Automated container closure opener

An automated container closure opener for screw-type bottle or container caps, lids, caps, covers and the like comprising a housing having a base portion and a relatively vertically movable top portion operatively connected thereto by at least one telescoping shaft. A first motorized drive is provided for actuating the telescoping shaft so as to vertically move the top portion of the housing relative to the base portion, and a second motorized drive is provided for rotatably actuating a bottle cap engagement member which depends from the top portion of the opener housing. A circuit serves to actuate the first motorized drive to lower the bottle cap engagement member from an inoperative position adjacent the top portion of the housing into engaging contact with the cap of a bottle and to then deactuate the first motorized drive and actuate the second motorized drive to at least partially remove the cap from the bottle.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates in general to a bottle or container closure 
opener. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated 
container closure opener device. 
RELATED ART 
A number of container or bottle opening devices are known in the art in 
order to assist an individual in removing the lid or cap from a bottle or 
container. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,919,014 and 4,762,029 to Chen 
disclose a bottle closure opener which provides a substantially automated 
bottle cap removal device. Upon actuation, a movable platform upon which 
the bottle is placed vertically rises until a bottle cap gripping unit at 
the top of the device engages the bottle cap. Upon contact with the bottle 
cap gripping unit, the vertical upward movement of the platform is 
terminated and the bottle cap gripping unit is caused to rotatably unscrew 
the cap from the bottle. 
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,650 to Cardinal discloses a jar lid loosening 
device of a somewhat similar configuration to the Chen device. The device 
includes a vertically movable table actuated by a first motor which serves 
to raise the jar into contact with a lid-receiving member which is 
configured so as to accommodate a range of different size lids. When the 
bottle has been elevated vertically upwardly so as to force the lid into 
secure engagement with the rotatable lid loosening element, a torque 
clutch slips to prevent excessive upward force. The operator then presses 
a switch to energize a second motor which rotatably drives the lid 
receiving element so as to loosen the lid from the bottle. Next, the 
operator releases the switch and moves the first switch from the up to the 
down position in order to lower the support table and to thereby remove 
the opened jar from the device. 
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,801 to Morrison and 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,158 to Merita. 
Although bottle cap removing or loosening devices are known in the art, 
these known devices all suffer shortcomings which are well known to those 
skilled in this art. Applicant has developed a novel fully automated 
container closure opener which is believed to be a significant advancement 
in the art and to meet a long-felt need for a reliable and fully automated 
container closure opener. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, applicant provides a bottle or 
container closure opener for use with screw-type bottle or container caps, 
lids, caps, covers, etc. and comprising a housing including a base portion 
with a rotatably fixed platform for supporting a bottle and a relatively 
vertically movable top portion positioned above the base portion. At least 
one telescoping shaft is provided to operatively connect the top portion 
to the bottom portion of the housing. A first motorized drive means 
carried by the top portion of the housing serves to actuate the 
telescoping shaft in order to vertically lower and raise the top portion 
of the housing relative to the base portion. 
A bottle cap engagement member is mounted on a rotatable shaft and depends 
from the top portion of the housing, and a second motorized drive means 
carried by the top portion of the housing is provided for rotatably 
actuating the bottle cap engagement member in the bottle cap loosening 
direction. Circuit means is utilized to actuate the first motorized drive 
means in order to lower the bottle cap engagement member from an 
inoperative position adjacent the top portion of the housing into engaging 
contact with the cap of a bottle positioned on the base portion of the 
housing and to then deactuate the first motorized drive means and to 
actuate the second motorized drive means in order to at least partially 
remove the cap from the bottle. 
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a fully 
automated container closure opener for easily and quickly loosening a 
screw-type cap from a bottle or container positioned thereon. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a container 
closure opener which is fully automated and thus does not require any 
additional operator activity after a bottle or container is placed thereon 
and the device actuated.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, the automated container closure opener is 
generally designated 10 therein. The baseplate 12 is a heavy foundation 
plate to provide support and stability for the rest of the device. 
