US3987535A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bottle decapping method and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-07-31
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Granted: 1976-10-26
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Expires: 1995-07-31
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is described for removing screw caps from returned beverage bottles prior to such bottles being cleaned and refilled. The method includes separately gripping the screw cap and the bottle and thereafter rotating the cap relative to the bottle while preventing translational movement of such cap along the helix of the cap threads so that the threads on the cap will be stripped to facilitate its release from the bottle. The apparatus includes a plurality of decapping heads at a decapping station, each of which heads both frictionally engage the exterior cylindrical side wall of a cap on a bottle passing through the decapping station and pierces the cap's crown wall with a piercing tool having a non-circular cross-section, to obtain the firm grip on the cap required to rotate the same with sufficient force to strip its threads.
Inventors
- 👤 Winton F. Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:28
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67B; B67B7/00; B67B7/18; B67B7/182; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49815; Y10T29/49821; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53313; Y10T29/53322
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of removing from a container a screw cap threadably received on said container covering the mouth thereof wherein said threads on said container are structurally more rigid than said threads on said cap comprising the steps of stripping the threads from said cap by rotating said cap relative to said container while maintaining the threads of said container intact and preventing translational movement of said cap relative to said container along the helix of said cap threads whereby the threads on said container will strip said threads on said cap for said release, and thereafter translationally separating said cap from said container.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of removing from a container a screw cap threadably received on said container covering the mouth thereof wherein said threads on said container are structurally more rigid than said threads on said cap comprising the steps of stripping the threads from said cap by rotating said cap relative to said container while maintaining the threads of said container intact and preventing translational movement of said cap relative to said container along the helix of said cap threads whereby the threads on said container will strip said threads on said cap for said release, and thereafter translationally separating said cap from said container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of rotating said cap relative to said container while preventing said translational movement includes rotating said cap relative to said container in the direction which normally advances said cap onto said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said containers are bottles and further including the steps of continuously moving a plurality of bottles through a decapping station; and while said bottles are moving through said decapping station, applying separate gripping means respectively to said bottles and said caps and rotating one of said gripping means relative to the other while maintaining an essentially constant distance relationship between said bottles and said caps, whereby said threads of said caps are stripped while said bottles are moving continuously through said decapping station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said caps each have a cylindrical side wall circumscribing said container adjacent said mouth and providing said cap threads, said gripping means for said caps includes a socket which receives each of said caps and has an inner frictional gripping surface which frictionally engages the cylindrical side wall of each cap received thereby to grip the same, and said step of translationally separating said caps from said bottles includes moving the gripping means for said caps translationally away from each of said bottles while said socket is in frictional engagement with the cap thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said gripping means for said caps further includes a piercing tool having a non-circular cross-section projecting into said socket, and said step of applying said cap gripping means to each of said caps further includes piercing said cap with said tool when said socket receives said cap, whereby both frictional engagement of said cap by said socket inner surface and engagement of said piercing tool with the periphery of the aperture in said cap formed thereby is obtained.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said piercing tool further includes a shoulder along its shank, and further comprising the step of pushing said cap with said tool shoulder from within said socket after said cap gripping means is moved translationally away from the bottle on which it was threadably received, and thereafter removing said cap from said piercing tool.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
Decapping apparatus for removing from a container a screw cap threadably received on said container covering the mouth thereof comprising means for preventing for a predetermined time translational movement of said cap relative to said container along the helix of said cap threads, means for rotating said cap relative to said container during said predetermined time to thereby strip the threads from one of said container and said cap to release the threaded engagement of said cap with said container, and means for thereafter translationally separating said cap from said container.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
Decapping apparatus for removing from a container a screw cap threadably received on said container covering the mouth thereof comprising means for preventing for a predetermined time translational movement of said cap relative to said container along the helix of said cap threads, means for rotating said cap relative to said container during said predetermined time to thereby strip the threads from one of said container and said cap to release the threaded engagement of said cap with said container, and means for thereafter translationally separating said cap from said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
84 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for preventing translational movement of said cap relative to said container, said means for rotating said cap relative to said container, and said means for thereafter translationally separating said cap from said container are all provided at a decapping station; and said apparatus further includes means for passing a plurality of said containers through said decapping station, and means also at said decapping station for gripping said containers and for separately gripping the caps thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for rotating said cap relative to said container during said predetermined time includes a rack and a pinion therefor, one of which is mounted at said decapping station along the path of travel of said container and the other of which is mounted on said cap gripping means at a position at which said rack and pinion will engage one another while a cap is gripped by said gripping means therefor to rotate said cap gripping means and, hence, rotate said cap.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for gripping said cap includes both a piercing tool having a non-circular cross-section to be inserted through a wall of said cap and means for frictionally gripping the exterior surface of said cap.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cap includes a cylindrical side wall circumscribing said container adjacent said mouth and providing said cap threads, and said means for frictionally gripping said cap includes a socket having an inner frictional gripping surface which frictionally engages said cylindrical side wall of said cap.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for translationally separating said cap from said container further includes means for axially moving said cap gripping means away from said container while said cylindrical side wall of said cap is frictionally engaged within said socket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 12 further including means for removing said cap from said socket after said cap is separated from said container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 11 wherein said inner frictional gripping surface of said socket tapers inwardly from a socket opening through which a closure is receivable into said socket.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
The decapping apparatus of claim 14 wherein said inner frictional gripping surface of said socket is provided by a resilient material which is deformable to mate with said side wall of said closure upon said closure being received therein, and further including means for resiliently urging said socket onto said closure for said engagement of said cylindrical side wall thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-10-26 | 1980-04-26 | 1980-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-26 | 1984-04-26 | 1984-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-26 | 1988-04-26 | 1988-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |