Patent GB-697978-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for manufacturing bottle closures and feeding same to bottles
Inventor: CLARK JOHN MCKINLAY
IPC: B67B3/064
Filed: 1950-10-24
Abstract: 697,978. Making bottle closures. MILKFILLERS, Ltd. Oct. 23, 1951 [Oct. 24, 1950], No. 25893/50. Class 100(ii) An apparatus for producing bottle closures 3 comprises a reciprocable punch 1 capable of a working stroke in which it co-operates with a die 2 to form a closure and a return stroke in which it withdraws the closure from the die, means 5 for ejecting the closure from the punch during the return stroke, and transfer means 6 which, during the return stroke, is automatically movable first to a position beneath the punch in which it can receive a closure ejected from the punch and then to convey the closure to a discharge position. The punch 1 and fixed die 2 co-operate to punch out a disc from a strip of aluminium foil and then to form the disc into a closure 3. The closure is held in a cavity 4 in the punch by the resilience of its skirt. An ejector plate 7 above the punch 1 is normally spaced therefrom by a coil spring 8, retainer screws 9 limiting the movement of the plate 7 from the punch. The plate 7 is connected to the knockout pad 5 through pins 10 so that downward pressure on the plate displaces pad 5 against the action of spring 11 so that the pad emerges from cavity 4 to eject the closure. After a predetermined return movement of the punch the plate 7 is arrested by adjustable striker pins 12 on the fixed platen 13, but the punch moves further upwards so that the pad 5 emerges from cavity 4. Doffer pins 14 assist the ejection. The transfer cup 6 is carried by a lever 15 supported by a collar 16 on a vertical rotatable spindle 17 which has a cam groove 18 and moves up and down with punch 1. Spindle 17 is slidable in a fixed collar 19, having a spring pressed plunger 21 and a ball 20 seated in a recess in the plunger, engages the cam groove 18 so that spindle 17 is rotated as it moves vertically, swing- ing the cup 6 below the punch as the latter clears the die, and towards the discharge shoot with the collected closure. The arrangement is such that the cup 6 passes sufficiently close to the bottom of the punch for its back rim 6a to disengage a closure if the latter has not fallen away. Bottles to be sealed pass beneath the outlet of the shoot. The cutting edge of the die is carried by the upper part of a flange 23 the underside of which carries a tapered boss fitting in a recess aligned with the punch. The flange is secured by two pivot clamps 24 engaged with the flange by tapered screw studs 25, slots in the flange permitting the latter to be dropped over the clamp, and the clamps being forced on to the flange by the screws. This movement being limited by studs 26, the closures are removed from cup 6 by a spring loaded ejector lever 27 pivoted at 29 on lever 15. One end of lever 27 is shaped to conform with the shape of the closure, while the other end is shaped to form a cam which meets a stop causing the lever to pivot about 29 and eject the closure. When lever 15 returns to its position below the punch, lever 27 is returned by a spring, a horizontal peg on lever 15 contacting the rear surface of lever 27 to return the latter to its starting position.