US3696493A

US3696493A - Aerosol valve assembly locating and setting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3696493A
Application number: US101504A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Leonard
Original assignee: Kartridg Pak Co
Current assignee: Kartridg Pak Co
Priority date: 1970-12-28
Filing date: 1970-12-28
Publication date: 1972-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-10

Abstract

An apparatus for locating and setting valve closure cap assemblies on aerosol containers which apparatus is adapted to be combined with a horizontal bottom conveyor for advancing the containers in upright position to a locating and setting station where there is mounted an overhead locating wheel with a peripheral groove for engaging the valve carrying closures and locating the assemblies in the top openings in the containers and associated guide members for assisting in the proper locating of the assemblies and for guiding and steadying the containers while the assemblies are located in the openings and subsequently forced down in seating relation on the rims defining the openings by a setting wheel which is mounted immediately adjacent the locating wheel in the path of advance of the containers.

Description

United States Patent Leonard [4 1 Oct. 10,1972

[72] Inventor: George E. Leonard, A Davenport,

Iowa 73 Assignee: The Kartridg Park 130., Davenport,

} Iowa 22 Filed: Dec.28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 101,504

[5 2] US. Cl. ..29/208 B [51] Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/04 [58] Field of Search.29/208 B, 211R, 208 R, 208 D,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,054,170 9/1962 Benichasa et al. ..29/208 B Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney-Greist, Lockwood, Greenawalt & Dewey [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for locating and setting valve closure cap assemblies on aerosol containers which apparatus is adapted to be combined with a horizontal bottom conveyor for advancing the containers in upright position to a locating and setting station where there is mounted an overhead locating wheel with a peripheral groove for engaging the valve carrying closures and locating the assemblies in the top openings in the containers and associated guide members for assisting in the proper locating of the assemblies and for guiding and steadying the containers while the assemblies are located in the openings and subsequently forced down in seating relation on the rims defining the openings by a setting wheel which is mounted immediately adjacent the locating wheel in the path of advance of the containers.

19 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMH IM 3.696.493

SHEET 1 OF 4 $21 I n: 1' v} 55 INVENTOR 5 GEORGE E. LEONARD PATENTEDucI 10 1912 saw 2 BF 4 R w W W GEORGE E. LEONARD PKTENTEMBT 10 um sum a nr 4 INVENTOR m m 0 A E L. E E 6% m, E G

PKTENTED 10 3,696,493

sum u 0F 4 I IN VENTOR GEORGE E. LEONA RD AEROSOL VALVE ASSEMBLY LOCATING AND SETTING APPARATUS This invention has to do with the packaging of products in aerosol containers and is more particularly concerned with improvements in apparatus for properly locating valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the top openings of aerosol containers and for properly seating the closure caps on the rims defining the openings in the containers so as to insure proper sealing by subsequent crimp sealing apparatus.

The machinery which has heretoforexbeen employed in setting valve and closure cap assemblies in the top openings of aerosol containers has generally employed a wheel or the like for forcing the closure caps down into the container top openings which could not seat a valve assembly which was notalready piloted into the opening of the container. Some apparatus has been designed for performing this operation which has involved the use of internal conical heads mounted to come down in timed relation onto the containers and thus locate and seat the valves in the valve assemblies in the openings. However, apparatus of this type has proven to be bulky, expensive, slow in operation. and inefficient. It is a general object, therefore, of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for locating and seating valve assemblies on aerosol containers which is simple, highly efficient, capable of relatively high speed operation and relatively inexpensive to build.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for setting random deposited valve and closure cap assemblies in the top openings. of aerosol containers at a relatively high-speed which employs a setting wheel without the need forpiloting the assemblies into the container openings.

A further object of the invention is toprovidevan ap paratus for setting valve and closure cap assemblies in the open tops of aerosol containers wherein the containers, which may be random spaced, are advanced continuously past setting wheels and associated guide means for steadying and guiding the containers and for insuring that the valve assemblies are in proper position for effective operation of the locating wheel and the associated setting wheel so as to properly seat each successive valve assembly as the containers are advanced beneath the same.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the apparatus which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for locating and setting valve assemblies in aerosol containers which embodies therein the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1, to a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, to a still larger scale, and with portions broken away;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

The apparatus in the form shown (FIGS. 1 to 3) is supported on an upright-stand or frame 10 which has a mechanism 12 mounted at the base for positioning the same for association with a conveyor 14 on the top run of .which aerosol containers or-receptacles R advance to the valve assembly placing and setting station where the present apparatus is located, with drive connections for operating the apparatus in synchronism with the advance of the conveyor top run 15 on which the aerosol containers R are supported and advanced. The apparatus 16 for placing and setting the valve assemblies V is supported on the upper end of the stand 10 and is operative to place and set successive valve assemblies V which are loosely positioned in random arrangement in the open tops T of the containers R as they are advanced to the apparatus. Each of the valve assemblies V comprises a valve mechanism (not shown) mounted in a closure cap C with a depending dip tube (not shown) which is positioned in the container and an upstanding valve operating button B.

