US2997832A - Manually-operable capper for cottage cheese cartons and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 29, 1961 J. H. LUDWIG MANUALLY-OPERABLE CAPPER FOR COTTAGE,

CHEESE CARTONS AND THE LIKE Filed July 5, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

JOHN H. LUDWIG FIG. 4

J. H. LUDWIG MANUALLY-OPERABLE CAPPER FOR COTTAGE CHEESE CARTONS AND THE LIKE Aug. 29, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1960 INVENTOR.

JOHN H. LUDWIG l {tborny Aug. 29, 1961 J. H. LUDWIG 2,997,832

MANUALLY-OPERABLE CAPPER FOR COTTAGE CHEESE CARTONS AND THE LIKE Filed July 5, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

JOHN H. LUDWIG United States Patent 2,997,832 MANUALLY-OPERABLE CAPPER FOR COTTAGE CHEESE CARTONS AND THE LIKE John Harrison Ludwig, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to The Ludwig Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 5, 1960, Ser. No. 40,667 9 Claims. (Cl. 53-306) The present invention relates to capping apparatus, and more particularly to a manually-operated device for capping containers, such as those used for packaging cottage cheese, jellied salads, beans and other foodstuffs, in small packing plants.

Food products, such as cottage cheese and the like, are usually sold in plastic or pasteboard containers. The cap or cover for such a container is also made of plastic or pasteboard. It is formed with a marginal wall, which snaps into the mouth of the container, and which is held resiliently therein by friction. A circular lateral flange may extend radially beyond the marginal wall of the cap, or the cap may be reversely bent beyond the marginal wall to receive and fit over the top of the peripheral wall of the container, when the cap is fastened on the container. These caps or covers are shipped nested in one another.

Heretofore in small packing plants the caps have had to be removed individually by hand from the stacks in which they are shipped and have had to be placed in dividually by hand in the containers. This is not only time-consuming, but the covers, particularly plastic covers, are likely to be damaged at their fragile edges, when removing them from the stacks. Furthermore, difficulty is experienced in placing a cover on a container; pressure must be applied evenly around the edge of the cover so as to insure a proper seal and not injure the container or the cap. Slight cracking of the edge of a cap, or improper seating of the cap on the container is likely to cause the product to spoil, or permit foreign matter to get into the container. A further disadvantage of hand placement of the covers is the contact of the hands of the packers with the bottoms of the covers when handling them. The bottom of each cover when fastened on the container may contact the food product. For sanitary reasons, then, it is preferable to avoid completely contact of the hands with the caps or covers.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for use in small packaging plants for removing caps or covers of the type described from a stack and placing them on containers without having to handle them.

Another object of this invention is to provide manually-operable apparatus for transferring a cap or cover of the character described from a stack and placing it on a container without manually handling it and without damage to the cap or cover.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved form of dispensing hopper for caps or covers of the character described and adapted to cooperate with improved transfer means to release individually and successively the caps or covers from a stack.

A still further object of this invention is to provide manually-operable apparatus of the character described which will remove a cap or cover from a stack, transfer it to and fasten it on a container, and which is foolproof in its operation, simple to use, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Patented Aug. 29, 1961 FIG. 1 is a plan View of capping apparatus constructed according to one embodiment of this invention, showing the transfer arm swung from the hopper over the container support for placing a cover on a container;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing the portion of the apparatus for supporting the container and, fragmentarily, the transfer arm during placement of a cover on the container;

FIG. 3 is a part side elevation, part sectional View, showing the hopper for holding a supply of covers or caps, the transfer arm also being shown fragmentarily in position just prior to lifting the topmost cover from the stack in the hopper;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of the parts shown in FIG. 3, the transfer member being shown in engagement with the topmost cover in the stack;

FIG. 5 is a plan View of another embodiment of this invention, showing the transfer member in position over the hopper;

FIG. 6 is a part side elevation, part sectional view, showing the transfer member and hopper of this latter modification of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a section on a slightly enlarged scale taken on line 77 of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the means for releasably locking the detent holding ring to the hopper.

In both illustrated embodiments of the invention there are two stations spaced from each other. At one of these stations there is a support for holding a container; and at the other station there is a hopper for holding a stack of covers. Mounted to swing between the two stations is a manually-operable transfer member, operable to lift a cover from the hopper, to swing it from the hopper into registry with the container, and to press the cover on the container.

In one embodiment of the invention the stack of covers is placed in the hopper on a follower plate which is spring-pressed upwardly to feed the covers successively to position for removal by the transfer member from the top of the hopper. Spring-biased detents serve to hold the covers releasably in the hopper until removed by the transfer member. The transfer member, which has a disc-shaped, resilient gripping portion is disposed to be moved downwardly to release the detents and to lift the top-most cap or cover off the stack. Then it is swung over the container, and pressed down again to engage the cap in the top of the container. The friction of engage ment of the cap in the container is greater than the friction of engagement of the gripping portion of the trans fer member with the cap, so that when the transfer member is released it will be moved upwardly by a spring to leave the cap engaged in and covering the container. The capped container may then be removed from the container support; a new container may be placed thereon; and the transfer member may be swung back to lift a new cap out of the hopper.

In the other illustrated embodiment of the invention, the transfer member has a conduit extending from the center of its disc-shaped gripping portion to a vacuum pump; and the pressure side of this pump is connected with a cylinder containing a piston which is attached to the follower plate of the hopper. The caps or covers are stacked on top of the follower plate and the pressure of air against the piston resiliently forces the covers up- .wardly to feed them successively into position for re successively by the transfer member. In this embodiment, the transfer member picks up the caps or covers by suction. When the topmost cover in the hopper is engaged the pressure against the follower plate is reduced and the follower plate and all the caps, except the topmost which is held by suction by the transfer member, drop by gravity thus helping separate the topmost cap from the cap next below it. The transfer member is then swung manually into registry with the container, as in the first-described embodiment of the invention. When the transfer member is in registry with the container, the transfer arm is depressed, as in the first embodiment of the invention, to engage the cap in the container; and a valve releases the vacuum on the cap which permits it to be fastened on the container. The release of suction increases the pressure again on the follower in the hopper. This raises the stack of covers again in the hopper until they are stopped by the detents. This brings another cover into position for removal on the next operation of the device.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference and first to FIGS. 1 through 4, 9 denotes a stand upon which the apparatus is mounted; and 10 designates a base plate which is secured or seated on top of stand 9. Mounted in a boss 11 on the base plate 10 is a post 12, to which is adjustably attached an arm 16 which has a split sleeve portion 17 at one end thereof that grips the post :12. A screw 18 which is actuated by a handle 20 securely clamps the arm 16 in any adjusted position on the post. The outer end of the arm 16 has a journal portion 21 in which the stud 22 of a platform 23 is mounted. The platform 23 is recessed on its upper surface as denoted at 24 for holding a container such as the cottage cheese carton 25. The arm 16 is adjustable on the post 12 so that it can be moved up or down and to various angular positions to accommodate various sized cartons or containers.

Angularly spaced from the post 12 on the base 10 is a boss 26 (FIG. 3). A cylindrically-shaped hopper 28 which is open at its upper end and which has a closed bottom seats on this boss. Mounted in a bushing 27 in boss 26 to extend upwardly into the hopper 28 is a tubular shaft 29. A follower plate 30 is securely attached to the upper end of this shaft 29 within the hopper 28. A spring 32, which surrounds the shaft 29 and which is interposed between the follower plate 30 and the bottom wall of the hopper 28, constantly urges the follower plate upwardly in the hopper. A nut 33, which is threaded on the lower end of the shaft 29, serves as a stop to limit upward movement of the shaft and follower in the hopper. A nut 31, which is threaded on bushing 27, serves to hold the hopper 23 on the plate 10. Bushing 27 may be welded or brazed to the hopper.

The caps or covers 34, which are to be dispensed from the hopper, are placed on top of the follower plate 30. Each of the caps shown has a depressed central portion and an upstanding marginal rim 37. The upper end of this rim in the instance shown is curled back on itself, as denoted at 39, to engage over the top of the peripheral wall of a carton 25.

Secured to the outside of the hopper 28 and extending upwardly along the outside thereof are four equiangularly spaced straps 35. Each of these is thicker at its lower end than along the remainder of its heighth. Fastened at its bottom to each of the straps 35 is a leaf spring 36. Fastened to the top, or free end, of each of the springs 36 is a detent dog or latch 38, which has an upwardly and outwardly inclined inside surface 4-0; The several detents 38 are constantly urged by the springs 36 into position over the top of the hopper 28 to releasably retain in the hopper the stack of caps or covers 34 against the upward pressureof the spring-pressed follower plate Mounted on top of the straps 35 and interposed between the outside of the hopper 28 and the leaf springs 4 36 is a cam ring 42. This ring has four cam surfaces 44 (FIG. 1) and an outwardly projecting handle 46. R0- tation of the ring 42 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 causes the cam surfaces 44, to force the leaf springs 36 outwardly so that the latches 38 clear the opening in the top of the hopper. This permits a stack of caps or covers to be loaded in the hopper. When the ring 42 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the latches 38 are in operative position as shown in FIG. 3 to hold the stack of caps or covers in the hopper.

Mounted at the top of the post 12 to swing thereon is a transfer arm 50. This arm has a collar portion 51 to pivot on the post. A pin 52 (FIG. 2), which extends radially from the post 12 and fits in slot 54 of the collar or journal 51, limits the angular movement of the transfer arm. The free end of the transfer arm 50 has a collar portion 55 in which there is slidably mounted the shaft 58 of a transfer member generally designated at 60. The transfer member 60 which has an upper disc-shaped portion 68 of truncated inverted conical configuration and a lower disc-shaped portion 72 of erect conical shape. Portion 68 is threadably secured at 69 to the shaft 52. The inverted, conical peripheral surface 70 of portion 68 has a cone angle approximately complementary to the angle of slanting surfaces 40 of the latches 38. The portion 72, which is preferably made of a resilient plastic material, such as nylon, is cemented to the bottom face of portion 68. The diameter of the portion 68 of the transfer member is equal to, or possibly slightly less than, the inside diameter of the hopper 28 at its top so that when the transfer member is pushed down to the position shown in FIG. 4 it will force the latches or detents 38 outwardly against the resistance of the springs 36 so that a cap or cover can be withdrawn from the hopper. The diameter of the portion 72 of the transfer member at its bottom is preferably slightly larger than the inside diameter of the central depressed portion of the caps or covers 34, that are to be used, so that it engages with a slight press fit against the inside of the marginal wall 37 of the covers when the transfer member 60 is pressed down to the position shown in FIG. 4. Thus, when the transfer member 60 is pushed down to the position shown in FIG. 4 it will frictionally engage, and can pick up, the topmost cover on the stack in the hopper 28. The relative diameters of the conical peripheral surfaces 70 and 74 of the upper and lower portions 68 and 72 of the transfer member provide an annular shoulder 75 on the underside of the portion 64 which acts to limit the depth of engagement of the transfer member with a cover.

Pivotally mounted on and above the arm 50 between the ears or lugs 76 by means of a pin 78 is a lever arm 8%) which has a handle 82 at its free end. The lever has a hardened button 84 on its underface which is positioned to engage the top 86 of the post 58 to depress the transfer member 60 against the resistance of a spring 88 which is interposed between the journal portion 55 of the arm 58 and the cap 86.

To use the device, the hopper 28 is loaded with caps 34; and the arm 16 is adjustably clamped by the handle 29 to dispose the platform 23 angularly and vertically in proper position, so that a carton or container mounted thereon will be in proper registry beneath the transfer member 60, when the arm 50 is swung to one limit position, to receive a cap 34. The vertical adjustment of arm 16 permits accommodation of containers of different heights.

In operation, the transfer arm 50 is swung by handle 82 to bring the transfer member 68 into registry with the hopper 28. Then the lever 80 is depressed to force the lower portion 72 of the transfer member into gripping engagement with the topmost cover 34 and simultaneously to cause the portion 68 to move the detents 38 out of operative position. Then the lever 80 is released or moved upwardly by handle 82 and the topmost cover 34 is lifted from the stack. As the portion 68 moves upwardly, the detents 38 are released and are forced inwardly by the leaf springs 36 to engage over the edge of the next cover 34 in the stack, thus retaining this next cover and the stack in the hopper. The transfer member 60 with a cover 34 adhering thereto is swung laterally into registry with the carton 25 which is positioned on the platform 23. The handle 82 is then pressed downwardly again to force the cover 34, which is carried by the transfer member, onto the carton 25 to which it will frictionally adhere. The handle 82 is then released and the spring 88 forces the transfer member 60 upwardly to strip the transfer member 60 from the cover 34 now on the carton. The now-covered carton is removed from the platform 23; a new carton is placed on the platform; and the operation may be repeated to cover the new carton.

In the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the post, on which the transfer arm swings, is denoted at 1112. It is secured at its lower end to a tubular nipple 111 by a setscrew 114. Nipple 111 is mounted in a bushing 109 which is welded in the base 110.

Mounted on the post 112 for both angular and vertical adjustment thereon is an arm 116. This arm carries an integral platform 123 adapted to support a filled carton during capping of the same. The arm is secured in any adjusted position by a split clamp 117 which is manipulable by a screw 118 that is operated by handle 120. The adjustment permits accommodation of various sizes of cartons as in the previously-described embodiment of the invention.

Mounted in spaced relation to the post 112 within a bushing 130 that extends through an opening in the base plate 110 is a cylindrical hopper 128. The bottom of the hopper 128 is denoted at 129. It is connected by a dowel 137 to a supporting plate 131 which is fastened by screws 135 to straps 132 that are fastened below the base 110 by screws 133.

The carton covers 134, which are to be dispensed, are supported in the hopper 128 on a follower plate 145 which is mounted on a piston rod 147 that is reciprocable in the hopper. The rod 147 is secured at its lower end to a piston 149 which reciprocates in a cylinder 151 that is closed at its upper end by an end member 153 that is attached to the underside of the plate 131. The lower end of the cylinder is closed by an end member 196.

The caps or covers 134 are releasably held in the hopper 128 by a plurality of equiangularly spaced latches or detents 138, similar to those of the previously-described embodiment. These are pivotally mounted at 139 to a ring 143 which is releasably fastened around the top of the hopper 128. The latches 138 each have an inclined inner surface 148 and are held in position to project over the top of the container by a spring band 141. The ring 143 is removably fastened to the container 128 by pins 144 which are secured in the ring and engage in bayonet slots 146 (FIG. 8) formed in hopper 128.

A slight twist of ring 143 will disengage the pins from the slots 146; and the ring 143 may then be lifted off the hopper to permit loading the hopper.

Secured in the top of the post 112. by a setscrew 152 is a tubular nipple 148. The top of this nipple is closed by a bored cap 190 which is threaded into the nipple. Rotatably mounted on the nipple 148 above the post 112 is a transfer arm 158. This arm pivots about the post 112 from registry with the hopper 128 to registry with the platform 123, like the transfer arm in the first-described embodiment of the invention. The free end of the transfer arm 150 has a collar portion 155 in which the shaft 158 of a transfer member 168 slides. The transfer member 168 has an upper disc-shaped portion 168 and a lower disc-shaped portion 172. The diameter of the upper disc-shaped portion 168 is equal, at least, to the inside diameter of the hopper. This portion 168 is adapted to engage the inclined inside surfaces 140 of the latches 138, when lowered, to move the latches to inoperative position. The disc-shaped portion 172 is of smaller diameter than the depressed portions of the caps 134 readily to enter into the caps.

Pivoted by means of pin 178 between ears or lugs 176, which are integral with and project upwardly from arm 150, is a lever or handle 180. Pin 178 is secured in position by a cotter pin 181. The lever is positioned to engage the enlarged head 186 of shaft 158, and is constantly urged upwardly by a spring 188 that is interposed between the collar of the arm 150 and the head 186. The handle 180 has a recess 189 in which the head 186 seats.

The transfer member 168 is connected through a flexible tube 191 with bored cap 198, tubular nipple 148, hollow post 112, tubular nipple 111, and conduit 193 with the suction side of a vacuum pump 194. The pressure side of this pump is connected by conduit 195 with cylinder 151.

The nipple 148 has a diametral duct 197 (FIG. 7) communicating with its bore 199. The journal portion of arm 150 has two diametrally opposed ports 198 in it. These register with duct 197 when the transfer member is in registry with a carton or container on the platform 123; but they are out of registry with the duct 197 when the transfer member is in registry with the hopper. This permits the tube 191 to vent to atmosphere to release a cap 134 when the cap has been engaged with a carton or container, but permits the suction to act to lift a cap or cover from the hopper when the transfer member is in registry with the hopper.

In use, the ring 143 with the detents 138 mounted thereon may be removed from the hopper 128 to permit placing a stack of caps or covers 134 in the hopper 128 on top of the follower plate 145. This is done by twisting and lifting the ring to disengage the bayonet slots 146 from the pins 128. After the supply of caps has been placed in the hopper, the ring 143 is refastened on the hopper 128 so that the latches 138 project over the top of the hopper. When the vacuum pump 194 is turned on, suction is created in the tube 191 and pressure in the cylinder 151 against the lower side of the piston 149. This pressure resiliently urges the follower plate 145 upwardly in the hopper 128 to resiliently hold the stack of covers against the detents or latches 138.

The handle may then be operated to position the transfer member 160 directly over a stack of caps 134 in the hopper 128. The handle is then depressed to push the shaft 158 downwardly against the pressure of the spring 188 to push the detents 138 aside and bring the transfer member 168 into engagement with the uppermost cap 134. The suction created by the pump 194 causes the uppermost cap to adhere to the transfer member. This closes the port 174 in the bottom of the transfer member and thereby decreases the pressure in the line 195. This causes the follower 145 to drop down and the stack of caps with it, thus assisting in separating the topmost cap from the cap next below.

Upon release of the handle 180 the pressure of the spring 188 moves the transfer member 168 upwardly carrying the topmost cap or cover 134 with it. The latches or detents 138 then snap back over the top of the hopper to hold the remainder of the caps in the hopp The transfer member 160 is then swung by manipulation of handle 180 into registry with a carton or container supported on the platform 123. When the cap is aligned with the carton or container, the duct 197 in nipple 148 will be aligned with the ports 198 of the transfer -arm 150. This releases the vacuum in the tube 191, and as the handle 180 is depressed against the resistance of spring 188, the disc-shaped portion 168 of the transfer member will press the cap or cover 134 on the carton or container. Upon the swinging of the handle 180 to bring the transfer member 160 back into registry with the hopper, the duct 197' is moved out of alignment with the ports 198 to the position shown in FIG. 7 so that a vacuum can again 'be created in conduit 191. At the same time pressure builds up again below the piston 149 which raises the follower 145 to bring the new topmost cap into position for removal from the stack when the transfer member is again lowered.

Thus, I have provided an improved manually-operated apparatus for transferring a cap or cover from a stack to a carton or container and fastening it on the carton or container without danger of breaking the cover and with the assurance that it will be effectively attached thereto, with the cover forced in sealing engagement with the container evenly around its entire periphery and without bending or deforming either the cover or the container. Furthermore, I have provided improved apparatus wherein the transfer mechanism engages and lifts one cover and one cover only from the stack positively and surely each time the device is operated.

While the invention has been described in connection with two specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits or the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A carton capping apparatus comprising a hopper adapted to hold a plurality of caps in a stack, releasable detents movably mounted on said hopper for retaining the caps in the hopper, a pivoted transfer member, a carton support, means for swinging said transfer member about its pivotal axis from a position of registry with said hopper into a position of registry with said carton support and vice versa, and means for reciprocating said transfer member, when in registry with the hopper and the carton support, in a direction parallel to its pivotal axis, to move said detents to released position and to engage the outermost cap in the stack and to lift said outermost cap off the stack, when said transfer member is in registry with said hopper, and to press said outermost cap onto said carton and then to disengage said outermost cap when said trans-fer member is in registry with said carton support.

2. Carton capping apparatus comprising a carton support, a hopper adapted to hold a plurality of caps in a stack, releasable spring-pressed detents mounted on said hopper for retaining the caps in the hopper, a pivoted transfer arm, a stud mounted on said transfer arm for reciprocation in a direction parallel to the axis of swing of said transfer arm, a transfer member carried on the lower end of said stud, means including a lever pivoted on said transfer arm for swinging said transfer arm about its pivotal axis to move said transfer member from a position of registry with said hopper to a position of registry with said carton support and vice versa, spring means constantly urging said stud upwardly, means including said lever for moving said transfer member downwardly when in registry with said hopper to cause said transfer member to engage the outermost cap in the stack, and to move said transfer member downwardly when in registry with said carton support to apply said outermost cap to a carton on said support, and means carried by said transfer member for moving said detents to released position when said transfer member is moved into engagement with said outermost cap.