Baseplate 12 has threaded holes (not shown) for attachment of renewable 
lower gripper 14 with suitable screws and two holes 12A and corresponding 
nuts 12B (see FIG. 4) for attachment of the bottom sections of the two 
telescoping elevator shafts 16. An upper housing 18 with an upper 
rotatable bottle cap gripper 20 is attached to the top of two telescoping 
elevator shafts 16. Depressing the start switch S on upper housing 18 
energizes elevator motor 22 which through gears 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D (see 
FIG. 5) turns gear-nuts 24 on the screw-threaded telescoping elevator 
shafts 16 so as to cause upper housing 18 to descend and clamp a bottle 
and cap between upper and lower grippers 14 and 20, respectively. 
Grippers 14 and 20 each have a covering layer of resilient elastomeric 
polymer of the type often popularly described as a form of silicon rubber, 
with a slightly gummy or adhesive rubber-like surface. Formulation of the 
upper gripper and lower gripper elastomeric elements may vary from each 
other to allow for the differences in size and texture of caps and 
bottles. 
Lower gripper 14 is stationary with relation to the base of the opener and 
attached to baseplate 12. The lower gripper 14 may incorporate a circular 
design or other suitably shaped design on its surface to aid the user in 
placing a bottle near the center of the gripper. 
Upper gripper 20 has a conical cap-engaging lower surface which is formed 
from an elastomeric material and a rigid support plate 21 therebehind. 
Upper gripper 20 is attached to a rotatable shaft 25 extending upwardly 
into housing 18. The engagement surface of gripper 20 opposes a bottle cap 
and as the upper housing descends, it contacts and squeezes down onto the 
cap of a bottle placed on lower gripper 14. The conical design of gripper 
20 also helps the gripper to center the bottle cap into the gripper 
surface for better application of the rotational force (to be explained 
later) to loosen the cap. That is, the cone shape of gripper 20 slides the 
bottle cap towards the center thereof as it descends onto the bottle cap. 
The two telescoping elevator shafts 16 formed of upper and lower sections 
16A and 16B, respectively, are helically threaded screws covered with 
smooth collapsible housings 26A-26C for safety and appearance. Shafts 16 
have two sections 16A, 16B which telescope together to allow the upper 
housing to move downward toward baseplate 12 a greater distance than would 
be possible with single rotatable shafts. In this fashion, it is 
contemplated that closure opener 10 can accommodate bottles of varying 
heights including a minimum size of about two (2) inches in height. This 
also provides advantages in compactness, appearance, cleanliness, and 
storage. 
The lower sections 16B of elevator shafts 16 are fixed to baseplate 12 by a 
square tang to prevent rotation, and nuts 12B hold sections 16B securely 
in position. The lower sections 16B of elevator shafts 16 are externally 
threaded with a coarse thread and the upper sections 16A of elevator 
shafts 16 are threaded both internally and externally so as to receive 
lower sections 16B therein. 
Gear-nuts 24 have internal threads with the same pitch as the external 
threads of upper sections 16A so as to mate with the upper sections of 
rotatable shafts 16, and the gear-nuts also have external teeth to mesh 
with gears 22B and 22D (see FIG. 5). Upper sections 16A of elevator shafts 
16 have stop collars 28 and screws 30 at their upper ends to prevent them 
from threading out of gear-nuts 24. 
The telescoping action of shafts 16 works in the following manner. An 
elevator motor 22 through gears 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D (see FIG. 5) turns 
gear-nuts 24 on upper shaft sections 16A so as to draw them upwardly into 
housing 18 and consequently to move housing 18 downwardly. When gear-nuts 
24 bottom on upper section 16A continued turning of gear-nuts 24 turns 
upper sections 16A in relation to lower sections 16B. This motion serves 
to draw upper sections 16A down over stationary lower sections 16B and 
also moves housing 18 downwardly until it bottoms or until motor 22 is 
stopped. It is unimportant if gear-nuts 24 move relative to upper sections 
16A first or if sections 16A move relative to sections 16B first since the 
telescoping action will be the same. 
An outer covering 26A-26C is provided over telescoping shaft sections 16A 
and 16B and is made of three telescoping sections of light plastic tube 
material wherein each section is of diminishing diameter so that they will 
telescope together. Upper outer covering sections 26A are fixed to upper 
housing 18 and the lowest sections 26C are fixed to baseplate 12. The 
center sections 26B move relative to both as shafts 16A and 16B telescope. 
The outer covering is primarily aesthetic, but it also protects the user 
from shafts 16 and makes cleaning easier. 
Upper gripper 20 is fixed to shaft 25 which extends upwardly through 
bearings 32 and 34 in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Gripper 20 and shaft 25 can 
rotate within bearings 32 and 34 as controlled by motor 36 through gears 
36A and 36B (as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the patent drawings). The 
gripper 20 and shaft 25 can move axially a limited distance within 
bearings 32 and 34 as well as upper bearing 38. As upper gripper 20 
descends onto the bottle cap, the upper gripper shaft 25 moves upward in 
bearings 32, 34 and 38, thus compressing sensor spring 40 between gear 36B 
fixed on shaft 25 and upper thrust bearing 38. Spring 40 is calibrated to 
compress to a selected value, usually between 10 and 50 pounds, to allow 
shaft 25 to rise a calibrated distance. Having moved that distance, it 
actuates switch 42 at the preset force. Switch 42 is positioned to be 
actuated from concentric ramp 25A at the top of gripper shaft 25. The last 
part of the upward vertical movement of shaft against the spring force 
actuates switch 42. Switch when actuated, disconnects elevator motor 22 
from its electricity source and in turn connects cap motor 36 to its 
electricity source. Cap motor 36, through its gearing, then turns upper 
gripper 20 with the now engaged bottle cap in order to loosen the cap. 
As the cap turns on the bottle, the cap follows the bottle thread upward 
and this causes the cap to rise an additional small distance. This rise 
forces upper gripper 20 upwardly a small additional distance against the 
resilient resistance of sensor spring 40 and actuates sensor switch 44 
from the same concentric ramp 25A of shaft 25. Switch 44 disconnects cap 
motor 36 from its electricity source thus stopping the cap loosening 
rotation of gripper 20. 
From this point where the bottle cap C is loose but still on the bottle B, 
elevator motor 22 will automatically be reconnected to its electrical 
source in a reverse direction in order to raise upper gripper 20 from cap 
C or, alternatively, the operator may press release switch s to engage 
elevator motor 22 in a reverse direction to release bottle B through 
operator control. 
Electric power is provided to the controls and driving mechanisms through 
an electric cord (not shown) entering the base and passing up through one 
of the telescoping posts to the control circuitry in the upper housing. 
Control Circuit 
A representative control circuit shown in FIG. 6 uses electromagnetic 
relays, electric motors, micro-action electric switches, and push button 
momentary manual switches. Most relays are multi-pole break-before-make 
type rated for continuous duty, and K3 most suitably comprises two (2) 
relays in parallel to provide six (6) form C contacts. The electric motors 
are continuous duty, reversible, sub-fractional horsepower, and 
self-limiting to withstand continuous stall. All of the individual 
components are easily available from common sources in the electrical 
control and component industry and would be well known to one skilled in 
the art. The circuitry could also be constructed using current 
state-of-the-art semiconductor circuitry and controls. 
In operation, pressing start button S energizes relay coil K1 through 
normally closed contacts on relays K4a and K5a. Relay K1 then seals itself 
in (maintains its own energizing path) through normally open contacts K1a, 
and normally closed contacts K5b. The path through start switch S, or its 
sealed-in bypass, also energizes elevator motor 22 in the forward 
direction through the normally closed contacts K2a, K3a, and K3b. Motor 22 
moves housing 18 downwardly to grip bottle cap C. 
