US3288108A

US3288108A - Fluid applicator

Info

Publication number: US3288108A
Application number: US379473A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick V Hildebrandt
Original assignee: Anchor Hocking Glass Corp
Current assignee: Anchor Hocking Glass Corp
Priority date: 1964-07-01
Filing date: 1964-07-01
Publication date: 1966-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-29

Description

1966 F. v. HILDERBRANDT 3,288,108

FLUID APPLICATOR Filed July 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

1966 F. v. HILDERBRANDT 3,288,108

FLUID APPLICATOR Filed July 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W1 FEMS m PL v INVENTOR United States Patent 3,288,108 FLUID APPLICATOR Frederick V. Hildebrandt, Lancaster, Ohio, assignor to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,473 4 Claims. (Cl. 118-258) The present invention relates to an improved means for applying fluid coatings and more particularly to an improved roller mechanism and a cooperating fluid reservoir adapted for applying coatings such as adhesive or ink and the like.

It is now common practice to apply thin membranes to the rims of glass containers such as coffee jars and the liks by gluing a sheet of glassine paper to the container rim to provide an air tight seal for the package. The present invention is particularly useful in this operation and it Will be described for this use. It is clear that the applicator may be used in a similar way for coating other articles with various liquids.

The sealing membranes or safety seals are applied to the container tops by automatic machinery after the containers have been filled and prior to the application of the closure caps. It has been found convenient to apply the safety seals by causing filled jars to move on a suitable conveyor beneath a glue applying roller so that the revolving roller rolls across the top or rim of the container and applies a film of adhesive of predetermined thickness. Such an adhesive applying roller means is shown for example, in United States Patents 2,952,239 and 3,048,145.

The present invention is an improvement upon the adhesive applying means described in these patents and provides an improved device combining a fluid reservoir with a metering means for transferring adhesive or other fluid from the reservoir to the roller in a film having a predetermined and constant thickness.

In order to provide for the effective application of an air tight sealing membrane, it is important that the adhesive film used to secure the membrane or sealing disc to the container mouth be of sufficient thickness and of uniform distribution to provide a complete seal entirely around the container rim. At the same time, it is important that the adhesive be confined to the containers rim and that no adhesive enter the container through spillage caused by excess adhesive layer thickness or by the dripping or splashing of adhesive improperly metered during the transfer of the adhesive from the adhesive reservoir to the turning roller.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide an improved coating mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved liquid coating mechanism including a cooperating application roller and a liquid reservoir.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid reservoir for a coating roller with a simplified mounting and coating thickness metering means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved adhesive applying mechanism with simplified roller adjusting and removing means.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially in section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Patented Nov. 29, 1966 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 illustrating the adhesive reservoir in section and removed from the mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the adhesive applying mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6 illustrating another embodiment of the adhesive applying roller; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view partially in section of another embodiment of the adhesive reservoir of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a filled container 1 being carried on a moving conveyor 2 beneath the adhesive applying mechanism 3 so that the rotating roller 4 rolls across the container rim 5 and deposits a ring of adhesive 6 on the rim 5. The cylindrical outer surface 7 of the roller 4 contacts the liquid adhesive 6 which is held in the adhesive reservoir 8 and the roller 4 and the reservoir 8 are mounted in adjustably spaced relationship in a frame 9 shown in FIG. 1 and more clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

