US3354614A

US3354614A - Dispensing, filling and capping of portion containers

Info

Publication number: US3354614A
Application number: US402496A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clair David L St; Stephen W Amberg; Thomas E Doherty; Phillips Julius
Original assignee: Lily Tulip Cup Corp
Current assignee: Lily Tulip Cup Corp
Priority date: 1964-10-08
Filing date: 1964-10-08
Publication date: 1967-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-28

Description

Nov. 28, 1967 D. 1.. ST. CLAIR ETAL 3,354,614

DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPFING OF PORTION CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 8, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qbu Q4 93 4 9b I J )5 p/i/LL/RS .g-. x ii '10 RS DAV/L) Z. 67- C m/ STEPHEN M AMSf/QG Nov. 28, 1967 I D. L. ST. CLAIR ETAL 3,354,614

DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPPING OF PORTION CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 8, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet a 58 58a 58d K555 ZIZ 57 lbs 44 I my 1.; 1.. TONS 041/10 1. Sr Cum Srcfivay Az vec/vs 77/0186 6. Don wry Ju /o3 F wmups A P S 57S Nov. 28, 1967 D. L. ST. CLAIR ETAL 3,354,614

DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPPING OF PORTION CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 8, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q 8 F Ms M 35 W Nov. 28, 1967 D. L. ST. CLAIR ETAL 3,354,614

DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPPING OF PORTiON CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 8, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTORS 041 10 L 57'. CLA/Q United States Patent r 3,354,614 DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPPING OF PORTION CONTAINERS David L. St. Clair, Commack, Stephen W. Amberg, St. James, Thomas E. D'oherty, Stony Brook, and Julius Phillips, Bronx, N.Y., assignors to Lily-Tulip Cup Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 402,496 40 Claims. (Cl. 53-282) ABSTRACT or THE DISCLOSURE Unitary machine for dispensing, filling and shrink-film capping containers automatically; one or more containers simultaneously. Intermittent turret movement between stations actuates container dispenser; dispensed containers determine actuation of filler, shrink-film feed mechanism, and capper. Consult specification for interconnecting drive arrangements and operation. Filler has internal cylinder and piston for discharging pre-measured quantity of any suitable material from hopper, and adjustable lost-motion mechanism for pre-setting quantity. Film feeder feeds predetermined length of rolled film to proper position for clamping to container and for automatic cutting from roll during capping. Head type shrink-film capper is hot surface type having depending plunger for clamping and shielding film; includes knockout for capped container.

This invention relates to automatic techniques for dispensing, filling and capping paper or plastic receptacles such as small, cup-like, portion containers. More particularly, the invention relates to those techniques in which a shrink-film type closure is applied to the filled receptacle.

Although it may have other applications, the invention is especially useful in its embodiment providing a machine of comparatively miniature size as may be employed on counter-tops in restaurants, hospitals, and the like for metering out from a bulk supply and preparing individual, small quantity servings of liquid, semi-liquid, and perhaps even solid comestible items such as coffee cream, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, etc. Of course, it is conceivable that the commodity being packaged might not be edible but may, for example, be grease, or oil, or paint, etc. in instances where individual portions thereof may be desired. However, the invention has been found particularly useful as applied in the preparation of small portions, ranging in quantity from a fraction to one full ounce, of coffee cream as may be served to customers who purchase cups of coffee in restaurants, and will therefore be described in connection with such use.

In restaurants, hospitals, meal depots at airlines, and in similar places there has existed a real need for a low cost, reliable and portable counter-top type machine for efiicient packaging of individual servings of coffee cream, For example, one conventional merchandising technique relies upon daily deliveries of fresh coffee cream in bulk from the dairy and the manual or, at best, semiautomatic metering out of cream portions and the filling of one-ounce glass containers therewith by employees of the restaurant or hospital where such individual servings are required. The small glass containers are reusable and therefore must be washed and sterilized upon return, care being taken that neither the interiors nor the mouth rims thereof shall be touched by human hands as is the requirement of most health authorities. The glass containers may or may not be capped after being fully or partly filled with the coffee cream.

Another conventional technique relies upon the packaging of the individual coffee cream servings at the dairy 3,354,614 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 prior to delivery to the restaurant, the dairy being required to install usually complex and expensive filling and capping machinery for the purpose. Even though disposable and relatively inexpensive one-ounce paper cuplike receptacles are used in connection with this presently practiced technique, relatively expensive cardboard or metal foil type closures are used on the receptacles, and higher costs in handling and shipping and filled receptacles are always involved. It should also be noted that conventional insertable disc-type closures are often not approved by health authorities since they leave the mouth rim of the receptacles exposed and therefore susceptible to contamination. However, it is known that initial handling of the empty paper-type receptacles is more convenient than handling glass containers since they are nestable. Moreover, and in general, the employment of single-use paper receptacles for the purpose is preferable for sanitary reasons.

In its preferred embodiment to be described, the present invention provides a method and machine incorporating apparatus for receiving a nested stack of small, paper or plastic receptacles and a bulk supply of coffee cream, and for automatically dispensingthe receptacles one at a time, and sequentially filling each with an ac: curately measured portion of coffee cream, capping the same with a shrink-film type closure, and discharging the so packaged portion to a convenient receptacle accumulaa tion location in front of the machine. The integral apv paratus and mechanisms and their arrangement in the machine are compact and not complex, and therefore contribute to the low initial cost and minimal maintenance requirements as are salient features of the machine. It is light in weight, rugged, and operates on conventional electric power as received from a wall outlet, and is therefore portable in nature. Moreover, both the machine and the packaged product which is its output conform to the most stringent sanitary requirements.

Further, and though it is probably known that comparatively inexpensive shrink-film closures on such portion containers would be desirable since they effectively shield the mouth rims of the containers and are easy to remove, it has not been understood how such closures might be individually and rapidly applied without the use of complicated, industrial type apparatus. Such commer cial apparatus more often involves the installation of lengthy conveyors, and chamber type ovens and hot air blowers for shrinking the closure-forming film, all of which would be too costly or at least undesirable in local stores and restaurants. In this connection, it should be noted that hot air blower apparatus for applying the shrink film closures is not only noisy, but causes agitation and pick up of dust and the like, from the air or adjacent surfaces, and deposit of the same in or on the receptacle being capped, especially on the receptacle mouth rim immediately prior to the formation of the closure thereon since the air stream is directed theretowards. The shrink-film capping method and apparatus of the present invention does not involve the use of a blower or the like.

Briefly describing the invention in its preferred embodiment, the receptacle dispensing, filling and capping apparatus are mounted and compactly arranged on a handy-sized rectangular base measuring approximately 9" x 14", the base being about 4 /2" high and hollow to house a single drive motor for all of the apparatus, and other operating mechanisms of the machine. The overall height including the base, and considering the highest upwardly projecting apparatus thereon, is only about 21". The dispensing, filling and capping apparatus are arranged in semi-circular fashion about and at three of the four quadrant locations of an intermittently rotatable turret which receives the individual receptacles as they are dis- 3 pensed from the dispensing apparatus and transports the empty receptacles first to the receptacle filling station of the machine, then to the capping station where a shrinkfilm type closure is applied to each filled receptacle, and

then to tangential discharge at the front of the machine. The discharged receptacles slide down a sloping ramp where they are accumulated for use.

The rotatable turret has four, quadrant located receptacle receiver stations, and it will therefore be seen that the receptacle dispensing, filling and capping operations are carried on simultaneously at three of the receiver stations as they are intermittently moved 90 of turret rotation between the respective of these operational stations of the machine. The simultaneous operation of the dispenser, filler, and capping apparatus is caused by a timed sequence of movement of certain operational mechanisms. These include a turret lift cam providing vertical reciprocal movement of the turret during the time of its rotational dwell at each of the operational stations of the machine. The upward movement of the turret depresses a plunger of the receptacle dispenser, where-in a nested stack of receptacles are contained, so as to cause one receptacle to be deposited on one of the receptacle receiver stations of the turret; the same upward movement of the turret causes the receptacle residing within the next preceding receptacle receiverstation of the turret to depress a valve on the filling apparatus so as to dispense an accurately metered portion of coffee cream thereinto; and the same upward movement, in conjunction with a concurrent downward movement of the capping head apparatus, causes a closure to be formed on the now filled receptacle which resides within the first preceding of the three referred to receptacle receiver stations. Where a predetermined number of receptacles are to be capped, a dispenser stop lever may be moved into position to prevent further dispensing of receptacles at the time when the last two receptacles in the series are being respectively filled and capped just prior to shut down of the machine.

During each period of 90 rotational movement of the turret as it carries the receptacles from one operational station to the next, a controlled length of shrinkfilm material is automatically fed from a roll thereof into position under the capping head and over the receptacle on which the length of material will ultimately form a shrink-film closure. The film length is cut from the roll coincidentally with the aforementioned downward movement of the capping head apparatus which mounts a film cutting knife. However, by a lever mechanism adjacent the filler apparatus as will be described, the feed ing out or not of the length of film is controlled and determined by whether or not a receptacle resides within the turret receiver station which will next appear under the capping head. Thus, the film is not wasted, or permitted to interfere with either the next capping operation itself or the completeness of the closure which will next be formed.

The overall arrangement and construction of the machine and its operational components makes it adaptable to modification, as will be described, to provide concurrent dispensing, filling and shrink-film capping of two or more receptacles, thus doubling or tripling, etc. the machine output without increasing machine speed.