When housing 18 and upper gripper 20 move the required distance, the 
mechanism actuates control switch SW1, which is normally open. Closing SW1 
energizes relay K2 which seals itself in through normally open contacts 
K2c and de-energizes elevator motor 22 by opening the normally closed 
contact K2a. 
Actuating relay K2 also closes its normally open contact K2b so as to 
energize cap motor 36 through normally closed contacts K3c. The cap motor 
turns until it actuates the cap sensor switch SW2. Closing the normally 
open sensing switch SW2 energizes relay K3 which seals itself in through 
normally open contacts K3d around the switch. Normally closed contacts K3c 
open so as to de-energize cap motor 36 and cause cap motor 36 to stop. 
Energizing relay K3 for the above cap motor control also operates the 
elevator motor reversing circuit which comprises the four contacts K3a 
normally open and normally closed, and K3b normally open and normally 
closed. Since K2 was previously energized and is still energized, its 
normally closed contact K2a is held open. Contact K3e bypasses open 
contact K2a to re-energize motor 22 in the reverse direction. The 
connection reverses motor armature current direction relative to its field 
polarity. The elevator motor operation in the reverse direction is just 
long enough to release the force on bottle B and release the bottle. 
Therefore, normally open contact K3f closes when elevator motor 22 starts 
in the reverse direction to initiate ten second delay relay K4. The delay 
action in the relay causes K4 to actuate ten seconds after it is 
energized. The ten second value is arbitrary to the design and is for 
purpose of example only and not for limitation. 
Finally, normally closed contact K4a opens to de-energize K1. When K1 
releases, it drops contact K1a which was held in to bypass or seal around 
the start switch and consequently turns off the whole control circuit 
system. Start switch S can re-initiate the whole sequence again from this 
point. 
It should also be understood that release switch R can be actuated to cause 
elevator motor 22 to move in the reverse (upward) direction at any time in 
the cycle to release the pressure on bottle B and cap C. The release 
motion continues only as long as the release switch R is held depressed. 
Pressing release switch R energizes relay K5 through the normally open 
momentary switch. K5 normally closed contact K5b opens around the start 
switch, and normally open K5b closes around the same start switch to give 
relay K5 the control and not relay K1. Normally closed contact K5a opens 
to release K1 completely. 
K5 normally open contact K5c closes around sensor switch SW2 to energize 
relay K3 as was done previously to stop cap motor 36 and energize elevator 
motor 22 in the reverse direction. K5 remains energized only while release 
switch R is held depressed. When the switch is released, K5 drops out 
releasing the bypass around start switch S and disconnecting the elevator 
motor circuit power and de-energizing all other controls, thus stopping 
all further action. 
Applicant would also note that while the sensing device in the preferred 
embodiment of the invention is essentially a cam and plunger actuating a 
pair of small electric switches mounted at the top of the upper housing, 
alternative constructions can use well known torque sensitive or torque 
limited electric motors wherein the sensed force is in proportion to motor 
current or motor speed. 
ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
Applicant also contemplates a second embodiment of the present invention 
wherein the drive mechanism is positioned within the lower housing of the 
automated container closure opener to provide a lower center of gravity 
and greater resistance to being inadvertently turned over by the user or 
other proximate person. 
Referring now to FIGS. 7-15 of the drawings, the automated container 
closure opener is generally designated as 50 therein. Lower gripper 52 
protrudes from the top of lower housing 54 and is fixed to shaft 56. 
Telescoping shafts 58A, 58B extend upward through lower housing 54 to 
upper platform 60 which has upper gripper 62 fixedly attached. Shafts 58B 
are firmly secured to upper platform 60 with appropriate fastening devices 
such as nuts 64 and washers 66. 
