Take-out device for rotary blow molding machine and method

A take-out device for removing blow molded products from molds in a high speed rotary blow molding machine includes a plurality of transfer heads which are moved into and out of an ejection station to clamp logs or bottles stripped from the molds and move the logs or bottles away from the station toward a takeaway conveyor. The bottles or logs are turned ninety degrees before placement on a takeaway conveyor.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to devices and methods which remove blow molded products from between open mold halves and transport the products for subsequent processing and, particularly, to take-out devices for high speed vertical rotary blow molding machines where blow molded products are removed at high speed and reliably placed on takeaway conveyors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

High speed rotary blow molding machines are well known. These machines include a large number of molds arranged in a circle and rotated around the circle at a speed as high as 8½ revolutions per minute or possibly higher. A continuous parison or parisons are extruded between open mold halves, which close to capture parison segments in mold cavities. The captured parison segments are blown in the cavities and set to form blow molded products. The molds open at an ejection station and the products are stripped from between the mold halves by knock out rods.

In conventional high speed rotary blow molding machines the ejection station is located at the bottom of the wheel. After the blow molded products are stripped from the open mold halves by the knock out rods, the rods are withdrawn, the blow molded products are released from between the open mold and under the force of gravity fall away from the machine. The high rotation of velocity of the machine means that the freely released blow molded products travel at a high speed and fall downwardly and forwardly from the open molds. In one machine, the blow molded products fall into valleys in a rotating star wheel located below the ejection station. The products are collected in the valleys and, with rotation of the star wheel, are discharged onto a takeaway conveyor on one side of the wheel. In this machine, blow molded products may be discharged at sufficient velocity to bounce unpredictably off the star wheel as the star wheel stops the forward and downward motion of the bottles instantaneously. Additionally, the speed of the machine may be sufficiently great that the product cannot settle in the bottom of a star wheel valley before the star wheel is rotated to discharge the product on the takeaway conveyor. Both of the problems lead to improper placement of blow molded products on the takeaway conveyor.

In a conventional two parison machine, two blow molded products are simultaneously stripped from each mold and then released to gravity fall away from the mold at high speed. A takeaway device includes two tubular pneumatic tubes positioned to receive the ejected blow molded products and pneumatically convey the products to a takeaway conveyor. The tubes are maintained at negative pressure. In this device, both of the ejected blow molded products travel together toward the inlet ends of the pneumatic tubes. It is difficult to gravity drop each high speed product into the proper pneumatic conveyor tube.

In both the prior take-out devices, blow molded products ejected from high speed rotary blow molding machines are gravity dropped from between the molds and must be recaptured for proper placement on a takeaway conveyor. The star wheel device and the pneumatic conveyor device do not reliably recapture the ejected products to assure reliable placement on the takeaway conveyor.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved take-out device for reliably and rapidly transferring blow molded products from open molds of a rotary blow molding machine at an ejection station to a takeaway conveyor. The device should physically capture the blow molded products of a single parison or dual parison between the mold halves at the ejection station without abruptly changing the velocity of the product, move the captured product or products away from the mold without gravity release and place the captured product or products on a takeaway conveyor in a known position for subsequent processing. The take-out device should operate rapidly and reliably and have a capability of removing one or two blow molded products from as many as 204 or more molds per minute without injury to the blow molded products. In the case of a dual parison machine rotary blow molding machine, the take-out device should be capable of removing 408 blow molded products or more per minute from between molds and reliably placing the products on a takeaway conveyor. The take-out device should place the blow molded products on a conveyor extending from the bottom of the blow molding machine, under the ejection station, and away from the back of the blow molding machine rather than to one side of the blow molding machine. The take-out device should turn the blow molded products ninety degrees around their length during transfer from the ejection station to the conveyor in order to place the products across, rather than lengthwise, on the conveyor.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, of which there are eight sheets and two embodiments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is an improved high speed rotary take-out device for removing one or two blow molded products from open molds at an ejection station, turning the products ninety degrees during transfer and then placing the products on a takeaway conveyor extending out of the backside of the blow molding machine with the products extending across the conveyor. The take out device rotates parallel plates into open molds at the ejection station to either side of blow molded products stripped from the mold and then clamps the blow molded products between the plates as the knockout rods are retracted to assure that the blow molded products are positively captured and are not free for gravity movement out of the molds. The plates move at substantially the same velocity as the products when clamped.

After capture of the blow molded products by the take-out device between the plates, the plates are rotated out of the open molds, and are turned ninety degrees about their radial axis. Continued rotation of the device rotates the products to a takeaway conveyor where the products are cammed from between the plates and placed in compartments extending across a conveyor for transport away from the back of the blow molding machine.

When the blow molded products are captured at the ejection station, the instantaneous velocity of the plates capturing the products is identical or very nearly identical to the instantaneous velocity of the blow molded products in the molds. The blow molded products are captured with no or very little relative movement between the products and plates at the time of clamping. This assures positive transfer of the products from the molds to the plates. During transfer, the knockout rods may release the products slightly after the plates clamp the blow molded products. The flexibility of the blow molded products accommodates slight relative movement between the knockout rods and the plates during clamping. Clamping of the blow molded products in the open mold halves without gravity release of the products eliminates the problem of high speed recapture of gravity released blow molded products.

Dual parison vertical rotary blow molding machines extrude two parisons for capture in two mold cavities in each mold. The invention reliably removes blow molded articles from high speed rotary dual parison blow molding machines. The present take-out device for a dual parison rotary wheel reliably captures each dual parison blow molded product between a pair of spring biased plates and places each blow molded product in a known position on a takeaway conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-8illustrate a two parison vertical rotary blow molding machine10and a rotary take-out device12for simultaneously removing two logs from molds of machine10and placing the logs on takeaway conveyor14.

Blow molding machine10includes a frame (not illustrated) supporting twenty-four like blow molds16arranged in a circle around and supported by main shaft18. A drive (not illustrated) rotates the molds in a circle around the main shaft in the direction of arrow40. Each mold includes two mold halves moveable toward and away from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of the main shaft. Each mold half includes a radial inner recess20and an outer recess22. When the mold is closed, the recesses define radial inner and outer cavities for blow molding parison portions to form radial inner logs or products24and radial outer logs or products26. Each log includes two blow molded bottles28, a blow dome30joining the necks of the bottles and tail flash32extending outwardly from the bottoms of the bottles at each end of the log. As shown inFIG. 4, the tail flash on outer log26is longer than the tail flash of log24. Each log has a longitudinal axis.

Each mold16also includes a pair of knock out rods34for each log24,26. The rods34engage the tail flash for the logs and eject the logs to laterally spaced positions when the mold opens at ejection station36. See FIG.4.

Blow molding machine10includes a two parison extrusion head38. Head38continuously extrudes a pair of side-by-side parisons between the open mold halves. Following extrusion, the mold halves close on the parison and the captured parison segments are blown and cooled in the mold cavities so that the plastic sets to form logs24and26. The mold segments of each mold are opened prior to rotation of the mold to takeaway or ejection station36for removal of the logs by rotary take-out device12. The machine10may include an in mold labeling device located between take-out device12and parison extruder38for placing labels in mold recesses20and22. The open molds16are continuously rotated from the takeaway station past the in mold labeling device, if provided, past the parison extruder38and then close on the two parisons as previously described.

The blow molding machine10rotates molds16in the direction of arrow40shown inFIG. 10at 8½ revolutions per minute or at higher speeds. At 8½ revolutions per minute, machine10molds408logs per minute and a mold is rotated past the ejection station each 0.29 seconds. Rotary take-out device12removes the logs from each mold as it passes station36.

Device12is located below ejection station36of machine10and includes a rotary hub42mounted on horizontal support shaft44which extends parallel to main shaft18. The hub is continuously rotated by the drive of machine10in the direction of arrow44to assure proper timing and log removal. Hub42carries eight equally spaced, removable transfer heads46. The heads are rotated into open molds16at the ejection station, engage logs24and26between the open mold halves as shown inFIG. 5 and, upon retraction of the knock out rods34, rotate the logs away from the mold and turn the logs ninety degrees for placement on conveyor14.

Hub42includes a mounting and turning assembly48for each transfer head46. Assemblies48are spaced circumferentially around the hub. Each assembly48includes a support block50mounted on the hub between circular hub plates56rotatable with shaft44. Rotary head support shaft52is rotatably mounted on block50for rotation about a radius extending from the axis of shaft44. Head46extends radially outwardly from block50and is removably mounted on shaft52. The shaft carries pinion gear54. Plates56are located under the mold at ejection station36so that shaft52is centered equidistant between the open mold halves at ejection station36.

Hub42includes a third circular plate58mounted on shaft44outwardly of plates56. A fixed circular plate60supports circular cam62facing plate58. The cam includes a flat lower dwell surface64, flat upper dwell surface66and sloping rise surface68and fall surface70connecting the dwell surfaces.

Each assembly48includes a shaft72extending parallel to the axis of shaft44and through sleeve bearings on plates56and58as shown in FIG.6. Roller74is mounted on car76which in turn is mounted on the end of shaft72adjacent cam62. Spring78is confined between plate56and a collar on shaft72to hold roller74against cam62. Car76is held against rotation on shaft72by short alignment shaft80which parallels shaft72and extends through a sleeve bearing on plate58. Shaft72includes rack82which engages gear54. Movement of roller74up rise surface68turns shaft52and transfer head46ninety degrees as shown in FIG.2. Movement of roller74down fall surface70turns the shaft ninety degrees in the opposite direction to return the head to the initial position. The shaft and head do not turn during movement of roller74along the lower and upper dwell surfaces64and66.

FIG. 7illustrates cam62, the circumferential locations of the rise and fall surfaces68and70and the eight rollers74engaging the cam. Roller74shown inFIG. 6is located on the lower dwell surface64adjacent the lower end of rise surface68. The rollers move around cam62in the direction of arrow84.

As shown inFIG. 5, each transfer head46includes an arm support base86removeably mounted on and rotatable with shaft52. A flat thin support plate or paddle88extends radially outwardly from the outer end of base86. When the head is at the ejection station, plate88lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of hub shaft44and parallel to the adjacent faces of the mold halves. When the head is adjacent conveyor14, the plate is turned90degrees and lies in a plane extending through the axis. Plate88is located equidistant between the open mold halves at the ejection station36as illustrated. The plate88includes a central metal plate90and two outer plastic plates92which overlie the central plate. Plate90may be formed from aluminum. Plates92may be formed from polycarbonate plastic.

The transfer head includes two transfer arms94,96mounted on opposite sides of base86. Arm94includes a block98pivotally mounted on base86at bearing100and a flat, thin plate or paddle102overlying and generally paralleling plate88. Arm96includes a block112mounted on base86at bearing114and a flat, thin plate or paddle116overlying and generally paralleling plate88. When the head is at the ejection station plate102is adjacent one open mold half, plate116is adjacent the other open mold half and plate88is located centrally between the mold halves. Rotation of the arms94,96about bearings100,114pivots plates102,116toward and away from plate88. When the transfer head46is at the ejection station, plate102extends past adjacent mold recess22but does not extend past outer mold recess20and plate116extends past adjacent mold recess22and sufficiently past recess20to engage a log molded in the recess. The plates do not contact the mold halves during movement into and out from the molds.

Rounded cam follower104is mounted on block98inwardly of bearing100and faces away from base86. The inner end of base86includes a stop member106which engages adjustable stop108on block98to limit rotation of the arm moving plate102toward plate88. Spring110is confined between base86and block98below bearing100to bias the stop member toward the adjustable stop and plate102toward plate88.

Arm96includes a cam follower118, stop member120, adjustable stop122and spring124corresponding to the previously described members of arm94. Plates88,102and116are flat, thin and rectangular and have the same width, although other shapes and types of plates may be used.

Airflow passage126extends from a source from compressed air128to two nozzles129on the outer end of base86and to two nozzles131each located on one side of the base adjacent a plate102,116. Compressed air is flowed through nozzles129and131as required to dislodge debris that may collect on the end of the base or between the base and the plates and disrupt bottle take-out. Debris, typically plastic flash on head46can prevent proper takeaway of blow molded logs or bottles from molds. Manual removal of debris requires shutdown of the entire blow molding machine.

Take-out device12includes a pair of fixed, arcuate cams130each located in the path of movement of cam followers104and118as heads46are rotated to ejection station36. Cams130force the cam followers inwardly to rotate plates102and116away from plate88, increase the spacing between the plates and permit rotation of the separated plates to either side of the logs held between rods34as shown in FIG.3. Immediately following rotation of the spaced plates to either side of the logs, the cam followers fall away from cams130so that springs110and124are released to rotate plates102and116toward plate88and clamp the logs between the plates. The springs bias plates102and116against the logs. Stop members106and120limit the clamping force on the logs to prevent deformation of the set, but not yet fully stabilized, logs. The cam followers fall away from the cams130when the plates are in the 12:00 o'clock position as shown inFIGS. 2 and 5.FIG. 3illustrates the positions of the plates immediately prior to release and clamping of the logs. The logs are held in place between the mold halves by knockout rods34until the logs are clamped between the plates. Then, the knockout rods are rapidly retracted to complete transfer of the logs to head46for rotation with the head away from the blow molding machine.

Takeaway conveyor or discharge device14includes two laterally spaced endless belts132each having an upper run134moved downstream in the direction of arrow136shown in FIG.1. Each belt includes spaced sets of outwardly projecting lateral partitions or walls137defining two log receiving cavities174,176therebetween. Walls137on each belt are aligned to receive the end portions of logs discharged from device12, as shown in FIG.8. Belts132are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the plates88,102and116on transfer heads14.

The upstream ends of upper runs134are curved upwardly to generally follow the circumference of take-out device12. Rotation of the take-out device moves the outer ends of plates88and116a short distance above runs134with plate88in alignment with the center partition wall37of a group of walls on each belt. See FIG.2. The takeaway conveyor14includes two-fixed discharge cam bars138, each located below hub42and above one of the discharge conveyor belts. The discharge cam bars are located to either side of plates88,102and116.

Cam bars138include an ejection cam surface140extending diagonally across the rotary path of plates88,102and116from a radial inner upstream end142to a radial outer, downstream end144located above a belt132. Rotation of the plates in each transfer head past the takeaway conveyor moves the captured logs into engagement with the cam surfaces140and slides the logs radially along the plates and into pockets176between walls137. The cam bars also include lower dwell surfaces146extending from ends144of surfaces140parallel to runs134to the downstream ends of the bars148. Surfaces146are spaced above runs134slightly more than the diameter of the logs to hold the logs in the pockets.

The operation of the take-out device12and the takeaway conveyor for removing logs from open molds in machine10and placing the logs on the conveyor for processing will now be described.

The rotary drive for blow molding machine10rotates the hub and transfer heads of take-out device12counterclockwise as shown inFIG. 1in the direction of arrow44. The hub and transfer heads are rotated at a speed sufficient to position the plates of each transfer head between each open mold16at the ejection station to capture the logs from between the mold halves, rotate the logs out from between the mold halves, turn the logs ninety degrees about the radial axis of the transfer head and then place the logs in side-by-side parallel positions in compartments on the takeaway conveyor. Blow molding machine10has 24 molds and may rotate at a speed of 8½ revolutions per minute. Correspondingly, the take-out device hub42rotates at a speed of 25½ revolutions per minute.

Referring now toFIG. 2, transfer head “A” is located ninety degrees upstream from the ejection station36. At this position, the roller74for transfer head “A”, identified as “B” inFIG. 7, has moved nearly to the bottom of fall surface70and the rack and pinion drive82,54has nearly turned head “A” to a position where the three plates88,102and116on the head lie in planes perpendicular to the axes of main shaft18and take-out device shaft44. Further rotation of the take-out device moves roller “B” to the lower dwell surface64to turn the plates into planes perpendicular to shafts18and44. This occurs before the plates are rotated into open mold “C” approaching station36. Also, the cam followers104and118engage cams130and pivot the plates102and116away from plate88to the position shown inFIGS. 3 and 4before the plates are rotated into the open mold. Continued rotation of the take-out device moves the spread plates into the space between the open mold “C” as mold “C” moves to station36. During this movement, the plates88,102and116do not engage the mold halves or the knockout rods34which hold the logs in the staggered positions as illustrated.FIGS. 3 and 4illustrate the positions of the three plates between the open mold halves at the ejection station. The central plate88extends between the two supported logs24and26, plate102extends between log26and the adjacent mold half and plate116extends between log24and the other adjacent mold half. At the position ofFIG. 2, the cam followers104and118move out of engagement with cams130so that springs110and124rotate plates102and116to clamp the logs against the central plate. The logs may be clamped against the central plate shortly before, during or shortly after retraction of rods34, thus preventing free movement of the logs. During clamping, the ends of the two bottles28and tail flash32may flex elastically. Retraction of the rods releases the tail flash and permits the ends of the logs to return to their preflex shape. The logs are reliably clamped between the plates without abrupt change in their direction of movement.

