US2146347A - Machine for applying container covers to containers - Google Patents

Description

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CONTAINER COVERS TO CONTAINERS Feb. 7,1939. A. F. PITYo 2,146,347

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CONTAINER COVERS TO CONTAINERS Filed May 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3 if A il? 64 4 64 :f5

` INVENTOR BY mi?? ATTORNEY MACHINE Fon APPLYING CONTAINER covERs To CONTAINERS' Filed May 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheat 5 INVENTOR @Jaap/@,257

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AT1-ORNE' Patented Feb, 7, 1939 PA'lfENT:l OFFICE MACHINE Foa APPLYING comma covnns To CONTAINERS Albert F. Puyo, Clifton, N. J., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Tri State Cap & Cap Machinery Co., Inc., Newark, N. J., a corporation ofl New Jersey Application May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,329

r 24 claims.

f One of the principal objects of the inventionV is to provide a machine of this class suitable for applying tabbed container covers to containers such as bottles for various dairy products, beverages and other products wherein y peripheral tabs or tongues are formed on said covers and folded inwardly to assist in securing the covers on the containers.

.Another object is to provide means and methods for applying hood container covers to bottles and other containersA without the use of metallic fastening means.

Other objects are to provide means for applying to containers, covers having parts pre-coated with cement or adhesive material which include a type that softens by application of heat preferably of low degree, and more especially peripheral skirt tabs so treated.

The form of my container cover `applying means shown herein includes a plurality of folders of two kinds which are adapted to first fold the skirt of a cover blank down on the container neck to a position surrounding it but leaving a certain space between the skirt and the container neck, then to fold peripheral tabs into said space, and nally by means of the combined action of both kinds of folders to compress the skirt onto the container neck so that vthe folded in tabs resist unfolding of the skirt.

This form of folding means may be used alone or combined with means which effect the cementingtogether of certain of the parts of the Vskirt which are. interlapped, particularly withv means for the cementing of the folded-in peripheral tabs with the adjacent body of the skirt. One

method of accompl shing this is by pre-coatingv tures of my invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a central vertical section of one form of my improved machine for applying container covers to containers, the same being taken on the 5 line I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of part of the same taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the folders and bracket therefor. 10 Fig. 4 is a plan of one form of a blank container cover adapted to be applied by my improved machine. t

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section ofthe same applied on a bottle neck.

Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the cover alone partly folded. l

Fig. '7 is an enlarged vertical section as seen on the line I-I of Fig. 3 through the folders and part of their operating means.

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical sectiontaken on the line 8 8 of Fig. ',Z, and

Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 7 showing the parts in the position of the nal compressed condition of the container cover on the container neck.

Inthe form of the machine illustrated in the drawings, 2 indicates the base of the machine and secured to the base by suitable bolts (not shown) is a frame 3 formed in two parts 4 and 5 suitably secured together, the lower of which contains a vertically disposed bearing 6 and the upper of which parts contains a similar bearing 1 in alinement with the bearing 6. Said bearings serve to journal the upright shaft 9 which has a-worm gear I0 secured to its lower part for rotating it. The said worm gear is rotated by means of the worm II secured to and driven-by a horizontal shaft I2 which may be driven by any suitable means (not Shown) Y 40 The shaft 9 extendsbelow the bearing 6 and has secured thereto a cam .I3 and it also extends above the bearing 1 and has secured to it at that part the cam member I4.

The bottle or container holding means are arranged in the forward extending portion 2 of the base 2 and consist of a platform I6 and a centering portion I1, mounted on atubular portion I8 carried in the recess I9 of the slidable sleeve 20,-

to the under side of the base 2, is a lever 26, one end of which enters the slot 2l of the sleeve 20 so as to reciprocate the same, and it has an anti-friction roller 29 at the other end bearing in the groove 30 of the cam I3 which causes the oscillation of said lever.

Secured to the lower portion of the part 5 of the frame is a bracket 32 and integral therewith is an upwardly and vertically disposed sleeve 33 having bearings 34. Slidable in said bearings is a rod 35 having a head 36 at its lower end, while its upper end is screw threaded at 31 to receivea screw threaded collar 39 having an annular groove 40 and locked in position by a nut 39'.

