension springs 262 secured at their upper ends to the supporting member, as by screws 263. The lower portion of the edges of the supporting member 235 are slightly recessed forming shoulders indicated by the dotted line 264 in Figure 24. These shoulders serve as a stop to limit the downward movement of the forward ends of the links 260 and the rod 259 carried thereby, and when so positioned a cover will move forwardly until the top edge of the cover engages the rod 259, as illustrated in Figure 24. In this position, the cover is inclined slightly with what might be termed the forward edge of the cover depending in the path of movement of the top of the container 171. Accordingly, as the container moves to the right Figure 24, the fiange of the cover will be engaged by the top of the container and the cover will be advanced forwardly with the container. During this forward advancement, the cover is urged toward horizontal position by the rod 259 and the cover is properly seated .on the top of the container by a plate 266 attached to a cross member 267 having its end portions 268 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the front wall 231 of the U shaped frame member. The plate 266 curves downwardly from the supporting bar 267 and then extends forwardly and slightly downwardly.

The containers are advanced to the right, Figure 3, by the continuously moving conveyor 170. The containers 171 are moved inwardly from the conveyor to the plate 172 by the pusher 174, whereupon the containers are advanced forwardly on the plate 172 by the container advancing member 195 and, during this advancement of the container on the plate 172, the container is moved under the cover applying head. The covered containers engage the guide 220, Figure 3, and are directed back onto the container conveyor 170.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for feeding slip covers formed of readily deformable material such as paperboard and having straight cylindrical flanges to a cover applying head, a vertically extending chute for feeding covers to the applying head, a cover conveyor having a horizontal portion and being operable to advance a procession of covers to the upper end of said chute, means operable to deposit covers in vertical edgewise position on the horizontal portion of said first conveyor, a cover engaging member positioned above the path traveled by the covers on the horizontal portion of said conveyor to engage covers superimposed upon the covers advanced by said conveyor, said member being mounted for movement in the direction traveled by said superimposed covers, and said cover engaging member comprising a ring of substantially the same diameter as said cover members and being freely suspended from a horizontal pin in a vertical plane parallel with the direction of travel of the covers and having -its lowermost portion clearing the covers moved along extending vertically upwardly from said head and arranged to direct covers thereto by gravity, the upper portion of said chute merging in two spaced apart cover receiving inlets, each of said inlets having a bottom wall inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the axis of the chute and becoming a sidewall thereof, a pair of convex rolls positioned in side by side relation between said inlets, the inlet portions of said bottom walls being above and overlying a portion of the upper periphery of the rolls, said rolls being journaled for free rotation on parallel, substantially horizontal axes extending transversely to the length of said chute, said rolls being mounted for movement toward and from each other, springmeans yieldingly maintaining the zenith of the peripheries of said rolls in contact, a cover conveyor operable to propel covers in edgewise position vertically upwardly between said rolls with the discoidal portion of the covers parallel to the axes of the rolls, whereby said rolls yieldingly engage opposite sides of the discoidal portions of said covers and to discharge all of said covers to said inlets with the cover flanges depending.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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