Patent GB-460074-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in bottle capsuling machines
IPC: B67B3/02
Filed: 1936-03-05
Abstract: 460,074. Bottle capsuling machines. BETTS & CO., Ltd., and BOORMAN, A. March 5, 1936, No. 6694. [Class 125 (ii)] A bottle-capsuling machine comprises a cylinder and a ram operated by means of a driving element connected thereto by clutch mechanism, a flexible cup arranged within a fluid chamber, means whereby the chamber is connected to a reservoir and to the cylinder, valve mechanism and passages whereby the fluid pressure is maintained, and means, operable by the bottle to be capsuled, whereby the clutch mechanism connects the ram to the driving element and causes the said ram to create a pressure in the fluid-filled chamber thereby collapsing the flexible cup on to the neck of the bottle and securely fixing a capsule thereon. The machine is mounted on a baseplate 1 and may be driven from an electric motor 2 through a clutch 3, the pin 4 of which is urged by a spring 5a to enter one of a number of holes 5 in a bevel wheel 6 driven from a bevel wheel 7 on the shaft of motor 2. A double cam 8 secured to the clutch acts on roller 9 of a lever 10, one end of which is pivotally secured to a fixed portion of the machine while the other end pivotally engages ram 13, the end 14 of which is provided with a spring 15 secured to a lug 16. In a modification, in place of spring 15 an extra cam may be provided to engage an extension of lever 10 to return the ram to normal position after actuation. The ram 13 fits into a cylinder 17 opening at one end into a fluid-filled chamber 18 in which is mounted a flexible cup-shaped member 19, the closed end 20 of which is secured to a member 21 screwed into the end wall of the cylinder, and provided with grooves 22 permitting fluid to pass between the cylinder and chamber 18. In front of the cup entrance is a metal ring 25 connected by rod 26 and bell-crank 27 with the clutch 3. A bottle with capsule loosely applied is passed through ring 25 into cup 19. The neck of the bottle engages ring 25 and when the top of the capsule reaches the bottom of the cup, the wedge-shaped end of rod 27 is withdrawn from cam 4b and spring 5a forces pin 4 into one of the holes 5 thereby causing cam 8 to rotate and move the ram forward to create a pressure in chamber 18 which compresses the capsule on the bottle. The spring then returns the ram 13 and the bottle may be given a slight turn before the second cam face operates and again compresses the capsule. The mechanism then goes on rotating until cam 4b engages the wedge-shaped end of lever 27, rides up the wedge and withdraws clutch pin 4 from the hole 5. Reservoir 28, cylinder 17 and chamber 18 are preferably cast in one block, main passages 29 and secondary passages 30 and 30b on each side and along the-front of the machine connecting reservoir 28 with chamber 18. Passages 30 have non-corrosive non-return ball valves 31 arranged to open at the slightest suction in chamber 18. Tertiary passages 30a on each side of the machine also connect passages 30 with chamber 18 and have ball valves 31a arranged to open at a predetermined pressure in chamber 18. One of these valves is adjustable and the other fixed and therefore acting as a safety valve. An air cock may be mounted at 34 on chamber 18 to avoid air locks in the fluid supply system and to facilitate filling, and an emptying cock 35, Fig. 3, may also be provided.