US2347102A - Machine for reshaping used bottle caps - Google Patents

Description

` April 18, 1944.

W. H. HARTMANN MACHINE FOR RESHAPING USED BOTTLE CAPs 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. l5, 1942 April 18, 1944' w. H. HARTMANN MACHINE FOR RESHPING' USED BOTTLE CAPS.

Filed Oct. l5, 1942 3 Sheets-Shea?l 2' April 18, 1944. w. H. HARTMANN 2,347,102 l Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR RESHAPING USED BOTTLE CAPS Application October 15, 194:2, Serial No. 462,148

11 Claims.

A common type of closure for receptacles, particularly bottles, comprises a sheet metal cap having a depending skirt portion that is contracted about and conformed to the bottle neck for holding the cap in place. In the operation of removing such a cap from the bottle, the skirt and body portions of the cap are distorted by the cap opening device and thus cannot be again used another time without restoring the distorted cap to its original shape.

The principal object of the present invention is to devise a simple and efficient machine which will reshape or restore such used 'bottle caps to their original form or shape. Other objects of the invention are to facilitate and expedite the handling of the caps, including the feeding ,of the caps to the reshaping dies, the discharge of such caps from said dies and the marking of the caps to indicate the number of times each cap has been restored or reshaped.

The invention consists in the cap-closure reshaping machine and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a receptacle cap reshaping machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of said maf chine,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the discharge., or die-press end of the machine,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section on the'line 5 5. in Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary central vertical longitudinal section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 1 1 in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of one of the upper die members,

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section through said upper die on the line 9 9 in Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on the line iB Iil in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section, similar to Fig. 6, showing the used caps seated on the die members of the rotary drum, the vertically movable upper die member in engagement with the. cap on the topmost die member of said drum, and one of the reshapcd caps stripped from its supporting die.

My closure cap reshaping machine comprises an endless horizontal conveyor A mounted on a suitable bed or platform B and a die-press C mounted on said bed at the delivery endof said conveyor. The conveyor A preferably :comprises a pair of spaced parallel endless sprocket chains I supported at the receiving and discharge ends of the conveyor on idler and driving sprocket wheela 3 and 4, respectively. The idler sprocket wheels 3 are fixed to a horizontal cross-shaft 5 journaled at its ends in suitable bearings (i mounted in pedestals 'I supported on and secured to the bed B. The driving sprocket wheels 4 are xed to a horizontal cross-shaft vwhose ends are journaled in suitable bearings provided therefor in upright plates 9 lthat are supported on and secured to the bed B on opposite sides of said conveyor and constitute side frame members for the die-press C.

