Patent ID: 6158196
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B67B

Abstract:
A tool for capping containers with screw caps which said tool is mounted around a periphery of a rotating carousel with other identical said tools in a capping machine, said tool comprising:a gripping head with which the cap is gripped and screwed onto the container;a friction clutch having a driving part and a driven part connected to said gripping head;a first torquing device which screws the cap on the container at a lower screwing torque which is lower than a predetermined maximum screwing torque for the cap, said first torquing device includinga) a rotation means for providing axial rotation from rotary movement of the carousel to said driving part of said friction clutch, andb) a calibration mechanism by which the axial rotation of said rotation means provided to said driving means is calibrated to provide the lower screwing torque to said driven part and hence to said gripping head which lower screwing torque is lower than the predetermined maximum screwing torque for the cap; anda second torquing device which further screws the cap on the container to achieve a complete screwing of the cap on the container to the predetermined maximum screwing torque, said second torquing device includinga) a freewheel in axial alignment with said friction clutch and connected to said driven part,b) a non-rotating mechanism which is connected to said freewheel to impart to said freewheel a rotation and hence to rotate said driven part after the lower screwing torque is applied to the cap, andc) a static opposing means which is engaged by said non-rotating mechanism upon rotation of said freewheel on the carousel so that said freewheel which is initially at a rest position without any inertia and hence said gripping head are then rotated, by engagement of said non-rotating mechanism with said static opposing means, through an adjustable and predetermined angle to achieve a complete screwing of the cap on the container to the predetermined maximum tightening force.