Patent GB-246585-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in crown cork and like bottle sealing machines
IPC: B67B3/064
Filed: 1924-10-31
Abstract: 246,585. Blaxter, A. P., Chaloner, G. W., and Blaxter, A. P. L., (trading as Barnett & Foster). Oct. 31, 1924. Crown corks ' and the like, applying.-In a machine for sealing bottles with crown corks ' &c. a carrier therefor is adapted to carry each crown to the sealing position in the sealing head and, after the sealing operation, is moved automatically relatively to the head so that in the event of a crown remaining in the carrier it is positively removed from the head and can be removed from the carrier. Secured to the main standard 1, Fig. 4, of the machine is a boss 9 carrying an intermittently rotating carrier 8 which presents to a filling and crowning head 2 crown corks ' fed down a shoot 6 from a hopper 4, Fig. 2. The head 2 carries a crown check-piece 52 on which are pivoted fingers 55 adapted to hold the crowns in the shoot 6 and to oscillate to allow one crown at a time to pass into recesses 7 in the carrier 8, the shaft 54 of the finger 55 being rocked by a lever 74 connected by a rod 72 to a spring-pressed roller 66 adapted to be engaged by a cam 65 on a shaft 27 driven from the main shaft 28 of the machine. The fingers 55 are resiliently connected through mechanism not shown to a lever 59 carrying a false bottom 58, the initial movement of the finger 55 presenting the false bottom 58 to the recess 7 so that the crown falls on it. The crown is then pressed downwards by a finger 61 pivoted in the check-piece 52 and actuated by a finger 64 secured to the fingers 55, the crown resting on a ledge 57 when the bottom 58 has been removed. Should a crown be already in position, the false bottom ensures its being raised to prevent another crown from entering the recess. The carrier brings the crown beneath the head 2, any undue resistance to its motion, such as a faulty crown would cause, first disconnecting it from its driving mechanism and then disengaging the main clutch of the machine. The carrier is formed with a toothed rim 18 adapted to be engaged by a pinion 12 loosely mounted on and rotated by a shaft 14 to which it is connected by a spring-pressed clutch 17, 19, the shaft being rotated by a toothed sector 25 on a wheel 56 on the shaft 27. To prevent the shaft 14 from rotating when out of engagement with the sector 25, it is provided with a squared boss 51 which is engaged by a flange on the wheel 56. If the carrier 8 jams, the clutch 17, 19 gives way, the upper member 19 rises and thereby lifts a fork 22 secured to a rod 23 connected by a rod 50 to the actuating mechanism of the main clutch 31, 32. Normally the members 31, 32 of this clutch are held apart by a spring 34, but the member 31 which is secured to the driving pulley 30<1> is moved into the engaged position by a sliding rod 43 provided with a collar 42 connected by a centrally pivoted lever 41 to a link 40 which is hinged to a lever 38 actuated by a rod 35 connected to a foot pedal (not shown). The free end 49 of the lever 42 is pivoted to the rod 50, so that, the pedal being depressed and the machine being in operation, any upward movement of the rod 23, caused by the slipping of the clutch 17, 19, rotates the lever 42 and moves the sliding rod 43 permitting the spring 34 to disengage the clutch 31, 32. In operation, the mouth of the bottle to be filled is thrust into a sealing ring 87 which is compressed by upward movement of the depression cup 88, thrusting the carrier 8 alternately through passages 99, 100, 101 in the carrier, packing ring and head respectively. The filling and snifting valves are actuated from the shaft 27, the former through an interposed rod which can be adjusted to present a reduced portion to the valve stem to render the valve inoperative when the machine is used for crowning only. After filling, the bottle is raised thrusting the crown against a plunger 114 and compressing first a light spring 115 and then a stronger one 118 until the crowning is effected in the throat 117. As the bottle is freed, the spring 118 thrusts it downwards and if the crowning has been incomplete, the spring 115 ensures that no crown is left in the head 2. The carrier may be in the form of an endless chain or band or a straight or curved bar moving in a series of steps or having an oscillatory movement. Specification 11426/13 is referred to.