US3523512A - Machine for inserting pouring spouts and sifters on cartons - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Inventors Frederick A. Plaessman Edison, New Jersey; I

George N. Faber, Green-Brook, New

Jersey 719,020

April 5, 1968 Aug. 11, 1970 Seal-Spout Corporation Mountainside, New Jersey a Corp. of New Jersey Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee MACHINE FOR INSERTING POURING SPOUTS 29/208, 235; 93/lnquire l, 3, 35PCO Primary Examiner- Richard J. Herbst Attorney- Harry B. Rook ABSTRACT: A turret disk rotatable about a vertical axis carries a plurality of anvil blocks step-by-step in a circular path through a plurality of stations, and at one station a carton cover is moved automatically from a supply chute onto an anvil; at the next station a metal pouring spout is inserted into the cover; at a subsequent station a polygonal hole is punched in the cover for a polygonal sifter which is pulled from a supply chute and fed into position in properly oriented relation to said opening and is pressed into the opening at another station; and at a subsequent station the cover with the spout and sifter fitted therein is automatically removed from the anvil.

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MACHINE FOR INSERTING POURING SPOUTS AN SIFTERS ON CARTONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to automatically form and insert metal pouring spouts into walls of containers, and sifter plates and combined SUMMARY The present invention has for a general object the provision of a machine for inserting automatically and separately both a pouring spout and a sifter into a carton wall such as a cardboard cover in a continuous operation; and the invention contemplates means including anvil blocks moved by a turret disk in a circular path step-by-step, means for automatically moving carton covers in succession from a supply chute and applying them to the anvils at one station, means at successive stations along the path of movement of the anvils for inserting a pouring spout in the cover and punching a polygonal hole in the cover for a polygonal sifter, means for -pulling a sifter from a supply chute and feeding it to another station in properly oriented relation to said hole and then pressing the sifter into said hole, and means 'at the last station for closing the closure section of the sifter and automatically lifting the cover with the spout and sifter assembled therein from the anvil. i

Other objects of the invention are to provide in such a machine simple and reliable means including suction cups, control valves therefor and means to actuate the cups for automatically conveying a cover from a supply chute to one of the anvils and at the same time removing a completed cover from another anvil in timed relation to the step-by-step movement of the anvils by the turret disk; and provide a machine which is simple and inexpensive in construction and reliable BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the invention, with portions broken away for clearness in illustration;

- FIG. 1A is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the feed chute for the carton covers;

FIG. 1B is a fragmentary vertical sectional view appoximately on the plane of the line 18-18 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1, with portions broken away for clearness in illustration;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary composite side elevation and vertical section of the suction cup for conveying the carton covers from the feed chute to an anvil block, illustrating the movement of the suction cup from the broken line position of FIG. 1 to the solid line position;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary composite side elevation and vertical sectional view from the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, illustrating the spout forming and inserting mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 with portions omitted;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view prior to the descent of the ram and spout;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary schematic view showing the movement of the spout and ram during the descent of the ram;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the cover taken approximately on the plane of the line 8-8 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 9-9 of FIGURE 2 with the parts shown in the positions prior to the punching operation;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary similar view showing the parts in the position during the punching operation;

FIGURE 1 l is a perspective view of the cover having a polygonal hole punched therein for the sifter;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view through one of the anvil blocks approximately on the line 12-12 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the anvil block from the plane of the line 13-13 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 14-14 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary elevational view approximately from the plane of the line 15-15 of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the. discharge end of the supply chute for the sifters;

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary elevational view from the plane. of the line 17-17 of FIGURE 14 with parts broken away;

FIGURE 18 is a bottom plan view of the sifter feeding head taken from the plane of the line 18-18 of FIGURE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a composite sectional elevational view taken on the plane of the line 19-19 of FIGURE 2 with portions omitted for clearnessin illustration;

FIGURE 20 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through a portion of an anvil block, a cover thereon, a sifter in the cover and the sifter applying head;