There is a bracket 4I secured to the upper portion of the frame part 5 and on said bracket are pivoted the levers 42 and 43 by the pivots 44 and 45 respectively. The lever 42 has an anti-friction roller 41 at one end by which it is oscillated by means of the upper cam surface I4 of the cam member I4, being pressed against the same by means of the spring 48. The other end of the lever 42 has a stud 49 secured to it which engages in the groove 40 of the collar 39 and thereby causes reciprocation of the rod 35.

The head 36 of the rod 35 has an initial position slightly -below the lower ends of the folders and when a container is placed on the platform I6, which is caused to rise by reason of the movement of the cam I3, the mouth of the container with a blank cover thereon engages with the head 36 and the latter then moves upward until it reaches the end surface of the lower bearing 34.

The bracket 32 has an enlarged portion 5I surrounding the lower bearing 34 and said portion has a series of vertically disposed slots 52. Mounted on xed pivots 53 arranged transversely across the slots 52 is aseries of folders 54, 55, for folding the covers on the container necks. There are spring plungers 56 which press outwardly the lower parts of the folders and inwardly the antifriction rollers 54a, 55a, which are rotatlvely mounted on the upper ends of the respective folders 54, 55, and by means of which they are operated as the cam elements 51, 58, are moved against them. The elements 51, 58, are mounted on the member 59 which is slidable on the outer surface of the sleeve 33 and caused to move thereon by movement of the lever 43 which has an anti-friction roller 60 moved by the cam surface 6I of the cam member I4. 'I'he other end of the lever 43 has a stud 62 entered into the groove 63 of the member 59 which is moved thereby.

'I'he folders are of two kinds, alternating with each other around the axis of the rod 35. One kind, 54, folds down and sets every second section of the skirt of the container cover. The other kind 55, folds down and sets the alternate sections including the folding of the tabs between the body of the skirt and the container neck. In this form of the machine each kind of folders numbers four. The folders 55 diier from the folders 54 in having the tab supporting and folding slides 64, but both have concave parts 65 for setting the skirts. The folders 54 have folding edges 66 which do not function altogether the same as the lower inner edges of the folders 55. The folders 55 have L-shaped parts 61 in which the slides 64 can move and the latter have slightly turned up end parts 64'. 'I'he slides 64 are normally'pressed toward the containers by springs 68 through the medium of pins 69.

Heating elements 1I in the form of electric coils are placed in pockets 12 of the folders 55, said coils being provided with conductors 13 connected to a suitable source of electrical supply.

Any suitable form of blank holder may be used with my improved cover applying machine but the form of such blank holder forms no special part of my present invention. I have therefore shown a simple form of blank holder which is adapted to receive the blanks one by one by hand or machine. It consists of a base plate 15 secured to an extension 16 of the frame part 4. The said base plate has a gap 11 open at the front and having a shelf 18 on which the blank can rest. A top plate 19 also having a gap 80 is secured to the plate 15 and a groove 8| is thus formed in which the peripheral parts of the blank can rest while the central part is in the gap 11. It is' to be understood that more elaborate forms of blank holders are ordinarily used, such for instance as a form connected with a reel for a roll of blanks with suitable guideways and feeding mechanism connected in synchronism with the driving mechanism of my present machine.

'I'he type of container cover or hood ordinarily operated upon is illustrated in Fig. 5, and Fig. 4 illustrates the blank for the same. Fig. 6 shows it partly folded. A indicates the central or container mouth covering portion, defined by scorings a, s indicates the skirt which is dened by scorings s and has sections u which are untabbed, and sections v which have tabs and t indicates the tabs thereof. The cement or adhesive covered parts are indicated by w.

rlhe operation of the machine is as follows:

A container such as the bottle B is placed on the platform I6 in a position indicated by B wherein the platform I6 is at its lowest position and the head 36 of the rod 35 is then also in its lowest position or immediately over the blank holder 15 and a blank is lying in the holder therefor. The platform I6 is now raised by means of the sleeve 20, lever 26, and cam I3, and the bottle mouth is pushed against the cover blank c, forcing itvagainst the head 36. The latter is now raised yby means of its rod 35, lever 42, and cam surface I4 of the cam member I4 to the position shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he four folders 54 during this time remain in the position shown in Fig. 1, together with the folders 55 and slides 64, and the skirt s of the blank is pressed against the parts 66 of the folders 54 and the ends of the slides 64 of the folders 55, causing the untabbed sections u of the blank to be pushed down to the position u' as shown in Fig. 6. The tabbed sections assume the position shown at v in that ligure. The folders 55 now move inwardly and the lower parts or slides 64 assume the position shown in Fig. 7, the slides 64 and curved parts 65 of the folders causing the tabs to move in between the .body of the skirt and the container neck as indicated, particularly behind the pleats p. All of the folders are now moved inward by the downward movement of the elements 51, 59, to the position indicated in Fig. 9, compressing the lower part of the skirt, and the tabs t being folded in behind the pleats p prevent unfolding of the skirt. The cement or adhesive at w is now heated by means of the coils 1I and the adjacent parts of the folders 55, which are also heated by said coils. The cement w soon cools, thus rendering the container cover tamper proof without the use of metallic fastening means. Pull tabs M may be provided in the blank which on being pulled upwardly along the parts m serve to remove the hood when it is desired to use the contents of the container.

The cam elements 51, 58, are made with a cerv means for pressing the skirt body into final union with said cemented element.

2. Tabbed container cover applying mechanism, embodying a plurality of folders of two/ kinds fixed against rotation around the cover and eifective to press down parts of the skirt of `a container cover substantially at right angles to Vsections and the other kind to fold tabbed skirt sections and having folding and pressing portions effective to move a skirt tab between the container neck and the body of the skirt and vto secure it thereto.

4. Tabbed container cover applying mechanism, embodying skirt folding means which include folding ,devices of different kinds, one of said kinds effective to fold down tabless skirt sections and the other kind to fold tabbed skirt sections and including a movable folding and pressing portion and a slidable tab folding portion for moving a skirt tab betweei the body of thev skirt and the container neck.

5. A machine for applying tabbed container covers to containernecks, comprising blank supporting means, container holding means cooperative therewith, skirt body folding means, and

means for folding a skirt tab between the body of the skirt and the container neck, said two folding means being effective to finally bring the skirt parts into-compressed condition.

6. A machine for applying to containers, covers having peripheral tabs pre-coated with heat softening cement, comprising cover blank supporting means, container holding means cooperative therewith, skirt body folding means, means l for folding peripheral tabs between the body of covers tcontainer necks, embodying folders of two kinds, one kind for folding the tabbed sections of the skirt, the other kind for folding the intermediate sections, those of the first-named kind including separate movable parts adapted for suppdrting the tabs when in part folded position.

9. Container cover applying mechanism em- 'bodylng a plurality of skirt folders of two forms,

one form arranged for folding pre-cement-coated tabbed skirt sections and one form arranged for folding intervening skirt sections, and means for producing a cemented junction between the cement-coated tabbed skirt sections and adjacent skirt parts.

10. Container cover applying means embodying a plurality of movable folders arranged around an axis, alternate folders having L-shaped portions at their .lower parts, slides on the L-shaped portions, heating meanson said portions above the slides, and means for actuating the folders and slides.'

l1. A machine for applying to containers, covers having pre-cement-coated skirt elements and embodying automatic container cover applying means having folders fixed against rotation around the cover and including means for bringing one of said pre-coated elements between the skirt body and the container neck, and heating means cooperative in securing it to an adjacent skirt element.

12. Container cover applying means embodying a plurality of movable folders arranged around an axis, alternate folders having L-shaped portions at their lower parts and coil cavities'above the' same, electric coils in said cavities, slides on the L-shaped portions, and actuating means for the folders and slides.

13. Container cover applying means embodying a plurality of movable folders arranged around an axis, slides at the lower partsl of alternate folders, `springs to move the slides toward the containers, and means to actuate the folders and the reverse movements of the slides.

14. Container cover applying means embodying a'pluralityof movable folders arranged around an axis, alternatefolders having ways at their lower parts, movable members in said ways vgoverned in position by contact against the container necks, and actuating means for said folders and said members.

15. Mechanism for applying covers to containers embodying movable folders of two kinds, one kind for folding tabbed sections of the covers and one kind for folding tabless sections of the same, movable tabfolding elements on the folders for tabbed sections, and actuating means for the folders and tab folding elements.

16. Mechanism for applying tabbed container covers to containers embodying movable folders of tw kinds arranged around the container axis, one kind for folding tabless sections of the covers and the other kindI for folding tabbed sections of the same, the folders of the latter kind each having a movable main portion, means for actuating all of the folders, and a plurality of folding elements respectively on and movable transversely to said main folder portions. l

1'7. Mechanism for applying tabbed container covers to containers embodying a plurality of movable folders of two kinds, one kind for folding tabless sections of the covers and the other kind for folding tabbed sections of the same, the latter kind having pivoted main' portions, a plurality of tab folding and supporting members carried respectively by said main portions and movable relatively thereto, and means for actuating all of the folders.

18. A machine for applying covers to containers embodying container holding means, and means ffor applying tothe containers skirted hoods with peripheral tabs pre-coated on the lower sides of the blanks with cement that softens by heat, said means including movable folders spaced around the container and means at the lower parts of alternate folders for folding the tabs between the container neck and the body of the skirt with the cement on the tabs outward of said neck, said alternate folders having means for applying heat to the outside of the skirt, and all of the folders adapted to exert pressure on the skirt for securing the tabs to the adjacent skirt parts.

19. In a container cover applying machine, a plunger movable positively downward to a predetermined position and movable positively upward to the tab folding position, cam means to cause the plunger movement, cover blank supporting means, movable container holding means, means to actuate the container holding means adapted to move the container upward against the cover blank and to bring said blank against the plunger, skirt folding means including means embodying a pivoted main folder and a slide thereon to fold a peripheral tab between the container neck and the body of the skirt, and means to actuate the skirt folding means.

20. Container cover applying means embodying a plurality of movable folders arranged around a container axis, means to cause relative movement between the container and folders, slides at the lower ends of alternate folders movable transversely thereto, means to actuate the folders, and means to move the slides toward and from the containers.

21. The method of applying to a container, a skirted cover having `a plurality of skirt sections and peripheral tabs on alternate sections precoated on their under sides with cement that softens by heat, consisting in placing the cover blank centrally on the container mouth. moving the skirt sections individually down around the container neck forming a space between the body of the skirt and the container neck, moving the peripheral tabs individually upward to lie in said y space between the skirt body and the container neck so that the cement on the tabs lies outward of the container neck, heating the tabbed sections individually and compressing all of the skirt sections against the container neck and causing adhesion of the tabs to the adjacent skirt parts.

22. Container cover applying mechanism embodying a plurality of skirt folders, certain of said folders arranged and adapted for folding tabbed skirt sections, certain others arranged and adapted for folding untabbed skirt sections, means for operating al1 of said folders, means for folding the tabs of the tabbed skirt sections.

between the body of the skirt and the container neck, and means for producing a cemented juno tion between the tabs and adjacent skirt sections.

23. Container cover applying mechanism embodying a plurality of skirt folders of two forms, one form adapted and arranged for folding precemented tabbed skirt sections and carrying means for bringing the tabs of said sections between the container neck and the adjacent skirt parts and one form adapted and arranged for folding tabless skirt sections, means for actuating all of said folders, and heating means for the folders of the first form whereby the tabs are caused to adhere to the adjacent skirt parts.

24. The method of applying to a container a multi-sectioned skirted cover having peripheral tabs pre-,coated with suitable cement, comprising, in first placing the cover blank on the container mouth, moving the skirt sections down around the container neck, moving the tabs upward to lie between the skirt and container neck so that the cement on the tabs lies outward, and pressing the cement-coated tabs and the adjacent skirt parts together and forming a junction therebetween.

ALBERT F. PITYO.

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