Because the individual shrink-film closures are formed by small, square-shaped sheets of the film material, and because of the manner in which the periphery of each sheet is heated to form a closure, the closures will automatically include unshrunken pull-tab projections at four annular locations about the receptacle mouth rim to facilitate manual removal of the closure when the receptacle contents are to be consumed. Further with regard to the completed package, it will be noted that the heat-shrunken zone, the so-called tape of the closure, will be adequately tight to form a good seal capable of withstanding relatively rough handling of dropping, yet will not be so inelastic as to create difficulty in removing the closure.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a machine in accordance with the invention and showing the general arrangement thereof, certain of its parts being removed or cut away for better clarity in the description;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational front view showing of the machine, partially in cross-section or cut away for a better understanding thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional end elevation as seen from lines 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional top plan view of only the base of the machine, the section being taken at lines 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical system which is incorporated in the machine;

FIGURE 6 is a partially sectionalized side elevation, to a greatly enlarged scale, of a filled and capped portion container which is produced by the machine;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing only a portion of the machine base as seen from lines 77 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 7, but as seen from lines 88 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged perspective showing of certain linkages and apparatus mounted on and within the machine base for controlling the film feeding apparatus of the machine;

FIGURES l0 and 11 are fragmentary and somewhat enlarged identical side sectional elevational showings of only the capping head apparatus of the machine in two of its operative positions, both views being taken at lines -10 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 12 is a similarly enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional showing'of the receptacle filler apparatus of the invention, and FIGURES 13 and 14 are other fragmentary cross-sections thereof as seen from lines 13-13 and 14-14, respectively, of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged and fragmentary perspective view of the receptacle dispensing apparatus of the machine to illustrate its operation;

FIGURE 16 is a sectional top plan view of only the receptacle dispensing apparatus of the machine as seen from lines 16-16 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 17 and 18 are fragmentary elevational showings of only the dispensing apparatus of the machine, the views being taken at lines 1717 and 18-18, respectively, in FIGURE 1, the FIGURE 17 showing being partially cut away to reveal certain details;

FIGURES 19 and 20 are fragmentary and identical sectional views, to an enlarged scale, of the dispensing apparatus to further illustrate its operation, both views being taken at lines 19-19 in FIGURE 18; and

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary and somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of a modified form of machine in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, a receptacle dispensing, filling and shrink-film capping machine in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 30. Its overall arrangement is illustrated by a comparison of FIGURES l, 2 and 3. From these views, particularly FIG- URES 2 and 3, it will be understood that the machine has a hollow base, generally indicated by numeral 31, which rests on rubber feet 36 disposed at each of its four corners. The base 31 is formed by a rectangular shaped steel bottom plate 32 and a similarly shaped steel top plate 33, the latter being supported in vertical spaced relation with respect to the former by three vertical base plate spacers 34 (FIGURE 4). The hollow base 31 is suitably enclosed by stainless steel side and top panelling 35 and houses an electric drive motor 37 (FIGURE 4) and other drive mechanisms as will be explained. The motor 37 and its associated mechanisms operate, or ultimately cause operation of all of the operable apparatus of the machine in timed relation so that, referring particularly to the top plan view of the machine as shown by FIGURE 1, empty receptacles are automatically dispensed one at a time from the receptacle dispenser 38 on to the respective receptacle receiver stations 3% of the intermittently rotating turret 39 which serves as a receptacle transport and moves them sequentially to a receptacle filler apparatus 40 where each is automatically filled with a metered quantity of coffee cream, thence to a shrink-film capping apparatus 41 which automatically applies individual shrink-film type closures thereto, and thence to discharge by way of a discharge chute 42 and a downwardly sloping discharge ramp 43.

Thus, the machine has basically three operative stations, although it will be appreciated that a shrink-film feeding apparatus, general-1y indicated by reference numeral 44 in FIGURES l and 3, is a coordinated functional operation of the machine in the overall. In connection with the latter, and referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, a roll 45 of shrinkfilm material, such as biaxially oriented medium density polyethylene having film thickness from about 0.0006 to about 0.001", is mounted in centerless fashion on the shrink-film feeding apparatus 44 and a length of the sheet material, suitable to provide one closure, is intermittently fed and severed therefrom in timed relation with respect to the capping operation in manner as will be described.

For a better understanding of the detailed apparatus description which follows, it should perhaps be here noted that the movement of the turret 39 is not only intermittently rotational to bring each of its quadrant disposed receptacle receiver stations 39a sequentially and momentarily into juxtaposition with the respective of the dispensing, filling and capping apparatus as aforesaid, but is also vertically reciprocal only at the time when its receptacle receiver stations are located below the respective quadrant positioned dispensing, filling and capping stations. During each momentary halt of its rotational movement, the turret moves a distance up and then down to automatically operate certain mechanisms of each apparatus for reasons as will become apparent.

It should be noted that the packaged product which is the output of the machine (in its embodiment being described) is a small, one-ounce paper cup or receptacle 50 which, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, is filled with coffee cream as indicated by numeral 51, and has a shrink-film type closure 52 spanning its open top end 50:: and envelopin g its beaded mouth rim 53.

Referring again to the overall frame arrangement of the machine, three tubular vertical posts are attached to the top of the hollow base 31 for supporting the several operational units which are mounted thereon. Referring to the right hand side of FIGURES 1 and 2, a relatively high tubular post 55 supports both the dispenser apparatus 38 and the filler apparatus 40 and, referring to the left hand side of FIGURE 2 and to FIGURE 3, a pair of relatively short

tubular posts

56, 57 supports what may be called the film sealer unit 58 which includes both the capping apparatus 41 and the film feeding apparatus 44. The

posts

55, 56 and 57 are tubular in order that they may also serve to house certain shafts which transmit motion from the mechanisms situated within the hollow base 31 to the appropriate apparatus located above the base 31. That is, the tubular post 55 provides a hollow shaftway for a vertically reciprocal filler plunger shaft 59 which operates the receptacle filler apparatus 40; the tubular post 56 provides a shaftway for a vertically reciprocal shaft 60 which transmits its motion to capping apparatus 41 to cause cutting of the shrink film strip 45a as indicated in FIGURE 3; and the tubular post 57 provides a shaftway for the rotatable film drive shaft 61 which causes intermittent feeding of the film strip 45a from the 6 shrink-film roll 45 as also indicated in FIGURE 3. The receptacle dispenser 38 is operated solely by the vertical reciprocal motion of the turret 39.

The operation of the machine 30 is best understood by first referring to FIGURE 4. The drive motor 37 which is mounted on the bottom plate 32 drives all of the driven apparatus, as aforesaid. So that the machine is widely adaptable for counter-top use in restaurants and the like, the motor is a fractional horsepower fan type operating on 110 volts, 60 cycles from any standard outlet. Referring briefly to FIGURE 3, it receives its power from an input connection 65 located at the rear panel 58a of the sealing unit 58.

Although for clarity the internal wiring is not fully illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the input wiring extends across the interior of the sealing unit housing, and that the wiring extends downwardly into the hollow base 31 via the tubular shaft 60. The wiring diagram for the circuit is illustrated in FIGURE 5, and it is there shown that the circuit includes the motor 37 in parallel with the shrink film capping head heater 66, a separate motor switch 67 and a heater switch 68 being in series in the respective of these parallel lines. The

switches

67 and 68 are mounted on the front panel 58b of the sealing unit housing, as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. An indicator light 69 is also mounted on the sealing unit front panel, as seen in FIGURE 2, the light 69 being connected in parallel with the heater 66 to indicate whether or not the heater is on.

Referring again to FIGURE 4, the output drive shaft 70 of the drive motor 3'7 rotates at a constant speed of 15 r.p.m. The shaft 70 mounts a motor drive sprocket 71 in a slip clutch arrangement which is provided by the coil spring 72 attached at the outer end of the shaft and which presses the sprocket 71 against a collar 73 which is attached to the shaft 70 at the opposite side of the sprocket 71. A roller-less chain 74 connects the motor drive sprocket 71 with a filler drive sprocket 75 which, as best illustrated by FIGURES 7 and 8, is attached to a horizontally extending filler drive shaft 76. The filler drive shaft 76 is journalled in a filler drive bearing block 77, the latter being attached to the bottom plate 32. The direction of rotation of the

sprockets

71 and 75 is illustrated in FIGURE 8.

Vertical reciprocating movement of the filler plunger shaft 59 is provided by a filler yoke drive disc '78 which is also attached to the filler drive shaft 76, the disc 78 having a laterally projecting roller cam 79 attached near its outer periphery, as by a roller shaft 80 and an attaching nut 81. A filler yoke 82 is attached to the lower end of the filler plunger shaft 59, as by the laterally projecting shaft seat 83 into which the plunger shaft 59 is threaded. The shaft seat 83 is, of course, welded or otherwise firmly attached to the yoke 82. The filler yoke 82 has horizontal loop-shape and serves as a follower for the roller cam 79. As best illustrated in FIGURE 8, the span of the interior track of the yoke 82 is equal to the diameter of the circular path of motion of the outer extremity of the roller cam 79 as it revolves with the rotation of the filler yoke drive disc 78. When the drive disc 78 is in its top and bottom dead center positions the shaft 29 will be at the upper and lower extremities of its stroke, and when the drive disc 78 is in its position as illustrated in FIGURE 8, the filler plunger shaft 59 will be in the middle of its stroke towards its uppermost reciprocated position, and, as will later be more fully understood, the illustrated condition obtains when the turret has completed its indexing rotative movement and initiates its aforementioned lifting movement. As will subsequently be described, this reciprocating action of the shaft 59 will be utilized to meter out portions of coffee cream from the filler apparatus 40.

Attached to the opposite end of the filler drive shaft 76 is a miter gear 84 which drives an associated miter gear 85 attached to a vertically disposed Geneva crank shaft 86, the latter being journalled at its opposite ends in the respective top and

bottom plates

32, 33 of the base 31, as shown in FIGURE 7. The Geneva crank 87 is attached to the shaft 86 at alocation below the miter gear 85, as also seen in FIGURE 7. The crank 87 has a vertically projecting pin 87a which, with each full rotation of the crank 87, engages one of the four radially projecting slots 88a of the Geneva wheel 88 (see FIGURE 4), the latter being attached to the centrally located and vertically extending turret shaft 89 which drives the turret 39. Thus, during each full revolution of the filler drive shaft 76 and, hence, of the Geneva crank 87, and as will be best understood by reference to FIGURE 4, the Geneva wheel 88 and therefore the turret 39 will move 90 of rotation to properly index the turret stations 39a to the next succeeding operational station of the machine.

To cause the aforementioned vertical reciprocal movement of the turret 39 in proper timed relation with respect to the aforementioned indexing of the turret stations, and referring briefly to FIGURE 7, another chain sprocket 90 is attached to the Geneva drive shaft 86 at a location below the Geneva crank 87 as shown. Referring now to FIGURE 2 (wherein the Geneva drive shaft 86 is actually located behind and is hidden by the turret shaft 89), the sprocket 90 drives a chain 91 which engages a turret lift cam sprocket 92 which is attached to a vertically disposed turret lift cam shaft 93, the latter being journalled within the top and

bottom plates

32, 33 of the base 31 as shown. Rotation of the shaft 93 rotates the turret lift cam 94 which is attached thereto, the lift cam 94 having a cam track 94a. The roller type cam follower which rides in the track 94a is indicated by reference numeral 95 and is attached centrally along the length of a turret operating lever 96, as by a nut 97 which secures the roller shaft 98 thereto. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, one end 96a of the turret operating lever 96 is pivotally mounted on a bearing bracket 99 attached to the bottom plate 32 of the base 31. The opposite end 96b of the turret operating lever 96 is yoke-shaped so as to straddle a turret lift collar 101 which is attached to a turret sleeve 102, the latter being slidable vertically on the turret shaft 89. The turret lift collar 101 has an annular slot 1010 which receives and provides a journal for the laterally inward projecting pins 97 of the yoke end 96b of the turret operating lever 96, as best illustrated in FIGURE 4. As will be understood from FIGURE 2, the turret lift collar 101 is attached to the turret sleeve 102 by a turret sleeve key 103 which extends into an elongated vertical slot 89a of the turret shaft to prevent annular movement of the turret sleeve and collar. Thus, the turret lift collar 101 and turret sleeve 102 are free to slide upwardly and downwardly as an integral unit along the turret shaft 89, the turret sleeve 102 being slidable through a turret sleeve bushing 104 which is mounted in the top plate 33 as by a turret bushing retainer ring 105. The upper end of the turret sleeve 102 projects above the top plate 33, and mounts the turret 39, as by a press fit engagement of a centrally located collar 49 of the latter as seen in FIGURE 2. Thus, vertical reciprocal movement of the turret sleeve 102 will cause similar movement of the turret 39.

