US1858695A - Bottle cap assembling machine - Google Patents

Description

y 1932- A. WEISENBURG BOTTLE CAP ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l u n R M m E T N T El A VE WWW May 17, 1932. A WEISENBURG BOTTLE! CAP ASSEMFSLTNG MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR An fir EwWeis anbma BY MTORNEY 7 IT ES/S'i y 1932- A. WEISENBURG 1,858,695

BOTTLE CAP ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 g INVENTOR Andrewweissnhurq 11 109 4 21 55 BY ATTORNEY May 17, 1932. A. WEISENB URG BOTTLE CAP ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR w gm 1D T m A m m w r m .T m A 1 Patented May 17, 1932 ANDREW UB3, OI PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

-aorrmcu an mcnnm Application filed September 6, 1829. Serial Io. 390,753.

This application is a continuation in part of an apphcation filed August 4, 1928, Serial ,No. 297,395, and expressly abandoned by the applicant.

The invention relates to a machine for assembling bottle caps and particularly to such a machine in which the cork or other resilient disc is cemented into the metallic shell to form the cap ready for attachment to a bottle.

The object of this invention is to-provide an improved bottle cap assembling machine.

A further object of the invention is to advance the capbody or shell through the machine whereby it will be assembled with its cork or disc with little or no relative-movement between the shell and the mechanism which advances it.

According to the invention, metallic shells are fed from an automatic feed device into a position where they are kicked into a guide- Way and advanced by a special intermittent feeding member where they are supplied with glue or with a glue paper disc and from which they are transferred onto a star wheel and held between the fingers of the same by their skirt edges, eans along the course of travel of said shells for heating the glue or paper therein, means for successively positiomng cork or other resilient discs above the open end of the shell, and means so timed as to force the disc into the shell when the same is fed to the position above the shell and to carry the thus assembled cap toa point where it is transferred onto other. means for carr trying the then finished cap to a packing box.

The machine is also provided with means to prevent the feeding of the cork or resilient disc into position when the shell is missing.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing one end of the machine broken away,

Figure "2 is an end elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a still further enlarged top plan view of the disc feeding mechanism,

J Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section showing the manner of supporting'the shell in its travel'to the star wheel and is taken on the line 77 of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectlonal view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectlonal view showing the manner of dischargng the completed caps from the turret and IS taken on the line 99 of Figure 1,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the discharger, and

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the member which kicks the shells from the feeding mechanism into the means for intermittently advancing them to the star wheel and shows the said means broken away.

The entire mechanism is driven from the main shaft 14 which is connected to any suitable source of power (not shown), and is mounted in suitable hearings on the table 15 upon which the several mechanisms are in turn mounted.

The machine consists, broadly stated, in a supply trough 16' for feeding the shells onto a platform-17 where they are intermittently and successively kicked by a vfeed arm 18 onto an intermittently advancing member 19 for advancing the same to a star wheel 21 and positioning them between the fingers 22 of the said star wheel.

The supply trough usually has a hopper (not shown) from which the shells pass by gravity and such structure is not shown in detail, as it. is considered that any person having any knowledge whatsoever of this art is familiar with the same.

During the passage from the supply trough to the star wheel, the shells are supplied with a small quantity of glue or with a cut paper disc having glue on both sides and which is l of substantially the same diameter as the inside width of the shell.

In the present instance I have shown at 23 an old and well known means for cutting the paper discs and placing the same in the shells. This mechanism is substantially the same as the paper cutting and feeding mechanism shown in the patent of R. G. Clark, No.

i be used when it is desired to use glue and for this urpose that shown in the patent of C. E. cManus, No. 1,444,515, dated February 6, 1923 will illustrate the principle, although the details may be different.

After the shell is fed into the star wheel 21, which moves in the direction shown by the arrow, the glue, or glue covered paper,

therein is heated by means of a burner 24 which conditions the glue for receiving a cork or other resilient disc.

