US838134A - Bottle or jar capping machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906 J. F. NISSLY. R JAR GAPPING MACHINE. APPLIQATION FILED DEC. 20, 1904.

BOTTLE O 5 SHEETS-811E314.

1 Human PATBNTED DEC. 11, 1906.

J. F. NISSLY.

I BOTTLE OR JA R' GAPPING'MAGHINB.

APPLIGAT-ION TILED D110. 20. 1904.

JOHN F. NISSLY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOTTLE on JAR CAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed December 20, 1904. Serial No, 237,677. 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. N1ssLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle or Jar Capping Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

v The object of my invention is to provide a machine for the purpose ofrapidly and certainly placing caps or similar closures in the tops of bottles or jars, it being particularly designed for putting in place thin disks, such as are commonly used for closing milk-bottles after they have been filled.

The machine is constructed to cap a. umber of bottles at one operation and to fit the disks or caps perfectly into the necks of the bottles, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made apart hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation, the parts being in position for capping just before the beginning of the capping operation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation on the handle side with some of the parts at-the bottom broken away to show details. Fig. 2 is a detail of the guide-pieces. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with some of the parts at one side removed to show details. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the lower cross-plate, showing cap-feeding slideplates and tube attachments. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section in detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing especially various stages of operation of feedin and forcing in the caps. Fig. 6 is adetai of bracket and journal devices and of the strike or bearing-faces. Fig. 7 is a. detail of the cap-feeding slideguides with the parts slightly separated. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are details of the centerin devices. 7

' The machine comprises, essentially, a supoperating-shaft bearing the devices for reciprocating a pair of frames. within the support and to and from the milk-jars. These reciprocating frames carry two substantially parallel and opposite cross-plates. Extending between these two cross-plates and passing through the top oneare a series of disk or cap holdin tubes. To the upper cross-plate are 4 secure a series of spring-wound cap-forcing plungers, while to the lower plate are secured a series of centering devices which take over the tops of the milk-jars.

Between the cap-holding tubes and plungers and the centering devices is aperforated cap-feeding slide which is reciprocated later ally by the same movement which reciprocates the frames and their connected parts vertically. The purpose of these features is to permit the caps to drop from their tubes into the perforations of the cap-feeding slide, to bring the centerin devices over the mouths of the milkjars so t at there may be formed an accurate channel for the passage of the caps or disks into the mouths of the bottles,

to laterally reciprocate the cap-feeding slide so as to bring t terin devices and the mouths of the bottles, and t en to vertically reciprocate the plungers after the centering devices are rested pon the tops of the milkbottles, to force the caps through the passage formed by the telescoped centerin devices into the mouths of the ars, and, fina 1y, return the parts to the retracted position. ,1

There are various details of mechanism which provide for adjustability of the various parts and for accurate operation. It will be observed that by one movement of a hand-lever I gently center the feeding-channel over the bottles, reciprocate the capfeedin slide, and bring down the lungers to force the caps into the tops of the gottles, and

that my mechanism is adapted'to be readily and easily operated with any size of jars, and that the machine is, in effect, an automatic bottle-capping device.

The supporting-frame comprises, as herein illustrated, two side bars 15, connected at the top by a bar 16. A similar connection may be formed at the bo'ttom, but I. have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the lower part of the machine.

Both the upper part of the machine and the lower part of the machine are braced in a familiar manner, as illustrated, by the bracerods 17. Across the lower part of the machine extcnds a brace -rod 18, which also serves an additional function, as hereinafter described. The brace-rods 17 may be made adjustable in a familiar manner, as indicated at 19. The side bar 15 has an offset or extension '20, which is intended to carry the e caps in line with the cenguideways 21, on which slide the crates 22, bearing the milk-jars 23. This feature of the machine has various adjusting devices, which will be hereinafter described.

