Patent ID: 9139410
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: B67C

Abstract:
1. A processing machine for processing containers, said processing machine comprising a machine chassis, a plurality of rollers arranged around a machine axis of said processing machine, said rollers forming at least one mounting arrangement, at least one rotor mounted with the at least one mounting arrangement to be rotatable about the machine axis, and a plurality of processing stations provided on the rotor, at least one functional element interacting with the rotor or with the processing stations, and wherein at least the rollers are provided on a region of the mounting arrangement opposing said functional element such that said rollers are movable, wherein said rollers comprise a first set of rollers that comprises first rollers and a second set of rollers that comprises second rollers, wherein each roller belongs to at most one of said first and second sets, wherein said first rollers are disposed in a first region of said mounting arrangement, wherein said second rollers are disposed outside said first region, wherein said first rollers are fixed relative to said chassis, wherein, unlike said first rollers, said second rollers are movable relative to said chassis, wherein, as a result of being movable relative to said chassis, said second rollers are able to move in response to a displacement of said machine axis that results from a change in a diameter of said rotor, wherein said change in diameter of said rotor is a result of thermal expansion of said rotor, wherein, as a result of being fixed to said machine chassis, said first rollers remain fixed when a change in a diameter of said rotor causes a displacement of said machine axis, wherein said rotor and said at least one functional element contact each other at a tangent point, wherein said tangent point is at a first location prior to thermal expansion of said rotor, wherein, as a result of thermal expansion of said rotor, said tangent point moves to a second location that is separated from said first location by a distance that is greater than zero, and wherein, as a result of said first rollers remaining fixed, said distance is less than an extent of thermal expansion of said rotor.