The two endless conveyor chains I`are connected at intervals throughout their length by a series of cross-plates or pallets I0 spaced apart longitudinally thereof. These plates have vertical holes or pockets I I therein that are arranged into one or more endless rows between the endless conveyor chains I. rIhese plates or pallets Ii] are attached, as at IGA, to the sprocket chains I of the conveyor A; and fthe holes cr pockets II in said plates or pallets are adapted to receive and support the used metal closure caps D that are to be fed to and reshaped or restored in the die-press C. Such caps comprise a fiat body or closure portion I2 that covers the mouth of the bottle or receptacle and a lcrimped skirt portion I3 that is contracted about and conformed to the bottle neck, both portions of said cap being distorted by 'the cap opening device in the operation of removing the cap from the bottle closed thereby. These used or distorted crown caps D are delivered bya chute E at the receiving end of the endless conveyor A onto the cross plates or pallets I0 on the upper stretch or run of said conveyor with their iiat body portions I2 down and with their crimped skirt portions I3 extending upwardly. During the travel of the cap carrying plates or slats Ii) toward the delivery end of the conveyor A,the caps D are caused to enter the supporting holes or pockets I I-in said slats by the vibratory or jiggling movement imparted thereto bythe moving chains. As `shown in Fig. l-O, caps that slide into the pockets H in a tilted position are properly positioned and centered therein by stationary guide plates It that are disposed longitudinally of the receiving end of the conveyor just below the upper run thereof and in contact with the under surface of the cap carrying plate III on said run Located just above the conveyor A adjacent to the delivery end thereof is a horizontal cross drum or tubular shaft I5, which is rotatably supported at its ends in suitable bearings provided therefor in the two side plates or frames 9 of the die-press C. This cross drum has a circular series of diametrically opposed outstanding bosses or die members I6 formed on the outer peripheralv surface thereof that are disposed in line with each longitudinal row of cap supporting pockets II and are adapted to be brought into successive register with successive pockets of the moving slats I9 and into successive register with a vertically reciprocable die member I1 located just above said drum. Thus, the drum I5 is provided with a circular series of die members I6 for each row of pockets II and a single die member I1 is provided for each series of die members I6, the die members I1 forming the upper members of a gang of die sets for the die-press C and the die members I6 forming the lower members of said die sets when brought into position immediately below said upper die members by the rotary movement of said drum. The die members I6 are shaped to snugly receive and support the caps D, which are forced or pushed onto said die members when the latter are at the bottom of the drum I5 by vertically reciprocable plungers I8. When the pockets II move into position above the plungers I8, said plungers move upwardly through said pockets and engage the caps therein with the die members on the bottom of said drum.

Each of the upper die members I1 comprises a threaded shank portion I9 that terminates at its lower end in an enlarged portion having a central circular recess therein, which recess, together with the radial die members I6 on the rotary drum I5, are of a size and shape that will restore the distorted caps to their original form or shape. The upper die members I1 are threaded upwardly into a horizontal crosshead 2I whose ends are located in vertical guideways 22 provided therefor in the side plates or frames 9 of the die-press C; and the plungers I8 are threaded downwardly into a horizontal crosshead 23 whose ends are located in vertical guideways 24 in said side frames.

Vertical reciprocating movement is imparted to the crossheads 2I and 23 by means of a horizontally disposed cross shaft 25 located just above the crosshead 2| and journaled in suitable bearings 26 provided therefor in the side frames 9. The cross shaft 25 has a pulley 21 fixed to one end thereof that is continuously driven by means of a belt 28. Said shaft has two eccentrics 29 rigid therewith just inside the respective side frames 9; and said shaft also has two eccentrics 30 rigid therewith just outside of said side frames. The eccentrics 29 are connected to the upper crosshead 2| by links 3| whose upper ends are journaled on the said eccentrics and whose lower ends are secured to said cross head by means of horizontal pivots 32. The eccentrics 30 are likewise connected to the lower crosshead 23 by links whose upper ends are journaled on said eccentrics and whose lower ends are secured by horizontal pivots 36 to the respective ends of said lower crosshead. The eccentrics 29 are angularly offset relative to the eccentrics 38, whereby a reverse reciprocatory movement is imparted to the two crossheads 2I and 23. Each of the upper die members I1 has an axially slidable spring-pressed plunger 31 mounted therein having an enlarged lower end portion with a depending punch pin 38 that is disposed in the cap receiving recess of the die member eccentric there- 5 to and is adapted to impress a mark on the cap as it is engaged by the downwardly moving die member.

A rotary step-by-step or indexing movement is imparted to the rotary drum I5 of the die-press C preferably by means of a link 39, which is connected at its upper end to one end of the upper die carrying crosshead 2I and at its lower end to one arm of a lever 49 that is pvotally secured by a screw stud. 48a. to the corresponding end of an air cylinder 4I that is non-rotatably mounted in the axial bore of said drum. The other arm of the lever 40 has a pawl 42 pivotally secured thereto which cooperates with a ratchet wheel 43 that is fixed to the drum I5 for rotation therewith by means of screws 44. Thus, when the upper die supporting crosshead 2l moves upwardly away from the rotary drum I5, the pawl 42 moves downwardly into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 43 and thus rotates said drum a distance corresponding to the circumferential spacing of the die members I6 carried thereby; and when said crosshead moves downwardly, said pawl moves upwardly relative to said ratchet wheel into engagement with the next tooth thereof without imparting any rotary movement to said drum.

