Capping device for containers

Claim 2

A lid capping mechanism comprising a support for holding a container to be capped, a post above the support and aligned therewith, a plate slidable on the post and disposed parallel to the support, said plate maintaining its parallel relation to the support as the plate moves on the post and adapted to engage the periphery of a lid on a container on the support, a disc pivotally connected to and carried by the post and disposed beneath the plate, the pivotal axis of the disc being horizontal, said disc being adapted to engage the central portion of a lid on the mouth of a container on the support, and means for raising said support for causing a lid on the container to lift the plate on the post and cause the disc to seat the lid on the container.

Claim 3

A lid capping mechanism comprising a support for holding a container to be capped, a post above the support and aligned therewith, a plate slidable on the post and disposed parallel to the support, said plate maintaining its parallel relation to the support as the plate moves on the post and adapted to engage the periphery of a lid on a container on the support, a disc pivotally connected to and carried by the post and disposed beneath the plate, the pivotal axis of the disc being horizontal, said disc being adapted to engage the central portion of a lid on the mouth of a container on the support, and means for raising said support for causing a lid on the container to lift the plate on the post and cause the disc to seat the lid on the container.

Claim 4

A lid capping mechanism comprising a support for holding a container to be capped, a post above the support and aligned therewith, a plate slidable on the post and disposed parallel to the support, said plate maintaining its parallel relation to the support as the plate moves on the post and adapted to engage the periphery of a lid on a container on the support, a disc pivotally connected to and carried by the post and disposed beneath the plate, the pivotal axis of the disc being horizontal, said disc being adapted to engage the central portion of a lid on the mouth of a container on the support, and means for raising said support for causing a lid on the container to lift the plate on the post and cause the disc to seat the lid on the container.

Claim 5

A mechanism for seating a lid resting on the mouth of a container comprising a container support having a horizontal platform for carrying a container to be capped in a position in which a lid may rest on the container mouth, a post mounted above the support and generally perpendicular to the platform and spaced therefrom, a plate slidable up and down on the post and oriented in a plane parallel to the platform, said plate having a peripheral portion for engaging the periphery of a lid resting on the mouth of a container carried on the platform, a disc carried on the bottom of the post and beneath the plate and smaller than the plate for engaging the central portion of the lid, means engaging the disc maintaining the disc parallel to the plate when the plate is in a lowermost position on the post, and means connected to the disc and causing said disc to tilt with respect to the plate when the plate is moved from its lowermost position and causing the lid to seat on one side of the container mouth before it seats on the opposite side.

Claim 6

A mechanism for seating a lid resting on the mouth of a container comprising a container support having a horizontal platform for carrying a container to be capped in a position in which a lid may rest on the container mouth, a post mounted above the support and generally perpendicular to the platform and spaced therefrom, a plate slidable up and down on the post and oriented in a plane parallel to the platform, said plate having a peripheral portion for engaging the periphery of a lid resting on the mouth of a container carried on the platform, a disc carried on the bottom of the post and beneath the plate and smaller than the plate for engaging the central portion of the lid, means engaging the disc maintaining the disc parallel to the plate when the plate is in a lowermost position on the post, and means connected to the disc and causing said disc to tilt with respect to the plate when the plate is moved from its lowermost position and causing the lid to seat on one side of the container mouth before it seats on the opposite side.

Claim 7

A mechanism as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means maintaining that disc parallel to the plate being the lower surface of the plate engaging the disc when the plate is in its lowermost position.

Claim 8

A mechanism as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means connected to the disc being a pivotal support for the disc on the post, and a spring engaging the disc and urging it to assume a position at an angle to the platform.

Claim 9

A mechanism as defined in claim 4 further characterized by said means maintaining the disc parallel to the plate being the lower surface of the plate engaging the disc when the plate is in its lowermost position.

Claim 10

A mechanism as defined in claim 2 further characterized by a sleeve connected to the plate and slidable up and down on the post, said plate resting on the disc when the sleeve is in its lowermost position on the post, and means including a pivotal connection between the bottoM of the post and the disc causing the disc to tip with respect to the platform when the plate is raised on the post off the disc.