3. Carton capping apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said transfer member has a resilient portion for frictionally engaging said outermost cap when said transfer member is moved into engagement with said outermost cap when in registry with said hopper.

4. Carton capping apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said transfer member carries means for applying suction to said outermost cap to engage and lift the same.

5. Carton capping apparatus as claimed in claim 4 having means for automatically releasing the suction when said transfer member is in registry with said carton support.

6. Carton capping apparatus comprising a hopper adapted to hold a plurality of caps in a stack and having a discharge opening at its top, a follower reciprocable in said hopper and on which said stack is supported, means for moving said follower upwardly in said stack to advance the caps in the stack successively to the discharge opening comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocable therein, a transfer member movable into and out of engagement with the uppermost cap on said stack and having a port in its lower face through which suction may be exerted on said uppermost cap to lift said uppermost cap off said stack when said transfer member is in engagement with said uppermost cap, and means for moving said follower upwardly and exerting suction at said port comprising a pneumatic pump, and means connecting the suction side of said pump to said port and the pressure side of said pump to said cylinder to apply pressure on the underface of said piston, whereby, when said transfer member is out of engagement with a cap and said port is clear, maximum pressure will be exerted on the underface of said piston to lift said follower and said stack, and, when said transfer member is in engagement with the uppermost cap the pressure on the underface of said piston will be reduced so that said follower will drop by gravity in said hopper permitting the caps below the uppermost cap to fall away from said uppermost cap, thereby assisting in separation by said transfer member of said uppermost cap from the stack.

7. Carton capping apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein detents are movably mounted on said hopper, spring means are provided for constantly urging said detents over said discharge opening to retain the caps in the hopper, and means is provided on said transfer member for moving said detents to disengaged position on movement of said transfer member into engagement with the uppermost cap in the stack.

8. Carton capping apparatus comprising a carton support, a hopper adapted to hold a plurality of caps in a stack and having a discharge opening at its top, a follower reciprocable in said hopper and on which said stack is supported, means for moving said follower upwardly in said stack to advance the caps in the stack successively to the discharge opening comprising a cylinder, and a piston reciprocable in said cylinder and connected to said follower, a pivoted transfer arm, a transfer member mounted on said transfer arm and having a port therein through which suction can be exerted on the uppermost cap in said stack when said transfer member is in engagement with said uppermost cap, said transfer member being swingable by pivotal movement of said transfer arm from a position of registry with said hopper to a position of registry with said carton support, means for moving said transfer member toward said hopper in a direction parallel to the axis of pivotal movement of said transfer arm, when said transfer member is in registry with said hopper, to engage said transfer member with the uppermost cap in the stack and for moving said transfer member toward said carton support in said direction, when said transfer member is in registry with said carton support, to place said cap on a carton mounted on said support, a pneumatic pump, means connecting the suction side of said pump to said port and the pressure side of said pump to said cylinder to apply pressure on the underface of said piston, and means connecting said port to atmosphere when said transfer member is in registry with said carton support, whereby, when said transfer member is out of engagement with a cap and said port is clear or said port is connected to atmosphere, maximum pressure Will be exerted on the underface of said piston to lift said follower and said stack, and, when said transfer member is in engagement with the uppermost cap the pressure on the underface of the piston will be reduced so that said follower will drop by gravity in said hopper permitting the caps below the uppermost cap to fall away from said uppermost cap thereby assisting in separation by said transfer member of the uppermost cap from the stack, and whereby, when said transfer member is in registry with said carton support and the cap carried by said transfer member has been placed on a carton the suction at said port will be released to release the cap.

9. Carton capping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means for connecting said port to atmosphere includes a rotary valve operable by said transfer arm on pivotal movement thereof to register said transfer member with said carton support.

Murrell Sept. 23, 1958 Ullman et al. July 14, 1959

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