Machine for applying sealing liners of thermoplastic material to bottle caps or the like

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR PROVIDING SEAL LINERS OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FOR CLOSURE CAPS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED TURNTABLE CONVEYOR HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED NOTCHES OPEN TO THE PERIPHERY THEREOF ADAPTED TO RECEIVE CAPS FOR SUPPORT ON THE CONVEYOR, METERING MEANS BORDERING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CONVEYOR FOR DEPOSITING HEATED, MEASURED CHARGES OF MOLDABLE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL DIRECTLY INTO SUCCESSIVE CAPS AT INTERVALS CORRSPONDING TO THE SPACING OF SAID NOTCHES, MEANS FOR HEATING CAPS ON THE CONVEYOR BEFORE THE CAPS REACH THE METERING MEANS, A TURRET ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON AN AXIS LATERALLY SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID CONVEYOR, SAID TURRET HAVING A PLURALITY OF RECIPROCABLE MOLDING PLUNGERS MOUNTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT WITH THE TURRET, SAID PLUNGERS BEING SPACED AT INTERVALS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING OF SAID NOTCHES, AN ANVIL ROTATABLE WITH THE TURRET, SAID ANVIL OVERLAPPING SAID CONVEYOR TO UNDERLIE CAPS ADVANCED BY THE CONVEYOR, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CONVEYOR AND TURRET IN SYNCHRONISM WHEREBY THE PLUNGERS ARE SUCCESSIVELY POSITIONED INTO REGISTRY WITH SAID NOTCHES, AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING TIMED ACTUATION OF THE PLUNGERS, THE PLUNGERS IN ENGAGING POSITION COACTING WITH THE ANVIL TO MOLD CHARGES WITHIN SUCCESSIVE CAPS AND TO SUCCESSIVELY WITHDRAW CAPS FROM THE CONVEYOR, THE ANVIL CARRYING THE CAPS WITH MOLDED SEAL LINERS TO A POINT OF DISCHARGE FROM THE MACHINE.