The disc is fed to a position directly above the open shell by the feeding mechanism 26. At the moment the disc is positioned directly above the open shell, one of the plungers 27 on the turret 28 drops down off the shelf 29 and drives the disc home into the bottom of the shell. This plunger continues to exert pressure by means of the spring 31' around the same until such time as the plunger is raised by means of the inclined face 32 leading to the shelf 29 and the shell is wiped oil the turret by means of the discharger 33, shown in Figures 9 and 10. The direction of rotation of the turret is shown by the arrow.

The completed shell is dropped onto the rotating member 34 from whence it is discharged onto the endless belt 36 which deposits it at the desired point.

The supply trough 16 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is curved at its lower end so as to deposit a shell in the position shown in Figure 1 by the shell 37. At the moment the shell arrives at this point the feed arm 18 is in the position shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 11, this feed arm is controlled by means of the cam face 38 which operates the bell crank comprising the arm 39 and the arm 41 and the latter arm has a pin 42 extending through the feed arm while a spring 43 is so connected to the pin and to the pivotal point 44 of the said feed arm as to cause the same to be thrown in the direction of the arrow when the high point of the cam is passed. The feed arm 18 is returned to the position shown in the drawings by the action of the cam face 38.

The pins 41' secure the arm 41 to the feed arm 18. The intermittent shell advancing member 19 has a cylindrical body 46 and a continuous rib 47 extending from end to end of the same. This rib is formed with successive parts 48 at right angles to the axis of the cylindrical body 46 and with inclined or angular parts 49 bet-ween the parts 48. Each of the parts 48 and 49 extend 180 with relation to the cylindrical body 46.

The intermittent advancing member 19 has a reduced end 51 to which is affixed a sprocket 52 and this sprocket connects with a sprocket 53 on the main drive shaft 14 through a sprocket chain 54.

The platform onto which the disc 37 falls.

from the supply trough 16 so positions the same that, when the shell is advanced or kicked forward by the feed arm 18 it enters the dove-tail slot 56, which may be formed of a single piece of metal or of the three pieces shown in Figure 7. The side members 57 and 58 have their inner sides inclined and the upper plate 59 covers the same.

As the shells are intermittently advanced through the dove-tail 56 by means of the rib 57 on the advancing member 19, they are, as before stated, either provided with a small quantity of glue or with a disc of paper having glue on both sides of the same and in this condition they are, by that intermittent motion, passed from the inner end of the said advancing member 19 into the spaces between the fingers 22 on the star wheel 21, the intermittent advancement of the said shells providing just sufiicient time for the star wheel to turn to bring the succeeding space directly in line with the shell when it is passed from the member 19.

The star wheel may be regulated in its mounting so as to procure this properly timed relation through the adjustment of the bolts or screws in the arcuate slots 61. The star wheel is rotated about the table 62 through the medium of the pinion 63 mounted on the shaft 64 and meshing with the rin gear 66 secured to said star wheel, said sha f t having on its lower end a bevel gear 67 which meshes with a like bevel gear 68 fixed to the main drive shaft 14. The table is mounted on a standard fastened to the top of the main table 15.

In either case where viscous cementing glue or where paper having glue on both sides of the same is used, it is necessary to heat the same to fuse the cementing mate-- rial and to apply pressure to the cork or other resilient disc until the same sets. former is accomplished through the as pipe 24 which is provided with holes orming nozzles from which the gas flame is directed thereon to coagulate the cementitious material.

After the shell has had the glue therein fused it continues to advance to the point where it receives its cork or other resilient disc and at the same time is carried in almost a straight line direction from the star wheel and onto the turret 28.