The placing and setting apparatusl6 (FIGS. 1 to 4) comprises holddown and steadying mechanism'l8 for the tops of the containers R while they pass successively beneath a mechanism, indicated at '20 in'FlG. l, for initially I positioning successive valve assemblies -V either centered in the top opening in the container. R or resting on the trailing edge thereof, a valve placing wheel 22 and a valve setting wheel '24, the latter forcing the closure cap C down into properly seated position on the container top when the valve assembly V has been properly located or placed onthe container top.

When the apparatus is positioned for operation in a filling line, the base of the stand 10is disposed so that the top run -15'(FIGS. 1 and 3) of the conveyor 14 on which the containers R are advanced is supported on inturned flanges 26, 26' at the top'ofparallel spaced

vertical plates

27, 27 which form part of the supporting frame-for the conveyor 14 on which form a bracket structure 28 extending forwardly of the front face of the stand 10 and adapted for incorporation in the conveyor frame. A drive shaft 30 is journaled in the bracket structure 28 which carries a sprocket assembly pulley 33 on the other end of the shaft 30. A cross bar 32 holds the bottom run of the conveyor 14 in engagement with the sprocket assembly 31. The main frame portion of the stand 10 includes parallel

vertical members

34, 34 which are connected in sliding relation to the frame structure 28 with bolts 35 on frame 28 operating in vertical slots 36, 36' in the frame members 34, 34' for holding or clamping the T-shaped main portion of the stand 10 in adjusted position so as to accommodate'containers of different size.

The mechanism 18 (FIGS. 1 to 4) for steadying the tops of the containers R comprises a pair of laterally spaced, holddown bars or plates 38, 38' carried in vertically disposed parallel relationship on shafts 40 and '41 at opposites ends of the

plates

38, 38. The

shafts

40, 41 are journaled in bearings 42, 43 mounted on the top of a horizontally disposed, vertically movable or adjustable frame structure 44 which is supported on the upright main frame of the stand 10. The cross frame 44 is slidably mounted on the

upright frame members

34, 34 and connected for vertical adjustment with a horizontally disposed parallel top cross frame member 45 fixed on the upper ends of

vertical frame members

34, 34, both

frame members

44 and 45 being in the plane of the

vertical frame members

34, 34. The holddown bars 38, 38' support pairs of

pulleys

46, 46 and 47, 47' at the opposite ends which are in parallel, vertical planes and carry endless belts 48, 48'. The

pulleys

46, 46 and 47, 47 are attached to bearing sleeves 50 which are joumaled in the

holddown plates

38, 38 and which are keyed to the

shafts

40 and 41 for adjustment axially of the latter. The plates 38, 38' are connected by right and left hand threads with adjusting screws 51, 51' each of which is rotatably anchored at its inner end to the cross frame 44 (FIG. 7).

Each of the shafts 51 and 51' carries at its anchored end a sprocket 52, 52' and each shaft has an

operating knob

53, 53 for manual adjustment of the spacing of the holddown plates 38, 38' which are connected to the adjusting

screws

51, 51 in threaded relation so that operation of the screws moves the plates 38, 38' and the

holddown belts

48, 48 carried thereon toward and from each other. The sprockets 52, 52' are connected by a movement equalizing chain 54. The

belts

48, 48 are guided in a horizontal plane by a plurality of small, peripherally grooved pulleys 55, each of which is supported along the inside bottom edges of the

holddown plates

38, 38 on small pin shaft assemblies 56. The belts 48, 48' are adjusted laterally as shown in FIG. 3 to engage on the top edge of the bead normally found at the top of the side wall of aerosol containers R so as to hold the tops of the containers R for travel at a uniform elevation and in a straight line path.

I The cross frame member 44 which supports the

holddown plates

38, 38 and associated holddown mechanism is connected for vertical adjustment with thetop cross frame member 45 by means of a pair of adjusting

screws

57, 57 which are joumaled in the top cross frame 45 and have a threaded connection, as shown at 58 in FIG. 3, with the frame 44 so that rotation of the

screws

57, 57 raises and lowers the frame 44 relative to the cross frame member 45. The adjusting

screws

57, 57 each have a manually operable knob 59, 59' on the top thereof and each carries a sprocket 60, 60' for a chain 61 which synchronizes the movement of the screws. A chain tensioning sprocket 61 is provided for the chain 61.