As previously mentioned, the vertical reciprocal movement of the turret 39 occurs only after the receptacle receiver stations 39a of the turret have been indexed, by rotation of the Geneva crank and wheel as aforesaid, into juxtaposition with the respective receptacle dispensing, filling, and capping stations of the machine, and before the turret is again rotated to move the receptacles on to the next operational station of the machine. This timed relation of the vertical reciprocal movement of the turret 39 with respect to each of its 90-degree rotational movements is achieved by the configuration of the cam track 94a of the turret lift cam 94, as indicated in FIG- URE 2. Although the development of the cam track 94::

is not illustrated, it will be understood that the track includes a lower flat dwell portion which extends of its circumference; a rise portion extending 90 of its circumference and providing /2 of lift of the follower roller an upper fiat dwell portion extending 90 of its circumference; and a drop portion extending the remaining 90 of its circumference. The annular positioning of the lift cam 94 on the lift cam shaft 93 is related to the positioning of the Geneva crank 87 and wheel 88 on their respective shafts, and is such that the cam follower 95 is within the 90 lower dwell of the cam track 94a during the time of engagement of the Geneva crank pin 87a with one of the slots 88a of the Geneva wheel (i.e. while the turret 39 is being indexed 90). By reason of the central location of the cam follower 95, and the length of the turret operating lever 96, the /2 rise provided by the turret lift cam 94 is converted to a 1 rise of the turret sleeve 102 at the yoke end 96a of the lever 96, and thus the turret 39 is made to rise and fall a distance of 1" in its vertical reciprocating movement. Because the diameters of the

drive sprockets

90 and 92 are the same, it will be understood that one complete stroke of the filler plunger shaft 59 occurs during one complete revolution of the turret lift cam 94.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, it should here be noted that the receptacle receiver stations 39a of the turret 39 are four in number. Each is formed by a semicircular recess 39b of the turret periphery at one of the four quadrant locations, and by a receptacle support bracket 39c thereunder. The support brackets 390 are L-shaped as shown in FIGURE 2 and are attached, as by welding, to the underside of the turret.

Further, at the rearward side of each of the semicircular recesses 391) with respect to the direction of rotation cf the turret 39, radially outward projections 39d of the main turret plate serve as push-outs for the respective receptacles when they are discharged on to the discharge chute 42 after being capped, the push-outs assuring that each receptacle is moved laterally along the chute 42 an additional incremental distance than would otherwise be the case so that the protruding beaded mouth rim 53 of the last discharged receptacle (which has low height) will not be tipped by the next upward movement of the turret 39. In this connection, and referring to FIG-

URES

1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the discharge chute 42 hangs from the housing of the sealing unit 58, the same being attached to the side panel 58d of the latter as by bolts 106. The chute provides a horizontally disposed and flat bottom surface 42a at the elevation of the bottoms of the receptacle support brackets 39c, the inner end edge of the surface 42a being suitably curved (FIG- URE 1) to clear the support brackets 39c as they rotate with the turret 39. A vertically disposed inner wall 421) guides the discharged receptacle to the downward sloping ramp 43 which is pivotally attached to the chute 42 by a rod 107 which passes through the brackets 108 of the chute 42 (FIGURE 2). The inner wall 42 also mounts a horizontally extending guide arm 109 which projects into the path of the receptacle 50 as it leaves the capping station to guide the receptacle on to the surface 42a of the chute. In this manner, the filled and capped receptacles are discharged from the machine and ultimately rest at the lower end of the sloping ramp 43.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, it will be understood that the dispensing apparatus 38 is operated solely by the vertical reciprocating movement of the turret 39 and only at a time when a receptacle receiver station 39a has been positioned below the tubular dispenser magazine or body 110 to receive a receptacle. Gravity discharge of a receptacle 50 from the nested stack thereof Within the tubular body 110 occurs when the rising turret 39 contacts and depresses the vertically movable plunger 111 of the dispensing apparatus 38, as will subsequently be described in greater detail. Further, and after the dispensed empty receptacle has been indexed 90 to the receptacle filling position, the next upward movement of the turret will bring the mouth rim 53 of the receptacle into contact with, and will lift a depending valve disc 130 of the filler apparatus 40 to permit discharge of a coffee cream portion 51 into the receptacle 50 from a bulk supply thereof contained in the filler hopper 131. Although the filler operation will also be described in greater detail, it will be noted that, in the absence of a receptacle 58, the filler will not operate. However, the piston 132, whose shaft 132:: is reciprocated responsive to the movement of the plunger shaft 59 (albeit via a lost motion connection as will be described), will complete one full stroke Within the interiorly located piston tube 133 whether or not a receptacle is in position to be filled because of the cycle of movement of the filler plunger shaft 59, as aforesaid. The filled receptacle is next indexed into position below the capping apparatus 41 which applies a shrink film closure to the receptacle.

As the filled receptacle 50 is indexed from the filling station of the machine to the capping station, a suitable ength of shrink film material is automatically fed from the roll 45 thereof. Referring to FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, and particularly to the last said figure, it will be understood that the continuously running drive chain 91 extends from the lift cam sprocket 92 around an idler sprocket 156 and thence around a film feed clutch sprocket 151 from which it returns to the Geneva drive shaft sprocket 91). The film feed clutch sprocket 151 is attached to the film drive shaft 61, and an overrunning type film feed clutch 152 is also attached to the shaft 61. When the clutch 152 is engaged, the film drive shaft 61 will rotate and, from FIGURES 1 and 3, it will be understood that a miter gear 153 attached to the upper end of the shaft drives an associated miter gear 154 to rotate the horizontally extending jack shaft 155' to which the latter is attached. The jack shaft 155 is journalled between the respective side panels 580 and 58d of the film sealing unit housing, as shown in FIGURE 1. The jack shaft 155 also mounts a chain sprocket 156. The chain 157 which extends therearound engages the film drive roller shaft sprocket 158 which is attached to the horizontally disposed film drive roller shaft 159, the latter also being journalled between the housing side panels 580 and 5801, as shown in FIGURE 1. However, the drive roller shaft 159 extends through the side panel 58d as shown and, at its outwardly projecting end, mounts a rubber film drive roller 160 which includes four film drive roller segments Mun-d of enlarged diameter as indicated.

As will be best understood from FIGURE 3, the film drive roller 160 is in fixed position, and a steel idler roller 161 is pressed upwardly thereagainst so as to grip the film sheet 45a therebetween and promote positive feeding of the film sheet. Although not fully illustrated, the idler roller 161 has four enlarged-diameter segments, similar to the film drive roller segments 160rz-d, but each being considerably narrower to provide clearance spacing therebetween for the respective of the three, finger-like projections 16211- of a film idler plate bracket 162 on which the idler roller 161 is mounted. The plate bracket 162 is generally of inverted U-shape to include downwardly depending sidewalls 162d, between the forward ends of which the idler roller shaft 13 is rotatably mounted as indicated. The four idler roller segments (not illustrated), of course, must engage and press upwardly against the undersides of the respective film drive roller segments 160a-a'. This upward bias pressure on the free forward end of the plate bracket 162 is provided by a leaf spring 168 which is held in position by its under-and-over association with the respective of the film support

idler roller shafts

169 and 164 as shown, the rearward ends of the plate bracket sidewalls 162d being pivotally mounted on the idler roller shaft 164. The shaft 164 carries the idler roller pair 165a, 165k which, together with the idler roller pair 166a, 1661) on the shaft 169, supports the film roll 45 in centerless 11) fashion, as previously mentioned. It will be noted that each of the

rollers

166a, 166b has a side flange 167 to assure proper lateral positioning of the film roll 45. The film sheet 45a passes between the film drive roller and the idler roller 161 and idler plate projections 162ac as shown in FIGURE 3.

In connection with the film feeding mechanism, it should also be noted that, at the lower edge of the rear wall 46a of the film heater guard 46, five spaced apart lateral projections 47ae thereof (see FIGURES 1 and 3) extend into the respective spaces between and along side of the film drive roller segments 160ad, at the underside thereof, to assure that the film sheet 45a does not electrostatically or otherwise adhere to and wind about the rubber film drive roller 160.

The diameters of the

sprockets

156 and 158 and of the drive roller 160 are such as to feed a predetermined length of the film sheet 45a, suitable for forming one shrink closure, into position across the open mouth of the filled receptacle 5t} and below the capping apparatus 41 during the indexing of the receptacle into the capping position as illustrated in FIGURE 3. This suitable length is fed upon each full rotation of the film drive shaft 61. The proper timing of the rotation of the shaft 61 with relation to the indexing of the receptacle from the filling position to the capping position is determined by the time of engagement of the film feed clutch 152. Engagement of the clutch 152 is actuated by the receptacle itself during its indexing movement between the filling and capping stations of the machine, the receptacle contacting and depressing a pivotal film feed clutch control lever 170 (FIGURE 1) which is located immediately adjacent the filling station of the machine.

The mechanism which causes engagement of the clutch 152 upon actuation of the control lever 170 is shown in enlarged perspective in FIGURE 9, and is best understood by comparison of that figure with FIGURE 4. It will be noted that the control lever 170 is attached to a vertical shaft 171 which is journalled in a control lever post 172, the latter being attached to the upper plate 33 0f the base 31 of the machine. The height and location of the lever 1.70 is such that it will be contacted only by the body of the filled receptacle 50 as it initially moves away from the filling station of the machine. The lower end of the shaft 171 is attached to one end of a horizontally extending link 174, the link 174 also being shown in FIGURE 4. The opposite end of the link 174 is pivotally attached, as by a pivot connection 174a, to the rearward end 175a of a film feed clutch link rod 175 which extends horizontally along the underside of the upper plate 33 of the hollow base 31. The link rod 175 is biased in its illustrated rearward position by a spring 176, the latter being attached between the end 175a of the link rod and a spring post 177 (FIGURE 4) which depends from the undersurface of the upper plate 33. Accordingly, the lever 170 is normally biased into the path of the receptacle 5t), and it will be noted that the lever will not be depressed or otherwise engaged unless a receptacle is within one of the turret receiver stations 39a. Thus, a length of film sheet 45a will be fed only when the turret station contains a receptacle to be capped.