FIGURE 21 is a top plan view of the completed cover;

FIGURE 22 is a vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 22-22 of FIGURE 21, and

FIGURE 23 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the suction cup for removing the cover from the anvil block.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 21 and 22, the carton cover is designated A and is usually formed of thick paper or cardboard with a main or top portion 1 anda cylindrical perimetral flange 2. The pouring spout B is of a well known type formed of metal with a body portiona, arcuate side wings b and prongs c. The spout is secured in the cover by causing the wings b and the prongs c to penetrate the cover'and thereafter clinching the prongs in the cover as shown in FIG. 22. The body portion a has an extension d beneath which the fingernail may be inserted to swing the spout upwardly and at the same time tear the body portion of the cover to form a tongue by which the spout' 'is hinged to the cover and provide a pouring opening in the cover.

The sifter C is also known and usually is molded of plastic material to provide a perforated main section e and a perimetral flange f that abuts the top surface to limit insertion of the sifter into the hole g in the cover. The main portion has a groove h beneath the flange f into which the edge of the hole g is snapped as the main section is pushed into the hole as best shown in FIG. 11. Hingedly attached to the main section is a closure section 1 which normally is swung away from the main section as shown is FIG. 20 and by broken lines in FIG. 22. To close the perforations in the main section e the closure section i is pressed into the main section with a suitable known snap action as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.

The machine for inserting the spout and the sifter is shown as comprising a main frame D which includes legs 3 at the upper ends of which is secured a horizontal bottom plate 4 projecting upwardly from which are posts 5 which support a top plate 6.

A turret disk E is mounted on a vertical shaft 7 which is journaled in a suitable bearing 8 on the bottom plate 4 and connected at its lower end to a known type of Geneva gear F that includes a train of driving gears 9 one of which is mounted on a shaft 10 journaled on the bottom plate 4 and driven from a motor 11 through a belt and pulley connection 12 and a speed reducing gear 13.

The turret disk has fixedly secured on the upper surface thereof a plurality of anvil blocks G equi-distantly spaced apart in a circular row. As shown there are eight anvil blocks and the Geneva gear is timed to rotate the disk step-by-step in steps of 45 degrees each so that an anvil is moved from a cover feed and applying station H successively to a spout inserting station I, a cover punching station K, a sifter inserting station L and a cover removing station M. i

The anvil blocks (FIGS. 12 and 13) are identical in construction and each comprises a cylindrical body portion 15 rigidly but separately secured to the turret disk by screws 16. The body portion 15 has a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the flange 2 of the cover A and is of a height substantially greater than the length of the flange as best shown in FIG. 13 where the cover is illustrated by broken lines. The body portion has a slot 17 of a shape and size to provide a clearance for the wings b of the spout and removably set in said notch is an anvil insert 18 the top surface of which has recesses 19 therein for clinching the prongs c of the spout during insertion of the spout into the cover. As shown, the insert is secured to the turret disk E by cap screws 20 and a locating pin 21, and desirably there is in the block a cutter blade 22 for scoring the main portion 1 of the cover beneath the finger extension d of the spout, the blade being movable to adjust its cutting edge with respect to the top surface of the anvil block, by adjustable screws 23 threaded in the turret disk and abutting the lower edge of the blade; and the blade is clamped in adjusted position between the inner end of the slot 17 and a set screw 24 threaded in the insert 18.

In accordance with the invention, one cover A is applied to an anvil block at station H and a finished cover having the spout and sifter therein is removed from an anvil at station M during the same period of rest of the turret disk between steps of movement thereof. At the station H is a supply chute 25 in which the covers slide downwardly by gravity in file formation until the leading cover engages a detent pin 26 that extends upwardly through the bottom wall of the chute and is mounted on a spring arm 27 one end of which is secured to the chute at 28 while its other end extends beyond the chute and the pin.