24 represents two guide-posts, one on each side, which are supported in sleeves 25, attached to the side bars 15. 26 is a bar or rod joining the two guideosts at the top. These guide-posts, as will be observed, eX-- tend up beyond the top of the side bars and form the ways upon which play the reci rocating frames and their parts, as herein efore mentioned. The guideosts also serve to support the journal for t 1e operating-shaft and its adjunctive features. At 27 is illustrated a bracket secured at 28 by a bolt 30 to the top of the side bar 15 and having a sleeve 29 embracing the guide-post 24 and secured thereto by a set-screw 31, there being one on each side of the machine. These parts are illustrated especially in Figs. 2 and 3, where they are shown in relation to the machine, and in Fig. 6, where they are shown in detail. At right angles to the sleeve 29 and in the illustrated form integral therewith is a sleeve forming a journal-bearing 32, in which is journald an operating-shaft 33, which carries at one side a handle 34. This shaft bears at each end of the machine a pinion 35. It is the function of the handle, the shaft, and the pinion to operate the reciprocating frame and its connected parts, now to be described.

The reciprocating frame in the form illustrated is a skeleton or yoke 36 bearing two sleeves, an upper and a lower, 37 and 38, which play u on the guide-posts 24. A rackbar 39, mesiiing with the pinion 35, is secured at each end to one side of each yoke of the reciprocating frame by bolts and nuts 41. To further indicate the manner of connection of the frame and the rack-bars, I have numbered the nut of the up er bolt 40 as 42, these nuts being taper-hear ed bolts secured thus from the inside. 43 indicates the lower bars of the reciprocating frames. Secured to these lower bars 43 of the reciprocating frames at each side at the point 44 is a plate 45, extending across the machine. This cross-plate 45 carries the plungers and receives th'e heads of the cap or disk holding tubes. 46 represents a bracket attached to the top of the plate-45. This bracket has at its center two sleeves 47 48, which embrace and play upon a center guide-post 49. This guide-post 49 has at its to a cap 50, limiting the upper-movement of t io bracket and its sleeve 47, and between the two sleeves a collar 50, secured at a preileterniined point to the center guide-post 49 and having extending pins50", by, which, when desired, the

guide-post may be lifted together, with the connected plates, plungers, and disk-tubes. At 50" 1 have illustrated a notch into which i one of the pins 5t) may be. placed when it is 1 desired for any purpose to hold the parts in an elevated position. The center guide-post 49 extends downward through the cross-plate 45 and through a lower cross-plate resting at the bottom in a tubular bearing 5] supported on each side by braces 52, Fig. 4.

The lower crosslate, which holds the centering devices, is sl fown at 53.

54 is a screw-threaded rod turning in a threaded bearing 55 and engaging at its inner reduced end a recess in the bottom of the center guide-post 49.

56 represents a series of cap-holding tubes which are set in baserings 57, attached to the plate 53, and are received by correspondin perforations inthe plate 45. These ca tuTves have each a slot at 58, by which t 1e progress of the disks 59 may be observed. Weights 60 are preferably used'in connection with the caps or disks to feed them downward, and in the form illustrated the handle of this weight projects through the slot of each cap-tube.

61 represents. a series of plungers secured in the form illustrated by nuts and washers 62 to the cross-plate 45 and depending there- Each of the plungers carries an en-' from. circling spring 63, operating at one end against the nuts and washers 62 and at the other end against a ring 64, secured to the top of the hollow head 65. This construction permits the head 65 to play on the shaft of the plunger in operation.

The cross-plate 53 has a series of perforations 66, which correspond with the mouths of the centering devices through which the caps are fed, as hereinafter described. .The

plate 53 is cut out on. each side at 67 to. re' ceive a pair of parallel cap-feeding slides 68. The function of these slides is to receive the caps from the ca -holding tubes and place them in the per 'orations 'of the plate 53. Each ofthese plates is-narrowed at one end, the right-hand end, for example, in Fig. 4, and they are secured between guide-strips 69 b the bolts 7 O, securing the strips to the plate 53.

