GB1180501A - Improvements relating to Overload Compensators for Cap Crimping Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,180,501. Capping bottles &c. AMERICAN FLANGE & MFG. CO. Inc. 30 Jan., 1968 [17 Feb., 1967], No. 4748/68. Heading B8T. A device for crimping closure caps includes an axially movable mounting member, a plurality of circumferentially arranged sealing members and an overload compensating spring which prevents the breakage of imperfectly shaped container necks likely under unequal loading. A closure cap engaging spindle 12 is slidably received within the bushing 6 of a crimping head construction 1, and is locked in screwed engagement with a locking stud 15 by a pin 17, a helical spring 19 urging the flange 16 of the stud 15 against the upper end of the bushing 6. A cap hold-down member 23 is retained in slidable engagement with a bore 20 at the lower end of the spindle 12 by roll pins 24; a spring 25 urges the hold-down member 23 to a downwardly extended position. On the curved surface of an annular collar 22 around the spindle 12 a plurality of sealing jaws 26 is pivotally supported around a cap receiving nest 21 at the lower end of the spindle 12, a rib 28 on each jaw 26 slidably engaging one of a ring of overlying segments 29 to retain the upper end of the jaw in engagement with the collar 22. The segmented closing ring 29, Fig. 2 (not shown), closes the crimping surfaces 30 of the jaws 26 about a cap skirt 62 by engagement of cam surfaces 31 against a tapered inner surface 34, each segment 29 being held in pivotal engagement with the crimping head at 32, 33 by a bushing flange 7. An annulus 35 of resilient material urges the jaws 26 outwards, ensuring continuous contact between the cam surfaces 31 and the segment ring 29. In operation the crimping head 1 is lowered by a work-imparting shaft, constituted by the member 2, on to a bottle 50 provided with a loosely seated cap 60. The member 23 bears against the cap top, and the spring 25 is compressed until the cap is pressed against the bottle tip by the cap nest 21, the jaws 26 surrounding the cap skirt, continued downward movement of the segments 29 camming the jaws 26 radially inwards, thus crimping the cap skirt 62 into sealing engagement with the bottle neck. If, due to irregularities in the bottle neck profile, stress concentrates at a point on the neck, the appropriate segment 29 pivots outwardly at point 32 against a cylindrical resilient plastics spring 36 which is compressed against an encasing metal shroud 37. An annular bottom retainer plate 40 is floatingly mounted on two of the segments 29 by studs 41 passing through holes 43 of greater diameter than the studs such that radial movement of the segments 29 is not prevented, a wire locking spring 44 engaging annular grooves 42 in the studs 41, Figs. 4-5 (not shown), to hold the plate in position and allow its easy removal for cleaning purposes. An annular bottle guide and gripping ear wiper 47 is floatingly retained at the central opening in the plate 40 by radial supporting lugs 48 nesting within the plate 40 below the jaws 26.