Shrink-film capping machine

Claim 2

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising a sealing tube mounted in a fixed position relative to said cabinet and having an open lower end so disposed above said base and with respect to said cabinet that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said lower end when said cabinet is mounted on said support, vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and movable within said tube from a lower position at said lower end of said tube to an upper position above said lower end, means for supplying heated air to said lower end of said tube, control means interconnecting said plunger means and said means for supplying heated air and operable by said plunger means to permit the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said upper position and to prevent the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said lower position; feed means for automatically feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising manually operable means accessible from externally of said cabinet and from aDjacent said sealing unit for activating said feed means; said manually operable means being mounted below said plunger means and in spaced relation thereto to permit the feed of said film beneath said plunger means and being mounted in a position in relation to said plunger means where it is engageable by said receptacle as it is positioned beneath said plunger means in preparation for the application of said film closure thereto, whereby said feed means may be energized by engagement of said receptacle therewith prior to movement of said receptacle upwardly to engage the film fed by said feed means and to press said film against said plunger means; and cutting means adjacent said plunger means for cutting said film transversely of the direction of feed thereof.

Claim 3

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising a sealing tube mounted in a fixed position relative to said cabinet and having an open lower end so disposed above said base and with respect to said cabinet that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said lower end when said cabinet is mounted on said support, vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and movable within said tube from a lower position at said lower end of said tube to an upper position above said lower end, means for supplying heated air to said lower end of said tube, control means interconnecting said plunger means and said means for supplying heated air and operable by said plunger means to permit the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said upper position and to prevent the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said lower position; feed means for automatically feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising manually operable means accessible from externally of said cabinet and from aDjacent said sealing unit for activating said feed means; said manually operable means being mounted below said plunger means and in spaced relation thereto to permit the feed of said film beneath said plunger means and being mounted in a position in relation to said plunger means where it is engageable by said receptacle as it is positioned beneath said plunger means in preparation for the application of said film closure thereto, whereby said feed means may be energized by engagement of said receptacle therewith prior to movement of said receptacle upwardly to engage the film fed by said feed means and to press said film against said plunger means; and cutting means adjacent said plunger means for cutting said film transversely of the direction of feed thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising a sealing tube mounted in a fixed position relative to said cabinet and having an open lower end so disposed above said base and with respect to said cabinet that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said lower end when said cabinet is mounted on said support, vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and movable within said tube from a lower position at said lower end of said tube to an upper position above said lower end, means for supplying heated air to said lower end of said tube, control means interconnecting said plunger means and said means for supplying heated air and operable by said plunger means to permit the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said upper position and to prevent the supply of heated air to said lower end when said plunger means is in its said lower position; feed means for automatically feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising manually operable means accessible from externally of said cabinet and from aDjacent said sealing unit for activating said feed means; said manually operable means being mounted below said plunger means and in spaced relation thereto to permit the feed of said film beneath said plunger means and being mounted in a position in relation to said plunger means where it is engageable by said receptacle as it is positioned beneath said plunger means in preparation for the application of said film closure thereto, whereby said feed means may be energized by engagement of said receptacle therewith prior to movement of said receptacle upwardly to engage the film fed by said feed means and to press said film against said plunger means; and cutting means adjacent said plunger means for cutting said film transversely of the direction of feed thereof.

Claim 5

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube mounted in a fixed position relative to said cabinet and above said plunger means and adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber and blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit and said manually operable means being mounted below said plunger means and in spaced relation thereto to permit the feed of said film beneath said plunger means and being mounted in a position in relation to said plunger means where it is engageable by said receptacle as it is positioned beneath said plunger means in preparation for the application of said film closure thereto, whereby said feed means may be energized by engagement of said receptacle therewith prior to movement of said receptacle upwardly to engage the film fed by said feed means and to press said film against said plunger means; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 6

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube mounted in a fixed position relative to said cabinet and above said plunger means and adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber and blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit and said manually operable means being mounted below said plunger means and in spaced relation thereto to permit the feed of said film beneath said plunger means and being mounted in a position in relation to said plunger means where it is engageable by said receptacle as it is positioned beneath said plunger means in preparation for the application of said film closure thereto, whereby said feed means may be energized by engagement of said receptacle therewith prior to movement of said receptacle upwardly to engage the film fed by said feed means and to press said film against said plunger means; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said plunger means comprises a plunger plate adapted to extend over the mouth of said receptacle and mounted on a tubular shaft having a bore of a predetermined cross sectional shape, and a fixed shaft mounted within and slidably received in said tubular shaft, said fixed shaft having a cross sectional shape different from that of said bore and having portions of the surface thereof in engagement of the wall of said bore and other portions thereof spaced from the wall of said bore.

Claim 8

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on sAid cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber, said blower means comprising a valve for controlling the flow of air into said heating chamber and means interconnecting said valve and said plunger means for closing said valve when said plunger means is in its lowest position and for opening said valve when said plunger means is raised above said position; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 9

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on sAid cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber, said blower means comprising a valve for controlling the flow of air into said heating chamber and means interconnecting said valve and said plunger means for closing said valve when said plunger means is in its lowest position and for opening said valve when said plunger means is raised above said position; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said blower means comprises a centrifugal blower having an outlet opening into said heating chamber and having an inlet, said valve comprises cover means movable from a first position in which it covers said inlet to a second position in which said inlet is uncovered and said interconnecting means comprises means movable by said plunger means and connected with said cover means for moving said cover means from said first position to said second position.

