Patent GB-1205371-A (GB)
Title: Capsule filling system
IPC: A61J3/07
Filed: 1969-01-02
Abstract: 1,205,371. Packaging. SANKYO CO. Ltd. 2 Jan., 1969 [21 Feb., 1968], No. 375/69. Addition to 1,130,474. Heading B8C. A capsule filling system comprises a stand 1, a pair of upper and lower rotary members 2 and 3 adapted to be driven for continuous rotation on the stand, said upper rotary member being constituted by a plurality of vertically movable, similar sectorial segments 2a, a plurality of first hollow cylindrical portions 8 provided in the upper rotary member at least one in each of the sectorial segments and adapted to retain caps of capsules, a plurality of second cylindrical portions 9 provided in the lower rotary member and adapted to receive bodies of the capsules, said first and second cylindrical portions being aligned vertically, a plurality of rod means 22 co-operating with a first cam rail 29 for supporting and positioning each capsule body within the second cylindrical portion, means for allowing communication of the interior of each second cylindrical portion with a pneumatic source 30, a feeder 41 fixedly arranged relative to the axis of rotation of the lower rotary member and adjacent to the upper surface thereof so that it can supply capsule bodies received in the lower rotary member with filling material, a second cam rail 38 serving to raise the sectorial segments 2a of the upper rotary member 2 over the feeder as they approach and move past the latter, a stop operative, at a preset rotational position of the cylindrical portions, to cover the top opening of the first cylindrical portion to thereby hold a cap contained therein against upward motion when a filled capsule body is raised to be unified with and closed by the cap, a shoot 10 arranged adjacent said upper rotary member where the first cylindrical portion is close to the second cylindrical portion for supplying empty capsules complete with caps to the first cylindrical portions in turn as the rotary members rotate, and a delivery station 16 for recovering filled capsules complete with caps from the cylindrical portions. As shown, the horizontal members 2, 3 are supported on a shaft 4 driven by an electric motor 5, and each segment 2a has an axial hole all of which are arranged on a circle concentric with the shaft 4 and have therein a cylindrical portion 8 which co-operates with a cylindrical portion 9 in holes 7 in the member 3 and in communication with ducts 30 connected to a pneumatic source. Empty capsules with caps are carried in equi-distantly spaced cylinders 12, and the capsules are fed lengthwise down a vertical shoot 10 and in succession to the segments 2a. Each portion 8 has an annular edge 20 so that the cap of a capsule received in the portion is removed from the capsule body which passes into the portion 9 to be supported by a slidable rod 22 engaging with the cam rail 29. The latter pushes the capsule body inwardly at the station 14 whereby a filling of powder granules or pills is passed into the capsule body and from a feeder 41 containing a vibrating element, the segments at the filling point being raised by rods 35 in engagement with the second cam rail 38. A keep plate above the segments 2a and at the capping station 15 causes the capsule cap to be unified with the capsule body. The cap may be separated from the body by suction applied through the ducts 30, or by the action of gravity. A keep plate arranged between the filling and capping stations 14, 15 compacts the filling in the capsule body. There may be two or three rows of cylindrical portions 8 in the segments 2a, and the pneumatic ducts 30 may be used to apply an air blast to the interior of the cylindrical portions 9 and to blow the filled and capped capsules out of those portions.