Apparatus for applying carriers onto containers

Claim 1

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material including at least a pair of opposed openings each sized to engage the lip of a container when stretched a predetermined distance, each opening having an inner peripheral edge, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; first means fixed to said base unit for engaging the inner peripheral edge of one of said pair of openings; second means for engaging the inner peripheral edge of the other of said pair of openings, said second engaging means being movable with respect to said base unit from an inner position to an outer position; means for moving said second engaging means from said inner position to said outer position to displace said second engaging means away from said first engaging means to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said pair of openings to receive the lip of a container, said movement of said second engaging means defining a working plane; means for releasing said second engaging means from said outer position to permit each of said pair of openings to engage and capture the lip of the received container; and means for elevating the assembled carrier member and containers in a direction orthogonal to said working plane.

Claim 2

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material including at least a pair of opposed openings each sized to engage the lip of a container when stretched a predetermined distance, each opening having an inner peripheral edge, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; first means fixed to said base unit for engaging the inner peripheral edge of one of said pair of openings; second means for engaging the inner peripheral edge of the other of said pair of openings, said second engaging means being movable with respect to said base unit from an inner position to an outer position; means for moving said second engaging means from said inner position to said outer position to displace said second engaging means away from said first engaging means to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said pair of openings to receive the lip of a container, said movement of said second engaging means defining a working plane; means for releasing said second engaging means from said outer position to permit each of said pair of openings to engage and capture the lip of the received container; and means for elevating the assembled carrier member and containers in a direction orthogonal to said working plane.

Claim 10

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material having at least a pair of opposed openings, each having an inner peripheral edge, each opening sized to engage the lip of a can-like container, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; a first pair of stretcher elements fixed to said base unit and configured to engage one of said pair of openings by its inner peripheral edge; a second pair of stretcher elements slideably mounted in said base unit and configured to engage the other of said pair of openings by its inner peripheral edge, said second pair of stretcher elements being moveable in said base unit from an inner position to an outer position to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said openings to receive the lip of a container, said movement to defining a working plane; a lifting plate mounted in said base unit between said first stretcher element and said second stretcher element and moveable from a retracted position to an extended position in a direction orthogonal to said working plane; at least one spiral cam mounted on said base unit below said lifting plate and at least one cam follower attached to said lifting plate that cooperates with said spiral cam to raise and lower said plate; a flexible drive belt that engages said spiral cam to drive said at least one spiral cam; a pair of lever arms, one of said lever arms connected to said second pair of stretcher elements; and an enlongated handle pivotally mounted on said base unit and attached to the other of said pair of lever arms to move said lever arms from a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said second stretcher elements in the inner position, to a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place and lock said second stretcher elements in the outer position, said handle configured to unlock said second stretcher elements to permit said second stretcher elements to freely move toward said inner position to permit each of said stretched pair of openings to capture said lip of said container, said handle also configured to drive said flexible drive belt to drive said at least one spiral cam to raise said plate to lift the assembled carrier and container away from said first and second pair of stretcher elements.

Claim 11

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material having at least a pair of opposed openings, each having an inner peripheral edge, each opening sized to engage the lip of a can-like container, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; a first pair of stretcher elements fixed to said base unit and configured to engage one of said pair of openings by its inner peripheral edge; a second pair of stretcher elements slideably mounted in said base unit and configured to engage the other of said pair of openings by its inner peripheral edge, said second pair of stretcher elements being moveable in said base unit from an inner position to an outer position to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said openings to receive the lip of a container, said movement to defining a working plane; a lifting plate mounted in said base unit between said first stretcher element and said second stretcher element and moveable from a retracted position to an extended position in a direction orthogonal to said working plane; at least one spiral cam mounted on said base unit below said lifting plate and at least one cam follower attached to said lifting plate that cooperates with said spiral cam to raise and lower said plate; a flexible drive belt that engages said spiral cam to drive said at least one spiral cam; a pair of lever arms, one of said lever arms connected to said second pair of stretcher elements; and an enlongated handle pivotally mounted on said base unit and attached to the other of said pair of lever arms to move said lever arms from a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said second stretcher elements in the inner position, to a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place and lock said second stretcher elements in the outer position, said handle configured to unlock said second stretcher elements to permit said second stretcher elements to freely move toward said inner position to permit each of said stretched pair of openings to capture said lip of said container, said handle also configured to drive said flexible drive belt to drive said at least one spiral cam to raise said plate to lift the assembled carrier and container away from said first and second pair of stretcher elements.

Claim 14

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material having at least a pair of opposed openings, each having an inner peripheral edge, each opening sized to engage the lip of a can-like container, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; a first pair of stretcher elements fixed to said base unit and configured to engage the inner peripheral edge of one of said pair of openings; a second pair of stretcher elements slideably mounted in said base unit and configured to engage the inner peripheral edge of the other of said pair of openings, said second pair of stretcher elements being moveable in said base unit from an inner position to an outer position to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said openings to receive the lip of a container; a pair of lever arms, said lever arms having first and second ends and joined together at the first ends to form a lever joint, said second end of one of said lever arms contacting said second pair of stretcher elements; and an enlongated handle pivotally mounted on said base unit and attached to the second end of the other of said pair of lever arms to move said lever arms from a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said second stretcher elements in the inner position, to a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said lever joint beyond a centerline between said second ends of said lever arms to lock said second stretcher elements in the outer position, said handle configured to unlock said second stretcher elements to permit said second stretcher elements to freely move toward said inner position to permit each of said stretched pair of openings to capture said lip of said container.

Claim 15

An apparatus for applying a carrier member formed from a sheet of stretchable material having at least a pair of opposed openings, each having an inner peripheral edge, each opening sized to engage the lip of a can-like container, the apparatus comprising: a stationary base unit; a first pair of stretcher elements fixed to said base unit and configured to engage the inner peripheral edge of one of said pair of openings; a second pair of stretcher elements slideably mounted in said base unit and configured to engage the inner peripheral edge of the other of said pair of openings, said second pair of stretcher elements being moveable in said base unit from an inner position to an outer position to stretch said pair of openings a distance sufficient to allow each of said openings to receive the lip of a container; a pair of lever arms, said lever arms having first and second ends and joined together at the first ends to form a lever joint, said second end of one of said lever arms contacting said second pair of stretcher elements; and an enlongated handle pivotally mounted on said base unit and attached to the second end of the other of said pair of lever arms to move said lever arms from a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said second stretcher elements in the inner position, to a position where said pair of lever arms cooperate to place said lever joint beyond a centerline between said second ends of said lever arms to lock said second stretcher elements in the outer position, said handle configured to unlock said second stretcher elements to permit said second stretcher elements to freely move toward said inner position to permit each of said stretched pair of openings to capture said lip of said container.