The preferred embodiment of the adhesive reservoir 8 comprises a unitary vessel having sidewalls 10 and an end wall 11 and having an open applicator end with

edges

12 and 13 positioned adjacent to the roll surface 7. As Will be more fully described below, the thickness of the adhesive on the roller surface is controlled by the adjustable positioning of the reservoir edge 13 (FIG. 4) with respect to the roller surface 7. This positioning is accomplished in the preferred embodiment by slidably mounting the reservoir 8 on the rim 14 of the frame 9 on spaced support flanges 15. These flanges 15 permit the reservoir 8 to slide toward and away from the roller surface 7 under the control of the positioning screw 16 connected to the end wall 11 of the reservoir 8 and threadedly coupled to a rotatable knob 17 mounted in the end 18 of the supporting frame 9. Rotation of the knob 17 in one direction advances the reservoir 8 towards the roller surface 7 to reduce the adhesive film thickness and rotation in the opposite direction withdraws the reservoir 8 from the roller surface 7 to provide for thicker adhesive coatings. The entire adhesive assembly mechanism 3 is mounted above the conveyor 2 at a predetermined height in a suitable cradle (not shown) on mounting pins 19. The mounting cradle preferably provides for upward movement of the entire assembly against a suitable resilient positioning means in a mounting not part of the present invention such as is illustrated in the above mentioned Patent Numbers 2,952,239 and 3,048,145.

The cooperation of the edges 12 of the reservoir sidewalls 10 and the metering edge 13 on the reservoir bottom surface 20 is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the roller 4 is in its adhesive applying position, the arc-shaped sidewall edges 12 are positioned a slight distance away from roller surface 7 and the metering edge 13 of the reservoir 8 is also positioned in a precisely regulated and spaced position with respect to the surface 7 of the rotating roller 4 by the above described adjusting screw 16.

As seen in FIG. 3, the two sidewalls 10 are positioned inwardly of the roller 4 edges and the viscous nature of the adhesive 6 and the rotational movement of the roller surface 7 prevent the passage of the adhesive 6 through the slight spacing between the reservoir edges 12 and the roller surface 7. The movement of the roller surface 7 past the metering edge 13 of the reservoir 8 carries the adhesive 6 which is in contact with the roller surface 7 past the metering edge 13 in a thickness deterv) mined by the metering edge 13 position and carries this layer of adhesive onto the rim of the container 1 as the container rim 5 moves beneath the roller 4 at the same speed as the speed of the roller surface.

The roller 4 illustrated in the preferred embodiment has a series of circumferential grooves 21 (FIG. 6) which facilitate the application of the adhesive 6 to the jar rim 5. This improvement is described in Patent Number 2,952,- 239 and forms no part of the present invention as the improved adhesive applying device of the present invention operates efiectively with both grooved and smooth surfaced rollers.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the adhesive applying roller 4 in engagement with the rim of a container 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the roller 4 has rigid end plates 22 removably connected to a center spindle 23. The resilient cover 24 is mounted on the spindle 23 and is confined between end plates 22.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the roller formed by a novel process wherein the end plates such as illustrated for the embodiment of FIG. 6 are eliminated and the rubber container engaging cover 25 is preferably molded directly onto a preformed hub 26 which preferably is made of an extremely light material such as aluminimum to provide for an overall roller with extremely low inertia. The rubber-like cover may also be preformed with or without a thin cylindrical center sleeve and pressed onto the hub 26. The cover may also be formed of a shrinkable material which is shrunk-fit onto the hub 26 when a replacement is desired. The roller 27 illustrated in FIG. 7 is seen to have a smooth surface as such a surface also provides for the satisfactory application of adhesive in many uses using the novel mechanism of the invention in the same manner as does the grooved roller illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6. The roller 27 may also be grooved if desired.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the reservoir 8' with a modified edge 13' at the open applicator end of the reservoir 8'. In this embodiment, a series of slots 13" are provided to form a serrated edge which faces the roller 27. With this combination, the adhesive passes onto the smooth roller surface with a series of ridges thereby giving an improved container rim coverage as is obtained with a grooved roller surface as illustrated at 21 in FIG. 6.

The construction described above is seen to be of particular value in continuous high speed operations such as high speed container sealing work since the simplicity of the parts insures continuous trouble free operation and also permits ready and accurate adjustment during the operating periods. In addition the two main elements of the adhesive applying mechanism, that is, the adhesive applying roller 4 and adhesive reservoir 8 are readily removed from the frame 9 for inspection and replacement in a matter of minutes and when replaced or returned to the frame, readjustment to the predetermined and preferred operating conditions may be immediately obtained by the most simple adjustments.

As clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the roller may be lifted from the frame by the removal of four bolts 28 which hold the bearing block 29 in place above the roller mounting axle 32. Since the adhesive reservoir 8 is resting on the edge 14 of the frame 9 it also may be readily removed. The knob 17 in the frame end 18 which provides for the above described reservoir positioning is removably mounted in a slot 30 in the frame 9 so that it may be lifted free of the frame when the reservoir 8 itself is removed for inspection or cleaning. A locknut 31 is preferably provided on the screw 16.

It will be seen that an improved adhesive applying mechanism. has been p ov ed he e n n a u a nd simplified adhesive coating thickness adjustment is provided which may be operated during adhesive application and which is operable independently of the level of adhesive in the reservoir so that when necessary, continuing adjustments may be made for adhesive film thickness during actual operation of the unit even at great speeds and during the regular packaging run or other article handling operations.

The improved mechanism is also particularly advantageous as it provides these improvements in operation and control with a simple structure comprising a minimum number of parts and also wherein the parts are arranged for simple removal and replacement by experienced operating personnel and in a short period. This not only permits removal and inspection of both the roller and the reservoir, but it also permits substitution of one roller or reservoir for another with only an extremely short period being necessary for interchange. There is, thus, no need for expensive interruptions to sealing operations where unforeseen interruptions are extremely serious, not only due to lost production but also due to related stoppages in the other sealing operations including product supply and container and cap supply and manipulation.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A liquid adhesive coating mechanism comprising the combination of a frame member, an adhesive applying roller rotatably mounted thereon, an adhesive reservoir member having an adhesive metering edge formed at its front end and mounted adjacent to said roller for applying adhesive thereto, means mounting said reservoir member on said frame member for longitudinal sliding movement toward and away from said roller to adjust the thickness of adhesive flowing over said metering edge, and means for .adjustably fixing the position of said reservoir member on said frame member comprising engaged screw threaded elements, connections between said screw threaded elements and the respective frame and reservoir members, one of said connections including an open sl-ot from which said screw threaded elements may be removed for lifting said reservoir member from said frame member.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said screw threaded elements comprise a screw extending from the reservoir member and a knob threaded on said screw and resting rotatably in an upwardly open slot formed in said frame member.

3. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said reservoir mounting means comprises bearing surfaces on said frame, and flange means on said reservoir slidably engaging said bearing surfaces.

4. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said metering edge of said reservoir comprises serrations for forming an adhesive coating on said roller of non-uniform thickness.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,248,314 11/1917 Grahl 1l8--250 2,787,244 4/ 1957 Hickin 1l8--259 3,119,138 1/1964 Davis. 3,133,340 5/1964 Finelli 29129.5

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner, L, G. MAC I-ILIN, Assistant Examiner,

Claims

1. A LIQUID ADHESIVE COATING MECHANISM COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A FRAME MEMBER, AN ADHESIVE APPLYING ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON, AN ADHESIVE RESERVOIR MEMBER HAVING AN ADHESIVE METERING EDGE FORMED AT ITS FRONT END AND MOUNTED ADJACENT TO SAID ROLLER FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE THERETO, MEANS MOUNTING SAID RESERVOIR MEMBER ON SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ROLLER TO ADJUST THE THICKNESS OF ADHESIVE FLOWING OVER SAID METERING EDGE, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY FIXING THE POSITION OF SAID RESERVOIR MEMBER ON SAID FRAME MEMBER COMPRISING ENGAGED SCREW THREADED ELEMENTS, CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID SCREW THREADED ELEMENTS AND THE RESPECTIVE FRAME AND RESERVOIR MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID CONNECTIONS INCLUDING AN OPEN SLOT