A suction cup 29 is mounted on a tubular arm 30 which is in turn mounted in a block 31 which is rigidly mounted on and projects upwardly from a horizontal actuating shaft 32 which is journaled in bearings 33 on the bottom frame plate 4. The passage through the tubular arm 31 opens at one end into the suction cup 29 and is connected at its other end by flexible tube 34 to an electromagnetic three-way valve 35 of known construction the electric circuit through which is shown as controlled by a microswitch 36 the operating arm of which is actuated by a cam or a screw 37 which is mounted on a vertical oscillating shaft 38 journaled in bearings in the bottom and top plates 4 and 6.

The shaft 32 is driven by a helical pinion 39 mounted on the shaft 32 and meshing with a helical gear 40 on the shaft 38 the upper end of which has connected thereto a crank arm 41 which is pivotally connected to one end ofa driving link 42 the other end ofwhich is in the form ofa guide plate 43 having a slot 44 in which is disposed a guide block 45 carried by the upper end ofthe driving shaft 10. Beneath the guide plate 43 is a cam 46 the periphery of which is engaged by follower rollers 47 on the plate 43. With this construction the driving shaft 10 is continuously rotated, the shaft 38 is oscillated about its vertical axis and the shaft 32 is oscillated or alternately swung in opposite directions so as to actuate the suction cup from a cover-receiving position shown by broken lines in FIG 1 to a cover-applying position shown by solid lines and vice versa.

When in cover-applying position, the suction cup is inverted and located below the bottom of the chute 25 and the arm 30 presses downwardly on spring 27 to move detent pin 26 out of the path of the leading cover A which slides until stopped by inwardly projecting portions 25a of the chute in properly oriented relation to the suction cup on which it is held by the suction. When the suction cup is in cover-applying position, the cover is applied to or deposited on an anvil block at station H as shown in FIGS. 1-3.

After the cover has been applied to the anvil, the valve 35 is operated to relieve the suction from the cup 29 and the cup is swung away from the anvil and into position to receive the next cover from the supply chute 25. Thereupon the turret disk is actuated to move the anvil carrying the cover to the spout inserting station 1 where there is located a spout inserting mechanism of the same general type as that disclosed in the copendingapplication of Milton H. Klausmann, et al, Serial No. 524,028, now Patent No. 3,381,645. This mechanism includes a frame generally designated 50 on which is mounted a fixed die 51 and a recriprocable ram 52 which, with the movable die 53, is connected to and moved by a support block 54 that is reciprocable on guide posts 55 and actuated by rollers 56 on the support block that follow a cam 57 mounted on a driveshaft 58 that is journaled in the frame 50. The guide posts 55 are secured in and project upwardly from the frame.

As shown, preferably the fixed die 51 is formed at one end of a plate 59 that also serves as a part of the feed mechanism for a spout blank strip 60. Pivoted at one end of the plate 59 opposite the fixed die 51 on a pivot pin 61 is a stripper plate 62 that with the plate 59 forms a guideway for the spout blank strip and is normally biased away from the fixed die by a leaf spring (not shown) which also serves to yieldingly press the blank strip against the plate 59.

During operation of the mechanism the spout blank strip is fed step-by-step from a suitable supply reel (not shown), said strip including a plurality of spout blanks connected in end to end relation, each blank being shaped to provide the body portion a and side wings b of the finished spout B. The strip of blanks is fed by a mechanism comprising a lever 63 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 64 on a bracket 65 that is secured to the frame; and pivotally connected to the end of the lever on a common pivot 66 are a pair of dogs 67 which have fingers to engage behind the edges of the successive blanks of the blank strip 60 in known manner and as shown and described in the above mentioned pending application. The lever 63 is actuated by engagement ofa follower roller 69 on the lever with a feed cam 68 on the shaft 58, the roller being normally held in contact with the cam by a spring 70 one end of which is connected to an arm 71 rigidly connected to the lever 63 while its other end is connected to the bracket 65. The shaft 58 is driven by a bevel pinion 72 which meshes with a pinion 73 carried by a counter shaft 74 journaled in bearing brackets 75 suspended from the top plate 6, said counter shaft 74 having a beveled gear connection 76 with the main drive shaft 10.

During operation of the machine the blank strip 60 is fed step-by-step so that at the end of each step a blank is brought into position between the dies 51 and 53 for completing the formation of the spout and a completed spout at the leading end of the strip is positioned between the ram 52 and the anvil block that has been moved by the turret disk into position to receive said spout. While the spout blank is at rest, the cam 57 lowers the support block 54 to move the die 53 into coactive relation to the die 51 as shown in FIG 4 to complete the spout by bending the wings b downwardly from the body portion a and by forming prongs c for fastening the spout to the cover A. The die 53 is formed with a channel with coacts with a forming block on the die 51 for producing the wings in known manner, and the prongs c are formed by punches 76 secured in the die 53 which pass loosely through openings in the stripper plate 62 and into die holes in the die 51. The support block 54 is then raised by the cam 57 so that the punches are withdrawn from the spout blank and the stripper plate which strips the spout from the punches.

Simultaneously with the formation of one spout the ram is lowered and the next preceding spout, that is the spout at the lead end of the strip is severed from the strip by the plate edges 77 and 78 that are carried by the ram and the die 51, respectively. After severance of the spout from the strip, the ram pushes the spout downwardly through a guide channel formed by the fixed die 51 and the spaced apart end surfaces of guide blocks 79 and 80 that are removably secured to and between support bars 81 that form a part of the frame (see FIGS. 4, 5, and 6). The ram forces the wings and the prongs of the spout through the main or top portion of the cardboard carton cover A which is pressed against the anvil and usually prescored to facilitate the penetration of said top portion by the wings. The anvil, of course, has grooves or slots 17 to provide a clearance for the wings as the latter penetrate the cover (see FIGS. 4 and 13), and the anvil has depressions 19 to deflect and clinch the prongs and thereby secure the pouring spout to the cover as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.

In some cases the wings of the spout are of such shape as to permit the spout to open into a position with the body of the spout at an angle of more than 90 to the plane of the top portion of the cover, and in such cases as the ends b' of the flanges penetrate the cover, slits are formed which must be closed when the spout is completely inserted. To accomplish this result, the blocks 79 and 80 which form the guide channel for the spout and ram as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are formed on their opposed end surfaces with projections 83 that have inclined shoulders 84 along which edges of the spout wings are slid as the ram descends (FIG. 7) so that after penetration of the top portion of the cover by the leading ends b of the wings, the spout is slid into the slits formed by the penetrating ends of the flanges. This action is best illustrated in the schematic FIG. 7 of the drawings where the spout as it is severed from the spout strip is indicated at X and the successive positions of the spout as it is pushed by the ram through the top portion of the cover A is illustrated by the dot and the dash lines Y and Z.

It will be understood that the reciprocation of the ram and the feed of the spout strip will be in timed relation to the movement of the turret disk so that after a spout has been inserted, the ram is elevated away from the anvil and the turret disk is actuated by the Geneva gear to move the next successive anvil block carrying a cover A into position beneath the ram for reception of the next spout. After the pouring spout has been inserted, the turret disk is actuated to move the anvil carrying cover into the station K where there is located the punching mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 9 and of the drawing. This punching mechanism includes a supporting frame generally designated 85 and suspended from the top plate 6 of the main frame and which carries a fixed die block 86 in which is removably mounted a hardened steel die 87 with which coacts a punch 88 carried by a punch block 89. The punch block has a pair of guide pins 91 slidable in openings in the fixed die block 86, the die block being actuated by a cam 92 which is followed by a roller 93 journaled on a bracket arm 90 connected to the block 89. The cam 92 is mounted on a counter shaft 94 suspended in bearings from the top plate 6 of the main frame and having a bevel pinion 95 meshing with the pinion 72 (See FIGS. 1 and 2). The anvil block has a hole 96 in register with a hole 97 in the turret disk and adapted to be disposed in register with the punch 88 and the opening in the die 87 at the end of one step of movement of the turret disk, as best shown in FIG. 9. While the anvil block is at rest with the cover A thereon as shown in FIG. 9, the cam 92 elevates the punch 88 to cause coaction thereof with the opening in the die block 87 as shown in FIG. 10 so as to punch out a disk 98 from the top portion of the cover and thereby form a hole g in the cover to receive a sifter. To insure accurate coaction of the punch and the die, preferably the die block 89 has mounted thereon a holding pin 99 that is slidable into and out of a bushing 100 in the turret disk as the punch is raised and lowered into and out of engagement with the die, respectively. The pin 99 enters the bushing 100 just prior to the passing of the punch into the hole in the anvil block so as to accurately aline the punch with the die opening. The disks 98 that are punched from the covers accumulate in stacked relation to each other as the covers are successively punched, and preferably a flexible discharge pipe 101 is provided for conducting the disks to a suitable point of discharge such as a waste receptacle.

