Abstract A capping machine is provided which includes a rotatable turret with outwardly open vertical slots around its perimeter and a plurality of spindles secured in the slots for applying swage-on closures to containers wherein such swage-on spindles can be easily removed and replaced by spindles for applying roll-on closures. The turret includes two cams, with the upper cam being adapted to vertically reciprocate either swage-on spindles or roll-on spindles, and the lower cam being adapted to move rollers on spinning headsets on roll-on spindles against the skirts of closures on containers, and further includes drive means adapted to rotate such spinning headsets to roll threads in closures'' skirts, wherein such drive means is in non-obstructing position with respect to swage-on spindles when they are mounted in the turret. A method is also provided for applying swage-on closures to containers by means of such a machine.
In a machine for applying closures which includes a rotatable turret with a plurality of outwardly open vertical slots around its circumference for receiving closure-applying spindles therein, upper cam means for moving spindles vertically in the slots, lower cam means for moving, when present, rollers of headsets on roll-on spindles radially inward with respect to the axes of the spindles and gear means for spinning such headsets when present, the improvement comprising said gear means including a stationary bull gear on the axis of the turret, at least one planetary gear in engagement with said bull gear and secured to the turret for rotation with the turret, and a freely rotatable ring gear in engagement with the planetary gear and adapted to engage gears on roll-on spindles to rotate spinning headsets on such spindles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a machine for applying closures which includes a rotatable turret with a plurality of outwardly open vertical slots around its circumference for receiving closure-applying spindles therein, upper cam means for moving spindles vertically in the slots, lower cam means for moving, when present, rollers of headsets on roll-on spindles radially inward with respect to the axes of the spindles and gear means for spinning such headsets when present, the improvement comprising said gear means including a stationary bull gear on the axis of the turret, at least one planetary gear in engagement with said bull gear and secured to the turret for rotation with the turret, and a freely rotatable ring gear in engagement with the planetary gear and adapted to engage gears on roll-on spindles to rotate spinning headsets on such spindles.