US3906703A — Apparatus and method of peripherally securing a p…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 444 words

Automatically operated apparatus for securing a downwardly turned U-shaped outer rim portion of a cover onto the outwardly extending mating rim of an open top container so as to mount the cover on the container rim, the automatic apparatus including: (a) an advancing conveyor which receives a container and carries this container by its bottom to and through a cover discharge station; (b) means actuated by the advancing container for causing cover supply apparatus at said station to be actuated and to release and deliver one cover from a supply of covers to an initially installed position on the rim of the advancing container; (c) cover securing apparatus which includes guide means which in association with the conveyor defines a prescribed path of travel for the container; (d) a pair of like endless flexible chains running in a common plane with an extent of each of the chains disposed to lay in a parallel arrangement with the outer facing surfaces spaced from each other and maintained at this determined spacing by support means, the outer engaging surfaces of said parallel extent of each of the pair of chains traveling at like speeds and direction, the outer engaging surfaces of one chain during its passage along this parallel extent engaging the outer rim of the cover while the outer engaging surface of the other chain during its like passage along the parallel extent engaging the undersurface of the rim of the container, the engaging of the chains with the cover and the undersurface of the rim causing rotation and progression of the container; (e) a support means selectively movable to a position where it engages a local portion of the lower edge of the rim of the container so as to locally support the rim during a cover mounting sequence; (f) a pressure applying means selectively movable to a position whereAt it locally engages a portion of a U-shaped outer rim of a cover; (g) means for aligning the support means and the pressure applying means and for positioning and moving the pressure applying means to establish a determined space from the support means so that the cover portion engaged thereby is locally urged into mounted condition on the cover rim, said support means and pressure means engaging the cover at a position opposite the engaging of the container and cover by the traveling chains so that the support and pressure applying means circumferentially engages the rotated container rim and cover rim to sequentially press the U-shaped rim portion of the cover into seated condition on the rim of the container, and (h) means for removing the container with its mounted cover from the apparatus.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 444 words

Automatically operated apparatus for securing a downwardly turned U-shaped outer rim portion of a cover onto the outwardly extending mating rim of an open top container so as to mount the cover on the container rim, the automatic apparatus including: (a) an advancing conveyor which receives a container and carries this container by its bottom to and through a cover discharge station; (b) means actuated by the advancing container for causing cover supply apparatus at said station to be actuated and to release and deliver one cover from a supply of covers to an initially installed position on the rim of the advancing container; (c) cover securing apparatus which includes guide means which in association with the conveyor defines a prescribed path of travel for the container; (d) a pair of like endless flexible chains running in a common plane with an extent of each of the chains disposed to lay in a parallel arrangement with the outer facing surfaces spaced from each other and maintained at this determined spacing by support means, the outer engaging surfaces of said parallel extent of each of the pair of chains traveling at like speeds and direction, the outer engaging surfaces of one chain during its passage along this parallel extent engaging the outer rim of the cover while the outer engaging surface of the other chain during its like passage along the parallel extent engaging the undersurface of the rim of the container, the engaging of the chains with the cover and the undersurface of the rim causing rotation and progression of the container; (e) a support means selectively movable to a position where it engages a local portion of the lower edge of the rim of the container so as to locally support the rim during a cover mounting sequence; (f) a pressure applying means selectively movable to a position whereAt it locally engages a portion of a U-shaped outer rim of a cover; (g) means for aligning the support means and the pressure applying means and for positioning and moving the pressure applying means to establish a determined space from the support means so that the cover portion engaged thereby is locally urged into mounted condition on the cover rim, said support means and pressure means engaging the cover at a position opposite the engaging of the container and cover by the traveling chains so that the support and pressure applying means circumferentially engages the rotated container rim and cover rim to sequentially press the U-shaped rim portion of the cover into seated condition on the rim of the container, and (h) means for removing the container with its mounted cover from the apparatus.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 156 words