The opposite end 175!) of the film feed clutch link rod 175 is pivotally connected, as by a pivot connection 178, to the upper end of a vertically disposed and pivotably mounted film feed clutch operating lever 179. The clutch operating lever 179 is mounted for pivotal movement at a central location along its length by a laterally extending shaft 180 which is journalled within a horizontal bore (not numbered) of one of the base plate spacers 34 as shown in FIGURE 4. The lower end of the lever 179 includes a lateral projection 17% which normally engages a flat, radially projecting surface 152:! of the clutch 152. Because of the bias of the spring 176 and the central location of the pivot point 189, the lever projection 179a will normally be held in engagement with the clutch surface 152a to prevent engagement of the clutch 152 until the lever 170 is depressed in the direction of arrow A in FIGURE 9. When the lever 170 is depressed by a receptacle as aforesaid, the attendant pivoting of the lever shaft 171 and link 174 will move the link rod 175 in the same direction, thereby causing the lower end projection 179a of the feed clutch operating lever 179 to move in the direction of arrow B (FIGURE 9) out of contact with the clutch surface 152a. Since depression of the lever 170 is only momentary, the link rod spring 176 will, upon movement of the receptacle out of engagement with lever 170, promptly again bias the operating lever lower end projection 179a toward the clutch 152 so that, after one full revolution of the clutch, the surface 152a of the latter will come against the operating lever projection and stop, thus disengaging and permitting the normal overrunning of the clutch. It will therefore be understood that a single depression of the lever 170 permits one revolution of the film drive shaft 61 so as to cause a predetermined appropriate length of the film sheet 45a to be fed under the capping apparatus 41. That is, a single revolution of the shaft 61 promotes one revolution of the jack shaft 155 and film drive roller shaft 159 and, hence, of the film drive roller 160. Further, it will be noted that the film drive roller shaft 159 is urged to a positive stop at the end of one revolution by a friction brake 181, the latter being a leather strip 182 looped around and biased against the drive roller shaft 159 by the springs 183a, 183b at the respective ends of the strip 182 as shown in FIGURE 1. The springs 183a, 183b are attached as by a spring mount pint 184, to the interior of the side panel 58c of the sealing unit housing, and it will be understood that the brake 181 will slip during the rotation of the drive roller shaft 159 which is induced by the positive chain and

sprocket drive

156, 157, 158. However, as soon as positive rotation has stopped, the bias of the brake springs 183a, 18% becomes effective to bring the shaft 159 to a positive, immediate stop by frictional engagement of the leather strip 182 with the shaft 159. Thus, the film drive roller 160 is brought to an immediate stop so that the length of the film sheet 4511 which is fed thereby is always of consistent, predetermined length.

Cutting of the film sheet 45a to provide an individual closure is effected simultaneously with the capping operation. Referring to FIGURES l and 3, the capping apparatus 41 includes a vertically reciprocal capping. head, generally indicated by reference numeral 185, which projects outwardly of the sealing unit side panel 58d through a window-like rectangular opening 186 of the latter (FIGURE 3). Although further details and the operation of the capping head in applying a shrink-film closure to a receptacle will later be more fully described, it should be here noted that the movable capping head includes a relatively thick, rectangular shaped and horizontally disposed film heater insulated block 187 which is made of silicone and which, at its inner end (see FIGURE 1), is attached by bolts 188 to the widened end of a capping head support arm 189, the bolt connections 188 being through a steel bolt spacer plate 190 for protection of the silicone material, and the lower ends of the bolts 188 being slidable within respective bores (not numbered) of a lateral support bracket block 188a (FIGURE attached to the housing panel 58d. The other end of the support arm 189 includes a vertical extending attachment collar 189a which is slitted longitudinally, as at 18% (FIGURE 1), to provide attachment to the vertically movable shaft 60. The attachment is made by tightening a threaded bolt 191 which extends across the slit 18%. Thus, vertical reciprocal movement of the shaft 60 causes the desired vertical reciprocal movement of the capping head 185.

The mechanism for promoting the vertical reciprocal movement of the shaft 60 is illustrated in FIGURES 4, 10 and 11. Referring first to FIGURES 4 and 10, it will be understood that motion to the shaft is transmitted from the yoke end 96b of the turret operating lever 96 via a Z-shaped capping head operating lever which is generally indicated by reference numeral 195. Its longitudinally extending arms 195a and 195b are attached by the transversely extending shaft 1950 which is journalled in the upright bearing portions 196a, 196b of a bearing mount block 196, the latter. being attached to the bottom plate 32 of the hollow base 31. Referring to FIG- URE 10, it is seen that the outer end of the lever arm 195a is slotted, as at 197, to receive the outwardly projecting portion of one of the pins 97 of the turret operating l ver yoke end 96b. Thus, when the turret operating lever 96 is lifted and lowered by the rotational action of the turret lift cam 94, the pin connection at its yoke end causes the same vertical reciprocal movement to be imparted to the outer end of the lever arm 195a thus caus ing pivotal movement of the capping head operating lever 195. A turret helper spring 205 is attached below and at a middle location along the length of the arm 195a, as shown. The outer end of the other lever arm 195b is pivotally attached, as by pivot connection 198, to the lower end of the shaft 60, enough free play being provided in the pivot connection 198 to allow for slight relative lateral movement between the two. Accordingly, it will be understood that, as the turret-39 is lifted, the capping head moves downwardly, and vice versa. It will also be noted that the capping head will begin moving downwardly, and will complete its full cycle of movement, only when a receptacle is fully in its capping position therebelow.

Since, as previously explained, film feeding will occur only during the time of indexing movement of a receptacle from the receptacle filling station to the receptacle capping station of the machine, the proper length of film to provide one closure will have been fed from the film roll 45, and the film feeding action will have terminated, at the time when the receptacle has arrived at the capping station. The length of film is then severed coincident with the downward movement of the capping head 185. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 3, it will be noted that the capping head 185 carries a film cutting knife 199 which is attached, as by screws 200, to the rearward end of the relatively square-shaped aluminum film heater block 201 of the capping head. The cutting edge of the knife 199 is serrated for better cutting action in conjunction with the finger-like leading edge of the film idler plate 162, and it will be noted that the receptacle 50 is being lifted concurrently with the downward movement of the capping head. It will also be noted from FIGURE 3 that a plunger disc 202 of the capping head, whose shaft 203 is mounted for free sliding movement within a bore (not numbered) of the heater insulating block 187, normally depends to an elevation below that of the cutting edge of the knife 199 so that knife cutting action is assisted by the sandwiching of the film sheet 45a between the disc 202 and the receptacle mouth rim 53 at the time when the knife 199 initiates its cut. Moreover, the relative distances of movement of the capping head and receptacle, prior to the time the mouth rim of the latter moves into the film heater block 201 for the capping operation, is such that the film sheet 45a is completely severed from the film roll 45 at the time the individual closure is formed.

Continuing now with a detailed description of the capping apparatus 41, it should first be noted from FIG-

URES

1, 2 and 3 that the housing of the sealing unit 58 is formed by a rear panel 58a, a front panel 581), a pair of spaced apart

side panels

58c, 58d, and a top panel 58e. The side panels 580 and 580. are spaced apart by a pair of panel spacer blocks 210a, 21012 at the respective ends thereof, the blocks 210a, 21% being located near the bottom edges of the side panels and being attached between the latter by the respective bolt pairs 106 (which also mount the discharge chute 42) and 211. The bolts.

211 which are situated behind the film plate bracket 162 are omitted from FIGURE 3 for clarity. The housing is supported by the

vertical posts

56 and 57 which are press-fit within appropriate bores (not numbered) of the respective blocks 210a, 21012 as indicated. The side panel 58d has a rectangular opening 186 as aforesaid, and has a rearward extension (not numbered) for supporting the film

support roller shafts

164 and 169. The front and rear panels 58b and 58s are attached to the side panels 580 and 58d by screws 212.

Referring to FIGURE which shows the vertically movable capping head 185 in its normal, raised position at the moment when the turret 39 has moved a filled receptacle 50 into position thereunder but prior to initiation of the upward movement of the turret, it will be understood that the aluminum heater block 201 is suspended from the insulating block 187 and attached in vertically spaced relation thereto by four bolts 212 and their associated spacers 213, the bolts 212 passing through bores (not numbered) of the insulating block 187 and being threaded into the heater block 201. As seen in FIGURE 1, the silicone insulating block 187 has four vent apertures 214 therethrough. The heater block 201 is heated to about 400 F. by a transversely extending rod type heating element 66, the wiring for which (not shown) passes into the housing of the sealing unit 58 via the opening 186 in the panel 58d. The heater block 201 further includes a central aperture 216 having diameter only slightly larger than the diameter of the beaded mouth rim 53 of the receptacle 50. For example, where the diameter of the receptacle bead is nominally 1% inches, the diameter of the aperture 216 is 1.780 inches.

As previously mentioned, the capping head 185 mounts a plunger disc 202 whose shaft 203 is freely slidable through a bore of the heater insulating block 187, a retaining nut 217 being attached to the shaft 203 at the upper side of the insulating block. The plunger disc 202 has a neoprene sponge undersurface 202a which is bonded to the basic metal disc and, as shown by FIGURE 10, normally resides at an elevation below the underside of the heater block 216. The diameter of the plunger disc 202 is substantially equal to the diameter of the receptacle head 53 as, for example, 1.750 inches in the aforemen tioned example. A cup knockout stop 218 is attached to, and projects laterally from the side panel 58a to counteract any tendency of either the plunger 202 or film material 45a to hang up or bind within the heater block aperture 216 during the capping operation as will now be described.

As previously mentioned, as soon as the turret 39 completes its 90 indexing rotation, the turret will lift a distance of one inch during the period of its dwell at the rotated position. Thus, the filled receptacle 50 within the turret receiver station 39a and which is now located immediately below and aligned with the heater block aperture 216 will be lifted upwardly towards the capping head 185. A suitable length of shrink film material 45a will have already been fed into position across the top of the receptacle mouth rim as previously described. Also as previously noted, and simultaneously with the upward movement of the turret 39, the capping head 185 will move downwardly to meet the upwardly moving receptacle 50. As shown in FIGURE 10, the film material 450 is considerably larger than, or oversized with relation to the mouth rim diameter of the receptacle 50.

At about the halfway point during the simultaneous.

movement of the receptacle 50 and capping head 185 toward each other, and before the film sheet 45a has been severed from the roll 45 thereof, the plunger disc 202 comes into contact with the film sheet 45a and exerts its weight against the receptacle bead 53 to hold the former firmly in contact with the latter, and to shield the central area of the film 45a from heat as would otherwise shrink the same. As shown by FIGURE 11, the continued converging movement of the receptacle 50 and capping head 145 first causes a severing of the film sheet 45a (by the film cutting knife 199 as previously described), and then brings the receptacle mouth rim and closure film to a location within the heater block aperture 215, the plunger disc 202 resting on the receptacle head 53 all the while, and the capping head 185 sliding downwardly with relation to the plunger disc shaft 203. Upon contact with the lower edge of the heater block aperture 216, and during the time when the same is within the heater block aperture 216, the peripheral excess of the film material 45a will be heated and shrunken about the top end of the receptacle 50, this so-called tape of the now formed closure 52 shrinking tightly against the body of the receptacle 50 below the receptacle head 53, as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 11. Because of the substantially square shape of the film sheet 45a, and by reason of their diagonally measured length as compared with the relatively short distance of movement of the receptacle mouth rim into the heater block aperture 216, the four corner portions of the closure 52 will remain relatively unshrunken and out of contact with the receptacle body so as to form convenient projecting pull tabs (not numbered) for manually removing the closure 52 from the receptacle.

The film material and receptacle mouth rim remain within the heater block aperture 216 for a relatively short period of time, only about one or two seconds, whereupon by the lowering of the turret 39 and the simultaneous lifting of the capping head by means as previously described the now Sealed receptacle is moved out of the aperture 216 and lowered to the elevation of the bottom surface 42a of the receptacle discharge chute 42, as seen in FIGURE 2. During this movement apart of the receptacle 50 and the capping head 185, the plunger disc 202 remains in gravity contact with the receptacle bead 53 until the upwardly moving heater insulating block 187 contacts the underside of the nut 217 at the upper end of the plunger disc shaft 203 to lift the plunger disc 202 out of contact with the receptacle. As will be observed from FIGURE 11, during the time when the closure 52 is being formed, the upper end of the plunger disc shaft 203 is situated immediately under the knockout stop 218 so that, if for any reason the film closure 52 or plunger disc 202 tends to bind and remain within the heater block aperture 216 during the now intended diverging movement of the capping head and receptacle, the knockout stop 218 will prevent upward movement of the plunger disc shaft 203 and will therefore assure relative upward movement of the capping head with respect to the latter. Separation of the capped receptacle from the capping head 135 is thereby always assured.

Turning now to the details of the construction and operation of the filler apparatus 40, it should first be noted from FIGURE 2 that the hopper 131 of the apparatus is firmly but removably attached to the vertical post 55 within which the filler plunger shaft 59 reciprocates. The attachment is made by a vertical bracket 220, which is welded to the side of the hopper 131, the bracket having laterally projecting upper and lower ends 220a, 2201) between which a rod 221 is welded in place as shown. The rod 221 has flattened end projections 222 (only one of which is partially shown in FIGURE 1) which project outward of the upper and lower bracket ends 220a, 22% and which fit snugly into respective slotted apertures (not numbered) of respective upper and lower support arms 223a, 223b, the lower arm 223k being welded to the post 55. Referring to FIGURE 1, a projecting lug 224, which is welded to the hopper 131, is attached as by a tight fitting but removable pin 225 to a dispenser support bracket 226 which, in turn, is welded to the post 55 immediately below the lower hopper support arm 22311 as shown. Thus, by removal of pin 225 and lifting of the hopper rod 221 out of the lower arm 223b, the hopper 131 is detachable from the post 55 and bracket 226.

It should perhaps here be noted that the dispenser body 110 is firmly but removably mounted on the dispenser support bracket 226 by screw connections 227a (FIGURE 1) through the dispenser body flange 227.

Referring to the general operation of the receptacle filler apparatus 40, the vertical reciprocal movement of the filler plunger shaft 59 causes the piston 132 to move within the cylinder'133a, which is formed in a piston tube member 133, via a lost motion connection generally indicated by reference numeral 228 between the plunger shaft 59 and the piston shaft 232a. Referring to FIGURE 2, a horizontally extending piston operating lever 229 is rigidly attached to the upper end of the filler plunger shaft 59 as shown. At the projecting free end 229a of the lever 229 a slidable connection is made to the piston shaft 132a as by the shaft receiving lever recess 22% (FIGURE 1) and a pivotable latch 230 for enclosing the piston rod 132a within the lever recess. The latch 230 is pivotable about one of its ends 230a, and is pivoted against a stop 231 of the lever 229 when the rod 132a is in position within the recess 22%, the clearance between the rod and the latch being such as to permit slidable movement of the lever 229 with respect to the rod. A thumb screw type lower stop 232 is mounted in fixed position on the piston rod 132a below the lever 229, and a similar thumb screw type upper stop 233 is mounted on the rod 232a at a location above the lever 229'. Rather than being of a thumb screw type, the lower stop 232 might be of a fixed type, its location on the rod 132a being ordinari y regarded as permanent. Its location is determined by the position of the underside of the lever 229 with respect to the piston rod 132a when the plunger shaft 59 is in its lowermost position and the piston 132 is at its lowermost position against the bottom 133b of the cylinder 133a. The location of the upper stop 233 is adjustable along the length of the piston rod 132a for the purpose of varying the quantity of coffee cream which will be metered into, and discharged from the cylinder 133a to fill the individual receptacles 50. That is, and as will be readily understood from FIGURE 2, a lower position of the stop 233 on the rod 132a would cause the piston operating lever 229 to make earlier contact therewith during the upward movement of the latter to thus impart longer upward stroke to the piston 132 and therefore a greater quantity of coffee cream to be metered into the cylinder 133a since the volume of the lat- :ter, as determined by the uppermost position of the 'piston 132, will then be larger. Conversely, a higher location of the stop 233 along the length of the rod 132a would cause the piston 132 to remain for a longer time against the bottom 13312 of the cylinder 133a dur- 'ing the upward stroke of the plunger shaft 59 before 'contact is made between the upwardly moving lever 229 and the underside of the upper stop 233 so that, be-

cause the highest point of movement of the lever 229 is fixed, the piston 132 will be ultimately lifted a shorter distance away from the cylinder bottom 133b. Thus, the cylinder volume, and therefore the amount of coffee cream as will be metered into the cylinder 133a, is reduced as the position of the upper stop 223 is higher .along the rod 132a.

It should here be noted that conventional sizes of paper receptacles as are used to serve individual portions of coffee cream are of one-ounce, three-fourths ounce, and one-half ounce capacity, yet the diameters of their mouth rims are the same (i.e. 1%"), a variation in the receptacle height being determinative of the variation in receptacle capacity. Accordingly, an appropriate adapter plate (not shown) will be placed upon the receptacle support bracket 39b to elevate the shorter receptacles such that the height of the mouth rims of all receptacles which the machine will fill and cap will be uniformly one-half inch below the valve disc 130. Moreover, a commonly accepted serving of coffee cream is about five-eighths of an ounce, and it is sometimes the practice to ,only partially fill either a one-ounce or a 16 three-fourths ounce standard receptacle with five-eighths of an ounce of cream. By an appropriate gauge on the piston rod 132a the location of the upper stop 233 may be varied and precisely determined to cover variations of the quantity of coffee cream desired to be dispensed into any such conventional receptacle within a range of from zero to one full ounce or more.

The construction and operation of the filler valve and piston in metering and dispensing a quantity of coffee cream into an individual receptacle is best shown by FIG-

URES

2, 12, 13 and 14. Referring first to FIGURE 2 wherein the valve is shown in its closed position, the depending valve disc is attached to the lower end of a vertically slidable valve tube 235, the latter having a central channel 235a and being mounted for slidable movement within the central tubular opening 133d of the piston tube member 133. The valve tube 235 is limited in its movement by a laterally projecting pin 236 thereof which slides within a vertically extending slot 237 in the lower projecting portion 1330 of the piston tube member, the pin 236 being retained in the slot 237 by an annular snap ring 238 which extends around the lower end of the projecting portion 1330. A neoprene O-ring type gasket 239 extends about the valve tube 235 adjacent its upper end to prevent leakage of cream between the valve tube and the tubular opening 133d in which it slides. The fairly tight fitting nature of the gasket 239 is such as to prevent the valve tube 235 from dropping by gravity to its lowermost position, but is not such as to unduly bind the valve and prevent it from sliding easily responsive to the upward pressure of the receptacle 50 on the valve disc 130 during turret lifting movement, as aforesaid. However, it will be understood that the valve tube 235 may require a positive assist in its downward movement because of the limited binding nature of the gasket 239, and therefore the valve tube 235 includes a centrally located and upwardly projecting flat portion 240 which will be contacted by the piston 132 during the terminal portion of the downward movement of the latter. When the valve tube 235 is in its lowermost position as shown in FIGURE 2, the fiat portion 240 also serves as a flow divider between the oppositely disposed

cylinder inlet channels

241a, 241b, the plane of the flat portion 240 being disposed at right angles to the common axis of the two

cylinder inlet passages

241a, 241b. It will therefore be apparent that, as the piston 132 is raised, coffee cream from the bulk supply thereof contained in the hopper 131 will be drawn into the cylinder 133a via the

inlet passages

241a, 241b of the latter, the effective recessing of the opposite sides of the upper end of the valve tube 235, as is provided by the plate portion 240, completing the respective inlet passages to the cylinder 133a as indicated by the flow arrows in FIGURE 2.

It will be noted that the upper end of the cylinder tube 133a is closed by the piston 132, a neoprene O-ring type gasket 242 of the piston preventing seepage between the piston and the wall of the cylinder. It will also be noted that the piston tube member 133 projects through a bottom opening 131a of the hopper and is held tightly in place by a wing nut 243 which is threaded on to the lower end of the piston tube member 133 where it projects below the hopper 131 as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, the piston tube member 133 and valve apparatus is easily removable for cleaning.

Ejection of the metered portion of coffee cream from the cylinder 133a is illustrated in FIGURES 12-14. FIG- URES 12 and 13 show the valve tube 235 in its uppermost position as it will appear when lifted by a receptacle 50. Referring to FIGURES 12 and 14, it should first be noted that the central channel 235a of the valve tube 235 does not extend fully the length of the latter, but terminates at the transversely extending channel opening 244 near the upper end thereof. Referring to FIG- 7 URES 13 .and 14, it Will be understood that discharge of the coffee cream portion 51 is via a pair of vertical discharge passages 245a, 2451) which are formed in the piston tube member at the cylinder bottom 133k by respective recesses of the tubular opening 133d at opposite sides thereof. These

discharge passages

245a, 245b have width equal to the diameter of the transversely extending channel 244 of the valve tube, and are recessed to a depth such that their total area for liquid passing therethrough is at least equal to the diameter of the valve tube channel 235a. Their height is such that they extend downwardly to the elevation of the lower edge of the channel 244 when the valve tube 235 is in its uppermost position, as illustrated in FIGURE 13. It will be noted that the

cylinder inlet passages

241a, 241b are closed by the valve tube 235 and that the flat portion 240 of the valve tube projects into the interior of the cylinder 133a when the valve tube 235 is in its uppermost position.

