Bottle height inspection apparatus

Claim 2

In a machine for the continuous testing on a production line of bottles of substantially uniform size including means for moving the bottles in line at the same rate and at equal spacing and a test head for effecting a test of a bottle characteristic moved axially into engagement with each bottle in turn at a test position and moving laterally forward along the line in engagement with the top of the bottle for a predetermined stroke during the test period and then being withdrawn, and means positioned along the line of bottles for ejecting each defective bottle, a device for testing The height of each bottle in turn which comprises: a magnetic probe mounted in a predetermined position on said machine and having a sensing axis transverse to the line of bottles and laterally forward of said test position within the length of said predetermined stroke, a magnetic member on the test head positioned to be spaced from said sensing axis of said probe when said test head moves laterally into engagement with a bottle having a predetermined acceptable height and said member lying in the path of said probe axis when said head engages a bottle having a predetermined different height during said stroke, said magnetic member being a ring mounted on said head concentrically about the central axis thereof whereby rotation of the head on its axis does not affect the minimum spacing between said member and said probe, and means responsive to the magnetic sensing of the proximity of said magnetic member for preparing and actuating said bottle ejecting means to eject the different height bottle from the line.

Claim 3

In a machine for the continuous testing on a production line of the seal finish of glass bottles of substantially uniform size including means for moving the bottles in line at the same rate and at equal spacing and a test head moved axially into engagement with the sealing surface of each bottle in turn at a test position and moving laterally forward along the line in engagement with the bottle for a predetermined stroke during the test period and then being withdrawn, and means positioned along the line of bottles for ejecting each defective bottle, a device for concurrently testing the height of each bottle in turn which comprises: a magnetic probe mounted in a predetermined position on said machine and having a sensing axis transverse to the line of bottles and laterally forward of said test position within the length of said stroke, a magnetic member on the test head positioned to be spaced from the sensing axis of said probe when said test head moves laterally in engagement with a bottle having a height within a predetermined acceptable range of height and said member lying in the path of the sensing axis of said probe when said head is in engagement with a bottle having a height outside said range during said stroke, said magnetic member being of arcuate configuration concentric with the central axis of said head in a plane parallel to the direction of the lateral movement of said head whereby rotation of the head on its axis does not affect the minimum spacing between said member and said probe, and means responsive to the magnetic sensing of the proximity of said magnetic member for preparing and actuating said bottle ejecting means to eject the outside height bottle from the line.

Claim 4

In a machine for the continuous testing on a production line of the seal finish of glass bottles of substantially uniform size including means for moving the bottles in line at the same rate and at equal spacing and a test head moved axially into engagement with the sealing surface of each bottle in turn at a test position and moving laterally forward along the line in engagement with the bottle for a predetermined stroke during the test period and then being withdrawn, and means positioned along the line of bottles for ejecting each defective bottle, a device for concurrently testing the height of each bottle in turn which comprises: a magnetic probe mounted in a predetermined position on said machine and having a sensing axis transverse to the line of bottles and laterally forward of said test position within the length of said stroke, a magnetic member on the test head positioned to be spaced from the sensing axis of said probe when said test head moves laterally in engagement with a bottle having a height within a predetermined acceptable range of height and said member lying in the path of the sensing axis of said probe when said head is in engagement with a bottle having a height outside said range during said stroke, said magnetic member being of arcuate configuration concentric with the central axis of said head in a plane parallel to the direction of the lateral movement of said head whereby rotation of the head on its axis does not affect the minimum spacing between said member and said probe, and means responsive to the magnetic sensing of the proximity of said magnetic member for preparing and actuating said bottle ejecting means to eject the outside height bottle from the line.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 2 wherein said arcuate magnetic member is a ring mounted on said head concentric about the central axis thereof.

Claim 6

In a machine for the continuous testing on a production line of the seal finish of glass bottles of substantially uniform size including means for moving the bottles in line at the same rate and at equal spacing and a test head moved axially into engagement with the sealing surface of each bottle in turn at a test position and moving laterally forward along the line in engagement with the bottle for a predetermined stroke during the test period and then being withdrawn, and means positioned along the line of bottles for ejecting each defective bottle, a device for concurrently testing the height of each bottle in turn which comprises: a magnetic probe mounted in a predetermined position on said machine laterally forward of said test position within the length of said stroke, a magnetic member on the test head positioned to be spaced from the sensing axis of said probe when said test head moves laterally in engagement with a bottle having a height within a predetermined acceptable range of height and said member lying in the path of said probe when said head is in engagement with a bottlE having a height outside said range during said stroke, said test head including a fluid pressure sealing hood of circular cross section for sealing engagement with the bottle and said magnetic ring member being mounted on the outside of said hood at the greatest diameter thereof, and means responsive to the magnetic sensing of the proximity of said magnetic member for preparing and actuating said bottle ejecting means to eject the different height bottle from the line.

Claim 7

In a machine for the continuous testing on a production line of the seal finish of glass bottles of substantially uniform size including means for moving the bottles in line at the same rate and at equal spacing and a test head moved axially into engagement with the sealing surface of each bottle in turn at a test position and moving laterally forward along the line in engagement with the bottle for a predetermined stroke during the test period and then being withdrawn, and means positioned along the line of bottles for ejecting each defective bottle, a device for concurrently testing the height of each bottle in turn which comprises: a magnetic probe mounted in a predetermined position on said machine laterally forward of said test position within the length of said stroke, a magnetic member on the test head positioned to be spaced from the sensing axis of said probe when said test head moves laterally in engagement with a bottle having a height within a predetermined acceptable range of height and said member lying in the path of said probe when said head is in engagement with a bottlE having a height outside said range during said stroke, said test head including a fluid pressure sealing hood of circular cross section for sealing engagement with the bottle and said magnetic ring member being mounted on the outside of said hood at the greatest diameter thereof, and means responsive to the magnetic sensing of the proximity of said magnetic member for preparing and actuating said bottle ejecting means to eject the different height bottle from the line.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4 wherein the exterior of said hood is in the configuration of an upright cone whereby said magnetic ring is positioned about the base of the cone.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said probe in accordance with the height of the bottles to be tested.