Claim 11

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, said guide means comprising a pair of mating corrugated jaws spaced apart a distance substantially equal to but slightly greater than the thickness of said film for receiving said film therebetween, said corrugations extending in the direction of movement of said film for corrugating said film lengthwise thereof as it passes between said jaws, fIlm drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 12

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, said guide means comprising a pair of mating corrugated jaws spaced apart a distance substantially equal to but slightly greater than the thickness of said film for receiving said film therebetween, said corrugations extending in the direction of movement of said film for corrugating said film lengthwise thereof as it passes between said jaws, fIlm drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; and cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the width of said jaws is at least equal to the width of said film in corrugated form and said corrugations are shaped to provide upwardly extending portions at the side edges of said film.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said jaws have apertures therein and said film drive means comprises wheels extending into said apertures and engagable with said film.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said activating means comprises a clutch interconnecting said motor means and said wheels and means for manually operating said clutch for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said clutch comprises a restraining member for preventing rotation of said wheels by said motor means and said means for manually operating said clutch comprises a movable release arm for engaging and restraining said restraining member in a first position thereof and releasing said member in a second position thereof to permit rotation of said wheels by said motor means, means for urging said release arm into said first position, manually operable trip means exteriorly of said cabinet, and means interconnecting said trip means and said release arm for moving it to said second position comprising a finger operable by said trip means, separable means connecting said finger with said release arm and means for separating said separable means after predetermined movement of said finger.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said separable means comprises a sear pivotally mounted on said release arm, having a sloping face and having a projection thereon engagable with said finger and wherein said separating means comprises a stop engagable with said sloping face for disengaging said finger and said projection upon movement of said finger.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein one of said jaws is pivotally mounted and further comprising means for rotating said one jaw including a pair of legs pivotally interconnected at one end thereof, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its other end to said one jaw and the other of said legs being pivotally connected its other end to said cabinet, and means for locking said legs in alignment with each other with said jaws in substantially parallel relation and for rotating said legs about their interconnection with each other and thereby rotating said one jaw away from the other of said jaws.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said locking means comprises a sleeve encircling said legs at their interconnection and slidable thereon.

Claim 20

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film, said cutting means comprising a knife extending transversely of the direction of movement of said film and electrical means for heating said knife; and a movable stripper mounted above said guide means and engageable with said film thereat, said stripper extending transversely to the direction of movement of said film and being movable from adjacent said guide means to adjacent said knife by upward movement of said film.

Claim 21

Apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having a base adapted to be mounted on a support; a sealing unit mounted on said cabinet, said unit comprising vertically movable plunger means adapted to engage said film and so mounted in spaced relation with respect to said cabinet and said base that a receptacle to be closed may be received below said plunger means when said cabinet is mounted on said support, a sealing tube above said plunger means adapted to receive said plunger means as it is moved and to receive the upper portion of said receptacle, said tube having circumferentially extending apertures adjacent the lower end thereof which in a predetermined upper position of said plunger means are below said plunger means, means around said sealing tube forming a heating chamber communicating with said apertures, at least one electric heating element mounted in said chamber, blower means for forcing air into said heating chamber; feed means for feeding measured amounts of said film beneath said plunger means, said feed means comprising guide means mounted on said cabinet adjacent said plunger means for guiding said film beneath said plunger means, film drive means engageable with said film for moving said film through said guide means, motor means for operating said drive means and manually operable means for activating said drive means for a predetermined period of time and thereby causing the feed of a predetermined amount of film beneath said plunger means, said manually operable means being mounted on said cabinet and being accessible from externally of said cabinet and from adjacent said sealing unit; cutting means disposed intermediate said guide means and said plunger means for cutting said film, said cutting means comprising a knife extending transversely of the direction of movement of said film and electrical means for heating said knife; and a movable stripper mounted above said guide means and engageable with said film thereat, said stripper extending transversely to the direction of movement of said film and being movable from adjacent said guide means to adjacent said knife by upward movement of said film.

Claim 22

In apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, comprising a sealing unit having movable plunger means adapted to engage said film, a sealing tube adapted to receive said plunger means and the upper portion of the mouth of said receptacle and to direct heated air on shrink-film on said mouth, and means for supplying heated air to said sealing tube including a blower having an inlet valve movable from a first position in which it closes said inlet to a second position in which it opens said inlet, the combination therewith of means interconnecting said valve and said plunger means for moving said valve from said first position to said second position upon movement of said plunger means from a first position thereof to a second position thereof.

Claim 23

In apparatus for applying a shrink-film type closure to the mouth rim of an open-ended receptacle or the like, comprising a sealing unit having movable plunger means adapted to engage said film, a sealing tube adapted to receive said plunger means and the upper portion of the mouth of said receptacle and to direct heated air on shrink-film on said mouth, and means for supplying heated air to said sealing tube including a blower having an inlet valve movable from a first position in which it closes said inlet to a second position in which it opens said inlet, the combination therewith of means interconnecting said valve and said plunger means for moving said valve from said first position to said second position upon movement of said plunger means from a first position thereof to a second position thereof.