Sealing cap installing machine

Abstract: Machine for installing sealing caps, particularly caps for protecting the outlet valve of containers holding gas under pressure, the sealing caps proceeding down towards the lower end of a feed channel (3), where they are pushed upwardly by a cylinder (2) in order to insert them in a lower lodging (6, 6') of a respective cylinder (5, 5') comprised in a group liable to rotate along a horizontal plane when driven by an actuator (4) for the purpose of transferring the collected cap to a position where it is applied onto the container (7), which is retained in said position through a brake (8).

Description: OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sealing cap installing machine which provides essentially novel features and substantial advantages in respect to known means used for this same purpose in the current state of the art. More specifically, the invention advocates the development of a machine for installing caps on certain types of containers - particularly sealing caps of the type applicable to containers for gas under pressure - by exerting a suitable pressure on the cap, the extremely simple design of the machine allowing for automated feeding of the sealing caps onto the containers which are transported by a conveyor belt or similar device. The field of application of the inventive machine lies in the product filling industry, and, more in particular, in the gas filling of containers designed for that specific purpose. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a well known fact that certain gases, particularly liquefied petroleum gas, are distributed for domestic use in containers with pre-specified characteristics fitted with an upper end outlet valve suitably protected to guarantee the safety of the contents and avoid damage to the valve from impact or adverse circumstance deriving from transport and/or handling. In this respect, the container valve usually incorporates a fast fitting enveloping protective cap adapted for automatic installation by means of a machine of a special design. A cap installing machine of the above type comprises a cap storage bin from which the caps are guided along an appropriate channel and in the required direction toward the channel's lower end, to be individually collected by one of the consecutively passing containers; when the container reaches a pre-defined position, a bell-shaped part descends and applies a pushing action on the cap, resulting in the cap becoming secured under pressure over the container valve. However, present regulations for this type of container require the use of sealing caps in lieu of the above caps, whereby the user is guaranteed the integrity and absence of tampering of the contents; a machine is therefore needed for the automatic installation of said sealing caps. European Patent number EP-0780191, which the same applicant is the owner of, discloses a machine, conform to the preamble of claim 1, used for fixing caps to be used preferably with petroleum derivatives pressurised gas containers. This is the most complex idea disclosed in the current application. In the aforementioned Patent of the Prior Art, the caps are collected inside the headers to which they are pushed towards by means of push rods, said headers being associated with those cylinders which offer a tilting and vertical movement so that each cap can be inserted over the respective container's release valve, while the containers are kept in the insertion position by means of retention mechanisms. There is also an additional header that automatically checks the presence of the cap on different containers, for which this latest header incorporates sensor elements capable of checking this. Compared to the previous patent, the present invention characterized by the technical features of claim 1 is noticeably simpler both from a structural and functional point of view. Thus, the machine incorporates, in a conventional manner, a sealing cap storage bin from where the caps are driven toward the collecting area through a slanting feed channel along which the caps descend by gravity down to the channel's lower end, where pushing means act on the inferior cap to lodge it inside a collecting means associated to a cylinder, preferably pneumatic, where it is retained, the collecting means being subject thereafter to a 180° rotation in the horizontal plane in order to place the collected cap over the container valve, to which it becomes coupled by virtue of the downward pushing effect of the means associated to the collecting device, normally consisting of a pneumatic cylinder. Said rotation causes a second collecting means to become positioned over the new inferior cap to thereby receive a cap and start a new cycle. At the work position, the container on which the sealing cap is about to be installed stops while the coupling operation is in course, using a break means activated laterally by a preferably pneumatic cylinder which, upon biasing the container, not only retains the container but also ensures that it is correctly positioned for receiving the sealing cap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent based on the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment provided merely in the form of an illustrative an non-limiting example and with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic elevation view of a sealing cap installation machine according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic top plan view of the machine according to the invention; and Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation view of the machine shown in the preceding figures. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The figures in the attached drawings are used in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, Figure 1 showing a schematic elevation view of a machine fabricated according to the invention. As can be seen, the machine comprises a general metal structure (1) on which are coupled the means required for the correct operation of the assembly, including a vertical cylinder (2) the shank of which is located under the lower end of a channel (3) for feeding the sealing caps about to be installed. The sealing cap collecting means is composed of an assembly (4) which rotates on a horizontal plane and which is fitted with at least two pneumatically operated vertical cylinders incorporating a lodging (6, 6') at the lower end thereof for receiving the cap to be installed. Figures 1 and 2 also show a product container (7) located in the cap receiving position to where it has been carried by a conveyor belt (not shown), being retained in said position by means of a brake driven by a pneumatic cylinder (9). The assembly also includes a cabinet for housing the various adjustment and control elements, including starting means and emergency buttons, not shown in view that these are conventional means. The assembly furthermore incorporates container, cylinder and sealing cap position detectors (sensors, end-of-run devices, etc.), not shown, for driving the various functions (braking, sealing cap installation, etc.) based on the presence or absence of a container in the corresponding position. Said figures clearly show the operation of the assembly, as described hereunder. Upon detecting the arrival of a container (7) at the work position foreseen, the braking element (8) is activated by the cylinder (9), pushing the container sideways and holding it against the opposite wall of the channel along which it is being drawn. The shape and arrangement of the braking element (8) side arms further ensures that the vertical position of the container (7) is maintained while the cap is being installed on the outlet valve. Once in said position, the cylinder (2) pushes the cap located on the upper end of its associated shank, so that the cap is inserted in the lodging (6) associated to the cylinder (5) located over the cylinder (2), the cap being retained by friction inside said receiving lodging, after which the assembly (4) rotates the lodging means until the cylinder (5) and its lower receiving zone (6) are positioned over the container (7), and thus the cylinder (5') proceeds to occupy the position in which the cylinder (5) was previously located, positioning the lodging (6') over the cylinder (2), which is now ready to receive a new cap when it is again activated. Thus, with the cap-carrying lodging (6) located over the container, cylinder (5) is activated and extends its shank and causes the cap to be installed inside its lodging (6) and over the container (7) valve, becoming secured under pressure. Subsequently, brake (8) withdraws by retraction of cylinder (9) and the container is then carried by the conveyor belt toward the zone provided for its storage and/or subsequent handling. In the event that installation of the cap over the container (7) valve is not accomplished, this would be detected by conventional sensor means (not shown) fitted on the machine, as a result of which the container would be deviated along another route for subsequent rehandling. Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the machine which helps to provide a better understanding of the distribution and relative position of the various elements in the machine, also providing an idea of its simplicity and relatively small size. The embodiment illustrated shows the collecting means as formed by two cylinders (5, 5'). This is merely an illustrative arrangement, however, since such means could incorporate a larger number of cylinders, in which case the extent of the rotation angle would be relative to the number of cylinders used. The contents of this description need not be more extensive for an expert on the subject to grasp the advantages of the invention, in addition to developing the object thereof and putting it into practice. However, it should be understood that the invention has been described in the form of a preferred embodiment and is thus liable to modifications without in the least altering its basic condition, said modifications particularly allowing for changes in shape, size and/or fabrication materials, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

