Container capping apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for covering loaded containers in sequence as they progressively are moved along by a conveyor including container cup supply means positioned above the conveyor, cap transfer means located adjacent to both the cap supply means and to the conveyor transporting the loaded containers, pickoff means provided by the transfer means for removing covers individually from the supply means and then moving them to holding elements located on the transfer mechanism for subsequent transfer and release in a planar position substantially parallel to the conveyor, discharge means operating concurrently with said pickoff means for removing previously held Container caps from the holding elements positioned over the conveyor and then pressing the caps onto the loaded containers.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said holding elements each have a holding ring with a plurality of spring loaded pawls for gripping the container cap.

Claim 4

A container capping mechanism for use with a conveyor transporting loaded containers in sequence in step-by-step fashion between a loading point and a discharging point with the container capping mechanism positioned between the two points, the capping mechanism including container cap supply means, a transfer drum having a plurality of support surfaces, a plurality of container cap holding means mounted on said support surfaces of said transfer drum, said cap holding means each having a generally planar holding ring with an annular seat for receiving the container caps, drive means for turning the transfer drum in a step-by-step fashion at a turning speed coordinated with the step-by-step movement of the conveyor so that at any arrested position of the conveyor movement one planar holding ring on said transfer drum is positioned directly over and substantially parallel to the loaded container conveyor and another planar holding ring on said transfer drum is positioned directly beneath the container cup supply means, pickoff means for transferring container caps individually from the supply means to said holding rings on said drum, said holding rings having a plurality of movable elements establishing a securement of the caps on said drum, discharge means for removing a previously gripped cap from one of said holding rings which at the removal time is turned to a position adjacent the loaded container and for forcing the removed cover into secure engagement with the container as a top covering therefor, and operating means simultaneously driving said pickoff means and said discharge means.

Claim 5

A container capping mechanism for use with a conveyor transporting loaded containers in sequence in step-by-step fashion between a loading point and a discharging point with the container capping mechanism positioned between the two points, the capping mechanism including container cap supply means, a transfer drum having a plurality of support surfaces, a plurality of container cap holding means mounted on said support surfaces of said transfer drum, said cap holding means each having a generally planar holding ring with an annular seat for receiving the container caps, drive means for turning the transfer drum in a step-by-step fashion at a turning speed coordinated with the step-by-step movement of the conveyor so that at any arrested position of the conveyor movement one planar holding ring on said transfer drum is positioned directly over and substantially parallel to the loaded container conveyor and another planar holding ring on said transfer drum is positioned directly beneath the container cup supply means, pickoff means for transferring container caps individually from the supply means to said holding rings on said drum, said holding rings having a plurality of movable elements establishing a securement of the caps on said drum, discharge means for removing a previously gripped cap from one of said holding rings which at the removal time is turned to a position adjacent the loaded container and for forcing the removed cover into secure engagement with the container as a top covering therefor, and operating means simultaneously driving said pickoff means and said discharge means.

Claim 6

The mechanism of claim 3 wherein a linkage between said pickoff means and said discharge means establishes the simultaneous movement therebetween.

Claim 7

The mechanism of claim 4 wherein said operating means has a cam member controlling the timing of the simultaneous pickup and discharge movement.

Claim 8

The mechanism of claim 5 wherein vacuum means is provided on said pickoff means for effectively gripping container cups.

Claim 9

The mechanism of claim 6 wherein said cap pickoff means has a substantially conical member adapted for contacting the flat surface of a container cap and wherein said vacuum means is connected to supply reduced pressure internally of the conical member during limited time periods to provide for effective cap removal from the supply means.

Claim 10

The mechanism of claim 7 wherein a disc mounted on said pickoff means has pins aligned to set said movable elements on said holding rings in the open position, and control means for supplying reduced pressure to said conical member.

Claim 11

The mechanism of claim 8 wherein said holding rings have a washerlike base and a cylindrical rim portion formed on the inner periphery of said base portion and extending inwardly towards the interior of said drum, said base portion being fastened to said support surface of said drum, said rim portion having a plurality of lip portions extending radially inwardly, the inner cylindrical surface of said rim portion and said lip portion forming an annular seat for receiving a container cap, and wherein said elements are a plurality of movable pawls rotatably mounted on said rim in radial slots which extend inwardly from the inner periphery of said base and said rim, said pawls having a generally U-shaped portion for engaging the container lids and being spring biased whereby they remain set in an open or closed position.

Claim 12

A holding ring mechanism for holding container caps in a releasable manner for selected periods of time, said mechanism having a ring structure providing an internal annular seat for receiving container caps, a plurality of biased gripping elements pivotally mounted at circumferentIally spaced locations on said ring structure and movable into open and closed positions, said gripping elements having portions extending over said annular seat in the closed position hereof to releasably hold a container cap in the annular seat provided by the ring and in an open position to guide the cap internally of the annular ring.

