US3755987A — Machine for sealingly closing containers by means…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 299 words

Machine for sealingly closing containers each provided with an upper outwardly projecting collar, with a cap which is applied onto the said collar and then secured to the latter, comprising a frame structure, rotatable container-conveying means mounted on said frame structure and comprising a drum having a vertical axis and driven in rotation about said axis, rods and a series of stools distributed uniformly at the periphery of said drum, each one of said stools being supported on said drum by means of a said rod and being adapted to receive one of said containers, and to drive it continuously along a first circular path, a cutting punch for caps, a chute, mechanical cap-conveying means mounted on said frame structure and comprising a transfer device receiving the caps delivered by said cutting punch via said chute, a stationary plate having a circular guiding groove for receiving the caps conveyed by the said transfer device, the said guiding groove forming a second circular path and rotary driving means for driving said caps along the said second circular path, the latter path being tangent to said first path and being arranged above it so that a portion of said second circular path overlies said first circular path in the region of tangency, common motor means for driving said drum, said cutting punch, said transfer device and said rotary driving means in synchronism, whereby each cap travelling along said second path portion where it overlies said first path in the region of tangency is located above a container and moves by gravity and is deposited on the collar of each container, and fixing means adapted to secure on each container the cap deposited on its collar, said fixing means being arranged above said containers and beIng solid with said rotatable container-conveying means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 299 words

Machine for sealingly closing containers each provided with an upper outwardly projecting collar, with a cap which is applied onto the said collar and then secured to the latter, comprising a frame structure, rotatable container-conveying means mounted on said frame structure and comprising a drum having a vertical axis and driven in rotation about said axis, rods and a series of stools distributed uniformly at the periphery of said drum, each one of said stools being supported on said drum by means of a said rod and being adapted to receive one of said containers, and to drive it continuously along a first circular path, a cutting punch for caps, a chute, mechanical cap-conveying means mounted on said frame structure and comprising a transfer device receiving the caps delivered by said cutting punch via said chute, a stationary plate having a circular guiding groove for receiving the caps conveyed by the said transfer device, the said guiding groove forming a second circular path and rotary driving means for driving said caps along the said second circular path, the latter path being tangent to said first path and being arranged above it so that a portion of said second circular path overlies said first circular path in the region of tangency, common motor means for driving said drum, said cutting punch, said transfer device and said rotary driving means in synchronism, whereby each cap travelling along said second path portion where it overlies said first path in the region of tangency is located above a container and moves by gravity and is deposited on the collar of each container, and fixing means adapted to secure on each container the cap deposited on its collar, said fixing means being arranged above said containers and beIng solid with said rotatable container-conveying means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 49 words

Machine according to claim 1 wherein said second path is internally tangent to said first path and its diameter is substantially equal to half the diameter of the first path, the said containers and the said caps moving at one and the same linear speed along the said paths.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

Machine according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable container-conveying means also comprise means for raising said containers, said means being supported by said drum and being adapted to seize each container, associated with a stool and having received a cap, by its collar and raise it vertically, whereby said container and its associated cap are applied against said fixing means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

Machine according to claim 3, wherein said raising means comprise a hollow vertically sliding cylinder adapted to receive and contain the said stool and to meet, during its ascending motion, the collar of said container.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 69 words

Machine according to claim 1, comprising a rail having the general shape of a circular cylinder concentric with said drum and wherein each one of said cylinders in solid with a sleeve mounted slidingly but not rotatably on said rod, each said sleeve being provided with a roller co-operating with said rail, so that the vertical motion of the said cylinder is controlled by the profile of said rail.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

Machine according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means comprised of a series of heating heads mounted on a support solid with said rotatable drum, each heating head being arranged above one of said stools.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

Machine according to claim 6, wherein said heating heads are mounted resiliently on the said support.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

Machine according to claim 1, wherein said transfer device comprises two parallel arcuate rods, two helical springs placed respectively around said two parallel arcuate rods and said springs being driven in rotation in mutually opposite directions, so that each cap delivered through said chute engages between the turns of the said springs and is driven in translation along said rods.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

