Closure conversion apparatus for existing closure applicating machines

Claim 1

In a capping machine of the type having a rotating turret arranged to successively move the plurality of bottles around its perimeter and including means for loosely positioning a threaded cap on the threaded neck of each bottle, a continuously rotating cap applicator shaft located above each bottle and movable therewith around the turret, and means for moving each applicator shaft downwardly towards the respective bottle for a portion of the peripheral path of the bottle around the turret, the improvement comprising a capping head carried by each applicator shaft including the following elements: (1) an annular housing assembly adapted to be rigidly secured to the lower end portions of the cap applicator shaft; (2) an annular cap actuator assembly mounted for rotation relative to said annular housing assembly, said annular cap actuator assembly having means on its inner wall for engaging a cap positioned on a bottle in the turret to rotate the cap; (3) a pair of annular radial surfaces respectively provided on said housing and said cap actuator assembly and disposed in axially spaced alignment; (4) a washer of frictional material mounted between said radial surfaces; (5) resilient means urging said radial surfaces towards each other, thereby controlling the amount of friction exerted on said friction washer, and (6) means for shielding said friction washer from ambient air, thereby maintaining the friction characteristics of said washer substantially independent of ambient humidity conditions.