As shown, the hole in the cover is polygonal, particularly in the present instance triangular, to accommodate the triangular main section e of the sifter C; and it is necessary that the main section of the sifter be properly oriented with the hole g in the cover so that said main section can be pressed into said hole. As shown, a plurality of the sifters are disposed haphazardly into a vibrating hopper N, for example a mechanism known as a Syntron" which has a discharge chute or rail 102 onto which the sifters C are fed by the Syntron in known manner. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, l5 and 16, the main sections of the sifters slide along the chute with the closure section i swung away from the main sections, the sifters being slid along the rail toward the discharge end of the chute which is located in proximity to the sifter inserting station L. Movement of the leading sifter along the chute is stopped by a gate 103 which is normally spring pressed into the path of movement of the sifter as best shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The gate is pivotally mounted by two pivot screws 104 on the end of the chute and is biased into its normal position by a torque spring 105 one end of which is connected to the gate while the other end is connected to a stud 107 secured in the chute.

The invention provides means for moving the leading sifter from the chute 102, conveying the sifter into a position where the main section is oriented with the hole in the cover that is mounted on the anvil block at the station L, and then pressing said main section into said hole. As shown, a sifter feeding head 110 includes a block 111 horizontally slidably mounted in a guideway 112 in a support block 113 which is vertically reciprocable on guide rods 114 secured in a base 115 which is fastened to the bottom plate 4 of the main frame. The support block 113 is vertically reciprocated at each of the two limits of its horizontal movement by a cam 116 which is mounted on a counter shaft 117 and is followed by a roller 118 which is journaled on one end of a link 119 the other end of which is rigidly connected to the support block.

The block 111 of the feeding head 110 has a chamber 120 therein which is connected by pipe 121 through a suitable control valve 121a to a vacuum pump, and the bottom side of the block has a triangular boss 122 the contour of which approximately corresponds to the inner contour of the concave or dished main section e of the sifter, and the boss is surrounded by a plurality of orifices 123 that lead from the chamber 120 through the face of the block 111 (see FIGS. l7 and 18). The orifices 123 are so related to the boss that when the boss is inserted into the main section of the sifter, the orifices are juxtaposed to the perimetral flange f (FIG. 20).

The block 111 is horizontally reciprocated in the support block 113, and as shown a bracket arm 125 has one end rigidly connected to one end of the block and has a slot and roller connection 126 at its other end with one end of a lever 12 7 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 128 on a bracket 129 which is secured to and projects upwardly from the bottom frame plate 4 (see FIG. 14). The other end of the lever 127 is pivotally connected at 130 to one end of a link 131 the other end of which has a pin and slot connection 132 with a lever 133 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 134 at frame plate 4 and having a follower roller 135 at its other end coacting with a cam 136 mounted on and driven by the shaft 10.

