Capping machine

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR CAPPING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS WITH SKIRTED LIDS, COMPRISING: (A) CAPPING MEANS FORMED FOR RELEASABLY SUPPORTING A GENERALLY DISK-SHAPED SKIRTED LID WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE SKIRT EXPOSED IN POSITION TO BE INTERCEPTED BY A CYLINDRICAL OBJECT MOVING THEREPAST; (B) A DISPENSER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CAPPING MEANS AND FORMED FOR SUPPLYING LID IN ONE AT A TIME ORDER THERETO FOR REPLACING LIDS ON DEMAND; (C) SUPPLY MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DISPENSER AND FORMED FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF LIDS AND CONTINUOUSLY SUPPLYING LIDS TO SAID DISPENSER, WITH THE SUPPLY TIMES INCLUDING FIRST MEANS FORMED FOR ENGAGING AND FREELY SUPPORTING A COLUMN OF LIDS ALONG A GENRALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING AXIS INCLINED TOWARD SAID DISPENSER, SAID AXIS BEING INCLINED SUCH THAT A MAJOR PORTION OF THE WEIGHT OF EACH LID IN SAID COLUMN IS SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST MEANS, AND SECOND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID LIDS ABOUT SAID INCLINED AXIS WHEREBY THE ROTATING LIDS WILL MOVE DOWN THE INCLINE TOWARD THE DISPENSER; (D) AND MAGAZINE MEANS ADAPTED FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF GROUPS OF LIDS AND FORMED BY INSERTING SAID GROUPS INTERMITTENTLY INTO SAID SUPPLY MEANS.