After the logs have been captured between the plates, continued rotation of the take-out device12moves the captured logs and plates holding the logs out from between the open mold halves without contacting the mold halves. When the plates and held logs are completely withdrawn from between the mold halves, the roller74for the transfer head holding the logs is moved up rise surface68to turn the head46ninety degrees about the radial axis of the head and turn the axes of the logs parallel to the axis of shaft44and the plates to planes parallel to or intersecting the axis of shaft44. The roller74moves onto the upper dwell surface66to complete turning of the transfer head before the plates and logs are moved to the take-out conveyor14.

During transfer of logs24and26from a mold in machine10to take-out device12, log26is transferred from a radial outer mold cavity to a radial inner position on device12and log24is transferred from a radial inner mold cavity to a radial outer position, that is, outwardly from log26.

Continued rotation of the take-out device brings the ends of now inner log26into engagement with cam surfaces140to slide the log radially outwardly past plates88and102and then deposit the log in the adjacent compartments174on the takeaway belts. The ends of log24also engage cam surfaces140to slide the log into compartments176on belts132upstream from compartments174.

Continued rotation of the take-out mechanism moves the ends of the logs along dwell surfaces146on cam bars138. These surfaces parallel the upper runs of belts132. The dwell surfaces146hold the logs in the two compartments between walls137as the plates are rotated away from the conveyor belt leaving the logs in the compartments. Takeaway conveyor14conveys the logs downstream for further operations, typically trimming away of the blow dome and tail flash.

As soon as the plates88,102and116have been rotated away from cam bars138the roller74for the transfer head moves down fall surface70to turn the transfer head ninety degrees back to the position where the three plates lie in planes perpendicular to the axes of shafts18and44, thus completing a cycle of operation.

The high rotational speed of blow molding machine10rotates logs24and26to the ejection station at high speeds. The speeds are sufficiently great that if the logs were released from the molds for free movement, impact with fixed members could damage the logs and render them unusable. Further, the logs bounce unpredictably making capture and placement on a conveyor difficult. Take-out device12prevents free movement of the logs during takeout from molds by capturing the logs at the ejection station at or extremely soon before or after retraction of the knock out rods releases the logs from the mold. The logs do not fall free out of the molds. The logs are clamped between the plates in a known position without abruptly changing their direction of movement.

Transfer of the logs from the heads46and placement onto the takeaway conveyor14is performed without release of the logs and with minimal frictional engagement between the logs and the clamp plates. Log24is blow molded in a radially inward mold cavity, is held between the ends of plates88and116and is slid a short distance to the ends of the plates during discharge to the takeaway conveyor. Log26, blow molded in the radially outwardly mold cavity, is slid a short distance along plates88and102before discharge. Plate102is shorter than plates88and116to reduce possible wear between the log and the plates during discharge. The outer end of plate102is spaced a distance above the adjacent wall137less than the diameter of the log to ensure the log is positively transferred to compartment174.

FIGS. 9 and 10illustrate a second embodiment rotary takeaway device150for use in removing single blow molded bottles from a vertical rotary blow molding machine152and placing the bottles on takeaway conveyor154. Blow molding machine152is like blow molding machine10with exception that a single parison extrusion head is provided and the molds each define a single cavity for blow molding a single bottle or product156. The bottle is elongate and defines a longitudinal axis.