' 71 represents a pair of antifriction-rollers carried in a bracket 72, secured at one end to an end piece on the plate 53. Each of the cap-slides 68 bears a series of perforations 73, which are slightly larger than the caps, so

that the caps may readily fall into them as the perforationv passes beneath its relative cap-holding tube.

At 74 I have represented a bell-crank lever which is to reciprocate the cap-slides 63 at each vertical reciprocation of the frames 36 and their connected parts, includingthe parts attached to the plates 45 and 53. The bellcrank lever is pivoted at 75 to an arm 76, depending from the cross-plate 53. The bell crank lever carries at its upperend a roller 76, which plays between bearing-faces 77 and 7 arranged as to be described for'the purpose of giving the proper or desired reciprocation to the cap-slides.

79 is a plate secured by a screw 80, passing through a'slot 81, so that the plate 79 may be secured to the side of the journal 32 and adjusted transversely thereon.

82 represents a lug secured by a bolt 83 to the side of the plate 79, which is slotted to receive the bolt, so that the lug 82 may be adjusted vertically to regulatethe position of the lower face 78.

84 is an extension at the bottom of the plate 79 below the face 77. This extension provides a guide for the roller 76 in case it should play out of the line of the faces 77 78. I thus provide an adjustable strike, bearingfae, or cam-track for the operation 'of the bell-crank lever 7 4, so that it may be adjusted with precise relation to the requirements of a particular machine. 1

85 illustrates a pair of weights suspended by chains86 from pulleys 87, turning in journals carried by brackets 88, which are secured to the cross-brace 16, the end of the chains passing over'the pulleys being attached to the-cross-p'late 45. 89 representsa pair of guide-arms whlch extend from the top plate 45 to the lower plate 53 and may be so adjusted as to form an alining abutment for the lower plate 53 and its attached centering devices. pieces 89 have a right-angle upper part 90, secured freely by a bolt 91 to the plate'45 and having a set-screw'92 at'the outer end. a knee formed 11 on the upper arm 90, bearing against a ri on the plate 45. By means of the set-screw 92 "n the knee 94 these guide-pieces-may be accurately adjusted to the proper lane to form guides for the operation of the ower cross-plate 53 and its connected parts.

As has before been stated, each perforation of the plate 53 has its corresponding center ing device. These centering devices comprise a cylindrical body 96, having a wingplate 97 near'the top, which in the form I ave illustrated is generally triangular in form and has at each oint an attaching device 98. 1 The partor liody 96 has-at the top a thicker neck with a beveled mouth and a lower seat 100. Concentric with the body 96 and playing within it is a cyhndrical body or part 101, bearing on one side a slot 102, through which passes a threaded bolt 103. The inner body 101 is beveled at the top and has a range of movement which enables this beveled top 104 upon the full stroke to seat upon 100.

represents a flaring or hell mouth, sub stantially funnel shaped, enveloping both the cylindrical'bodies and secured'upon them .by,, t'he threaded bolt 103. In the body '96 there is alsoformed a slot 102.

By this construction the inner body 101 may havea inovemen tgupon the bolt 103, while the bolt The guide- Y bolts 109.

103 may move upward within the slot 102*.