At the entrance end of the apparatus, vertically disposed, laterally spaced,

side guide plates

62, 62 are mounted on an angle bracket 63 which extends outwardly of the end of frame cross member 45. The guide plates 62, 62' have parallel, vertically disposed, laterally spaced, straight

side guide portions

64, 64 and outwardly flared diverging entrance portions 65, 65'. The straight portions 64, 64' extend longitudinally of the apparatus to a point near the placing wheel 22 and have a lateral spacing or separating dimension slightly greater than the diameter of the closure cap C so as to center the valve assemblies V for travel in a longitudinally straight line. An air nozzle 66 is supported, by means of the small bracket 67 and the larger bracket 63, on the center line between the flared ends 65, 65' of the guide plates 62, 62' so that an air jet is applied to the valve assembly V tending to urge the same in a forward direction. A pair of pull back spring arms 70 and 70' are mounted at one end on the bracket 63 and extend to a point adjacent the placing wheel 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Each of the pull back members 70 comprises a relatively narrow length of flat spring material bent to provide a relatively short straight end section 71 which is disposed to engage the top of the cap C. The one spring pull back member 70 is provided on the bottom face of the end section 71 with a button-like projection 73 which may be provided by a rivet head, for example. The projection 73 will exert a sufficient pull on the top of the cap C to pull back any cap which is hung up on the forward edge of the container opening so as to either center the cap in the opening or draw it back onto the trailing edge of the same. This insures that the cap C is either centered in the opening or sitting on the back edge thereof so that it will be brought forward and centered in proper position for seating by operation of the faster traveling placing wheel 22.

The wheel 22 for placing the valve assemblies comprises a rim forming cylindrical member which is mounted on a hub 81 by means of a plurality of curved spring spokes 82. The hub 81 is carried on a shaft 83 which is joumaled in the top cross bar 45 of the main frame with the back end thereof extended and carrying a drive pulley 85 and a sprocket 86. The wheel rim 80 has a circumferentially extending, peripheral recess 87 which is in .the form of a groove with a generally V- shaped cross section and with the outer edges shaped, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, so as to accommodate button B of the valve assembly and to press down on the margins of caps C with sufficient resilient pressure to start the caps C onto the beaded edge of the container opening. The placing wheel 22 is driven at a linear speed which is greater than the speed of advance of the container so as to frictionally grip the top of the cap and move it forwardly into position if it is riding on the trailing end of the opening. The V-groove 87 is shaped so as to engage the rim of the cap C at 88 and 88' and exert a longitudinal opposing force as well as a downward force that combines to make the frictional force greater than the force resisting the sliding action of the assembly on the top of the container.

The setting wheel 24 which is designed to force, the cap down into proper position for clinching on the mouth rim is a solid wheel structure with a peripheral groove or recess for accommodating the button B mounted on the end of shaft 91 which is joumaled in cross bar member 45 and extends at the rear end of the frame to receive sprocket 92 for connection by means of chain 93 with sprocket 86 on the placing wheel shaft 83. This connection results in driving wheel 24 at a linear speed corresponding to the speed of advance of the containers on conveyor 14. The wheel 24 may be formed of axially spaced plates as shown or it may be solid with the peripheral surface recessed similar to that of the placing wheel rim 80 so as to provide a groove 94 on the cap engaging periphery which accommodates the button 80.

To avoid any tendency of the valve assembly V rising out of the container top opening after being placed therein by the placing wheel 22, a holddown shoe assembly 95 is provided between the

wheels

22 and 24. This comprises a pair of vertically disposed, laterally spaced

plate members

96, 96 which are mounted at the lower end of a support bar 97. The support bar 97 depends from an angle bracket 98 which is secured on the top cross piece 45.

Power is supplied for driving the

wheels

22 and 24 and the belts 48, 48' by the pulley 33, which is carried on the shaft 30, and the drive belt 100. The belt 100 passes around pulley 33 and down around a pair of

idler pulleys

101, 101 which are mounted on the back of members 34, 34' of the vertically adjustable main frame 10. At one side of the main frame the belt 100 extends upwardly along the vertical member 34 and around the pulley 85 on the placing wheel shaft 83 and then down around the idler pulley 102 which is mounted on the back of the cross frame 44. The belt 100 then runs to drive pulley 013 on the shaft 41 for driving the belts 48, 48' and around an idler pulley 104 and finally down along the vertical member 34 on the other side of the frame to the idler pulley 101. This drive arrangement permits vertical adjustment of the main frame 10 and also adjustment of the cross frame 44.