Referring now to FIGURE 12, the piston 132 may be considered as having initiated its downward movement to eject the coffee cream 51 through the valve tube channel 235a and into the receptacle 50, the latter being in its elevated position as aforesaid so as to bring the transverse channel 244 into juxtaposition with the piston tube discharge passages 245a, 2451). Because the cylinder 133a is completely filled with the liquid 51, the liquid will not flow downwardly in the absence of positive downward urging by the piston 132. As the piston travels through its downward stroke the liquid 51 is ejected, and it will be noted that the piston 132 will contact the upper end of the valve tube fiat portion 240 and thus positively urge the valve tube 235 downwardly during the terminal portion of the piston stroke for reasons as aforesaid. However, the turret 39 and receptacle 50 will have initiated their downward movement at or before the time when the piston 132 makes contact with the valve tube flat portion 240. The piston 132 and turret 39 travel downwardly at essentially the same rate so that the receptacle 50 will not be crushed between the valve disc 130 and the bottom of the receptacle receiver bracket 390 of the turret.

Considering that in a preferred embodiment the diameter of the transverse channel 244 is A and that its centerline in the valve-open position (FIGURE 12) is below the cylinder bottom 133b, it will be noted that the diameter and elevation of the transverse channel 244 in the valve-opened position is such that the valve will be fully shut during a terminal portion of the downward stroke of piston 132 and, therefore, a quantity of the liquid within the cylinder 133a will be expelled back into the liquid hopper 131 via the inlet passages 241a, 24117 at such time. Thus, valve shut-off always occurs during or prior to the time when the lifted turret 39 has been lowered to its lowermost position. Further considering that the height of the valve tube flat portion 240 is /2, it is seen that the valve is shut during the last A" of downward movement of the piston. This corresponds to 11 /2 of rotation of the plunger shaft yoke disc 78 (FIG- URE S), considering that the diameter of the path of movement of the roller cam 79 is 2". It also corresponds to 22V2 of rotation of the turret lift cam 94 since its period of rotation corresponds to that of the valve disc 78. Further, and considering that the upper piston rod stop 233 (FIGURE 2) may be positioned against the plunger lever 229 when the latter is against the lower stop 232 so as to eliminate all lost motion, the maximum stroke of the piston 132 is 2", corresponding to the stroke of the plunger shaft 59. However, the maximum quantity of coffee cream which may be dispensed is that determined by 1%" of piston stroke under conditions and for the reason as aforesaid.

To dispense a predetermined quantity of coffee cream into a receptacle, the upper stop 233 should be positioned at a. location above the plunger shaft lever 229 (when the latter is against the lower stop 232) at a location which is equal to 1% inches minus the length of piston stroke as is necessary to determine the requisite predetermined volume of liquid between the cylinder 133a, considering not only the inside diameter of the cylinder but also the displacement volume of the valve tube flat portion 240.

Referring now to the action of the filter apparatus in metering out and dispensing such predetermined quantity of coffee cream, in a preferred embodiment the position of the roller cam 79 is at bottom dead center with respect to the yoke disc 78 so that the plunger shaft 59 is initiating its upward movement at the time when the turret lift cam 74 is entering its period of dwell c0mmen-' surate with the indexing rotation of the turret 39. Accordingly, the plunger shaft 59 begins to rise as the turret begins to rotate, but the piston 132 remains against the cylinder bottom 13312 during the aforementioned distance of rise of the plunger towards contact with the upper stop 233 since the lever 229 is sliding on the piston rod 132a.

After the yoke disc 78 has rotated in counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 8) over an arc of movement determinative of such distance of upward movement of the plunger 59, the lever 229 contacts the upper stop 233 so that the piston 132 begins to rise. The piston 132 rises the requisite distance during the remainder of the 180 of rotation of the yoke disc 78 to stop dead center positioning of the cam 79. It will be noted that the turret lift cam 94 will begin to lift the turret 39 as the yoke disc 78 achieves 90 of its referred to movement and that, considering a turret lift of one inch and that the top of the receptacle 50 is initially one-half inch below the valve disc 130, the filler valve will begin to open when the yoke disc has achieved 135 of the movement.

At the point in the counterclockwise movement of the yoke disc 78, the turret 39 will be in its fully lifted position, the filler valve will be completely open, and the piston 132 will be in its fully raised position.

Because of the slidable connection between the plunger shaft lever 229 and the piston rod 132a, the piston 132 will not commence its downward stroke until the yoke disc has rotated over a further arc of movement as is necessary to lower the lever 229 into contact with the lower stop 232 on the piston rod 132a. The turret lift cam 94 will have commensurately rotated over an equal angle of movement at the time when the piston 132 commences its downward stroke. Filling of the receptacle commences with the downward stroke of the piston, and will be completed at the time when the turret 39 is still A" above its lowermost position for reasons as aforesaid. Thus, a typical operation of the filler apparatus 40 has been described.

Turning now to the details and operation of the receptacle dispensing apparatus 38, reference is first made to FIGURE 15 wherein the basic shuttle action of the dispenser is illustrated. It is there shown that the dispenser tube 110, in which a nested stack of receptacles 50 has been placed (only two of the receptacles being illustrated for clarity), has an attached shuttle shelf 250 (only a portion of which is shown) in which a transversely slidable shuttle 251 is mounted. The shuttle shelf 250 is attached adjacent the pair of window-like openings 252 formed at the opposite sides of the dispenser tube 110, as shown. The shuttle 251 is a substantially U-shaped flat plate whose elongated opening 253, along its major length adjacent the closed end 251a thereof, is slightly wider than the diameter of the receptacle bead 53 to permit the receptacles 50 to fall freely therethrough. The overall length of the opening 253 is at least one and one-half times the diameter of a receptacle 50. At the open end 251k of the shuttle, the opening 253 is narrowed by a pair of inwardly projecting receptacle support elements 254 at opposite sides of the shuttle as shown. Thus, when the shuttle is in its normal receptacle supporting position as illustrated, the nested stack of receptacles rests on the of the dispenser tube 110.

Attached along the upper surface of each leg portion 255 of the U-shaped shuttleis a receptacle stripper element 256 which projects inwardly of the opening 253 to the same extent as do the respective receptacle support elements 254. Each stripper element 256 has a flat upper surface 256a, and 'is located along the length of its associated shuttle leg 255 such that the surface 256a will support the nested stack of receptacles 50 when the shuttle 251 has been moved to its receptacle dispensing position (FIGURE 20). Movement of the shuttle 251 to its receptacle dispensing position is effectuated by a movable pin 260 which engages an aperture 257 of the shuttle, as indicated in FIGURES l and 20. From FIG- URE it will be understood that the underside 256b of the surface 256a, where itprojects into the opening 253, slopes downwardly in the direction away from the dispenser tube 110, and that the height of each stripper element 256, above the upper surface of its associated shuttle leg 255, is approximately equal to, or slightly greater than the height of the receptacle bead 53. Thus, when the shuttle 251 is pushed inwardly to its dispensing position as illustrated in FIGURE 20, the sloping underside surface 256b of each stripper element 256 assures positive separation and stripping of the bottommost receptacle 50 from the nested stack thereof, while the top surface 256a of the stripper element supports the remaining receptacles in the stack. The stripped receptacle 5.0 falls by gravity through the shuttle opening 253 and on to one of the receptacle receiver brackets 39b of the turret 39 which, as previously described, has been located below the dispenser tube 110. When the shuttle 251 is thereafter moved outwardly to its position as shown in FIGURE 15, the stack of receptacles 50 will drop from the stripper element top surfaces 256a to rest on the receptacle support elements. 254 until the shuttle 251 is again actuated.

Actuation of. the shuttle via the movable pin 260 and responsive to the lifting action. of turret39 is best under.- stood by reference to FIGURES 16-20. Referring first to FIGURES 16 and 18, it is seen thatthc ,shuttlershelf250 extends laterally outward of the dispenser tube 110 and therefore also serves asa support for a transversely extending bearing block. 258; The shuttle shelf. is longitudinally slotted, as at 250a, to provide movement clearance, for the pin 260 which projectsthroughthe slot to its engagement with the shuttle; aperture 257. The fixed bearing block 258 provides a journal for the pivotable shaft 259, to one end ofwhich the depending. pin 260 is attached, and is at an elevated location with respect to.

the shuttle shelf upper surface so as to permit a wide swing of the pin 260' to appropriately move, the shuttle 251. Thus, and. as illustrated by'FIGURES 19 and'20 which show two positions of the shuttle 251 during its movement from its normal receptacle supporting position as shown in FIGURES. 15 and 17 to itsreceptacle dispensing position as shown in FIGURE 20, pivotal movement of the shaft 259 in the clockwise direction of the arrow pivots the depending pin 260. so that the lower end of the latter so moves the shuttle by its engagement with the shuttle aperture 257. It is apparent that pivoting the shaft 259 in counterclockwise direction will return the shuttle 251 to its receptacle supporting position as shown in FIGURE 15.

Referring now to FIGURE 17 his seen thata shuttle actuating lever 261 is attached to the other'endof the pivotable. shaft 258, the lever 261 being oriented at 90 with respect to-the direction of the pin=260.- At itsfree end, the lever 261 has a transversely. extending shoulder pin 262v (FIGURE 16), the latter projecting atboth sides of the lever 261. As perhaps best shownby FIGURES 17 and 18, the inwardly directed projection of thelever 261 is engaged by the vertically reciprocal plunger 111: when the latter is lifted by the turret 39 as-previously mentioned sothat, as will be apparent from FIGURE 17, the one:

inch rise of the turret 39 willdepressthe plunger 111,

20 the same distance to pivot the lever 261 and shaft 259 and thus shift the shuttle as indicated in FIGURES 19. and 20. The plunger 111 is slidable within a. plunger tube 263 which is attached to one side of the shuttle shelf 250 as seen in FIGURE 18.

As previously described, the turret will rise only after a receptacle receiver station 39a has been rotated and halted in position immediately below the bottom opening of the dispenser tube 110, and therefore the dispenser apparatus 40 will be actuated only at such times. The resulting shift of the shuttle 251 to its dispensing position causes the shuttle stripper element to strip the bottommost receptacle from the receptacle stack so that it is deposited on the turret receiver bracket 3% as indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 18. The turret 39 then moves downwardly, as aforesaid.

The downward movement of the turret 39 permits the plunger 111 to drop downwardly to relieve its pressure of engagement with the shoulder pin 262. So that the pin 262 follows the downward movement of the plunger 1-11 to thereby pivot the shaft 259 and pin 260 and thus return the shuttle 251 to its normal receptacle supporting position, a spring 264 is attached between the outwardly directed projection of the pin 262 and a spring mounting lug 265 which is attached to the lower end of the plunger tube 263, as best illustrated by FIGURE 18. Thus, the spring 264 normally biases the shuttle 251 into its receptacle supporting position as shown in FIGURES 15 and 17.

A manually pivotable dispenser shut-off lock 266 (FIG- URE 16) is pivotally connected, as by a pivot pin 267, to the upper surface of the shuttle shelf 250 adjacent the forwardmost position of movement of the shuttle pin 260. The shut-off lock 266 is pivoted in the direction of the arrow (FIGURE 16) when dispenser action is to be terminated while receptacles remain within the dispenser tube 110, and while the machine 30 continues to operate to permit the two preceding dispensed receptacles to be filled and capped. For example, immediately after the last' in a predetermined number or series of receptacles has been dispensed, the lock 266 is pivoted into thepath of the shuttle pin 260 as it would otherwise return to its normal position responsive to the bias of the spring 264. The recessed portion 268' of the lock 266' will err-- gage the pin 260 and prevent its return by overcoming the bias of the spring 264.- Thus, the shoulder pin 262 of the lever 261 is held away from the top end of the plunger 111 so that the reciprocal movement of the latter, responsive to the vertical movement of the turret 39', isinetfec- I tive to operate the dispenser.

Referring now to the somewhat diagrammatic showing of FIGURE 21, it will be understood that the machine 30 may be modified'to double its filled and capped receptacle output without increasing the machine speed.

That is, the turret 339 may be provided with four quadrant-disposed pairs 33911, 4391101. receptacle receiver stations, rather than single stations, the pairs being aligned inthe direction of the turret circumference. It is conceivable that the paired receptacle receiver stationscould be radially aligned, or that double-pairs of circumferentially and radially aligned receptacle receiver stations for quadrupling machine output might be provided, although ancillary receptacle discharge means such as vertically movable or pivotable receptacle knockout arms. would probably be required.

However, in the illustrated arrangement wherein the pairsof receptacles willbeautomatically andconvenient lydischarged from the machineby the discharge chute 442 as has been described, a pair of

receptacle dispensers

338, 438 are mounted at one quad-rantof the machine for cal movement'of'the turret 339 by mechanisms as previ-- ously; described.

The filler apparatus 346 may include but one hopper 331 but in any event will include an appropriately disposed pair of valves and

valve discs

330, 430 with which the respective receptacles will make contact during the filling operation. The

valve tubes

335, 435 will operate within individual cylinders (not shown) within the hopper 331, and it will be noted that the coincidentally actuating pistons within the cylinders may be operated by a single filler plunger shaft (not shown), having a lost motion connection to each of the two piston rods which actuate the pair of pistons.

Individual shrink-film closures will be simultaneously applied to the respective of the paired receptacles at the capping station 441 of the machine. The vertically movable capping head (not shown), will have a pair of adjacent apertures for simultaneously receiving both receptacles, a cutting knife 399 (FIGURE 21), being attached to the capping head between the suitable spaced receptacle receiving apertures thereof for severing the single sheet 345a of shrink-film material as will be automatically fed as aforesaid to form both closures. The sheet 345a will be severed from the roll of film (not shown), by an additional knife 499 attached to the rearward end of the capping head.

Thus, a receptacle dispensing, filling and shrink-film capping machine and method has been described which achieves all of the objects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for dispensing, filling and capping receptacles, said machine comprising a base having receptacle transport means mounted for movement thereon, said transport means having means providing a plurality of receptacle receiver stations thereof, respective receptacle dispensing, filler, and shrink-film capping apparatus mounted on said base in spaced apart relation with respect to each other in said operational sequence and adjacent said receptacle transport means, and drive means mounted on said base including means for moving said receptacle transport means to respectively and successively position its said receptacle receiver stations in operational alignment with said receptacle dispensing, filler and shrinkfilm capping apparatus, said receptacle dispensing apparatus having actuating means actuated by movement of said receptacle transport means to position at least one receptacle on each said receptacle receiver station when the receiver station is in said operational alignment therewith, and said receptacle filler and shrink-film capping apparatus being respectively adapted for actuation upon contact of a receptacle on one of said receptacle receiver stations when in said operational alignment therewith.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein each said receptacle receiver station is adapted to receive at least two receptacles in adjacent, laterally spaced apart relation with respect to each other, and said receptacle dispensing apparatus is adapted to dispense, and each of said receptacle filler apparatus and shrink-film capping apparatus is adapted to perform its respective operational function simultaneously upon, said number of receptacles in each receptacle receiver station.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said receptacle transport means comprises a rotatable turret, said receptacle receiver stations being disposed in spaced apart relation about the periphery of said turret, and said receptacle dispensing, filler, and capping apparatus are positioned at corresponding spaced apart peripheral locations with respect to said turret.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said turret is disposed in vertically spaced relation with respect to said base, and said means providing each said receptacle receiver station comprises bracket means for supporting the received receptacle whereby the bottom of the receptacle is disposed a distance below said turret, all of said bracket means and said turret being further adapted to permit removal of each said receptacle from the respective of said receptacle receiver stations by lateral movement of the receptacle in radially outward direction with respect to said turret, and said base further has guide arm means disposed between said turret and said base substantially adjacent said capping apparatus for contacting by the respective of said receptacles during rotational movement of said turret, said guide arm means being further positioned radially inward of said peripheral disposition of the receptacle receiver stations whereby, upon said contacting of said guide arm means by the respective of said receptacles and upon subsequent rotational movement of said turret, the respective receptacles are so removed from the respective of said receiver stations.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said base further has a chute portion adjacent said guide arm means for guiding said removed receptacles to a remote location with respect to said turret.

6. A machine for dispensing, filling and capping receptacles, said machine comprising a base having receptacle transport means mounted for movement thereon, receptacle dispensing apparatus including a magazine for containing a nested stack of receptacles and means for dispensing said receptacles one at a time from said stack on to said transport means, receptacle filler apparatus including bulk supply means for supplying the material with which each receptacle will be filled and means including valve means for discharging a predetermined portion of said material from the bulk supply thereof into each of said dispensed receptacles, shrink-film capping apparatus including a heated capping head for applying an individual shrink-film closure to each of said so-filled receptacles, apparatus for feeding shrink-film material between said capping head and the receptacle on which said shrink-film closure will be formed, and means for moving said receptacle transport means, said receptacle transport means being positioned and movable with respect to said receptacle dispensing, filler, and capping apparatus to transport each said dispensed receptacle from said dispensing apparatus to said filler apparatus and thence to i said capping apparatus, all of said dispensing, filler, and capping apparatus being mounted on said base, said film feeding apparatus comprising means for supporting the shrink-film material to be fed, drive roll means for engaging said film material adjacent to its leading edge and for so feeding a predetermined length thereof, receptacle sensor means for sensing the presence of a receptacle on said transport means while being moved to said capping head, and means between said receptacle sensor means and said drive roll means for so actuating the latter only in response to said sensing of a receptacle by the receptacle sensor means.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said film feeding apparatus is mounted on said shrink-film capping apparatus. I

8. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said receptacle transport means comprises a rotatable turret, said means for moving said transport means comprises means for rotating said turret, and said dispensing, filler, and capping apparatus are positioned at spaced apart circumferential locations with respect to, and adjacent the periphery of said turret.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said turret has at least three receptacle receiver stations at equally spaced apartcircumferential locations for receiving said dispensed receptacles, said spaced apart circumferential locations of said dispensing, filler, and capping apparatus being respectively associated With each of said three receptacle receiver stations when said turret is in a given rotational position, and said means for rotating said turret includes means providing intermittent rotating movement thereof whereby said receptacle receiver stations are caused to dwell at each said apparatus location for a period during therotation of said turret.

10. A machine for dispensing, filling and capping receptacles, said machine comprising a base having a rotatable turret mounted thereon, said turret havingat least three receptaclereceiver stations at equally spaced apartcircumferential locations, receptacle dispensing apparatus includinga magazine for containing a nested stack of receptacles andmeans for'dispensing individual receptacles from said stack on to the respective of said receptacle receiver stations, receptacle" filler apparatus including bulk supply means for supplying the material'with which each receptacle will be filled and means including valve means for discharging a predeterminedportion of said material fromthe-bulk supply thereof into each of said dispensed receptacles, shrink-film capping. apparatus including a heated cappinghead' for'applying an individual shrink-film' closure toeach of said so-filledreceptacles, apparatus for feeding shrink-film material between said cappinghead and the receptacle on which said shrink-film closure will be formed, said: dispensing, filling. and capping apparatus being. mounted on said base at respective spaced apart circumferential locations with respect to, and adjacent theperiphery ofsaidturret which are'respectively associated with each of said three receptacle receiver stations when said turret is in a given rotational position, and means for intermittentlyrotating.said turret whereby each saidreceptacle receiver station is moved from said dispensing apparatus to said filler. apparatus and' thenceto said capping apparatus and caused to dwell'at each-said apparatus location fora period during'the rotation of said turret, said means. for rotating said turret further comprising means providing. intermittent vertical reciprocal movement of'the turret with respect to said :base duringsaid periods of dwell whereby, simultaneously upon-each upward movement thereof, said: turret'is' moved into contact with said dispensing: apparatus to actuate the" same to dispense a receptacle onto one of said receptacle receiver stations and other receptacles; situated onthe, other of said recep-' tacle receiver stations,:are respectively, moved substantiallyx into contact with saidfillerapparatus and said heated cappingahead of said capping; apparatus, said-filler apparatus and said capping apparatus being operable-responsiveto=said contactby; a:-receptacle whereby-the receptacles-are respectively-so filled andvso capped.-

11. A machine according to claim Ill-wherein said means: of the 'dispenserapparatus for dispensing, said receptacles. one at -a= time comprises'a dispenser shuttle mounted on. said. magazine for slidable" movement in direction transversely. of said magazine between: at first position'and' a second position, depressible springiplunger means-,: and arm' means between: saidr-shuttle' and said spring; plunger v meanspsaid spring" plunger means normally biasing said shuttle towards its said first position; and said springyplunger' means being, disposed vertically and withinxt-hepath of said turretwherebyx during said upward movement of the turret said turret depresses said spring-plimger-means,"'said' arm'means being movable responsive': to. saidrdepressing' ofthe-springv plunger means -to=move said shuttletoits said-second position.-

12. A machine according; to claim 11iwherein-s-saidf arms meanscomprisesa-- horizontallydisposed-shaft mounted substantiallyon said magazine forpivotal movement, a first lever attached to saidshaft andaprojecting laterally therefrominto the path of movement of said spring. plunger means, and. a second lever attached to said shaft and 'projecting laterallytherefrom to engagement with said shuttle.