Claim 13

A holding ring mechanism for holding container caps in a releasable manner for selected periods of time, said mechanism having a ring structure providing an internal annular seat for receiving container caps, a plurality of biased gripping elements pivotally mounted at circumferentIally spaced locations on said ring structure and movable into open and closed positions, said gripping elements having portions extending over said annular seat in the closed position hereof to releasably hold a container cap in the annular seat provided by the ring and in an open position to guide the cap internally of the annular ring.

Claim 14

The mechanism of claim 10 wherein said annular ring structure comprises a washerlike base and a cylindrical rim portion extending in a perpendicular direction to the plane of the base, and lip portions extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical rim portion, the inner cylindrical surface of said rim portion and said lip portions forming an annular seat for receiving a container cap, and wherein said gripping elements are a plurality of pawls pivotally mounted in radial slots extending inwardly from the inner periphery of said base and rim.

Claim 15

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein said pawls have a U-shaped gripping portion, said U-shaped portion having a flange which is contacted by a cap entering the annular seat when the said pawls are in the open position, the engagement of the cap with said flange causing said pawls to rotate and move to the closed position, said U-shaped gripping portion having a retaining finger portion disposed in opposing relationship to said flange portion which extends over said annular seat in the closed position of said pawls to hold a cap therein.

Claim 16

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein a resilient member circumferentially surrounds the outer periphery of said cylindrical rim and biases said pawls into a set position.

Claim 17

The mechanism of claim 13 wherein said pawls have elongated bores for receiving fixed mounting pins rotatably supports said pawls on said annular ring, said resilient means normally biasing said pawls toward the radially outer end of said bores, said pawls being movable radially outwardly relative to said annular ring against the bias of said resilient means to accommodate oversize caps.

Claim 18

A container capping mechanism for use in sequential capping of loaded containers which are moved under the capping apparatus including a housing for mounting the apparatus, a pedestal fixedly mounted on said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, a drum rotatably mounted on said pedestal, drive means for rotating said drum in a step-by-step manner, a plurality of cap holding ring means mounted on said drum in aligned relationship, pickoff means movably mounted on said pedestal and operable when the rotation of said drum is arrested to pass through one of said rings to pickoff a container cap from a supply source and transfer the container cap to the holding ring on said drum; and discharge means movably mounted on said pedestal and operable simultaneously with said pickoff means to pass through a holding ring having a previously gripped cap, disengaging the cap from said holding ring and pressing the cap into engagement with a container positioned under the capping apparatus; an operating means for simultaneously driving the pickoff means and said discharge means.

Claim 19

A container capping mechanism for use in sequential capping of loaded containers which are moved under the capping apparatus including a housing for mounting the apparatus, a pedestal fixedly mounted on said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, a drum rotatably mounted on said pedestal, drive means for rotating said drum in a step-by-step manner, a plurality of cap holding ring means mounted on said drum in aligned relationship, pickoff means movably mounted on said pedestal and operable when the rotation of said drum is arrested to pass through one of said rings to pickoff a container cap from a supply source and transfer the container cap to the holding ring on said drum; and discharge means movably mounted on said pedestal and operable simultaneously with said pickoff means to pass through a holding ring having a previously gripped cap, disengaging the cap from said holding ring and pressing the cap into engagement with a container positioned under the capping apparatus; an operating means for simultaneously driving the pickoff means and said discharge means.

Claim 20

The mechanism of claim 15 wherein said pedestal has a plurality of fixed posts, an upper support member slidably mounted on the posts above the pedestal, a lower support slidably mounted on the posts below the pedestal, said pickoff means including a suction cup mounted on said upper support and said discharge means including a discharge cup mounted on said lower support.

Claim 21

The mechanism of claim 16 wherein said upper and lower supports are operably connected by a linkage mechanism and wherein said lower support is operably connected to a forked driving member, said forked driving member being pivoted by cam means to cause said suction cup and said discharge cup to pass through said rings when the movement of said drum is arrested.

Claim 22

The mechanism of claim 17 wherein said holding rings have a washerlike base and a cylindrical rim portion formed on the inner periphery of said base portion and extending inwardly towards the interior of said drum, said base portion being fastened to said support surface of said drum, said rim portion having a plurality of lip portions extending radially inwardly, the inner cylindrical surfaces of said rim portion and said lip portion forming an annular seat for receiving a container cap, and wherein said movable elements are a plurality of pawls rotatably mounted on said rim in radial slots which extend inwardly from the inner periphery of said base and said rim, said pawls having a generally U-shaped portion for engaging the container lids and being spring biased whereby they remain set in an open or closed position.