At Figs. 9 and 10 these parts are illustrated in their two extreme positions, and it will be observed that in Fig. 10 the mouth 105 has been driven up until it rests against the wing 97, a recess having been provided to receive it, while the inner body has passed up within the body 96 until its bottom is substantially flush with the outer body and its beveled upper end stops against the seat 100. By this construction a cap passes readily into the beveled mouth of the body 96 and from that gradually into the channel formed by the bodies 96 101, which are arranged in such relation to the size of the caps that they must be forced through by operation of the pluner. g I have already briefly described the slideways 21 in which the crates 22 are placed, These slideways are, in effect, angle-irons, and to accentuate this Ihave illustrated the sides of the ways by the reference-numeral 106. It is desirable to adjust these guideways to adapt them to receive various-sized crates. To this end I have rovided beneaththese guideways and attac ed to the extensions 20 of the side barsv 15 slotted plates 107, whose longer arms are secured to the extension 20 by means of bolts 108 and whose shorter arms are secured to the uide-rails '21 by means of It wil be readily seenthat by this-simple means the rails may be -brought nearer together or placed farther apart to fit varying widths of crates. I have also found it advisable to rovide adjustable stops to regulate the position of the crates u on the guideway so that a crate may be sli in and stopped at the desired point and yet readily removed. To this end I have provided beneath the guideways 21 a post 110, secured this means the post 113 and the roller 114 i may be adjusted vertically to any desired oint. At 117 I have shown an arm which 1s attached to the bottom of the post 1 l3 and carries a spring 118, which is secured to the side of the post 110, so that the pin or post 113 may have a spring movement, thus permitting the roller-stop 114 to yield when a crate is pushed forcibly against and over it.

- The general operation of the machine is as follows: The parts being in the position illustrated in the principal figures of the drawings and the cap-holding tubes filled with caps and the weights resting upon the tops of the disks, the lever 34 is forced downward by the o erator to turn the shaft 33 and the' attache ninions 35. The rotation of these I reciprocate the frames 36, and with these frames will travel down all the connected operative parts, the bracket 46, the guide post 49, and the cross-plates and 53, with their connected features. The downward movement .of :all these parts will of-course bring the bells 105 of the centering devices over the tops of the several milk-jars 23 in the crate 22, which are positioned on the guideways 21 a ainst the stop-roller 114. The flared or bel mouth of each centering device comin over the mouth of the corresponding bott e will draw the bottle to a position directly beneath and in line with the inner cylindrical part or body 101 so that the mouth of the bottle will be in osition to receive its cap and will be thus rought to position, and finally adjusted witha gentle movement Which will not in any way injure the bottle, The inner cylindrical body 101 in this movement will slide u ward or telescope within the outer 'cylin rical body 96 until its tapered top 104 rests against the bodies '0 t e centering devices.

there be evenly adjusted for the succeeding seat 100, passing from the position shown in i Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 10. The illustration of these two ures assumes that the bottles are all of equa hei ht..- If, however, they should be of different eight, that difierence will be accepted and relatively adjusted by the pro er operation of the telescope Furthermore, by this arran ement of the centerin devices the guides %or the caps are enable always. to beextended entirely to the neck of thebottle, and no s ace isleftinwhich the cap .may tilt or move sidewise out of position, the

action being such that it always fits evenly and squarely in place. When these centering devices are thus finally adjusted and rest upon the tops of the bottles, the operative parts connected to the frames and the plates 45 and 53 will be supported by the bottles so that while the lower cross-plate 53 is held in this position the upper cross-plate 45, with its attached plungers, will continue to move downward, carrying with it the plun ers 61. During the first part of the downwar movement of the frames and their connected parts the bell-crank lever 74 has been operated upon by the strike or bearing face 77, so that its upper arm is forced inward toward the machine, turningit upon its pivot and throwing outward 1ts' lower arm, sov that the capfeeding slides are drawn to the ri ht toward the operator. This movement wi 1 bring the perforations73, which have been immediately beneath the cap-holdingtubes 56, to position directly over the entrance or channel of the centering devices. The caps lying in these perforations thus brought in line.

with the channel of the'centering devices will drop dlrectly into the tapered or beveled upper mouth of the cylindrlcal body 96 and W111 operation. In this position the upper arm of the bell-crank lever 74 is freed from the camtracks 77 and 78, so that it will not be operated by the subsequent operation of the connected features; The plungers 61 now force down the caps through the channel of the centering device and are thus guided into position in the necks of the bott es or jars, the channel being of such diameter'that the caps will fit snugly therein, thus being prevented from tilting out of an even horizontal position. The coil-s rings 63, encircling the shaft of the plungers, iavesufiicient force of tension to resist compression until the caps are forced into place in the necks of the hlghest bottles (if there should be any difference in height) and will in the subsequent downward operation compress so as to permit the caps to be forced into the succeeding bottles, including even the. lowest. The breakage of bottles by being brought into contact with the rigid arts is thus guarded against, and an even seating of the thin disks is provided, so that they will rest firmly in place on all sides, thus meeting the difliculty inherent in preceding machinery of this type. These relative movements are indicated in Fig. 5.- on the left hand in that figure the cap-feeding slide 68 has not yet moved forward to carry with it the lower cap. In the next section to the right it has moved forward and brought the cap over the channel of the centering devices, whilethe centering devices themselves are shown' as resting on the top of the bottle or ar. In the third section-the one farthest to the right plungers are shown as having forced the cap downward throu h the channel of the center ing devices, and t e parts are beginning to retract, assuming fina ly the position shown in the section farthest to the left. I The .operation being thus completed, the operator releases or raises the lever 34, and the weights then operate, through their connec' tions with the cr'oss-plate45, to raise theparts, the cap-forcing plungers being first lifted un-w til the bearing- collars 47 and 48 strike the collar 50 and cap 50 on the guide-shaft or post,49, when the cross-plate 53and the parts carried thereby will also be lifted to theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. As the cap-feeding plungers reach the point above the cross-plate 53, freed from the perforations therein, and over the cap-feeding slides the lever 75 comes into engagement with the bearing-face 78 on the attachment 82, fixed to the bracket-plate 79, and during the remain-'v der of the upward movement of the parts operates to throw the cap-feeding slide s back to bring the perforations 73 under the cap-holding tubes 56 to again receive the lower caps of the columns ofcaps in the several tubes. By

reason of the arrangementpf the bracketplate 79 and its adjustable parts the opera-- tion of the lever 74 may be'regulated and timed in exact accordance with the operamounted thereon, brackets mounte tion of the other parts of the machine. "The crate of bottles being thus capped is now ready to be removed. The stop 114 is forced down out of the way, and the crate is drawn off out of the machine and another crate is pushed into position .at the same time and stopped in the proper place for the capping operation by the stop 114, which springs up into position as soon as the first crate passes over it. The operation is then repeated in cycles continuously, as above described. A crate of any number of bottles maybe cap ed at one time. In the drawings I have 11 ustrated a crate containing two rows of six bottles each; but itwill, be understood that the numbermay be more or less and that the machine may be provided with the number of parts corresponding to the desired number of bottles. I

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the sup ortingframe having a table for supporting t e crate of bottles to be capped, standards extending a distance aboye said table and properly braced, guide-posts extendin vertically adj acent to said standards and luaced at their tops, reciprocating frames mounted on said guide-posts to reciprocate thereon and carrying a cross-plate having cap-seating plungers on the standards and guide-posts containing bearings and a transverse shaft mounted in said bearin s, pinions on said shaft, an operatinglever a so on said shaft, rack-bars mounted on said reciprocating frames engaging said pinions, vertical bearings mounted on said transverse plate, a vertical shaft mounted to slide in said bearings, a second transverse plate mounted on a lower end of said shaft, centering devices mounted on the under side of said second plate, cap-containing tubes on the top of said plate, and an automatic capfeeding mechanism operated by the movement of said reciprocating frames, substan:

tially as set forth.

2. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a reciprocating frame mounted thereon, means for moving said frame up and down, cap-seating plungers mounted on said reci rocating frame, centering devices mounte on a plate secured on the. lower end of a vertical shaft mounted to slide in vertical bearings, whereby they are ada ted toremain stationary during a part he movement of said plungers, the capholding casings, and mechanism for feeding the caps to the centering devices arranged to be operated by the movement of said reciprocating frames, substantiall as set forth; I

3. A machine for capping I ottles comprising asupp'ortin'g-frame, a table'thereon for osition to be capped, guide-posts mounte on said frame,

ond plate, and cap-feeding mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, gulde-posts thereon, reciprocating frames mounted on said guideposts, a cross-plate carried by said reciprocating frames, plungers mounted on said cross-plate, a vertical shaft mounted in bear ings carried on said plate, a second plate mounted on the lower end of said shaft, centering devices mounted on said second plate, disk-containing tubes also mounted on said second plate, disk-feeding slides, and a pivoted lever engaging said slides and operated by the movement of the frame for moving said slides.

5. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supportin -frame, a reci rocati frame carrying p ungers, a vertical sha mounted to slide in bearings carried by said reciprocating frame, a plate extending across the machine and supported on the lower end of said shaft, centering devices and diskguides mountedon the lower side of said plate around a ertures therein, disk-ca tubes mounte on-the top of said plate iskfeeding slides mounted in longitudina wa s in the top of said plate, a lever pivoted to t e reciprocating frame and arranged with one. end engaging a part connected to said slides t e reciprocating frame, substantially as set forth.

6, A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a reciprocating frame mounted thereon, plungers carried b said reciprocatin mounted to slide in bearings also carried by said reciprocating frame, a plate mounted, on the lower end of said vertical shaft, centering and disk guiding devices mounted on the under side of said plate around apertures therein, disk-holding tubes mounted on the top of said plate to one side of said apertures, diskfeeding slides provided with apertures mount- IIO frame, a vertical sha t ed in ways in the top of said plate and adapted to slide back and forth under said'tubes, a sliding plate mounted between ways on one end of said plate and connected with said slides, a bell-crank lever pivoted to the reciprocatin frame and havin one end engaging with said sliding plate am? its other arrange to engage a strike on a stationary part during a part of the movement of the reciprocating frame and operate said slides to feed the disks fromthe tube to the guidin and centering devices, substantially as set orth.

7 A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting frame, a reciprocating frame carrying the capping mechanism,

- mechanism for feeding the caps, a lever for topo operating said mechanism pivoted to the reciprocating frame and arranged to strike bearing-faces mounted in afixed alongslde the reciprocating frame, t e parts carrying said bearin -faces bein adjustably mounted, whereby t e time of t e operating may be properly regulated, substantially as set forth.

8. A machine for capping bottles comprising 'a supporting frame, a reciprocating frame carrying plungers, a vertical shaft mounted to slide in bearings carried by said reciprocating frame, a plate mounted on the lower end of said shaft, centering devices mounted on the under side of said plate, diskholding tubes mounted on its top side, slides havin perforations mounted in ways in the said plate and adapted to slide beneath the disks in said tubes and receive the lowermost one into one of said perforations, mechanism for operating said slides to carry said disks to said centering devices while they are being seated upon the bottles, and to return them to receive another disk of each pile while said centering devices are being raised from said bottles after the capping operation,

substantially as set forth.

9. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting frame, a reci rocating frame mounted thereon carrying p ungers, a

' vertical shaft mounted in hearings on said frame, a plate having a central perforation fitting over the lower end of said shaft, a locking screw-rod mounted on the under side of said plate and engaging at its inner end with the lower end of said shaft for securing said plate thereto, centerin devices on the under side of said'plate, diskolding and disk-feeding devices on the top of said plate, and means for operating said feeding devices by the movement of said reciprocating frame,

substantially as set forth. I

10. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame,,a reciprocating frame carrying the plungers, a vertical shaft mounted and adapted to slide in bearings on said frames, a plate mounted at its center on the lower end of said shaft carrying the centering devices and the cap holding and feeding devices and guides adjustably secured to said reciprocating frame and extending down on each side of said shaft to rest against one edge of said plate and hold it in proper position in relation to the other parts, substantially as set forth.

. A machinefor capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a'reciprocatin frame mounted thereon rack-bars mounte osition frame carrying the caping mechanism, a

table for sup orting the ottles beneath said capping mecfianism, a sprin -mounted reci rocating stop mounted to side horizontal y on a portion of the frame and extendin into the path of the crate containing the bot es as it is moved upon said table, and means for securing said stop in the position desired whereby the position at which said crate ghall stop may be fixed, substantially asset orth.

13. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a reciprocating frame mounted thereon carrying the capping mechanism, said capping mechanism embodying a centering device comprising a fixed cylindrical part mounted on the supporting-plate, a bell-shaped part mounted to slide thereon and an internal guide for the cap secured within said cylindrical part and adapted to slide with said bell-shaped part,"

substantially as set forth.

14. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a reciprocating frame mounted thereon carrying the cap ing mechanism, centering devices'mounte on the lower plate of sald capping mechanism eachcomprising a fixed part, an outer part having a bell-shaped lower end mounted to slide on said'fixed part and adapted to receive and center the mouth of the bottle, and

an internal guide adapted to slide within said fixed part and to slide with and also independently of said outer bell-shaped part, whereby it will rest upon the top of the bottles re ardless of their several heights, substantially as set forth.

15. A machine for capping bottles comprising a supporting-frame, a reciprocating frame carrying the cappin mechanism, a lower plate mounted on a sli ing support and carrying centering devices on its under side mounted around apertures in said plate,

each of said centering devices consisting of a cylindrical part mounted within one of said apertures and being of an internal diameter at its upper end that will permit the passage of the caps therethrough only by force and formed with an offset a short'distance beneath its upper end, an internal cylindrical guide mounted beneath said offset of an internal diameter corresponding with the upper end of said first-named part, a bell-shaped outer part mounted on said first-named part and connected therewith to slide thereon, said internal guide being connected to each to slide independent of both, substantially as set forth.

16. In a machine for capping bottles, the combination with the other mechanism, of a centering device comprising a cylindrical part secured to the su porting part, a centering-bell mounted to side thereon, and an internal guide for the cap mounted to slide independent of both the other parts,.substantially as 'set for t h.

- 17-. In amachine for capping bottles, the combination with the other mechanism, of a centering device comprising a cylindrical part secured to the supporting part formed with a tapered edge around its top and being of an internal diameter at its upper end to supporting-frame, mechanism for feeding the caps, a lever .centrally pivoted to the recip'rocatin frame and arran ed so that its upper enc will strike said caring-face or cam-track and its lower end operate said capfeeding mechanism when the machine is operate 19. In a bottle-cap 'ing machine having a supporting-frame an a reciprocating crosshead mounted thereon, said cross-head having an upper and an under plate, said upper plate carrying 'a two-jawed end lug or bracket, said under plate having straps or cap-feeding slides mounted in the upper surface thereof, the combination with aplate secured to the top of said straps or slides and havin ears, a'pair of rollers pivotally supporte by said ears, said last-mentioned plate havin between said ears and rollers, of a lever-arm centrally pivoted to said lug or bracket, and its lower end in engagement between said rollers, the upper branch of said lever carrying a roller, means provided for en agement with said latter roller to rock said. ever and move said stra s or slides, substantially as described and or the purposes hereinbefore set forth. i

20. In a bottle-capping machine having a supporting-frame with end standards havin rear end posts, the vertical guide-rods, an

the bearing blocks or brackets, having shaftbearings, said blocks or brackets rigidly securedto said rods and to the upper end of said posts, and a reciprocating cross-head, with its end pieces sleeved on said gu derods, said pieces carrying vertically-disposed rack-bars, the combination with said rackbars of a rockshaft havin its end journaled throu h said bearings, wit pinions mounted on an rigidly'secured to said shaft adjacent to the bearings, said inions havin teeth to intermesh with those of sai rackbars, and a hand-lever with its hub end rigan aperture through its body.

their idly secured to the projecting end of the shaft, wherebysaidshaft is'rooked, said or sshead reciprocated, and the machine made to perform its functions.

In testimony whereof I affix-my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

Witnesses:

GHAs. E. LEVY, DANL. H. HERE.

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