13; A machine according to claim."wherein said means providing intermittent vertical reciprocal movementof said turret comprises" a continuously rotating turretlift cam" mounted on said base; said lift cam having a cam track, and camfollower'means-mounted onsaid baSeand engaging said cam track and said turret, said cam track including inclined portions whereby said cam follower means imparts said-vertical reciprocal'movement of said turret lift cam.

14; A1 machine accordingto claim- 13' wherein said capping; heads ofi said shrink-filmr capping apparatus is:

mounted for vertical reciprocal movement in direction opposite to that of said turret, and said means for rotating said turret further comprises connection means between said cam follower means and said capping head for imparting said vertical reciprocal movement to the latter substantially commensurate with said vertical reciprocal movement imparted to said turret.

15. A machine according to claim 13 wherein said cam track further includes a dwell portion between its said inclined portions, said cam follower means engaging said dwell portion during said intermittent rotative movement of the turret.

16. A machine according to claim 15 wherein said means for rotating said turret further comprises a Geneva drive for imparting said intermittent rotating movement to the turret, said Geneva drive being mounted on said base and including a Geneva wheel and a continuously rotating Geneva crank adjacent said Geneva wheel, and connection means between said Geneva wheel and said turret whereby, during each revolution of said Geneva crank, said crank periodically engages said Geneva wheel to rotate the same and saidturret only a portion of one revolution, said cam follower means engaging said dwell portion of said turret lift cam track during saidengage ment of said Geneva crank with said Geneva wheel.

17. A- machine for dispensing, filling and capping receptacles, said machine comprising a base having a rotatable turret mounted thereon, said turret having means providing at least three'annularly spaced apart receptacle receiver stations thereof, and respective receptacle dispensing, filler, and shrink-film capping apparatus attached to said base and arranged in said sequence of operations adjacent the periphery of said turret at thetrespective ofsaid receptacle receiver stations when said turret is in a givenrotational position, means for intermittently rotating said turret to move its said receiver stations successively and simultaneously into respective operational positions with respect to said dispensing, filler and capping apparatus and for momentarily maintaining said receiver stations in said operational positions, means for moving;

said'turret upwardly and then downwardly during the time when said receiver stations are so maintained in their said operation positions whereby, simultaneously,

upon each upward movement thereof, said turret is moved into contact with said dispensing apparatus to actuate.

apparatus'being operable responsive to saidcontact by, receptacle whereby the receptacles are respectively filled and capped, shrink-film feeding apparatus in fixed positlOIlWlth respect to said base, and means for actuating said shrinbfilm feeding apparatus responsive to each said intermittent rotating movement ofsaid turret and to the presence of a receptacle in that turret receiver station which" is 1n operatlonal position with respect to said filler apparatus.

18. A machine according to claim 17'wherein said means for actuating said shrink-film feeding apparatus comprises a depressible lever mounted on said base adjacent said receptacle filler apparatus and'disposed to be contacted and depressed by a receptacle on that.receptacle receiver station which is in operational position with respect to said filler apparatus as it is moved from said.filler apparatus to said capping apparatus.

19. A machine according to claim 17 wherein said shrink-film capping apparatusincludes a capping: head, said shrink-filmfeeding apparatus is at alocation between said-filler apparatus and'said capping apparatus, and said shrlnk-fil'mfeeding apparatus when so actuated feedsa predetermined lengthof shrink-film materialbetween said cappingih'ead andsaid receptacle whose presence caused said actuation thereof, the speed of said shrink-film feeding apparatus being in timed relation with respect to the speed of said intermittent rotating movement of the turret, and the location and direction of feeding of the fed film being such that said receptacle, while moving from its operational position with respect to said filler apparatus to its operational position with respect to said capping apparatus, contacts and supports the film while the latter is being so fed.

20. A machine according to claim 19 wherein said capping head is mounted for vertical reciprocal movement with respect to said shrink-film feeding apparatus, said capping head having knife means attached thereto and disposed for severing said predetermined length of said material commensurate with each downward movement of said capping head.

21. A machine according to claim 20 wherein said knife means is heated.

22. A machine according to claim 20 wherein said shrink-film feeding apparatus includes substantially fixed horizontal plate means having a forward edge adjacent to the vertical plane of movement of said capping head knife means, said shrink-film feeding apparatus being adapted to feed said predetermined length of said ma terial across the top surface of said plate means and towards its said forward edge whereby said forward edge of the plate means assists said cutting action of the knife means.

23. A machine comprising a base having receptacle transport means mounted for movement thereon, receptacle filler apparatus mounted on said base adjacent said receptacle transport means, said receptacle filler apparatus including bulk supply means for supplying the material with which receptacles placed on said transport means will be filled and means including valve means for discharging a predetermined portion of said material from the bulk supply thereof into said receptacles, said filler apparatus further including a reciprocal plunger for metering out said predetermined portion of material from said bulk supply, shrink-film capping apparatus mounted on said base adjacent said receptacle transport means including a vertically reciprocal capping head for applying individual shrink-film closures to said receptacles when so filled, apparatus for feeding shrink-film material between said capping head and the receptacle on which said shrink-film closure will be formed including means for mounting a roll of shrink-film material and a rotatable drive shaft for so feeding a predetermined length of film from said roll, and drive means for actuating said plunger of the filler apparatus and said capping head of the capping apparatus and said drive shaft of the shrink film feeding apparatus.

24. A machine according to claim 23 wherein said drive means comprises a single motor means, and connection means between said motor means and said filler plunger and said capping apparatus capping head and said film feeding apparatus drive shaft whereby said motor means drives all of the same.

25. A machine according to claim 24 wherein said con-' nection means includes a rotatable cam mounted on said base and connected in driven relation with respect to said motor means, and cam follower means between said cam and said filler plunger for imparting said reciprocal movement to the latter.

26. A machine according to claim 25 wherein said cam follower means comprises an elongated yoke, and said cam comprises a rotatable disc having a fixed projection adjacent its periphery, said fixed projection being in engagement with said yoke.

27. A machine according to claim 23 wherein said filler plunger comprises a piston and a piston shaft, and said drive means comprises motor means, cam means driven by said motor means, a plunger shaft mounted for reciprocal movement responsive to said driving of the cam means, and lost motion connection means between said plunger shaft and said piston shaft.

28. A machine according to claim 27 wherein said lost motion connection means comprises an arm attached at one of its ends to said plunger shaft and slidably engaging said piston shaft at the other of its ends, and means on said piston shaft for engagement by said arm after a preselected period of said slidable movement of said arm relative to said piston shaft whereby said piston shaft moves responsive to movement of said plunger shaft.

29. A machine according to claim 28 wherein said means on said piston shaft for engagement by said arm comprises upper and lower stop means at respective locations above and below said arm, at least said upper stop means being adjustable along the length of said piston shaft.

30. A machine according to claim 23 wherein said bulk supply means comprises a hopper for containing a supply of said material, and said filler apparatus further comprises piston tube means within said hopper, said piston tube means including means defining a cylinder, cylinder inlet channel means below said cylinder for passage of said material from the interior of said hopper into said cylinder, and vertically disposed open passage means extending from the interior of said cylinder to a location below said hopper, and said filler apparatus valve means comprises a valve mounted for vertically slidable movement within said piston tube passage means, said valve having a closed upper end, an open lower end, means defining a central outlet channel thereof extending between its said ends, and means defining a laterally disposed valve inlet opening to its said central outlet channel at a location below its said upper end, said valve being slidable between an upper position and a lower position thereof, said vertically disposed open passage means of the piston tube means including a widened portion communicating with said valve inlet opening when said valve is in its said upper position, said valve closing off said communication of said widened portion and said cylinder inlet channel means being in communication with the interior of said cylinder when said valve is in its said lower position, and said valve closing off said communication of said cylinder inlet channel means when said valve is in its said upper position.

31. A machine according to claim 23 wherein said rive means comprises motor means, means driven by said motor means for moving said receptacle transport means, and means between said receptacle transport moving means and said capping head for imparting said vertical reciprocal movement to the latter responsive to movement of the former.

32. A machine according to claim 31 wherein said receptacle transport moving means comprises a continuously rotating lift cam in driven relation with respect to said motor means and including a cam track having inclined portions for determining vertical reciprocal movement of a cam follower, an arm having an end mounted for vertical pivotal movement on said base and an opposite end connected to said receptable transport means, a cam follower mounted on said arm at a middle location along its length and in following engagement with said lift cam track whereby said vertical pivotal movement is imparted to said arm during rotation of said lift cam, and said means between said receptacle transport moving means and said capping head comprises second arm means mounted at a middle location along its length for vertical pivotal movement on said base, said second arm means having an end substantially engaging said opposite end of the first said arm and an opposite end connected to said capping head for imparting said vertically reciprocal movement to the latter responsive to said pivotal movement of the first said arm.

33. A machine according to claim 23 wherein said drive means comprises motor means, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, said shaft being connected to said

Claims

1. A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING, FILLING AND CAPPING RECEPTACLES, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A BASE HAVING RECEPTACLE TRNSPORT MEANS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT THEREON, SAID TRANSPORT MEANS HAVING MEANS PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF RECEPTACLE RECEIVER STATIONS THEREOF, RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLE DISPENSING, FILLER, AND SHRINK-FILM CAPPING APPARATUS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE IN SPACED APART RELATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER IN SAID OPERATIONAL SEQUENCE AND ADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE TRANSPORT MEANS, AND DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RECEPTACLE TRANSPORT MEANS TO RESPECTIVELY AND SUCCESSIVELY POSITION ITS SAID RECEPTACLE RECEIVER STATIONS IN OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID RECEPTACLE DISPENSING, FILLER AND SHRINKFILM CAPPING APPARATUS, SAID RECEPTACLE DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING ACTUATING MEANS ACTUATED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID RECEPTACLE TRANSPORT MEANS TO POSITION AT LEAST ONE RECEPTACLE ON EACH SAID RECEPTACLE RECEIVER STATION WHEN THE RECEIVER STATION IS IN SAID OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, AND SAID RECEPTACLE FILLER AND SHRINK-FILM CAPPING APPARATUS BEING RESPECTIVELY ADAPTED FOR ACTUATION UPON CONTACT OF A RECEPTACLE ON ONE OF SAID RECEPTACLE RECEIVER STATIONS WHEN IN SAID OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH.