Container pressure testing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for strength testing of containers comprising: a rotary container carrier having a container receiving and discharge zone and a container strength testing zone, container pockets on said carrier, means adjacent each pocket operable to clamp containers therein and relEase containers, control means operably connected to said clamp means to clamp and release containers in said receiving and discharge zones and to maintain containers clamped in said strength testing zone, a source of pressure fluid, means operable to apply said pressure fluid to the containers in said strength testing zone and terminate the application of pressure fluid in advance of said discharge zone, and a second source of pressure fluid operably connected to said clamping means, said control means being a valve to apply and release said second pressure fluid to said clamping means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said second source of pressure fluid is at a pressure lower than the pressure of said first mentioned pressure fluid source.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 in which stationary cam means is operably connected to said control means to operate the latter for clamping and releasing the clamping of the containers.

Claim 5

Apparatus for strength testing of containers comprising: a container carrier rotatable about an axis tilted at an angle to the vertical, container pockets spaced about the periphery of said carrier and movable by said carrier through a first station in which said pockets are substantially vertically erect and a second station in which said pockets are substantially vertically erect and a second station in which said pockets are tilted downwardly, container supply means delivering containers in erect attitude to said first station, container discharge means receiving substantially erect containers from said first station as they are delivered thereto by said pockets, tank means containing a fluid bath adjacent said carrier second station in position for said pockets and containers therein to be submerged in said bath at said second station, a source of pressure fluid connected to said pockets to supply the containers therein with fluid under pressure to the interior to subject each container to a strength test, and control means responsive to the rotation of said carrier to apply said pressure fluid to each container in the travel through said second station, said control means including a valve and valve actuator in the pressure fluid connection, said valve actuator normally opening said valve and operating to close said valve automatically upon no container reaching said pockets and upon bursting of containers in said pockets.

Claim 6

Apparatus for strength testing of containers comprising: a container carrier rotatable about an axis tilted at an angle to the vertical, container pockets spaced about the periphery of said carrier and movable by said carrier through a first station in which said pockets are substantially vertically erect and a second station in which said pockets are substantially vertically erect and a second station in which said pockets are tilted downwardly, container supply means delivering containers in erect attitude to said first station, container discharge means receiving substantially erect containers from said first station as they are delivered thereto by said pockets, tank means containing a fluid bath adjacent said carrier second station in position for said pockets and containers therein to be submerged in said bath at said second station, a source of pressure fluid connected to said pockets to supply the containers therein with fluid under pressure to the interior to subject each container to a strength test, and control means responsive to the rotation of said carrier to apply said pressure fluid to each container in the travel through said second station, said control means including a valve and valve actuator in the pressure fluid connection, said valve actuator normally opening said valve and operating to close said valve automatically upon no container reaching said pockets and upon bursting of containers in said pockets.

Claim 7

Apparatus for strength testing of containers subject to fracturing in use, the improvement comprising: horizontal conveying means for single file movement of the containers into and out of adjacent loading and discharge stations while the containers are in vertically erect positions, rotary carrier means disposed adjacent said stations with a portion of its periphery movable generally tangent to said conveying means at said stations, means adjacent said loading station to transfer containers to said rotary carrier at substantially the speed of said carrier, other means adjacent said discharge station to transfer containers to said conveying means from said carrier, said rotary carrier having a rotary axis tilted off the vertical for moving the containers in a path to tilt the containers outwardly and downwardly and back again to the erect position between said loading and discharge stations, pressure fluid testing means engageable with the containers traveling said path, said testing means including container clamping means, a source of pressure fluid connected to said clamping means to operate the same and a pressure fluid shut-off valve operable automatically to terminate loss of fluid upon fracturing of a container on said carrier and absent a container, and independent valve means responsive to the carrier rotation to shut-off pressure fluid to containers in said loading and discharge stations, and container fragmentation cushioning means adjacent said path, the tilting of the containers outwardly and downwardly being into said cushioning means to absorb the fragmentation of weak containers and said shut-ofF valve responding to terminate loss of fluid.

Claim 8

Apparatus for strength testing of containers subject to fracturing in use, the improvement comprising: horizontal conveying means for single file movement of the containers into and out of adjacent loading and discharge stations while the containers are in vertically erect positions, rotary carrier means disposed adjacent said stations with a portion of its periphery movable generally tangent to said conveying means at said stations, means adjacent said loading station to transfer containers to said rotary carrier at substantially the speed of said carrier, other means adjacent said discharge station to transfer containers to said conveying means from said carrier, said rotary carrier having a rotary axis tilted off the vertical for moving the containers in a path to tilt the containers outwardly and downwardly and back again to the erect position between said loading and discharge stations, pressure fluid testing means engageable with the containers traveling said path, said testing means including container clamping means, a source of pressure fluid connected to said clamping means to operate the same and a pressure fluid shut-off valve operable automatically to terminate loss of fluid upon fracturing of a container on said carrier and absent a container, and independent valve means responsive to the carrier rotation to shut-off pressure fluid to containers in said loading and discharge stations, and container fragmentation cushioning means adjacent said path, the tilting of the containers outwardly and downwardly being into said cushioning means to absorb the fragmentation of weak containers and said shut-ofF valve responding to terminate loss of fluid.