Takeaway device150includes a hub158identical to hub42except that different single bottle transfer heads160are mounted on the eight mounting and turning assemblies spaced around the hub. The transfer heads160are mounted on the mounting and turning assemblies like previously described assemblies48. Each transfer head160includes an arm support base, like previously described base86, and a pair of clamp arms, like previously described clamp arms94and96. The clamp arms include plastic clamp plates162and164, like previously described plates102and116, except that these plates are equal in length. A central plate, like plate88, is not provided. Heads160also include an airflow passage and nozzles like passage126and nozzles130and132, previously described.

Device150also includes a pair of cams166, like previously described cams130, for spreading apart plates162and164when they rotate into the open mold at ejection station168. The cams release plates162and164to engage a bottle156as previously described. Knockout rods locate the bottles centrally between the open mold halves.

The takeaway conveyor includes two laterally spaced endless belts178with upper runs186which extend around and then away from the outer circumference of device150, like takeaway conveyor14previously described. Pairs of spaced walls or partitions170define single compartments180spaced along both belts. Rotation of the take-out device150moves blades162and164between the two belts, as shown in FIG.10.

Discharge cam bars172, like previously described cam bars138, are located between the drum of device150and the takeaway conveyor belts. The cam bars include an angled discharge surface182and a flat dwell surface184extending along the conveyor belts.

Device150operates like device12with the exception that a single bottle is extracted from each mold by each transfer head. Also, the bottle is clamped between two plates162,164which are each biased toward the other, rather than being clamped against a single, fixed central plate. The plates move into the open mold without engaging the mold or the bottle. The plates and bottle move out of the mold without engaging the mold.

If desired, device150may be modified to substitute a fixed plate for one of the plates162or164such that the fixed plate and the single pivoted plate would be rotated into the mold to either side of a bottle at the ejection station. The spring biased plate would then clamp the bottle against the fixed plate and the bottle would be rotated outwardly from between the mold, as previously described.

The mounting and turning assemblies of hub158turn the heads and extracted bottles ninety degrees prior to movement to the takeaway conveyor154, as previously described. Additionally, the assemblies turn the plates back to the take-out position, in planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation, before rerotation into an open mold half at the ejection station for extraction of a following bottle, again as described previously.

Rotation of a bottle held between plates162and164into the take-out conveyor brings the bottle into engagement with cam surfaces182to move the bottle radially outwardly and into a compartment180between a pair of adjacent walls170. The cam dwell surface184holds the bottle in the compartment as the plates are rotated away from the conveyor. The bottle is held near the ends of the plates to minimize frictional wear against the plates during placement on conveyor154. Machine152and take-out device150operate at the same high speed as machine10and device12.

Disclosed take-out devices remove either blow molded logs or blow molded bottles from a blow molding machine and place the logs or bottles on a takeaway conveyor. As used herein, “blow molded product” includes blow molded bottles, logs and other products formed by blow molding

The disclosed paddles or plates88,102,116and162and164are relatively thin, flat plates which are moved into the space between the molds at the ejection station to capture and remove one or two blow molded products. The disclosed plates or paddles may be formed from thin polycarbonate plastic sheets or from aluminum plates with overlying plastic or from other materials. Obviously, other types of plates may be used within the scope of the invention. For example, “plates” or “plate” as used herein include other members which may be moved into open mold halves for clamping and withdrawing blow molded products from between the mold halves. For instance, plates may include a plurality of spaced rods or wires. Plates may include woven members capable of clamping and withdrawing blow molded products. The plates need not be flat, rectangular, or of equal size. The plates may be curved so long as the plates can be moved into an open mold to clamp and withdraw blow molded products.

Take-out devices12and150each include a plurality of transfer heads146,160which are rotated into open mold halves at ejection stations, clamp blow molded products in the mold between two plates and are then rotated from the mold halves to the takeaway conveyor. Clearly, other types of non-rotary drives may be used to move the transfer heads into the open mold halves and from the mold halves to the takeaway conveyor. For instance, the transfer heads could be mounted on a chain moving between the ejection station and the conveyor so that successive heads are moved into open molds at the ejection station and are then carried along the chain to the conveyor for placement of the products on the conveyor. Other types of drives for the transfer heads may be used if desired. Additionally, the logs may be placed longitudinally along the conveyor, rather than turned ninety degrees to the conveyor and placed transversely on the conveyor as disclosed.

While we have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of our invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.