Bottle collar applying mechanism

Claim 1

MACHINE FOR APPLYING A COLLAR TO THE TOP NECK PORTION OF A BOTTLE MOVING ALONG A CONVEYOR COMPRISING: (A) A COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR PATH OF MOVEMENT FOR ACCEPTING A COLLAR FROM A SUPPLY SOURCE AND SUBSEQUENTLY GUIDING IT OVER THE NECK PORTION OF A BOTTLE AND RELEASING IT, SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE HAVING MEANS FOR GRASPING A COLLAR WHEN CONTACT IS MADE THEREWITH, (B) MEANS FOR POSITIVELY CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF SAID BOTTLE THROUGH AN ARC, IN APPROXIMATELY VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE, (C) A COLLAR MAGAZINE HAVING A DISCHARGE END IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A POINT ON THE PATH OF SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE, AND ORIENTED SUCH AS TO DISCHARGE COLLARS FROM A NEST, SMALL-END-FIRST IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENT TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE, AND (D) MEANS CAUSING SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE TO REMOVE A COLLAR FROM SAID MAGAZINE AS IT PASSES THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF INCLUDING MEANS FOR OSCILLATING THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID MAGAZINE RADIALLY INWARD AND OUTWARD RELATIVE TO THE PATH OF SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE IN TIMED RELATION THEREWITH, SUCH THAT THE WALL OF THE END COLLAR IN SAID MAGAZINE IS MOVED INTO INTERSECTING POSITION WITH THE PATH OF SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE AT APPROXIMATELY THE INSTANT OF ARRIVAL OF SAID COLLAR HANDLING DEVICE.