Claims: Machine for installing sealing caps on containers, particularly over the outlet valve of containers (7) holding gas under pressure, comprising: a storage bin for the sealing caps, a slanting channel (3) along which the sealing caps fed from the bin move by gravity down to the channel's lower end, a group of collecting cylinders (5, 5') designed to collect the sealing heads about to be installed, each of said collecting cylinders (5, 5') being fitted with a respective lower lodging (6, 6') liable to receive and friction-hold the sealing cap being transferred to an installation position, a transferring cylinder (2), the shank of which is located under said lower end of said slanting channel (3) in order to push a sealing cap inside the respective lower lodging (6, 6') of a collecting cylinder (5, 5') when both cylinders are aligned, characterized in that the collecting cylinders (5, 5') and the transferring cylinder (2) are vertical and the group of collecting cylinders (5,5') is liable to rotate along an horizontal plane so that each respective lower lodging (6, 6') is alternatively positioned facing the cap to be pushed by the transferring cylinder (2) and facing the container (7) to which the cap collected from the previous position is to be transferred. Machine according claim 1, characterized, in that it comprises a braking element (8) driven by a horizontally positioned cylinder (9) which pushes the container (7) sideways and holds it in the exact position necessary for installing the cap, which is conveniently aligned in a vertical direction.

Inventors: ANTUNEZ JIMENEZ JOSE, MENDEZ RUTLLAN ANDRES, ANTUNEZ JIMENEZ, JOSE, MENDEZ RUTLLAN, ANDRES, Antunez Jiménez, José, Méndez Rutllan, Andrés
Applicants: REPSOL BUTANO SA, REPSOL BUTANO, S.A.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B67B3
IPC codes: B67B3