Automatic apparatus for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 1 in which the cover discharge apparatus includes a retaining and guide means for grouping a supply of covers as and in a vertical stack, said retaining and guide means open from and at the top permitting replenishing of the stack from the top of the retaining and guide means and in which the cover discharge apparatus and the actuating means associated therewith includes at least one depending arm which is moved into and from the path of a container so as to engage the side of an advancing container and in response to the displacement of the arm from said path by the advancing container the lowermost cover of the vertical stack of grouped covers is released from the stack and by gravity dropped in a loosely seated condition on the open top of the container as it is moved beneath the stack.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 249 words

Automatic apparatus for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 2 in which the actuating mechanism for releasing the lowermost cover includes at least two lower support blades which are reciprocably movable toward and from the stack of covers each blade having inwardly extending edges and at the inward limit of movement of the blades these edges engage and support the stack of covers and at the outward limit of movement of the blades the inward edges are removed from engagement and support of the cover and in which the actuating mechanism further includes at least two upper support fingers reciprocably movable toward and from the stack of covers, these upper support fingers at their inward limit of movement having edges which engage the next from the bottom cover and support this cover and the stack of covers thereabove and at the outward limit of movement of the upper support fingers the inner edges are moved from engagement and support of the covers, the actuating mechanism arranged so that when and while the lower support blades are in engagement with and support the stack including the lowermost cover the upper fingers are disengaged from the stack and just prior to and during disengagement of the inner edges of the lower support blades from the lowermost cover the inner edges of the upper fingers are caused to be brought into engagement with the next above cover to provide support for this cover and the above stack of covers.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 97 words

Automatic apparatus for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 3 in which at least one of the lower support blades is U-shaped with the ends of the inwardly extending leg portions arranged and contoured to provide peripheral engagement and support to the lowermost cover and above covers and in which at least one of the upper support fingers is U-shaped with the ends of the inwardly extending legs arranged and contoured to provide peripheral engagement and support to the first above the lowermost cover and those covers above this first above the lowermost cover.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 82 words

Automatic apparatus for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 4 in which both of the lower support blades are U-shaped and each blade is actuated by an associated depending arm which is moved into and from the path of the advancing container, and in which both of the upper support fingers are U-shAped with one support finger actuated with each depending arm, the support finger moving parallel to but counterflow to the movement of the associated lower support blade.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

Automatic for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 5 in which the inward movement of the upper support fingers is completed before the outward movement of the support blades is begun.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

Automatic for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 1 in which each of the pair of chains have links which carry antimar block-like members of plastic and the like, and in which the chains are disposed so that these block-like members engage the cover and container rims and as they engage said container and cover rims the chain-engaged side of the container is lifted from the conveyor on which it is being transported.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 110 words

Automatic apparatus for mounting a cover to a container as in claim 7 in which the support means and pressure applying means are provided by a U-shaped channel guide of a selected length, this channel guide having its leg portions and their facing portions disposed and spaced to slidably engage the outer surface of the cover and container rim at a position diametrically opposite their engagement by the chains, these channel guides engaging and maintaining the container and cover in the desired position while the chains simultaneously locally engage the cover and rim of the same container to cause the cover to be moved into seated condition on the container.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 445 words

The method for automatically securing a downwardly turned U-shaped outer rim portion of a cover onto the outwardly extending mating rim of an open top container so as to mount the cover on the container rim, the method steps including: (a) providing an advancing conveyor which receives a container and carries this container on its bottom to and through a cover discharge station; (b) actuating a cover supply apparatus at said station by the engagement of an advancing container and with said actuation releasing and delivering one cover from this supply of covers to an initially installed position on the container; (c) providing a guiding means which in association with the conveyor defines a prescribed path of travel for the container; (d) positioning a pair of like endless chains running in a common plane with an extent of each of the chains disposed to lay in a parallel arrangement with the facing surfaces of the chains spaced from each other and maintaining this determined spacing by supporting guides, the outer facing surfaces of each of the parallel extents of the pair of chains moving at like speeds and in the same direction and causing the outer surface of one of the chains to engage the outer rim of the cover while the outer surface of the other chain engages the undersurface of the rim of the container, the engaging of the chains with the cover and the undersurface of the container rim causing advancing rotation of the container; (e) providing a support means selectively movable to a position whereat it engages a local portion of the lower edge of the rim of the container so as to locally support the rim during a cover applying step; (f) providing a pressure applying means selectively movable to a position whereat it locally engages a portion of a U-shaped outer rim of a cover; (g) providing a means for aligning the support means and the pressure applying means and for positioning and moving the pressure applying means to establish a determined space from the support means so that the cover portion engaged thereby is locally urged into mounted condition on the cover rim, said support means and pressure applying means engaging the container rim and cover at a position opposite the engaging of the container rim and cover by the traveling chain and with the rotation of the container, the support and pressure applying means circumferentially engage the rotated container rim and cover rim to sequentially press the U-shaped rim portion of the cover into seated condition on the rim of the contaIner, and (h) providing means for removing the container with its mounted cover from the apparatus.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 445 words

The method for automatically securing a downwardly turned U-shaped outer rim portion of a cover onto the outwardly extending mating rim of an open top container so as to mount the cover on the container rim, the method steps including: (a) providing an advancing conveyor which receives a container and carries this container on its bottom to and through a cover discharge station; (b) actuating a cover supply apparatus at said station by the engagement of an advancing container and with said actuation releasing and delivering one cover from this supply of covers to an initially installed position on the container; (c) providing a guiding means which in association with the conveyor defines a prescribed path of travel for the container; (d) positioning a pair of like endless chains running in a common plane with an extent of each of the chains disposed to lay in a parallel arrangement with the facing surfaces of the chains spaced from each other and maintaining this determined spacing by supporting guides, the outer facing surfaces of each of the parallel extents of the pair of chains moving at like speeds and in the same direction and causing the outer surface of one of the chains to engage the outer rim of the cover while the outer surface of the other chain engages the undersurface of the rim of the container, the engaging of the chains with the cover and the undersurface of the container rim causing advancing rotation of the container; (e) providing a support means selectively movable to a position whereat it engages a local portion of the lower edge of the rim of the container so as to locally support the rim during a cover applying step; (f) providing a pressure applying means selectively movable to a position whereat it locally engages a portion of a U-shaped outer rim of a cover; (g) providing a means for aligning the support means and the pressure applying means and for positioning and moving the pressure applying means to establish a determined space from the support means so that the cover portion engaged thereby is locally urged into mounted condition on the cover rim, said support means and pressure applying means engaging the container rim and cover at a position opposite the engaging of the container rim and cover by the traveling chain and with the rotation of the container, the support and pressure applying means circumferentially engage the rotated container rim and cover rim to sequentially press the U-shaped rim portion of the cover into seated condition on the rim of the contaIner, and (h) providing means for removing the container with its mounted cover from the apparatus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 137 words

The method of automatically mounting a cover to a container as in claim 9 which further includes providing at the cover discharge station retaining and guiding means for grouping the covers as and in a vertical stack while permitting replenishing of the supply from the top of the retaining and guide means and which further includes the step of providing and arranging at least one depending arm movable into and from the path of the container so that an advancing container engages said arm to displace the arm outwardly from said path, the displacing of this arm causing a mechanism to release the lowermost cover of the vertical stack of grouped covers from the stack and by gravity drop to a seated condition on the open top of the container as it is moved beneath the stack.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 74 words

The method of automatically mounting a cover to a container as in claim 9 which further includes providing each of the pair of chains with links which carry antimar block-like members of plastic and the like and the chains are disposed in their parallel extents so that as the block-like members engage the container and cover rims, the chain-engaged side of the container is lifted from the conveyor on which it is being transported.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 111 words

The method of automatically mounting a cover to a container as in claim 11 in which support means and pressure applying means include providing a U-shaped channel guide of a selected length and positioning the legs of the channel guide so that their facing surfaces are disposed for slidably engaging the outer surface of the cover rim and the underside of the container rim at a position diametrically opposite their engagement by the chains and with the chain movement causing the rotating of the container and cover the oppositely disposed U-shaped channel to engage the same cover and container rim to cause the cover to be moved into a seated condition.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-09-22	1979-03-24	1979-09-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-09-22	1983-03-24	1983-09-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-09-22	1987-03-24	1987-09-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method of peripherally securing a plastic cover to a rimmed open top container

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