The disc feeding mechanism 26 is mounted on the table 62. This mechanism is operated by means of the eccentric 69 through the link or nected thereto. The eccentric is mounted on a shaft extending down through the table 62 and having a bevel gear on its lower The pitman 71 which is pivotally con- EEC main drive shaft 14.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 6, the feeding mechanism is located immediately beyond a disc supply'tube 72 which is mounted so that its bottom end is in close proximity with the upper surface of a reciprocating feed-bar 73 when the latter is in the position shown in Figure 4.

' The thickness of this reciprocating bar 73 is practically the same as the thickness of one of the discs which is placed in the shell so that when the said bar is retracted on its forward movement, it will cut out the lower one of said discs and move the same forward and into the position shown in Figures 3 and 5 where it will be held against the retaining member or jaw 74 by the action of the pivoted finger 76 which is urged outward by means of the spring 77. This finger is pivotally mounted on the outer end of the part 79, and the spring 77 is so mounted as to always urge said finger outward," although said movement is limited, as later explained.

The jaw 74 is a continuation of the part 79 and there is fastened thereto a.flared forward end part 7 4 under which the shells pass and which insures their engaging the end 93 of the bar 92, as later explained. The end of the jaw 74 is enlarged, as at 74*. I

The outer end or tip of the finger 76 is enlarged, or rather, depends. as shown at 75 on Figure 4, so that it may grasp the disc when the same is shot forward by the reciprocating feed bar but its other part must be thin in order to permit it to be swung back by the plunger, as later explained.

The finger 76 is limited in its forward movement by the plate 80 fixedly secured to the outer end of the part 79 and acts as a stop for said finger, and said plate allows the enlarged end 75 of said finger to come to rest slightly within the circumference of the disc B, as shown in Figure 5, so that when said disc is shot forward, the enlarged portion 75 will bear firmly against the periphery of said disc and hold it securely against the retaining member or jaw 74.

The reciprocating feed bar 73 is retained in a slideway 78 on the part 79. The inner end of the fed bar has an integrally formed enlarged part 81 and an overhanging end 82, and this overhanging end is provided with an undercut block 83 which has an overhanging portion 84.

A pin 86 extends through the bottom of said block 83 and through the overhanging end 82 and between the top of said pin and the under face of said overhanging portion 84 is a spiral spring 87.

The pin is provided with a round bar 85 which extends through the center of the same and whose position is clearly indicated in Figure 5.

The pitman 71 is connected at its inner end to the slide bar 88 and when the parts are in the position shown in the drawings, a

depression 89 in said slide bar 88 is directly" beneath the pin 86 so that the spring 87 presses the pm downward into said depression and thus connects the reciprocating feed bar 73 with the eccentric 69 so that as said eccentric turns, the reciprocating bar 73 will be fed back and forward and thus a disc B will be fed into the position shown in Figures 3 and 6 at the moment when a shell A is brought directly beneath the same.

I provide means for uncoupling the reciprocatmg feed bar 73 and the slide bar 88 so as to leave the feed bar in the position shown in Flgure 4 when a shell is om1tted from any of the spaces between the fingers of the star wheel.

Along one side of the part 79 there is ivotally mounted at 91 a bar 92 whose en 93 extends directly above the shells as they ad vance towards the discs and this bar is offset so that its tendency is to drop into the position shown in Figure 6 upon the omission or lack of any shell. It is governed, however, in the amount in will drop by the pin 94 in the base 96 of the disc supplytube 72.

The inner end of this bar 92 engages one end 97 of a member 98 pivotally mounted at 99 and this member has an upper and outwardly extending arm 100 whose end is proyided with a V-shaped groove 101 for engagng the bar 85 when the end 93 of the bar 92 1s 1n the position shown in Figure 6, to-wit, when no shell is being set under the. same.

During the ordinary operation and when the shells are being fed under the end 93 of the bar 92, the end 93 will be raised which will lower the end97 of the part 98, thereby raising the extending arm 100, disengaging the V-shaped groove from the bar 85, where'- upon the spring 102 shown in Figure 5 will draw the bar around. nd the spring'87, compressed above'the pin\86, will press said pin downward and into the depresslon 89.