During operation of the mechanism, the support block 113 is normally in the position shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 so as to hold the sifter feed block 111 with the plane of its face slightly above the plane of the flange f on the leading sifter in the chute 102 as best shown in FIG. 15, and boss 122 of the feed block is disposed above and approximately in line with the hole g in the cover carried by the anvil at Station L. As the anvil with the cover comes to rest at Station L the feeding head is actuated horizontally into a position above the leading sifter on the chute as shown by broken lines in FIG. l5 and then is lowered into contact with the sifter whereupon the suction holds the sifter on the head. The feeding head is then moved in the opposite direction to pull the sifter against the gate 103 which yields and releases the sifter out of the chute, thereby to permit the next sifter to move up to the gate. The sifter is carried by the head into properly oriented relation to and above the hole gin the cover whereupon the support block 113 is actuated downwardly so that the feeding head pushes the main section of the sifter into the hole g until the flange f abuts the top side of the cover as best shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. whereupon the suction is relieved from the head and the support block 113 elevates the head away from the sifter thereby leaving the sifter secured in the cover with its cover section i swung away from the main section as shown in FIG. 20.

Upon the completion ofthis operation, the anvil block and cover are moved by the turret disk to the last station M. During this movement, the cover section i of the sifter is pushed along a curved and inclined rod 140 which is secured on a stationary part of the machine and has its extremity disposed at the station M. As the cover section rides along said rod it is pushed from the position shown in FIG. into almost its closed position as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 22 from which position the cover is pressed into its fully closed position shown by solid lines in FIGS. 21 and 22. For the purpose of simple illustration the other end of the rod 140 is shown as having an extension 141 bent over the edge of the turret disk and secured at 142 to the base 115 of the sifter feeding and inserting mechanism.

For simplicity in illustration the means for completely closing the cover of the sifter is associated with the means for removing the completed cover from the anvil at station M. More particularly, a finger 143 is secured on and projects from a tubular arm 144 which is in turn mounted in a block 144a that is rigidly mounted on and projects upwardly from the actuating shaft 32. Said tubular arm has a pair of suction cups 147 rigidly connected to and projecting therefrom so as to contact the top portion of the cover when in one position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 23, and the tubular arm is connected by flexible tube 145 to an electro-magnetic three-way valve 146 of known construction the electric circuit through which is shown as controlled by a micro switch 147 the operating arm of which is actuated by a cam projection 148 which is mounted on the vertical oscillating shaft 38. The two valves 35 and 146 are shown as connected to any suitable source of vacuum by a manifold pipe 148.

As hereinbefore stated, after a cover has been placed on an anvil by the suction cup 29, the suction is relieved from the suction cup and the tubular arm 32 returns the suction cup into the position to receive the next cover; and simultaneously the suction cups 147 are moved into contact with the completed cover, suction is applied to the cups and the arm 144 is swung upwardly to remove the cover from the anvil as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 23. The suction is then relieved from the cups and the completed cover is dropped into a discharge chute or collection receptacle generally indicated at 150.

Simultaneously with the engagement of the suction cups with the cover, the finger 143 presses the cover section of the sifter into closed position as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

We claim:

1. A machine for inserting a sifter into an opening in a carton cover and for mounting on the cover a pouring spout having side flanges to be pushed edgewise through a zone of said cover, said machine comprising an anvil block to support a cover, means for feeding and applying a cover to said anvil block, and means including said anvil block for successively inserting a pouring spout into the cover, punching a sifter hole in the cover, pressing a sifter into said hole, and removing from the anvil the cover having the spout and the sifter therein.

2. A machine as defined in Claim 1, wherein there is a turret disk and a plurality of identical anvil blocks spaced apart thereon in a circular row, means rotating the disk step-by-step to move said anvils to successive stations at which are located respectively said means for feeding and applying a cover to an anvil block, means coactive with said anvil block for inserting a pouring spout into a cover, means coactive with the anvil block for punching a sifter hole, means coactive with said anvil block for pressing said sifter into said hole, and means for removing a finished cover from the anvil block.

3. A machine as defined in Claim 2, with the addition of means for feeding sifters in file formation step-by-step to said station for pressing a sifter into said hole in the cover.

4. A machine as defined in Claim 2 wherein the means for feeding and applying a cover to an anvil includes a supply chute through which the covers are fed in file formation, a suction cup, means for connecting and disconnecting said suction cup respectively to and from a source of suction and means for moving said suction cup alternately in opposite directions to contact, pick up the leading cover from said chute and apply the cover to the anvil, respectively, in timed relation to the step-by-step rotation of the turret disk.

5. A machine as defined in Claim 4 wherein the means for removing a finished cover from an anvil includes a second suction cup movable simultaneously and in the same directions and by the same means as the first-mentioned suction cup to contact a finished cover on an anvil upon movement of the suction cup in one direction and lift the cover from the anvil upon movement in the opposite direction, and means for connecting and disconnecting said second suction cup respectively to and from a source of suction upon movement in said second suction cup in said directions respectively.

6. A machine as defined in Claim 1, wherein there is a turret disk and a plurality of identical anvil blocks spaced apart thereon in a circular row each having a hole therein, means rotating the disk step-by-step to move said anvils to successive stations at which are located respectively said means for feeding and applying a cover to an anvil block, means at one station coactive with said anvil block for inserting a pouring spout into a cover, means at another station coactive with the anvil block for punching a sifter hole in said cover in register with said hole in the anvil block, means including a chute for feeding sifters in file formation and yielding means for interrupting movement of the leading sifter, a sifter feeding means at a subsequent station for moving said leading sifter from said chute and conveying the sifter to a position above said anvil block in oriented relation to said hole and for pressing said sifter into said hole in the cover, and means for removing a finished cover from the anvil block.

7. A machine as defined in Claim 6, wherein said sifter feeding means includes a feeding head movable horizontally between a first positionimmediately above said leading sifter, and a second position immediately above said hole in the anvil block at the last-mentioned station, said feeding head also being movable vertically at said first position and said second position to engage said sifter and to press said sifter into said hole in the cover, respectively, and there being means to cause said head to pick up said sifter at said first position and to release said sifter at said second position after the pressing of the sifter into said hole.

8. A machine as defined in Claim 7, wherein said feeding head has a face to contact said sifter and suction chamber having orifices leading therefrom through said face of said head, and means for application and relief of suction to and from said chamber in timed relation to contact of said head with the sifter on said chute and the insertion of the sifter into said hole in the cover, respectively.

9. A machine as defined in Claim 2 wherein each anvil block has a hole therethrough in register with a hole in the turret disk, and said means for punching a hole in said cover includes a die fixedly mounted at one station above said turret disk with a die opening in register with said hole in the anvil block at said station, a punch mounted for vertical movement from a point below said turret disk upwardly through said holes and into said die opening to cut the hole in said cover, and means so actuating said punch while each anvil block is at said station.

10. A machine as defined in Claim 1 wherein the means for inserting a pouring spout into the cover includes in addition to the anvil block supporting the cover, a main support having a guideway for a strip of flat blanks for spouts, means for feeding said strip through said guideway step-by-step, a die block fixed on said support at one side of said guideway and said strip, a complemental die block and a support block therefor carried by said main support plate at the other side of said guideway to reciprocate to and from said fixed die, said die blocks being formed to simultaneously bend the blank to form a body portion and arcuate side wings for a spout and to punch said body portion at the end of one step of movement of the strip upon movement of said reciprocable die toward the fixed die block, means for reciprocating said support block in timed relation to the step-by-step feeding of said strip, a guide channel into which a completed spout is inserted at each step of movement, and means including a ram mounted on and movable with said support block and operative upon movment of said support block, said movable die block and said ram toward said fixed die block to sever said completed spout from the strip in said channel and to push the spout through said channel and cause said wings to penetrate said cover, two opposite sides of said channel having inclined guide shoulders 12. A machine as defined in Claim 11 wherein the last-name means includes a rod between the last two stations slidably engageable by the closure section to swing said closure section toward closed position, and a finger on said means for removing a finished cover to press said closure section into closed position.

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