US2842917A - Device for closing bottles by vacuum with crown type caps and machine that includes the said device - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1958 F. A. PARODI 2,842,917

DEVICE FOR CLOSING BOTTLES BY VACUUM WITH CROWN TYPECAPS AND MACHINE THAT INCLUDES THE SAID DEVICE Filed June 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet .1.

FIG.2

FIG.1

lilllTiiiil INVENTOR FEDERICO A.PARODI BY /l)-af b 7 I ATTORNEY July 15, 1958 F. A. PARODI 2,842,917 DEVICE FOR c we TTLES BY VACUUM w CROWN TYPE CAPS AND HIN HAT INCLUDES THE D DEVICE Filed June 14, 1955 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR FEDERICO A. PARODI ATTORNEY Ema o DEVHCE FTBR CLGSTNG BUTTEJES ET VATIUUM WllTlHl QRUWN TYPE CAPS AND MACHENE THAT HLUDE THE SAID DEVHCE Federico A. Parodi, Montevideo, Uruguay Application .Tune 1d, 1955, fieriai No. 535,512

4- (Claims. (61. Sil -8%) It is naturally understood that it is possible to erect a known machine for closure by crown caps in the interior of a place that may be submitted to an operation of air extraction, but that possibility cannot be considered practical due to the great wasted space tuat a machine of that type would have to occupy, and what is understood to be wasted space is that which is fuil of air that would have to be withdrawn together with the content of the small air chamber that exists in the upper top of the bottles when these are being filled with any liquid.

It is also possible to create a small chamber by means of a bell the border of which has a sealing packing capable of adjusting a closure around the neck of a bottle but in this case, said belt will prevent the rapid feeding of crown type caps, at least when utilizing the feeding means of caps known up to the present.

This invention is directed to a device that can perfectly effect the mentioned closure and which is adapted to be mounted in a rotating automatic machine, with the fea,

ture, as Well, that it is the actual bottle itself that operates the opening and closing of the vacuum channel so that if for any given circumstances, the entry of one or more bottles should fail, the vacuum channel would remain closed, thus avoiding trouble that, logically, would be created if air were to enter inside the bottles which are being subject to the air extraction operation prior to their closure.

The following description of the device is made with relation to the attached sketches in which:

The Figure 1 shows a diametric section, in vertical elevation, of a unit of the device in accordance with the invention and at the moment in which it is provided with the crown cap with which it will make the closure.

The Figure 2 illustrates a partially s ctioned elevation of the device of Figure l, at the moment in which it adjusts itself to form a sealed air chamber around the neck of the bottles. a

The Figure 3 illustrates the device of the preceding figures at the tin e in which, the bottles having been elevate the vacuum channel is open and the removal of the air existing in the upper part of the said bottle is being effected.

The Figure 4 illustrates the same device at the moment in which, the bottle having been still higher elevated, the closing die operates the adjustment of the crown cap.

With regard to Figure 1 it should be stated. that therein is shown a cylinder ll, formed preferably of diamagbottles tates intent g Zfidifil? gee! Patented Suit? 195g netic metal, the top part of which is surrounded by a fastening rim 2 ending in a bar 3 intended to be attached to a support column (not shown) capable of maintaining the cylinder 1 rigidly fixed in a vertical position. The cylinder 1 has internally thereof a hollow that forms a small chamber 4 that ends at the lower part in a conical nozzle 5 forming the closing die of the crown cap. There is also provided a side channel 6 which communicates the chamber 4- with the atmosphere.

On the cylinder l is mounted a hollow cylinder 7 slidable over the cylinder fl and the cylinders are so adjusted that air cannot pass between their abutting surfaces. The siideable stroke of the cylinder '7 is limited by the pin it, ai'hxed on the cylinder 1, which is guided by the cut formed in the wall of the cylinder 7 and following a generatrix of same. The lower border of cylinder 7 ends in a conical broadening lid surrounded by a band ill shaped in elastic rubber and intended to act as a means of sealing when it it is adjusted to the outside of the collar of the bottle.

The cylinder '7' has a side channel 12 joined to a vacuum machine (not shown) by means of the fiexiole tube 13. channel 12 is placed in vertical line with channel ti so that both channels are coupled when the cylinder '7' is raised to a high position; the vertical alignment of the channel 6 and 12 is permanent, due to the fact that the narrowness of cut 9, within which the pin 8 runs, prevents the cylinder 7 from gyrating around the cylinder It.

The cylinder 1 has in its upper part, an axial perforation within which slides the cylindrical bar 14 finished in its lower part in a plane disc t5; the bar 14 has in relation to the cylinder 1., an adjustment which is vacuun proof.

The bar 14 is made of iron and bears secured to same a winding or coil 16 placed at its upper end and above cylinder 1; the winding in has its outgoing leads 17 and 18 intended for coupling to a source of electric power. In this manner is formed an electromagnet the object of which shall be described further on.

In accordance with what has already been said various units of the device thus formed must be erected on a rotating machine. To this effect a bottle filling machine must be selected of the type formed by a large revolving disc provided with a plurality of platforms adapted to be raised and lowered by the action of a cam, the said machine having in vertical alignment with each of the platforms, a nozzle through which is carried the liquid with which to fill the bottles. The filling is produced when the bottle is raised until the mouth of same coincides with the loading nozzle and the bottle after being filled is handed to a transporter belt that withdraws it so as to free the platform which must again enter into operation. This machine is not described or illustrated in detail because it is fully known to all in the trade.

Such a machine may be converted to a machine for vacuum closing by substituting for each one of the mentioned loading nozzles a corresponding closing as described above so that each one of the platforms of said machine be provided, in vertical alignment, with the re spective closing unit; the assembly of each one of the closure units shall be made by means of a column se cured to the revolving di c of the machine and to which column will be secured the bar 3 together with the fastening rim 2.

One of the leads 1? or in that feed the winding 16, will be directly coupled to the same; the other lead shall have switch interposed capable of being operated by a buffer placedoutside of the machine the action of which will take place at a given moment during the gyrating movement of the said machine; this arrangement is also not shown in detail because it is understood that same is easily perceived by those familiar with the trade.

Now, the machine of this type is fed by a transporter belt associated with a means that places a bottle on each platform, as they pass in front of that means; the reverse occurs when the bottles leave the machine. Between the site at which the bottle is delivered and the site at which another bottle is being withdrawn, there will always be provided a free space that in this case is taken advantage of to install the feeder of the crown caps.

The said feeder is that shown by the reference 1? and it is constituted by a channel from a bin all part of an arrangement that is publicly known. Channel 19 ends in a Hat end 29 that is provided with a stop 21 that prevents the fall of the crown cap 22 when it is being pushed by those that follow it in the channel 19. in this manner the cap becomes placed under the disc and in a substantially concentric position with same; the distance that separates the upper part of the cap 22 and the lower part of the disc 15 is in the order of a tenth of a millimeter.

When the disc of the machine is under rotation, the switch interposed on one of the leads that feeds the winding 16 is acted on to close the circuit of same at the moment in which the cap 22 is lined up with the disc 15. and the magnetizing of the bar i and the disc 15 that is part of same will cause the cap 22 to be instantly attracted, because the known crown caps are invariably made from sheet iron. The cap thus operated will be taken by the disc 15 during the rotation of the machine, and another cap will take the place of same and will be ready to be taken away by the next successive closing device installed on the disc.

Always in accordance to what is shown in Figure 1, it will be noticed that at the moment in which the crown cap is taken, the cylinder 7 is placed at its lowest stroke and consequently the channel 12 is obturated and Within same there is a negative pressure due to the action of the vacuum machine connected to same.

As soon as the said cap is taken by the closing device the platform that corresponds to it will go and occupy the place at which it receives the bottle; to this effect, the closing device will have to be installed at such a height that when the said bottle is placed on its respective platform the border of the mouth shall be placed underneath the cap retained by the electromagnet and in alignment with the said mouth.

As the machine continues its run, the cam that raises the level of the platform should be operated and thus the bottle will rise and will cause the cap to rest on the border of its mouth; at that stage the cap will remain pressed between the said border and the disc 15, and remain retained allowing the electromagnet to be dis-- energized.