Claim 11

A mechanism as described in claim 6 further characterized by said pivotal connection including a downwardly open slot in the bottom of the post, a stem secured to the center of the disc and lying within the slot, and a horizontal pin extending through the stem and into the margins of the slot allowing the disc to pivot on the pin, and a spring engaging the post and stem biasing the disc to that tipped position with respect to the platform.

Claim 12

A mechanism for seating lids on a container comprising, a support for carrying a container to be capped, a head mounted above the support and including a disc aligned with it and pivotable about an axis parallel with the support, means for moving at least one of either the support or disc relative to the other with the disc aligned with the support so as to engage the lid when the support and disc are brought toward one another, biasing means carried by the head and engaging the disc yieldably holding the disc at an angle to the support and of sufficient strength to cause the lid to seat at an angle to the container upon initial contact of the disc with the lid so that the lid seats first on one side, said biasing means thereafter responsive to the continued movement of the support and disc toward one another thereby causing the disc to assume a position parallel to the support and seat the opposite side of the container, said head including a fixed post above the support, said disc being pivotally mounted on said post, and said biasing means being a spring disposed between the post and disc, a plate forming part of said head and slidable up and down on said post, said plate engaging said disc when in the down position and holding the disc parallel to said support and overcoming the bias of said spring.

Claim 13

A mechanism for seating lids on a container comprising, a support for carrying a container to be capped, a head mounted above the support and including a disc aligned with it and pivotable about an axis parallel with the support, means for moving at least one of either the support or disc relative to the other with the disc aligned with the support so as to engage the lid when the support and disc are brought toward one another, biasing means carried by the head and engaging the disc yieldably holding the disc at an angle to the support and of sufficient strength to cause the lid to seat at an angle to the container upon initial contact of the disc with the lid so that the lid seats first on one side, said biasing means thereafter responsive to the continued movement of the support and disc toward one another thereby causing the disc to assume a position parallel to the support and seat the opposite side of the container, said head including a fixed post above the support, said disc being pivotally mounted on said post, and said biasing means being a spring disposed between the post and disc, a plate forming part of said head and slidable up and down on said post, said plate engaging said disc when in the down position and holding the disc parallel to said support and overcoming the bias of said spring.

Claim 14

A mechanism for seating lids on a container comprising, a support for carrying a container to be capped, a head mounted above the support and including a disc aligned with it and pivotable about an axis parallel with the support, means for moving at least one of either the support or disc relative to the other with the disc aligned with the support so as to engage the lid when the support and disc are brought toward one another, biasing means carried by the head and engaging the disc yieldably holding the disc at an angle to the support and of sufficient strength to cause the lid to seat at an angle to the container upon initial contact of the disc with the lid so that the lid seats first on one side, said biasing means thereafter responsive to the continued movement of the support and disc toward one another thereby causing the disc to assume a position parallel to the support and seat the opposite side of the container, and additional means forming part of and movable on said head and engaging said disc and releasably holding said disc parallel to said support and overcoming the bias of said spring.

Claim 15

A mechanism for seating lids on a container comprising, a support for carrying a container to be capped, a head mounted above the support and including a disc aligned with it and pivotable about an axis parallel with the support, means for moving at least one of either the support or disc relative to the other with the disc aligned with the support so as to engage the lid when the support and disc are brought toward one another, biasing means carried by the head and engaging the disc yieldably holding the disc at an angle to the support and of sufficient strength to cause the lid to seat at an angle to the container upon initial contact of the disc with the lid so that the lid seats first on one side, said biasing means thereafter responsive to the continued movement of the support and disc toward one another thereby causing the disc to assume a position parallel to the support and seat the opposite side of the container, and additional means forming part of and movable on said head and engaging said disc and releasably holding said disc parallel to said support and overcoming the bias of said spring.

Claim 16

A mechanism as defined in claim 9 further characterized by said additional means being positioned to be engaged by a lid resting on a container on said support and to be moved thereby as said lid is moved toward said head to free the disc to the influence of the biasing means.

Claim 17

A mechanism as defined in claim 8 further characterized by said plate having a flange extending in the direction of the support and engageable by a lid resting on a container on said support and being slidable thereby to rise on the post and free the disc to the influence of the spring.