A step-by-step longitudinal feed movement is transmitted from the rotary drum I5 to the conveyor A through a gear 45 rigid with said drum, a gear 46 rigid with the driving sprocket wheel shaft 8 and a gear 41 journaled on one ol the side plates 9 and intermeshing continuously with the gears 45 and 46. By this arrangement, whenever the drum I5 is indexed to bring diametrically opposite die members I6 thereof into vertical alinement with the upper die members I1 and the plungers I8, feed movement is imparted to the conveyor A to bring a carrier plate I0 beneath said drum with its cap receiving pockets II in line with said die members and plungers. The upper die members I1 and the plungers I8 then move towards each other into operative position and return to inoperative po sition before the next feed movement is imparted 50 to the rotary drum I5 and the conveyor A.

The air cylinder 4I is supplied with air or other fluid pressure through a supply pipe 48, which opens into said cylinder through one end thereof; and said cylinder is held against rotation with the rotary drum I5 by means of an anchor bracket 49 which is rigidly secured to an adjacent side frame 9 of the die-press C and to said end of said cylinder. The cylindrical drum I5 has radial ports 50 in a wall thereof that extend through the die members I6 thereof and open through the outer ends of said die members; and the air cylinder 4I has a radial port 5I therethrough on the downwardly moving side of said drum in line with each series of die members I6 thereon. By this arrangement, when the die members I6, with the reshaped or reformed capsD thereon move clear of the upper die members I 'I into a position that will bring the ports 50 in the die members I6 in register with the discharge ports 5I of the air cylinder 4I, air escapes from said cylinder through said registering ports and serves to release or strip the reshaped caps from the die members I6, after which these die members move downwardly into position to have other caps pressed thereon by the plungers I8.

The hereinbefore described cap reshaping machine is simple and eicient and fully automatic in its operation. The used caps D are carried by the endless conveyor A to the die-press C in multiple rows with the caps properly spaced apart and properly positioned in said rows. The step-by-step movements are simultaneously imparted to the endless conveyor A and the rotary drum I5 during the up stroke of the upper die members I'I and the down stroke of the cap seating plungers I8; and said conveyor and rotary drum remain stationary while the plungers i I8 move u-pwardly to seat the caps on the bottommost die members i6 of the drum and while the upper die members Il move downwardly into engagement with the cap seated on the topmost die members of said drum. The caps, after being lifted out. of the supporting pockets Il in the cross slats i and pressed on to the lowermost die members I6 of the rotary drum, move upwardly with said drum until they reach the top thereof where they are engaged by the upper die members Il; and these nished caps are then carried by said drum away from said upper die members until the cap supporting die members I6 are brought into register with the discharge port 5l of the air cylinder 4I, whereupon the finished caps are stripped from the supporting dies by an air blast from said cylinder and the last mentioned dies then move downwardly into position to receive caps that are brought into position therebeneath by the conveyor slats i0. During the operation of reshaping the cap between the cooperating die members I6 and I1 a mark or dent is impressed on the body portion l2 of the cap by the spring-loaded plunger 38 carried by the upper die members Il, whereby the number of such marks on the cap will indicate the number of times the cap has been reshaped.

Obviously, the hereinbefore described cap reshaping machine admits of considerable modication without departing from the invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details shown and described.