This will lock the reciprocating feed bar 73 to the slide bar 88 and therefore the feed bar will be operated by the eccentric 69 and inte'rmittently feed cork or other resilient discs B to the position shown in Figures 3 and 5.

,When, however, there is an omission of a shell, the end 93 of the bar 92 will have no support and will fall into the position shown in Figure 6, so that the end 97 of the part 98 will be raised and the extending arm 100 will connection with this improved machine may be described as follows.

The turret is driven by a worm 103 on the main shaft 14 meshing with a worm wheel 101 on a shaft 106 which is provided at its upper end with apinion 107 which meshes with a ring gear 108 on the underside of the turret table 109.

At a point near the periphery of the turret and arranged on a circumferentlal line are plungers 27. These plungers are mounted so as to be movable vertically through the circular guide plate 112 and through the upper guide plate 113. r

The plungers are each provided with a limiting pin 114 while a spiral spring 116 surrounds said plunger and is compressed between the pin 114 and the bottom of the guide plate 113.

The upper end of the plunger is provided with a. pin 117 which extends radially from the turret and which is adapted to ride up the inclined face 32 onto the shelf 29. This shelf ends at a point where the plunger, when allowed to drop, assisted by the spring, drives the disc B, which is held between the jaws 74 and 76 directly into the shell containing the fused glue.

As the turret continues to move it will press the finger 76 backward so as to pass the same, and the completed cap will now ride on the shelf 118 peripherally formed on the turret table 109.

The cap remains upon the turret with the plunger pressing the disc securely into the shell for almost a complete revolution of the turret and at a point above the rotating member 34 shown in Figure 1 immediately behind the inclined end 32 of the shelf 29 where the caps engage with the discharger 33 which is fastened to the frame 119 which supports the shelf, whereupon the completed caps are thrown onto the incline 121 where they fall upon the rotating member 34. and from it are transferred onto the endless belt 36.

During the time that the plunger has driven the disc into the shell and until the completed cap strikes the discharger 33, sufficient time has elapsed to allow the glue to harden or set and when the cap is thus dischalrged the disc is firmly cemented in the she I. s

Therotating member 34: is driven by a sprocket 122 from the shaft 123 extending down from the center of the turret.

It will be understood that all the. mechanisms are so arranged as to give the desired time relationship to the several parts.

where decorative bottle caps are being assembled and there is any relative movement between the cap shell and that member or mechanism which carries it, the probabilities are that the decorative material will be marred or disfigured when heated.

In the mechanism of this application there shells areheated, they are passed in'almost.

a straight line from the star wheel to the turretshelf with absolutely no relative move ment of any of the parts and they remain on this shelf with no movement until they reach. the disclrarger 33 and at which'point the cementitious material is'dry and the shell cooled to such a degree that the decorative material will not be easily marred or dis- Of course, the bottle cap assembling machine illustrated may be modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein set-forth and hereafter claimed.

The invention is hereby claimed as followsi 4 1. A bottle cap assembling machine comprising a conveyor having a rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts, feed means for introducing shells onto said conveyor where they are intermittently advanced, a guide to prevent lateral displacement of said shells, a star wheel to which the shells are"transferred by said conveyor, and means including feeding mechanism for introducing a resilient disc into said shell.

2. A bottle cap assembling machine comprising a conveyor having a rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts, feed means for introducing shells onto said conveyor where they are intermittently advanced, a guide to prevent lateral displacement of said shells, means for introducing cementitious material into said shells, a star wheel to which the shells are transferred by said conveyor, and means including feeding mechanism for introducing a resilient disc into said shell.

3. A bottle cap assembling machine comprising a conveyor having a rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts,

feed means for introducing shells onto said conveyor where they are intermittently advanced, a guide to prevent lateral displacement of said shells, means for introducing cementitious material into said shells, means for coagulating the cementitious material, a star wheel to which the shells are transferred by said conveyor, and means including feeding mechanism for introducing a resilient disc into said shell.

4. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel. comprising means for receiving and intermittently and longitudin ally advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star Wheel, means for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said last means, and means for pressing said disc into said shell and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

5. A bottle cap assembling machine in-v cluding a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts for receiving and intermittently advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, means for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as itpasses said last means, and means for pressin said disc into said shell and removing Silk? assembled cap from said star wheel.

6. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts cooperating with a part having a dovetail slot for receiving and intermittently advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, means for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said last means, and means for pressing said disc into said shell and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

/ 7 A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means for receiving and intermittently and longitudinally advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, a reciprocating feed bar for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said bar, and means for pressing said disc into said shell and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

8. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts for receiving and intermittently advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, a reciprocating feed bar for position- .ing a resilient disc above each shell as it 7 passes sald bar, and means-for pressing said disc into said shell and ,i'emoving said assembled cap from said stair wheel. I

9. A bottle cap assembling machine includ ing a star wheel comprising means having a continuous rib provided wit-ii alternate straight and inclined parts cooperating with a part having a dove-tail slot for receiving and intermittently advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, a reciprocating feed bar for, positioning a resilient disc above each \shell as it passes said bar, and means for pressing said disc into said shell and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

10. A bottle cap assembling machine in cluding a star wheel, comprising means for receiving and intermittently and longitudinally advancing formed metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, means for placing cementitious main endless succession and passing the.

shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, means for placing cementitious material in said shells, means for coagulating said material, a reciprocating feed bar for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said last means, means for pressing said disc into said shell and onto said cementitious material and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

12. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided alternate straight and inclined parts cooperating with a part having a dove-tail slot for receiving and intermittently advancing formed me; tallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, means for placing cementitious material in said shells, means for coagulating said material, means for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said last means, means for pressing said disc into said shelland onto said cementitious material and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

13. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts cooperating with a part having a dovetail slot for receiving and intermittently advancing formed metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, mean for placing cementitious material in said shells, means for coagul-ating said material, a reciprocating feed bar for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said last means, means for pressing said disc into said shell and onto said cementitious material and removing said assembled cap from said star wheel.

14. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means for receiving and intermittently and longitudinally advancing metallic shells in endlesssuccession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, a reciprocating feed bar for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as it passes said bar, means for pressing said disc into said shell and removin said assembled cap from the starwheel, an means for preventing the feeding of a disc when the shell is wanting.

15. A bottle cap assembling machine including a star wheel, comprising means having a continuous rib provided with alternate straight and inclined parts cooperating with a part having a slot for receiving and intermittently advancing metallic shells in endless succession and passing the shells in the recesses between fingers on said star wheel, a reciprocating feedv bar for positioning a resilient disc above each shell as .it passes said bar, means for pressin said disc into said shell and removing sai assembled cap from the star wheel, and means for preventing the feeding of a disc when the shell is wanting.

16.. In a bottle cap' assembling machine, disc feeding mechanism comprising a stationary jaw and a resilient jaw for positioning a disc above a shell, a longitudinally reciprocable feed'bar for placing the disc between said jaws, and means including an eccentric for operating said feed bar.

17. In a bottle cap assemblingmachine, disc feeding mechanism comprising a stationary jaw and a resilient jaw for positioning a disc above a shell, a reciprocating feed barfor placing the disc between said jaws, means including an eccentric for operating said feed bar, and means for disengaging said feed bar from said means when a shell is wanting.

18. In a bottle cap assembling machine having a disc supply tube, disc feeding mechanism comprising a stationary jaw and a re silient jaw for positioning a disc above a shell, a longitudinally reciprocable feed bar for cutting out the lowermost disc from said tube and placing the same between said jaws, and means including an eccentric for reciprocating said feed bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ANDREW WEISENBURG.

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