As the platform continues to rise by the action of the cam the bottle will occupy the position shown in Figure 2, in which the rubber packing may be seen to rest on the side of the neck of the bottle forming an hermetic chamber around the mouth of same. At that stage, the cylinder 7 is still at the lowest point of its stroke. The continuation of the action of the cam will continue to raise the bottle, which will push the cylnder Y until it reaches the position shown in the Figure 3, in which the channel 12, coupled to the vacuum machine, is aligned with channel 6 that discharges into the small chamber 4; the suction action will reach the lower chamber 23, because the irregular border of the crown cap cannot operate to seal oil? chamber 4.

Because of the reduced pressure inside the chambers 2 and 23, the air contained in the chamber 24 situated above the level of liquid 25 loaded in the bottle, will tend to leave through the imperfect closure formed by the cap 22 simply resting on the upper border of the bottle, which 'cap will act as a valve capable of preventing any sudden whole of t" escape of air, avoiding any unexpected surges that might cause the spilling of the liquid. If the assembly of bar 14 and winding 16 had a weight capable of stopping the escape of air from the inside of the bottle, the said asso ably may be raised by means of a cam or any other similar means without the cap 22 falling off because the conical shape 5 of the closing die prevents all possibility of falling at this moment.

The machine will continue to rotate and, during the at time the action of the vacuum machine shall 351$ cliective. Near the side where the bottle must be withdrawn, the cam controlling the platform will raise the platform to its highest position and the bottle thus pushed will press the cap against the closing die, a it to the position shown in Figure 4. Thus, the ill be attained without previous entry of air into K tor of the system, with which the desired vacuum closure will have been accomplished.

From this moment on, the platform will get lower; the bottle will descend by gravity and will drag the cylinder '7 joined to same by the action of the vacuum. The dragging will take place until the assembly reaches the position of Figure 2 in its downward stroke. At this point the channel 12 will be closed and channel 6 will be opened free to the atmosphere to eliminate the reduced pressure in the interior of the chambers 4 and 23 and thereby enable the bottle to release itself and to be conveyed to the position in which it may be withdrawn by the outgoing transporter belt.

T he freed platform and the corresponding closing device will return to the site at which a new cap is provided; at that moment, the different parts that compose the closing device are disposed in the manner shown in Figure l, and the cycle of work is again commenced.

It is to be understood that the vacuum channels of all the closing devices will be coupled to a channel in common which in turn is coupled to the vacuum machine. For this reason, the fact that it is actually the bottle itself that operates the opening of the vacuum channels is very important, having the advantage of avoiding the opening of the channels in cases in which for any reason whatsoever, one or more bottles should not enter into the machine. This prevents the free entry of air into the whole system and prevents cancelling all the vacuum in the bottles which, as that moment were being closed by the machines.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the vacuum closing of bottles with crown type caps comprising, a first cylinder supported in vertical position and provided with an internal chamber terminating in a conical-forming member overlain by a cap-receiving chamber, a first channel communicating between said cap-receiving chamber and one side of said first cylinder, a second cylinder coaxially surrounding said first cylinder and slidably disposed in fluid-tight manner with respect thereto, the lower end of said second cylinder being provided with a packing capable of establishing an hermetic closure when adjusted around the neck of the bottle to be closed, a second channel extending laterally through said second cylinder, means connecting said second channel with vacuum supply means, said second channel being positioned in vertical alignment with the channel of the first cylinder, and magnetic means disposed on the lower end of a bar slidingly mounted in said first cylinder for receiving and holding a cap.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which means are provided to prevent rotation of said second cylinder with respect to said first cylinder and to limit the longitudinal stroke of said second cylinder with respect to said first cylinder.

'3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said second channel is positioned with respect to said second cylinder so that said first channel is exposed to the atmosphere when said second cylinder is lowered with respect to said first cylinder.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said magnetic means includes an electromagnet, means to place a crown cap adjacent the lower end of said bar and means to energize said electromagnet when said crown cap is positioned adjacent the lower end of said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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