What I claim is:

l. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising a rotary member having a series of circumferentially spaced die members thereon, a plunger member and a die member spaced apart around the circumference of said rotary member and reciprocable radially thereof, means for imparting a rotary indexing movement to said rotary member to bring the die members thereof successively into axial alinement with said plunger and reciprocable die member, respectively, means operable during the indexing movement of said rotary member for positioning a cap in line with said plunger, means operable in the stationary position of said rotary member to engage said plunger with said cap and seat the latter on the die member in line with said plunger and then return said plunger to inoperative position, means operable during the stationary position of said rotary member to move said reciprocable die member into engagement with the cap seated on the die member in line with said reciprocable die member, to thereby reshape said cap, and then return said reciprocable die member to inoperative position, said cap positioning means comprising an endless conveyor, power operated means for operating said conveyor, said rotary member and said plunger and reciprocable die member in proper timed relation, fluid pressure means for stripping the caps from the die members of said rotary member when they move clear of said reciprocable die member, and means for impressing a mark on the caps during the engagement thereof by said reciprocable die member,

2. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising a cylinder mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis and having a series of diametrically opposed die members on its outer peripheral surface, a die member located on one side of said cylinder, and reciprocable towards and away therefrom, a plunger member located on the opposite side of said cylinder and reciprocable towards and away therefrom, means for rotating said cylinder to bring diametrically opposed die members thereon into successive alinement with said plunger and reciprocable die member, respectively, means operable during the rotary movement of said cylinder to position a cap between the latter and said plunger, and means operable when diametrically opposed die members of said cylinder are in alinement with said reciprocable die member and plunger for engaging said plunger with said cap to seat the latter on one of said diametrically opposed die members and for engaging said reciprocable die member with a cap previously seated on the other of said diametrically opposed die members by said plunger.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, in which the cap positioning means is an endless conveyor, power operated means is provided for intermittently operating said conveyor, said cylinder and said plunger and reciprocable die member in proper timed relation, and iiuid pressure means is provided for stripping the caps from the die members of said cylinder when they move clear of said reciprocable die member.

4. A. machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising a rotary member having a series of oircumferentially spaced outstanding die members thereon, a plunger member and die member spaced apart around the circumference of said rotary member and reciprocable radially thereof, means for imparting a step-by-step rotary movement to said rotary member to bring the die members thereof successively in line with said plunger and reciprocable die member, respectively, an endless cap feeding conveyor, means for imparting a step-by-step feed movement to said conveyor to position caps thereon successively in line with said plunger, means operable in the stationary positions of said rotary member and conveyor to engage said plunger with a cap in line therewith and seat such cap on a die member oi said rotary member in line with said plunger and then return said plunger to inoperative position; and means operable during the stationary positions of said rotary member to move said reciprocable die member into engagement with the cap seated on a die member of said rotary member in line with said reciprocable die member, to thereby reshape said cap, and then return said reciprocable die member to inoperative position.

5. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of spaced cap carrying members, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof series of circumferentially spaced die members disposed line with said longitudinal row of can carrying members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage caps on successive cap carrying members of said conveyor to seat said caps on the die member on the underside of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with a cap on the die member on the upper side of said cylinder, means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum, and means for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder.

6. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having an endless longitudinal row of cap carrying recesses, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of diametrically opposed die members in the Vertical plane of the cap carrying recesses located' below said rotary member, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage successive cap carrying recesses on said conveyor to seat said caps on the die members on the underside of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with a cap on the die member on the upper side of said cylinder, means on said reciprocable die member for impressing a mark on said cap at a point offset from the center thereof, and means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder.

7. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of spaced cap carrying members, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of circumferentially spaced die members disposed in line with said longitudinal row of cap carrying members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage caps on successive cap carrying members of said conveyor to seat said caps on the die member on the underside of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with a cap on the die member on the upper side of said cylinder, and means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder, said means comprising a power driven shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and said rotary member, an operative connection between said shaft and said plunger, an operative connection between said shaft and said reciprocable die member, and an operative connection between said rotary member and said conveyor.

8. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of spaced cap carrying members, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of circumferentially spaced die members disposed in line with said longitudinal row of cap carrying members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage caps on successive cap carrying members of said conveyor to seat said caps on the die member on the underside of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with a cap on the die member on the upper side of said cylinder, and means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder, said means comprising a power driven shaft having two eccentrics thereon, an operative connection between one of said eccentrics and said rotary drum and said plunger, an operative connection between the other of said eccentrics and said reciprocable die member, and a drive gearing connection between said rotary member and said conveyor. A

9. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of spaced cap carrying recesses thereon, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor, said die-press including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of diametrically opposed die members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage successive cap carrying recesses on said conveyor to seat said caps on successive die members on the bottom of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with caps on successive die members on 4top of said cylinder, means for imparting a simultaneous stepby-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder, said means comprising a power driven shaft, an operative connection between said shaft and said rotary drum and said plunger, an operative connection between said shaft and said reciprocable die member and an operative connection between said rotary member and said conveyor, and a stationary fluid pressure cylinder mounted in said rotary cylinder concentric therewith and having a fluid discharge port in its side wall, said rotary member having passageways therein opening through the cap receiving portions of the die members thereof and adapted when said last mentioned die members move clear of said reciprocable die member to register with said port, whereby the iiuid pressure in said cylinder is adapted to strip said caps from the die members of said rotary member.

10. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of cap carrying members thereon, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor, said die-press including a cylinder located above said conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of diametrically opposed die members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage caps on successive cap carrying members of said conveyor to seat said caps on successive die members of said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with caps on successive die members of said cylinder, and means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder, said means comprising a power driven shaft, a vertically slidable crosshead for supporting said reciprocable die member, an operative connection between said shaft and said crosshead, a vertically slidable crosshead for supporting said plunger, an operative connection between said shaft and said last mentioned crosshead, a lever mounted for pivotal movement about the rotary axis of said rotary cylinder, a link connection between one arm of said lever and said rst mentioned crosshead, a ratchet wheel secured to said rotary cylinder concentric therewith, a pawl pivotally mounted on the other arm of said lever and adapted to cooperate with said ratchet wheel during the upward movement of said first mentioned crosshead to thereby rotate said rotary cylinder, and a driving connection between said rotary cylinder and said conveyor.

11. A machine for reshaping used bottle caps comprising an endless horizontal conveyor having a longitudinal row of cap carrying elements thereon, a die-press at the delivery end of said conveyor, said die-press including a cylinder located above sad conveyor and rotatable on a horizontal axis disposed transversely thereof, said cylinder having on the outer peripheral surface thereof a series of diametrically opposed die members, a vertically reciprocable plunger located below said cylinder and adapted to engage caps on successive cap carrying elements of said conveyor and seat said caps cn successive die members on said cylinder, a vertically reciprocable die member located above said cylinder and movable downwardly into engagement with `caps on successive die members of said cylinder, means on said reciprocable die member for impressing ai' mark on said cap at a point offset from the center thereof, means for imparting a simultaneous step-by-step movement to said conveyor and said rotary drum and for simultaneously reciprocating said plunger and said reciprocable die member in the stationary positions of said conveyor and rotary cylinder, said means comprising a power driven shaft having eccentrics thereon, a vertically slidable crosshead for supporting said reciprocable die member, an arm journaled on one of said eccentrics and pivotally secured to said crosshead, a vertically slidable crosshead for supporting said plunger, an arm journaled on the other of said eccentrics and pivotally connected to said last mentioned crosshead, a lever mounted for pivotal movement about the rotary axis of said rotary cylinder, a link connection between one arm of said lever and said first mentioned crosshead, a ratchet wheel secured to said rotary cylinder, a pawl pivotally mounted on the other arm of said lever and adapted to cooperate with said ratchet wheel during the upward movement of said first mentioned crosshead to thereby rotate said rotary cylinder, and gearing operatively connecting said rotary cylinder to said conveyor.

WILLIAM H. HARTMANN.

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