Depressing START switch 68 on lower housing 54 energizes elevator motor 70 
which through gears 72A-72C turns gear-nuts 74 on screw-threaded 
telescoping elevator shafts 58A so as to cause shafts 58A to descend so as 
to clamp bottle B with cap C between upper and lower grippers 62 and 52, 
respectively. 
Grippers 62 and 52 each have a cover layer of resilient elastomeric polymer 
of the type often popularly described as a form of silicon rubber, with a 
slightly gummy or adhesive rubber-like surface. Formulation of the upper 
and lower gripper elastomeric elements may vary from each other to allow 
for the differences in size and texture of caps and bottles. Upper gripper 
62 has a bottle closure-engaging surface formed from the elastomeric 
material which is attached to a rigid, slightly concave, support 62A. 
Support 62A is firmly fixed to upper platform 60 and is stationary with 
relation to it. The conical design of upper gripper 62 accommodates a firm 
holding grip on a wide variety of types and sizes of caps. Lower gripper 
52 similarly has a bottle engaging upper surface formed from elastomeric 
material attached to a firm backing member 52A. Shaft 56 with lower 
gripper 52 attached can rotate as a unit and can also move vertically, as 
described hereinafter, to open bottle B. 
Bottle B rests on the upper engagement surface of lower gripper 52. When 
START switch 68 is actuated, upper platform 60 descends; upper gripper 62 
contacts cap C and squeezes down onto bottle B and cap C, pushing bottle B 
firmly into lower gripper 52 and pushing cap C firmly into upper gripper 
62. The conical design of upper gripper 62 also helps the gripper to 
center bottle B in the gripper surface for better application of the 
rotational force (to be explained later) to loosen cap C. That is, the 
cone shape of upper gripper 62 lets bottle B slide toward the center of 
gripper 62 as vertical clamping force is applied. 
Telescoping elevator shafts 58A, 58B are helically threaded screws covered 
with smooth collapsible covers 76A-76C for safety and appearance. 
Internally threaded shafts 58A turn on fixed externally threaded shafts 
58B, drawing shafts 58B into the cavities of shafts 58A to shorten the 
combined shaft length and draw upper platform 60 downward. 
Internally threaded gear-nuts 74 turning on the external threads of shafts 
58A and thrusting against the underside of lower housing 54 draws shafts 
58A downward into lower housing 54. Shafts 58A bring shafts 58B and upper 
platform 60 downward with them as they descend. In this fashion closure 
opener 50 can accommodate bottles of varying heights from tall to very 
short. Telescoping shafts 58A, 58B reduce the size of lower housing 54 and 
provide advantages in compactness, cleanliness, and storage. 
Gear-nuts 74 have internal threads to match the external threads of shafts 
58A and external gear teeth to mate with gears 72A-72C. The lower ends of 
shafts 58A are each fitted with a stop comprised of washer 78 and nut 80 
to prevent shafts 58A from threading out of gear-nuts 74 when moving in 
reverse rotation. Similarly, the upper ends of shafts 58A include a thread 
stop 58A', shown as a collar formed on the top of the shafts, to prevent 
shafts 58A from threading downward completely through gear-nuts 74. 
To explain still further, the telescoping action of shafts 58A and 58B 
along with gear-nuts 74 works in the following manner. Elevator motor 70 
through gears 72A-72C turns gear-nuts 74 on lower shafts 58A so as to draw 
shafts 58A down into lower housing 54 and consequently to move upper 
platform 60 downward. Gear 72B is free to rotate on shaft 56 independently 
of movement of shaft 56 and is also free to move slightly in a vertical 
direction on shaft 56. When shafts 58A, 58B descend fully into gear-nuts 
74, flanges 58A' at the top of shafts 58A prevent further movement of 
shafts 58A, 58B into gear-nuts 74. Continued turning of gear-nuts 74 turns 
lower shafts 58A along with gear-nuts 74 to thread upper shafts 58B 
downward into the cavities of lower shafts 58A and continues to move upper 
platform 60 downward. The downward motion continues until motor 70 is 
stopped by a vertical sensing device (to be described below) or until the 
shaft actuates a limit switch (which is not shown). It is unimportant if 
gear-nuts 74 move relative to lower shafts 58A first or if shafts 58A turn 
on shafts 58B first, since the telescoping action is the same. 
Outer telescoping covers 76A-76C are provided over telescoping shaft 
sections 58A, 58B to promote cleanliness, appearance, and protection from 
the moving threads. The telescoping covers may be of a light plastic tube 
material of three different diameters with upper cover sections 76C 
attached to upper platform 60 and lower cover sections 76A attached to 
lower housing 54. Appropriate stops on the ends of the cover sections (not 
shown) prevent smaller cover sections from completely withdrawing from the 
next larger cover section. 
Lower gripper 52 is fixed to shaft 56 which extends downward into lower 
housing 54. Shaft 56 with lower gripper 52 can rotate within bearings 82 
and 84 and is also controlled by cap motor 86 through gears 86A and 86B. 
Lower gripper 52 and shaft 56 can move axially downward a limited distance 
within bearings 82, 84, and 88. 
As upper platform 60 with upper gripper 62 moves downward against bottle B 
and cap C placed between the upper and lower grippers, gripper shaft 56 
moves downward in bearings 82, 84, and 88, compressing sensor spring 90 
between collar 92, which is firmly fixed to shaft 56, and the combination 
of washer 94 and lower thrust bearing 88 and frame stop F. Spring 90 is 
calibrated to compress with a specified force, usually 10 to 50 pounds, to 
allow shaft 56 to descend a calibrated distance. Having moved that 
distance, shaft 56 actuates switch 96 at a preset force. Switch 96 is 
positioned to be actuated from concentric ramp 56A on the bottom of 
gripper shaft 56. The last part of the vertical movement of shaft 56 
against the spring force actuates switch 96. 
Switch 96, when actuated, disconnects elevator motor 70 from its electrical 
source and in turn connects cap motor 86 to its electrical source. Cap 
motor 86 through gears 86A and 86B then turns lower gripper 52, with its 
now engaged bottle B, to loosen cap C which is pressed against stationary 
upper gripper 62. As bottle B turns in cap C, the bottle follows the 
threads on the bottle and cap downward causing bottle B to descend an 
additional small distance. The additional incremental downward movement of 
lower gripper 52 and shaft 56 against the force of sensor spring 90 
actuates sensor switch 98 from the same concentric ramp 56A on shaft 56. 
Switch 98 disconnects cap motor 86 from its electrical source thus 
stopping the cap loosening rotation of lower gripper 52. 
From this point where bottle cap C is loose but still on bottle B, elevator 
motor 70 is automatically reconnected to its electrical source in the 
reverse direction, and through gears 72A-72C raises upper gripper 62 from 
the cap. Alternatively, the operator may press RELEASE switch 100 to 
engage elevator motor 70 in a reverse direction to release the force on 
bottle B and cap C at any desired time or position in the cycle. 
Electric power is provided to apparatus 50 through an electric cord (not 
shown) entering lower housing 54. Control circuit parts (also not shown) 
are also housed in lower housing 54. 
Control Circuit 
A representative control circuit shown in FIG. 15 uses electromagnetic 
relays, electric switches, and push button momentary manual switches. Most 
relays are multi-pole break-before-make type rated for continuous duty, 
and K3 most suitably comprises two (2) relays in parallel to provide six 
(6) form C contacts. The electric motors are continuous duty, reversible, 
sub-fractional horsepower, and self-limiting to withstand continuous 
stall. All of the individual components are easily available from common 
sources in the electrical control and component industry and would be well 
known to one skilled in the art. The circuitry could also be constructed 
using current state-of-the-art semiconductor circuitry and controls. 