Claim 9

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said container transfer means adjacent said loading station included pockets individual to each container, each transfer pocket having a surface thereon for holding the container in said carrier, and said clamping means is responsive to the rotation of said carrier through said loading station to effect container clamping while said pocket surface of said container transfer means holds the container in said carrier, the carrier rotation past said loading station moving the container out of reach of said pocket holding surface.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said clamp means is operated by said pressure fluid to effectively subject the container to a strength test, and said testing means includes a pressure fluid passage through said clamp means to conduct pressure fluid into and effectively subject the container to an internal pressure test.

Claim 11

Apparatus for strength testing of containers comprising: a container carrier rotatable on an axis tilted off the vertical, container pockets spaced about the periphery of said carrier and movable by said carrier sequentially through a substantially erect container loading station a station in which said pockets and containers are tilted toward a horizontal position with said pockets uppermost and back to an erect position, a container positioning cup in each pocket, container conveyor means delivering the containers in erect position to said loading station, an endless pocket conveyor adjacent said container conveyor means to transfer the containers into the carrier pockets while in the erect position, said pocket conveyor operating to position the containers in said carrier pockets, clamp means on said carrier movable to engage and to secure the containers in said carrier positioning cup, a source of pressure fluid connected to said clamp means to move the same into clamping position, control means in said pressure fluid connection responsive to the rotation of said carrier toward said tilted station to operate said clamp means, said clamp means including means to admit pressure fluid into the containers for strength testing thereof while said carrier pockets and containers are moving through said tilted station, and shut-off means on said clamp means responsive to clamp means movement in the event of no container in said carrier pocket or in the event of a container bursting to shut-off the pressure fluid and prevent loss of the pressure fluid.

Claim 12

Apparatus for strength testing of containers comprising: a container carrier rotatable on an axis tilted off the vertical, container pockets spaced about the periphery of said carrier and movable by said carrier sequentially through a substantially erect container loading station a station in which said pockets and containers are tilted toward a horizontal position with said pockets uppermost and back to an erect position, a container positioning cup in each pocket, container conveyor means delivering the containers in erect position to said loading station, an endless pocket conveyor adjacent said container conveyor means to transfer the containers into the carrier pockets while in the erect position, said pocket conveyor operating to position the containers in said carrier pockets, clamp means on said carrier movable to engage and to secure the containers in said carrier positioning cup, a source of pressure fluid connected to said clamp means to move the same into clamping position, control means in said pressure fluid connection responsive to the rotation of said carrier toward said tilted station to operate said clamp means, said clamp means including means to admit pressure fluid into the containers for strength testing thereof while said carrier pockets and containers are moving through said tilted station, and shut-off means on said clamp means responsive to clamp means movement in the event of no container in said carrier pocket or in the event of a container bursting to shut-off the pressure fluid and prevent loss of the pressure fluid.

Claim 13

In apparatus for strength testing containers by axial loading and internal pressure, the improvement comprising: container conveyor means having spaced discharge and receiving stations, a rotary carrier positioned relative to said conveyor means such that a portion of the carrier periphery moves adjacent said discharge and receiving stations, container positioning pockets on the periphery of said carrier in position to receive containers in said discharge station and discharge containers in said receiving station, container clamp means in each pocket movable to engage and release the containers therein and additionally movable absent a container or bursting of a container, said clamp means having a passage open to the interior of the container in the pocket upon clamping the container, a source of pressure fluid operably connected to said clamp means to move the same, said fluid pressure connection including a connection to said passage, valve means in said passage normally opening said passage to pressure fluid flow to the container interior, and means operably connected to said valve means to close said valve upon said clamp means undergoing said additional movement.

Claim 14

In apparatus for strength testing containers by axial loading and internal pressure, the improvement comprising: container conveyor means having spaced discharge and receiving stations, a rotary carrier positioned relative to said conveyor means such that a portion of the carrier periphery moves adjacent said discharge and receiving stations, container positioning pockets on the periphery of said carrier in position to receive containers in said discharge station and discharge containers in said receiving station, container clamp means in each pocket movable to engage and release the containers therein and additionally movable absent a container or bursting of a container, said clamp means having a passage open to the interior of the container in the pocket upon clamping the container, a source of pressure fluid operably connected to said clamp means to move the same, said fluid pressure connection including a connection to said passage, valve means in said passage normally opening said passage to pressure fluid flow to the container interior, and means operably connected to said valve means to close said valve upon said clamp means undergoing said additional movement.

Claim 15

The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said pressure fluid exerts an axial load on said container through said clamp means and causes said clamp means additional movement absent a container or bursting of a container.

Claim 16

The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said rotary carrier has an axis or rotation tiLted off the vertical so its periphery has a high and a low path of movement, and a fluid bath is located to submerge said carrier and pockets in said low path of movement, said fluid bath cushioning the shock of a container bursting.