Machine according to claim 8, wherein said transfer device includes a smooth guide-member for imparting a predetermined orientation to said caps.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

Machine according to claim 1 wherein said rotary driving means comprises a rotatable member having a series of fingers driven in rotation in synchronism with said drum, each finger coming into contact with a cap supplied by said transfer device and driving it in said circular guiding groove.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 57 words

Machine according to claim 1, further comprising a blade for guiding said containers and said caps, the said blade being arranged in proximity to said region of tangency of the paths of the said containers and the said caps, and being hingedly mounted on the said stationary plate so as to be capable of limited vertical displacement.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 72 words

Machine according to claim 1 wherein said circular guiding groove in said stationary plate forms a second circular path comprising a first portion which is externally tangent to the said first path and a second portion, the curvature of which is inverted with respect to that of said first portion and which is tangentially connected to the latter, the said second portion of the second path coinciding with the said first path.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 70 words

Machine according to claim 1 wherein said rotary driving means of said mechanical cap-conveying means comprise first rotatable means for receiving said caps conveyed by said transfer device and driving them along a first portion of said second circular path formed by said groove and second rotatable means receiving the caps driven by the said first rotatable means and driving them along the second portion of the said second path.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 44 words

Machine according to claim 13, wherein said first rotatable means comprise a series of fingers mounted on a driven support, each finger coming into contact with a cap supplied by said transfer device and driving it along the first portion of the said groove.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 53 words

Machine according to Claim 13 wherein said second rotatable means comprise a series of rotating fingers, each finger of the said second rotatable means coming into contact with a cap supplied by one of the fingers of said first rotatable means and driving said cap along a second portion of the said groove.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

Machine according to claim 15, wherein each finger of the said second rotatable means is associated with a fixing means so as to follow it when it is driven in rotation.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 92 words

Machine according to claim 1 wherein said rotatable container-conveying means further comprises container-raising cylinders supported on said drum, movable fingers, return springs for said fingers and tubular supports and wherein each said finger of the rotatable means is slidingly mounted in a tubular support, said tubular support extending obliquely with respect to the said fixing means, its lower end engaging the path of said container-raising cylinders, so that during the ascending motion of the said cylinder the latter meets the said finger and pushes it upwardly against the action said return spring.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 39 words

Machine according to claim 16, comprising a container-discharge star-member and wherein said support carrying the fingers of the said first rotatable means is arranged in coaxial relationship to said container-discharge star-member and is solid in rotation with the latter.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 85 words

Machine according to claim 17, wherein said fixing means are formed of a series of heating heads each movably mounted on the said support so as to be moved to two positions, one, a working position in which said container and its cap come into contact with the said head, and a second, an idle position in which the said contact does not occur, actuating means controlled by cap-detecting means being provided to move the said heads to the required one of the said positions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 89 words

Machine according to claim 19, wherein each heating head is movable vertically with respect to the said support, the said actuating means comprising a return spring tending to push the heating head to said idle position, a rotary cam which, depending upon its angular position, acts or does not act upon the said heating head to move it to said working position against the action of the said spring, and means for driving the said cam in rotation, said cam driving means being controlled by the said detecting means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 83 words

Machine according to claim 20, wherein each one of said cams is provided with two arms, said cam driving means comprising a retractable stop-member having an extended position and a rectracted position and adapted, when in said extended position, to engage the path of one of the said arms so as to move said heating head to said idle position, and a stationary stop member engaging the path of the other arm so as to move said heating head to said working position.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 21 words

Machine according to claim 21, wherein said retractable stop-member is associated with a double-acting cylinder controlled by the said detecting means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 35 words

Machine according to claim 22, wherein said detecting means comprise a magnetic-action detecting member, an amplifier, the said detecting member supplying, through the medium of said amplifier an electromagnetic valve for controlling said double-acting cylinder.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-09-03	1977-03-05	1977-09-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-09-03	1981-03-05	1981-09-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-09-03	1985-03-05	1985-09-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Machine for sealingly closing containers by means of covers

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag