Apparatus for conveying and filling capsules

Claim 2

A capsule handling apparatus for conveying a capsule having a body portion and a complementary cap portion through a series of operating stations and comprising: a flexible conveyor means, means for guiding said conveyor means along a predetermined path, a plurality of capsule receiving means spaced along said conveyor means, each of said capsule receiving means including a plurality of first portions connected in spaced relationship along said conveyor means, and a plurality of corresponding complementary second portions pivotally connected to said conveyor means whereby each second portion is rendered movable relative to its corresponding first portion, and means for pivoting said complementary second portion into and out of alignment with its respective corresponding first portion in a predetermined sequence, said conveyor means comprising a chain conveyor formed of a plurality of connected links, and a sleeve pin pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of succeeding links, said pin defining said first portion of said capsule receiving means.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 and including an arm pivotally connected about each of said pins, said arm having an end portion adapted to overlie the next adjacent sleeve pin, a bushing carrier on the end portion of said arm, said bushing defining the second portion of said capsule receiving means.

Claim 4

A capsule handling apparatus for conveying a capsule having a body portion and a complementary cap portion through a series of operating stations and comprising: a single, unitary, flexible, endless conveyor means, means for effecting the drive of said endless conveyor means along a predetermined path, a plurality of capsule receiving means, said capsule receiving means including means defining a first portion spaced along the length of said conveyor means to define a carrier for carrying the body portion of a capsule through said predetermined path, and means defining a second portion, said second portion including a series of arms connected in seriatim along the length of said conveyor means, each of said arms having one end pivotally connected to said conveyor means at spaced intervals therealong and having its other end free for moving laterally relative to said conveyor means for swinging into and out of vertical alignment and misalignment with said flexible endless conveyor, means formed in said free end of each arm defining a carrier for the cap portion of said capsules, said arms swinging in a plane parallel to the plane of the conveyor means so that the axis of the cap portion and body portion of the capsule are maintained normal to the swinging plane of said arms whereby the cap portion carried in the cap carrier in the free end of the arms is moved into and out of vertical alignment with the capsule body porTion carried in the body carrying means spaced along said conveyor means, and cam means for successively engaging the free end of each of said arms for guiding said free end of said arms into and out of vertical alignment with said conveyor means as said conveyor means is moved along said path in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 5

A capsule handling apparatus for conveying a capsule having a body portion and a complementary cap portion through a series of operating stations and comprising: a single, unitary, flexible, endless conveyor means, means for effecting the drive of said endless conveyor means along a predetermined path, a plurality of capsule receiving means, said capsule receiving means including means defining a first portion spaced along the length of said conveyor means to define a carrier for carrying the body portion of a capsule through said predetermined path, and means defining a second portion, said second portion including a series of arms connected in seriatim along the length of said conveyor means, each of said arms having one end pivotally connected to said conveyor means at spaced intervals therealong and having its other end free for moving laterally relative to said conveyor means for swinging into and out of vertical alignment and misalignment with said flexible endless conveyor, means formed in said free end of each arm defining a carrier for the cap portion of said capsules, said arms swinging in a plane parallel to the plane of the conveyor means so that the axis of the cap portion and body portion of the capsule are maintained normal to the swinging plane of said arms whereby the cap portion carried in the cap carrier in the free end of the arms is moved into and out of vertical alignment with the capsule body porTion carried in the body carrying means spaced along said conveyor means, and cam means for successively engaging the free end of each of said arms for guiding said free end of said arms into and out of vertical alignment with said conveyor means as said conveyor means is moved along said path in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 3 and including means for effecting separation of said capsule portions adapted to be received in said aligned capsule receiving portions.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said second capsule receiving portion includes means for supporting a capsule therein.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 4 and including means disposed downstreamwise from said separating means to effect reassembly of said separated capsule portions.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 6 and including means disposed between said separating means and said reassembly means for positioning a material in the body portion of said separated capsule.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said separating means comprises: a vacuum chamber adapted to be connected in communication with said first capsule receiving means, and means for subjecting said chamber to a negative pressure for separating the capsule positioned in said capsule receiving means.

Claim 11

In a capsule filling machine, the improvement of a means for conveying a capsule having a cap portion and a complementary body portion through the various operating stations including at least a capsule receiving station and capsule filling station comprising: a flexible conveyor means, said conveyor means including an endless chain conveyor, means for guiding said conveyor means in a predetermined path through the respective operating stations, complementary capsule receiving means carried on said conveyor means, said complementary capsule receiving means including a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions being connected for relative movement with respect to one another, means for effecting alignment of said first and second portions as said conveyor means passes through a capsule receiving station, means for effecting separation of said capsule adapted to be received within said aligned capsule receiving portions, and means for effecting misalignment of said first and second capsule receiving portions upon the separation of said capsule as said separated capsule is directed through the capsule filling station of said machine for receiving a manufacture therein, said chain conveyor including: a plurality of connected links, each link including a pair of spaced link plates, each of said pair of link plates having aligned apertures, a sleeve pin extended through said aligned openings for securing the adjacent ends of succeeding link plates, and said sleeve pin defining a capsule receiving portion for accommodating the body portion of the capsule.

Claim 12

In a capsule filling machine, the improvement of a means for conveying a capsule having a cap portion and a complementary body portion through the various operating stations including at least a capsule receiving station and capsule filling station comprising: a flexible conveyor means, said conveyor means including an endless chain conveyor, means for guiding said conveyor means in a predetermined path through the respective operating stations, complementary capsule receiving means carried on said conveyor means, said complementary capsule receiving means including a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions being connected for relative movement with respect to one another, means for effecting alignment of said first and second portions as said conveyor means passes through a capsule receiving station, means for effecting separation of said capsule adapted to be received within said aligned capsule receiving portions, and means for effecting misalignment of said first and second capsule receiving portions upon the separation of said capsule as said separated capsule is directed through the capsule filling station of said machine for receiving a manufacture therein, said chain conveyor including: a plurality of connected links, each link including a pair of spaced link plates, each of said pair of link plates having aligned apertures, a sleeve pin extended through said aligned openings for securing the adjacent ends of succeeding link plates, and said sleeve pin defining a capsule receiving portion for accommodating the body portion of the capsule.

Claim 13

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said second capsule receiving portion comprises an arm pivotally connected to each of said sleeve pins, a bushing carried on the free end of said arm for movement into alignment and misalignment with said sleeve pin, said bushing being defined with an inturned shoulder adjacent one end thereof for retaining the cap portion of the capsule therein.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein said shoulder defines an opening sized to permit the body portion of the capsule to pass therethrough in the aligned position of said capsule receiving portion.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein the sleeve pins of said chain is defined with a recess for accommodating the body portion of the capsule, said recess being slightly longer than the length of the body portion of said capsule.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 12 including means defining an opening in communication with said recess.

Claim 17

The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for effecting separation of said capsule within said capsule receiving means comprises a vacuum chamber positioned adjacent to said capsule receiving station, said vacuum chamber being adapted to be connected in communication with the opening to said recess of said sleeve pin.

Claim 18

Conveyor means for effecting the conveyance and separation of connected caps and body portions for a capsule comprising: an endless chain conveyor including a plurality of chain links, and sleeve pins pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of successive links, said chain conveyor having a plurality of capsule receiving means, said capsule receiving means including said sleeve pins adapted to receive the body portion of a capsule and a complementary cap holder for retaining the cap portion of the capsule, means for pivotally connecting said cap holder to said chain conveyor for movement relative to an adjacent sleeve pin, means for guiding said chain conveyor along a predetermined path, means for pivoting said cap holder relative to said chain conveyor as said chain conveyor is guided along said path whereby said cap holder is moved into and out of alignment relative to its complementary sleeve pin in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 19

Conveyor means for effecting the conveyance and separation of connected caps and body portions for a capsule comprising: an endless chain conveyor including a plurality of chain links, and sleeve pins pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of successive links, said chain conveyor having a plurality of capsule receiving means, said capsule receiving means including said sleeve pins adapted to receive the body portion of a capsule and a complementary cap holder for retaining the cap portion of the capsule, means for pivotally connecting said cap holder to said chain conveyor for movement relative to an adjacent sleeve pin, means for guiding said chain conveyor along a predetermined path, means for pivoting said cap holder relative to said chain conveyor as said chain conveyor is guided along said path whereby said cap holder is moved into and out of alignment relative to its complementary sleeve pin in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 20

The invention as defined in claim 15 and including separating means operatively associated with said capsule receiving means for separating the body portion of a capsule received therein from the cap portion thereof.

Claim 21

The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said cap holder and complementary body holder each have a bore therein for receiving the capsule, in the aligned position thereof, said cap holder having an internal shoulder defining an opening sized to retain the cap portion therein while permitting the body portion of the capsule to pass therethrough, and said body holder being sized to accommodate and carry the body portion upon separation thereof from the cap.

Claim 22

The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said separating means include a vacuum means disposed in the path of travel of said conveyors, said body holder having an opening therein adapted to be brought into communication with said vacuum means as said conveyors pass thereover said vacuum means.

Claim 23

In a capsule filling machine having a capsule feed station and a capsule filling station, the improvement of means for successively conveying and handling a capsule having a cap portion and a body portion comprising: an endless conveyor means, a complementary capsule receiving means carried on said conveyor means for accommodating said cap portion and body portion respectively, means for guiding said conveyor means along a predetermined path whereby the complementary capsule receiving means are disposed in alignment in passing through said capsule feeding station for receiving a capsule, means for effecting separation of said capsule portions within said complementary capsule receiving means as said capsule receiving means is directed through said capsule feed station, means for effecting misalignment of said complementary capsule receiving means upon separation of said capsule to expose the body portion of the capsule of filling, means for bringing the respective complementary capsule receiving means into alignment subsequent to the filling of the body portion of the capsule in passing through said filling station, means for effecting assembly of the filled body portion of the capsule to the cap portion thereof, and means for effecting the ejection of said filled and assembled capsule from said capsule receiving means, wherein said endless conveyor means comprises a chain having a plurality of links and sleeve pins pivotally interconnecting the adjacent links, said complementary capsule receiving means including said sleeve pins adapted to receive and support the body portion of a capsule, and an arm pivotally connected to said sleeve pins, and means carriEd on said arm to define a complementary capsule receiving means adapted to receive the cap portion of a capsule.

Claim 24

In a capsule filling machine having a capsule feed station and a capsule filling station, the improvement of means for successively conveying and handling a capsule having a cap portion and a body portion comprising: an endless conveyor means, a complementary capsule receiving means carried on said conveyor means for accommodating said cap portion and body portion respectively, means for guiding said conveyor means along a predetermined path whereby the complementary capsule receiving means are disposed in alignment in passing through said capsule feeding station for receiving a capsule, means for effecting separation of said capsule portions within said complementary capsule receiving means as said capsule receiving means is directed through said capsule feed station, means for effecting misalignment of said complementary capsule receiving means upon separation of said capsule to expose the body portion of the capsule of filling, means for bringing the respective complementary capsule receiving means into alignment subsequent to the filling of the body portion of the capsule in passing through said filling station, means for effecting assembly of the filled body portion of the capsule to the cap portion thereof, and means for effecting the ejection of said filled and assembled capsule from said capsule receiving means, wherein said endless conveyor means comprises a chain having a plurality of links and sleeve pins pivotally interconnecting the adjacent links, said complementary capsule receiving means including said sleeve pins adapted to receive and support the body portion of a capsule, and an arm pivotally connected to said sleeve pins, and means carriEd on said arm to define a complementary capsule receiving means adapted to receive the cap portion of a capsule.

Claim 25

The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said sleeve pins have a bore extending therethrough, and means for retaining the body portion of the capsule therein.

Claim 26

In a capsule filling machine the improvement of a flexible endless conveyor means, means for guiding said endless conveyor in an endless path, complementary capsule receiving portions carried on said conveyor means, one of said complementary capsule receiving portions being movable relative to the others, and means operating as one of said capsule receiving means for effecting relative movement thereof for bringing said complementary capsule receiving portion into superposed aligned relationship through a predetermined portion of the respective travel thereof and into misaligned relationship through another portion of said travel, wherein said conveyor means include a flexible chain comprising of a plurality of connected links, one of said complementary capsule receiving portions defining the pivotable connection between adjacent links whereby the distance between centers of adjacent link connections define the pitch of said chains, and the other of said capsule receiving portions being pivotally connected to said chain for movement into and out of alignment with said first mentioned capsule receiving portion.

Claim 27

In a capsule filling machine the improvement of a flexible endless conveyor means, means for guiding said endless conveyor in an endless path, complementary capsule receiving portions carried on said conveyor means, one of said complementary capsule receiving portions being movable relative to the others, and means operating as one of said capsule receiving means for effecting relative movement thereof for bringing said complementary capsule receiving portion into superposed aligned relationship through a predetermined portion of the respective travel thereof and into misaligned relationship through another portion of said travel, wherein said conveyor means include a flexible chain comprising of a plurality of connected links, one of said complementary capsule receiving portions defining the pivotable connection between adjacent links whereby the distance between centers of adjacent link connections define the pitch of said chains, and the other of said capsule receiving portions being pivotally connected to said chain for movement into and out of alignment with said first mentioned capsule receiving portion.