Capper with orienting attachment

Claim 2

Apparatus for applying closures to containers wherein the containers are supported standing up in a predetermined position of orientation for movement along a predetermined path and closures are delivered one at a time to a position close to said path in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the containers, comprising a transfer arm supported for angular movement about a vertical axis from said path to said position and back to said path, said transfer arm being adapted to support a closure at said path for application to a container and means for rotating the closure about a vertical axis as the transfer arm moves from said position to said path to re-orient the position of the closure by the amount it became displaced by such angular movement of the transfer arm.

Claim 3

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising carrier means for receiving and moving containers in spaced relation for movement along a predetermined path, a stationary support adjacent to the path of movement of the container to which closures are delivered one at a time, transfer means supported for angular movement from a position above the carrier means to said support to pick a closure from the support and back to said position above the carrier means for application to a container received by the carrier and means for effecting rotation of the closure relative to the transfer means as the latter moves back to said position above the carrier means to re-orient the position of the closure by the amount it became displaced by such angular movement of the transfer means.

Claim 4

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising carrier means for receiving and moving containers in spaced relation for movement along a predetermined path, a stationary support adjacent to the path of movement of the container to which closures are delivered one at a time, transfer means supported for angular movement from a position above the carrier means to said support to pick a closure from the support and back to said position above the carrier means for application to a container received by the carrier and means for effecting rotation of the closure relative to the transfer means as the latter moves back to said position above the carrier means to re-orient the position of the closure by the amount it became displaced by such angular movement of the transfer means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers, comprising a rotor supported For rotation about a vertical axis said rotor having a horizontal supporting surface for receiving containers standing upright for application of closures to their tops, a plurality of transfer arms mounted on the rotor above the supporting surface for supporting closures at a level to be applied to the tops of the containers received by the supporting surface said transfer arms being rotatable about vertical axes, a closure support close to the rotor to which closures are supplied one by one, means for rotating the rotor to move the transfer arms successively by the closure support, means for moving the transfer arms from the rotor outwardly to pick a closure from the closure support as they travel by and back to the rotor and means on each transfer arm rotatable about a vertical axis as the arm travels back to the rotor to turn the closure in a reverse direction by the amount of its angular displacement by such angular movement of the transfer arm.

Claim 6

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers, comprising a rotor supported For rotation about a vertical axis said rotor having a horizontal supporting surface for receiving containers standing upright for application of closures to their tops, a plurality of transfer arms mounted on the rotor above the supporting surface for supporting closures at a level to be applied to the tops of the containers received by the supporting surface said transfer arms being rotatable about vertical axes, a closure support close to the rotor to which closures are supplied one by one, means for rotating the rotor to move the transfer arms successively by the closure support, means for moving the transfer arms from the rotor outwardly to pick a closure from the closure support as they travel by and back to the rotor and means on each transfer arm rotatable about a vertical axis as the arm travels back to the rotor to turn the closure in a reverse direction by the amount of its angular displacement by such angular movement of the transfer arm.

Claim 7

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising means for moving containers along a predetermined path, a support adjacent the path of movement of the containers, means for delivering closures one at a time to said support, a transfer arm supported for movement from a position above the path of movement of the containers to a lateral position to take a closure from said support and back to said position above the path of movement of the containers to position the closure above the top of a container traveling along said path and means for turning the closure as it travels from said support to said position above said path to position the closure for application to the container in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the container.

Claim 8

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising means for moving containers along a predetermined path, a support adjacent the path of movement of the containers, means for delivering closures one at a time to said support, a transfer arm supported for movement from a position above the path of movement of the containers to a lateral position to take a closure from said support and back to said position above the path of movement of the containers to position the closure above the top of a container traveling along said path and means for turning the closure as it travels from said support to said position above said path to position the closure for application to the container in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the container.

Claim 9

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers wherein it is desirable to apply the closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation with respect to the configuration of the containers, comprising conveyor means for moving the containers in regularly spaced relation along a predetermined path, means for supplying closures for application to the tops of the containers traveling along said path, said means including a delivery chute for supplying closures one at a time to a position close to said path, transfer means traveling with the conveyor means along said path for supporting the closures in a position to be applied to the containers traveling along said path, said transfer means being movable laterally from said path as they approach the delivery chute to take a closure from the chute and move it back to said position above the conveyor and means for rotating the closure on the transfer means as it travels from the delivery chute to said position above the conveyor to orient the closure to said predetermined position with respect to the container.