The main frame 10 is connected for vertical adjustment relative to the bracket assembly 12 by a vertically extending screw 105 (FIG. 1) which is journaled at its upper end at 106 in the top cross frame 45 and has a threaded connection at 107 with a fixed member 108 on the bracket assembly 12. A handle 109 on the upper end of screw 105 enables the latter to be turned manually to adjust the height of the apparatus 16 in order to accommodate different size containers.

In operating the apparatus the containers R, with valve assemblies V disposed in the mouths thereof in random arrangement, are advanced on the conveyor run to the placing and setting station where the caps, on which the valve mechanisms are carried, are aligned longitudinally by the

guide plates

62, 62 and pass beneath the holddown spring members 70, 70 to the placing wheel 22. The holddown springs 70, 70 exert a drag on the caps so that a cap hung up on the leading edge of a container mouth will be pulled back either into the mouth or onto the trailing edge of the latter. The placing wheel 22 is driven at a linear speed which is greater than the advance of the containers and is resiliently urged downwardly, pulling the cap which is on the trailing edge forwardly into the mouth and simultaneously starting the cap downwardly into the container mouth so that it is positioned for proper seating. If the cap is centered in the container mouth the wheel 22 merely starts it down into seating position. The guide plates 96, 96' prevent the caps from rising out of position as they advance and pass beneath the seating wheel 24 which presses the caps down into position for a subsequent clinching or sealing operation.

lclaim:

1. An apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the rimmed top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, locating and setting wheels mounted in spaced relation at said station, said wheels being disposed so as to engage and press downwardly the caps on the successive assemblies as they'are advanced beneath he same, and associated means at said station for aligning the valve assemblies and guiding the same into a position on the tops of the containers for engagement by the placing and setting wheels so that downward pressure applied by said placing and setting wheels thereon will properly position and seat the caps in container openings for subsequent sealing thereon.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided for cooperation with said container supporting conveyor means to hold the containers in alignment as they advance beneath the locating and setting wheels.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for holding the containers in alignment comprises a pair of laterally spaced holddown belts extending parallel to the path of the container supporting conveyor means at said station which are positioned to engage the tops of the containers.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein holddown belts are carried on a series of grooved back up rollers which are closely spaced along the path of the containers at said station.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for aligning the valve assemblies comprises parallel, vertically disposed, laterally spaced guide plates mounted at the infeed side of the locating and setting station and adjacent said locating wheel.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for aligning the valve assemblies comprises a resilient holddown member mounted above the path of advance of the valve assemblies in position to frictionally engage the top portions of said assemblies.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for aligning the valve assemblies comprises an elongate spring member mounted above the path of advance of the valve assemblies and having a free end disposed to frictionally engage top portions of an assembly positioned in a container mouth so as to exert a restraining force on he same and pull the assembly in a direction opposite the direction of advance thereof.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a holddown device is positioned between the locating and setting wheels which engages the top of each successive valve assembly so as to hold the same in place during transfer from the locating wheel to the setting wheel.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for aligning said valve assemblies comprises a member for frictionally engaging top portions of successive valve assemblies so as to exert a drag thereon for moving assemblies toward the trailing edge of the container mouth, and means is provided for driving the locating wheel at a linear speed greater than the speed of the container conveyor means so as to pull valve assembly forwardly into the container mouth.

10. An apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, an upright T-shaped support frame at said station, locating and setting wheels mounted in spaced relation on the top cross bar of said support frame, said wheels being disposedso as to engage and press downwardly the caps on successive assemblies as they are advanced beneath the same, associated means mounted on the top cross bar of said support frame for aligning the valve assemblies and guiding the same into a position on the tops of the containers fro engagement by the placing and setting wheels so that downward pressure applied by said placing and setting wheels thereon will properly position and seat the caps in container openings for subsequent sealing thereon, a bottom cross bar mounted for vertical adjustment on said sup port frame, and means on said bottom cross bar for engaging top portions of the containers carried on said container supporting conveyor means so as to hold the same against vertical movement.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said means for holding the containers against vertical movement comprises a pair of endless traveling belts mounted on said bottom cross bar for lateral adjustment which are adapted to be positioned to engage top portions of the containers on opposite sides of the mouth thereof.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said means for holding the containers against vertical movement comprises a pair of parallel shaft members journaled in spaced relation on said bottom cross bar and extending above said container supporting conveyor means, a pair of pulleys mounted on each of said shaft members, traveling endless belts mounted on said pulleys, the outermost pulleys being adjustable axially on said shafts, vertically disposed, parallel plates carried on said shaft members, small belt guiding pulleys mounted on said parallel plates for holding the bottom runs of said belts in a straight line so as to engage the tops of containers and hold them in line on said supporting conveyor means.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein drive means is provided for said locating and setting wheels and said container engaging belts which drive means includes a connection with said container supporting conveyor so that said wheels and said belts are driven in response to the driving of said container supporting conveyor.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said upright support frame is mounted for vertical adjustment relative to said container supporting conveyor and wherein drive mean is provided for said locating and setting wheels which drive means includes a connection with said container supporting conveyor so that operation of said container supporting conveyor drives said locating and setting wheels in synchronized relation with said container supporting conveyor.

15. An apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the rimmed top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, placing nd setting wheels mounted in spaced relation at said station, said wheels being disposed so as to engage and press downwardly the caps on the successive assemblies as they are advanced beneath the same, and means at said station for aligning the valve assemblies and positioning the same on the tops of the containers for engagement by the placing and setting wheels so that downward pressure applied by said placing and setting wheels thereon will start the caps downwardly in the top openings and seat the caps in the openings for subsequent sealing of the caps.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein means is provided for frictionally engaging the tops of the caps as they approach the placing wheel thereby to pull any caps which are resting on the leading edge of the opening in a rearward direction so as to drop the caps into the top openings or to position the caps on the rearward edges of the openings and wherein means is provided to drive the placing wheel at a linear speed which is greater than the speed of advance of the containers so as to move any caps which are positioned on the trailing edges of the openings into proper position in the container openings for seating therein.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for frictionally engaging the tops of the caps comprises a pair of spring fingers disposed in parallel, laterally spaced, longitudinal relation so that free ends thereof engage the tops of the caps and wherein one of said arms has a button-like member on he bottom face for engaging the cap so as to exert a drag thereon.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said placing wheel has a generally V-shaped peripheral groove with provision for resiliently engaging the rim of the closure cap so as to exert a frictional force thereon which is greater than the force resisting the sliding of the closure cap on the container and wherein means is provided for driving said placing wheel at a linear speed greater than he speed of advance of the containers so as to pull forward into the container top opening a valve and closure cap assembly which is resting on the trailing edge of the container opening.

19. In an apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the rimmed top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, a locating wheel mounted at said station, said wheel being disposed so as to engage and press downwardly the closure caps on the successive assemblies as they are advanced beneath the same thereby to start the caps downwardly in the top openings, said locating wheel having a generally V-shaped groove formation on the periphery thereof with side edge portions arranged to engage the rim of the closure cap of each assembly and exert a frictional force greater than the force resisting sliding of the closure cap on the container, and means for driving said locating wheel at a linear speed which is greater than the speed of advance of the containers whereby a closure cap assembly which is resting on the trailing side of the container top will be pulled forward into the container top opening by said locating wheel.

Claims

1. An apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the rimmed top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, locating and setting wheels mounted in spaced relation at said station, said wheels being disposed so as to engage and press downwardly the caps on the successive assemblies as they are advanced beneath he same, and associated means at said station for aligning the valve assemblies and guiding the same into a position on the tops of the containers for engagement by the placing and setting wheels so that downward pressure applied by said placing and setting wheels thereon will properly position and seat the caps in container openings for subsequent sealing thereon.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means is provided for co-operation with said container supporting conveyor means to hold the containers in alignment as they advance beneath the locating and setting wheels.

10. An apparatus for locating and setting valve and closure cap assemblies which have been deposited in random arrangement in the top openings of aerosol containers which apparatus comprises conveyor means for supporting containers in upright position and advancing the same to a locating and setting station, an upright T-shaped support frame at said station, locating and setting wheels mounted in spaced relation on the top cross bar of said support frame, said wheels being disposed so as to engage and press downwardly the caps on successive assemblies as they are advanced beneath the same, associated means mounted on the top cross bar of said support frame for aligning the valve assemblies and guiding the same into a position on the tops of the containers fro engagement by the placing and setting wheels so that downward pressure applied by said placing and setting wheels thereon will properly position and seat the caps in container openings for subsequent sealing thereon, a bottom cross bar mounted for vertical adjustment on said support frame, and means on said bottom cross bar for engaging top portions of the containers carried on said container supporting conveyor means so as to hold the same against vertical movement.