Patent ID: 8276741
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A bottle cap orienting apparatus comprising: a cap transfer assembly including a pair of horizontally extending spaced apart continuous transfer belts each having spaced belt sheaves positioned in driving communication within curved first and second ends of said transfer belt, said transfer belts having upright facing straight sides opposingly spaced apart to define a gap sized to be equal to or greater than a height of the bottle caps being fed in edge upright orientation into the gap; each of the transfer belts of said pair having a row of spaced apart suction holes extending along and above a lower edge of said transfer belt and a cap support surface of said transfer assembly; a vacuum source in fluid communication with an interior of said transfer belts for drawing air inwardly into said suction holes; said transfer belts moving the bottle caps positioned edgewise atop said cap support surface and between said straight sides from the first ends to said second ends, each open side of each cap being held by the vacuum suction against one of said suction holes; a cap stripper positioned at each of said second ends to detach each cap from the corresponding said transfer belt to which the cap is suction attached as it exits from said gap, all of the caps being oriented with the open ends of the caps facing in the same direction when being so detached.