Claim 10

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers wherein it is desirable to apply the closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation with respect to the configuration of the containers, comprising conveyor means for moving the containers in regularly spaced relation along a predetermined path, means for supplying closures for application to the tops of the containers traveling along said path, said means including a delivery chute for supplying closures one at a time to a position close to said path, transfer means traveling with the conveyor means along said path for supporting the closures in a position to be applied to the containers traveling along said path, said transfer means being movable laterally from said path as they approach the delivery chute to take a closure from the chute and move it back to said position above the conveyor and means for rotating the closure on the transfer means as it travels from the delivery chute to said position above the conveyor to orient the closure to said predetermined position with respect to the container.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein there is means movable with the conveyor and associated with each transfer means operable following orientation of the closure above the container to apply the closure to the top of the container.

Claim 12

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in predetermined oriented positions, comprising a rotary conveyor for receiving and moving containers along a predetermined circular path, a support adjacent said path for supplying closures in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the container traveling along said circular path, a transfer arm mounted on the conveyor to swing angularly from a position above such path to a lateral position to take a closure from the support and back to said position above said path and means for orienting the closure on the transfer arm as it travels from the support to said path about its center through an angle such as to dispose the closure in a position to be applied to a container traveling along said path which corresponds to that which it had relative to said path at the time it was picked from the support.

Claim 13

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in predetermined oriented positions, comprising a rotary conveyor for receiving and moving containers along a predetermined circular path, a support adjacent said path for supplying closures in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the container traveling along said circular path, a transfer arm mounted on the conveyor to swing angularly from a position above such path to a lateral position to take a closure from the support and back to said position above said path and means for orienting the closure on the transfer arm as it travels from the support to said path about its center through an angle such as to dispose the closure in a position to be applied to a container traveling along said path which corresponds to that which it had relative to said path at the time it was picked from the support.

Claim 14

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis said rotor being provided with means for receiving containers standing upright for movement along a predetermined circular path, a chute having an end close to said circular path to which closures are delivered in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the circular path, a transfer arm on the conveyor above each receiving means, said transfer arm being angularly movable about a vertical axis laterally from said position above its associated receiver to a position to take a closure from the chute as it travels by and then back to said position above its associated receiver and means movable with the transfer arm as it returns to said position above its receiver to rotate the closure about a vertical axis through an angle to dispose it in a position relative to said path corresponding to that which it had when taken from the chute.

Claim 15

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis said rotor being provided with means for receiving containers standing upright for movement along a predetermined circular path, a chute having an end close to said circular path to which closures are delivered in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the circular path, a transfer arm on the conveyor above each receiving means, said transfer arm being angularly movable about a vertical axis laterally from said position above its associated receiver to a position to take a closure from the chute as it travels by and then back to said position above its associated receiver and means movable with the transfer arm as it returns to said position above its receiver to rotate the closure about a vertical axis through an angle to dispose it in a position relative to said path corresponding to that which it had when taken from the chute.

Claim 16

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis for moving containers standing upright thereon along a circular path, a closure supply supported adjacent the path of movement of the containers for supplying closures in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the conveyor for application to containers traveling along said circular path, a plurality of pivotally mounted transfer arms supported on the conveyor in spaced relation for angular movement about vertical axes from a predetermined position above the conveyor to a lateral position to take closures from the supply as they travel by the closure supply and back to said predetermined position above the conveyor and means on each transfer arm for rotating the closure thereon about a vertical axis as it travels from the closure supply to said predetermined position above the conveyor through an angle to dispose the closure above the conveyor in the same angular position relative thereto that it had when taken from the closure supply.

Claim 17

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation comprising a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis for moving containers standing upright thereon along a circular path, a closure supply supported adjacent the path of movement of the containers for supplying closures in a predetermined position of orientation relative to the conveyor for application to containers traveling along said circular path, a plurality of pivotally mounted transfer arms supported on the conveyor in spaced relation for angular movement about vertical axes from a predetermined position above the conveyor to a lateral position to take closures from the supply as they travel by the closure supply and back to said predetermined position above the conveyor and means on each transfer arm for rotating the closure thereon about a vertical axis as it travels from the closure supply to said predetermined position above the conveyor through an angle to dispose the closure above the conveyor in the same angular position relative thereto that it had when taken from the closure supply.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising a rotary adaptor at the distal end of each transfer means and means for rotating the adaptor on each transfer means as each transfer means travels from said predetermined position above the rotor to the closure supply and back to said predetermined position above the conveyor.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising a rotary adaptor at the distal end of each transfer means and means operable by angular movement of each transfer means toward the conveyor to rotate the adaptor in one direction and by angular movement of each transfer means toward the closure supply to rotate the adaptor in the other direction and wherein said closure supply is provided with a chute for delivering closures one at a time in a predetermined oriented position such as to correspond with the position of the adaptor at the place of taking.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising a rotary adaptor at the distal end of each transfer means, pins fixed to the adaptor in positions such that as each transfer means approaches the closure supply one of the pins is intercepted by a stationary part to cause the adaptor to be rotated to a predetermined position of orientation for taking a closure from the closure supply and the other pin is intercepted by a stationary part as each transfer means moves back to said predetermined position above the conveyor to rotate the adaptor to an angle to dispose the closure at said predetermined position of orientation relative to the container.

Claim 21

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation comprising a rotor, transfer arms mounted on the rotor at regularly spaced intervals for movement in a circular path said transfer arms being pivotally mounted for angular movement from a predetermined position above the conveyor to a lateral position radially outward of the center of rotation of the rotor, a source of closure situated at said lateral position supplying closures one at a time to the transfer arms as they are moved to said lateral position, means for moving each transfer arm successively to said lateral position and back to said predetermined position above the conveyor, an adaptor at the distal end of each transfer arm designed to take a closure disposed in a predetermined oriented position from the source and means for rotating the adaptor as the transfer arm returns to said predetermined position above the conveyor to position the closure for application to a container on the conveyor in said predetermined position of orientation.

Claim 22

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers in a predetermined position of orientation comprising a rotor, transfer arms mounted on the rotor at regularly spaced intervals for movement in a circular path said transfer arms being pivotally mounted for angular movement from a predetermined position above the conveyor to a lateral position radially outward of the center of rotation of the rotor, a source of closure situated at said lateral position supplying closures one at a time to the transfer arms as they are moved to said lateral position, means for moving each transfer arm successively to said lateral position and back to said predetermined position above the conveyor, an adaptor at the distal end of each transfer arm designed to take a closure disposed in a predetermined oriented position from the source and means for rotating the adaptor as the transfer arm returns to said predetermined position above the conveyor to position the closure for application to a container on the conveyor in said predetermined position of orientation.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the closure is of a predetermined configuration and is oriented by rotation of the adaptor to dispose the closure in a predetermined orientation in relation to the container.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the container has a predetermined top formation and the closure a mating formation and there is means on the transfer arm for taking a closure from the closure supply and positioning it above the container with the mating portions of the container and closure in registration.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein there is a closure applying means associated with each transfer means operable to take a closure from the transfer means and apply it to a container.

Claim 26

Apparatus for applying closures to containers wherein the containers are supported standing upright for movement along a predetermined path, closure supply means for supplying closures to a position closely adjacent said path, a transfer arm angularly movable relative to the path to take a closure from said closure supply means and move it to a position above a container traveling along said path for application to a container moving along said path and means for rotating the closure on the transfer arm before it is applied to the closure to reorient the position of the closure on the arm by the amount it became displaced by angular movement of said transfer arm.

Claim 27

Apparatus for applying closures to containers wherein the containers are supported standing upright for movement along a predetermined path, closure supply means for supplying closures to a position closely adjacent said path, a transfer arm angularly movable relative to the path to take a closure from said closure supply means and move it to a position above a container traveling along said path for application to a container moving along said path and means for rotating the closure on the transfer arm before it is applied to the closure to reorient the position of the closure on the arm by the amount it became displaced by angular movement of said transfer arm.

Claim 28

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers, comprising a rotor for receiving containers and moving them along a predetermined path standing upright, closure supply means for supplying closures to said path, transfer arms mounted on the rotor for movement therewith and angularly movable thereon relative to the closure supply means as they travel by the closure supply means to pick closures from the closure supply means, and move them to positions above containers traveling along said path for application thereto and means for rotating said closures on the transfer arms before they are applied to the containers about vertical axes to dispose them at predetermined positions of orientation relative to the containers.

Claim 29

Apparatus for applying closures to the tops of containers, comprising a rotor for receiving containers and moving them along a predetermined path standing upright, closure supply means for supplying closures to said path, transfer arms mounted on the rotor for movement therewith and angularly movable thereon relative to the closure supply means as they travel by the closure supply means to pick closures from the closure supply means, and move them to positions above containers traveling along said path for application thereto and means for rotating said closures on the transfer arms before they are applied to the containers about vertical axes to dispose them at predetermined positions of orientation relative to the containers.