In operation, pressing the START switch 68 energizes relay coil K1 through 
normally closed contacts K4A and K5A. Relay K1 then seals itself in 
(maintains its own energizing path) through normally open contacts K1A, 
and normally closed contacts K5B. The path through the START switch, or 
its sealed-in bypass, also energizes elevator motor 70 in the forward 
direction through the normally closed contacts K2A, K3A, and K3B. Motor 70 
moves upper platform 60 and upper gripper 62 downward to grip the bottle 
cap. 
When upper platform 60 with upper gripper 62 moves downward the required 
distance, the mechanism actuates control switch 96 (SW1), which is 
normally open. Closing switch 96 energizes relay K2 which seals itself in 
through normally open contacts K2C and de-energizes elevator motor 70 by 
opening the normally closed contact K2A. 
Actuating relay K2 also closes its normally open contact K2B to energize 
cap motor 86 through normally closed contacts K3C. Cap motor 86 turns 
until it actuates cap sensor switch 98 (SW2). Closing normally open 
sensing switch 98 energizes relay K3 which seals itself in through 
normally open contacts K3D around switch 98. Normally closed contacts K3C 
open to de-energize cap motor 86 and cause it to stop. 
Energizing relay K3 for the above cap motor control also operates elevator 
motor reversing circuits which comprise the four contacts K3A normally 
open and normally closed, and K3B normally open and normally closed. Since 
K2 was previously energized and is still energized, its normally closed 
contact K2A is held open. Contact K3E bypasses open contact K2A to 
re-energize motor 70 in the reverse direction. The connection reverses 
motor armature current direction relative to its field polarity. The 
elevator motor operation in the reverse direction is adjusted to be just 
long enough to release the force on bottle B and allow bottle B and cap C 
be freely removed. Therefore, normally open contact K3F closes when 
elevator motor 70 starts in the reverse direction to initiate ten second 
delay relay K4. The delay action in the relay causes K4 to actuate ten 
seconds after it is energized. The ten second value is arbitrary to the 
design and is for purpose of example only and not for limitation. Finally, 
normally closed contact K4A opens to de-energize K1. When K1 releases, it 
drops contact K1A which was held in to bypass or seal around START switch 
68 and consequently turns off the whole control circuit system. START 
switch 68 can re-initiate the whole sequence again from this point. 
It should also be understood that RELEASE switch 100 can be actuated to 
cause elevator motor 70 to move in the reverse (upward) direction at any 
time in the cycle to release the pressure on bottle B and cap C. In this 
case, the release motion continues only as long as the RELEASE switch 100 
is held depressed. Pressing RELEASE switch 100 energizes relay K5 through 
the normally open momentary switch. K5 normally closed contact K5B opens 
around START switch 68, and normally open K5B closes around the same START 
switch 68 to give relay K5 the control and not relay K1. Normally closed 
contact K5A opens to release K1 completely. K5 normally open contact K5C 
closes around sensor switch 98 to energize relay K3 as was done previously 
to stop cap motor 86 and energize elevator motor 70 in the reverse 
direction. K5 remains energized only while RELEASE switch 100 is held 
depressed. When the switch is released, K5 drops out and releases the 
bypass around START switch 68 and disconnects the elevator motor circuit 
power and de-energizes all other controls, thus stopping all further 
action. 
Applicant would also note that while the sensing device in the preferred 
embodiment of the invention is essentially a cam and plunger actuating a 
pair of small electric switches mounted at the bottom of the lower 
housing, alternative construction can use well-known torque sensitive or 
torque limited electric motors wherein the sensed force is in proportion 
to motor current or motor speed, and these constructions are contemplated 
to be within the scope of the invention. 
It will be understood that various details of the invention may be changed 
without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the 
foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for 
the purpose of limitation-the invention being defined by the claims.