Patent GB-663860-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the production of foil capsules for bottles and containers
IPC: B21D51/44
Filed: 1948-05-05
Abstract: 663,860. Embossing and shaping. RAILTON, D. E., and IDEAL CAPSULES, Ltd. June 3, 1949 [May 5, 1948], No. 12295/48. Classes 100 (i) and 100 (ii). In a metal foil capsule making machine having a former (consisting of a central plunger and one or more annular concentric shaping pistons) co-operating with a matrix having a central throat through which the plunger ejects the capsule, pleats in the foil are initially formed by ribs on the plunger and pistons coacting with grooves in the matrix outside its throat, and are then ironed, as the plunger forces the capsule through the throat, by the plunger ribs coacting with grooves in the throat. In the machine shown a metal foil web L, preembossed by passage between a pressure roller 46 and an embossed roller 47, Fig. 2, geared to the web feeding mechanism, is fed between a fixed die 18 and an oscillating knife 16, Fig. 5, and the blank cut out thereby, whose edges are radially corrugated by grooved annular members 5, 6 and a grooved matrix 2, is forced by a ribbed plunger 1 past a pleat-tilting part of the matrix or separate disc 2' into one of five pockets 4 in a rotary table T; a plug 61 embosses the end wall of the capsule thus formed, the plunger 1 and plug 61 are withdrawn, and the table T is advanced one stage; adhesive may then be applied to the capsule interior, and at the next table advance a ram 55, Fig. 3, presses the capsule into a spring-mounted smoothing die 57 from which it is returned to its pocket in the table T by a spring-loaded plunger 80; at the next table advance a ram 58 ejects the capsule onto a shoot 59 which may have a switch to stop the machine when full. A counter may be associated with the operating mechanism of the plug 61, or with the ram 58; in a modification the shoot 59 is arranged to receive the capsules direct from the plunger 1. A shaft 94, Fig. 3, continuously rotated through reduction gearing by a motor M is connected by a manually operated dog clutch having spring- loaded shock - absorbing face cams to a sleeve 94<SP>1</SP> carrying an eccentric 95, Fig. 2, linked through levers 98, 99 to lugs 203 on a backplate 44 connected by four sliding plungers 10 to a plate 9 carrying the knife 16, Fig. 5, a spring- loaded stripper ring 17, the matrix 2 and the disc 2'; spring-loaded keys 37 normally engage grooves 36 in the plungers 10 but are withdrawn as shown by a manually operated cam to allow access e.g. for tapping up the lip of the die 18 after re-sharpening of the knife 16. The sleeve 94<SP>1</SP> is also geared 1 : 1 to a crankshaft S whose eccentric pin 141, Fig. 2, engages a block 142 sliding in one of a pair of rock arms pivoted at 145 and whose free ends are connected by a pin 146 engaging a block 147 sliding in a crosshead 149 in the main shaft 150 carrying the plunger 1, this arrangement giving a slow advance and quick withdrawal of the plunger ; alternatively the shaft S may have a cam to advance the shaft 150 against a return spring or to withdraw it against a drive spring. The annular tool 6, Fig. 5, is a sliding fit on the tool 5, itself a sliding fit on the inner part of a slidable guide sleeve 32' forming a bearing for the plunger 1 ; two sets of plungers 7, 8 respectively connect the tools 5, 6 to rods 43 which abut the backplate 44 and may be adjusted to control the clearance between the tools 5, 6 and the matrix 2; as the plunger 1 is retracted it engages a key 31 on the sleeve 32<SP>1</SP>, and a flange 21' on the latter engages the ends of slots in the plungers 7, 8 to withdraw the tools against springs 33; in another form the tool 6 lies in an annular bore within the tool 5 and a crosshead on the plunger 1 engages slots in both tools 5, 6. The shaft S is also geared 1: 1 by worm gearing 109, 110, Fig. 3, to a shaft 111 connected by an intermediate shaft 113 and flexible drives 112, 114, to a shaft 75 carrying three cams 74, 116, 271'; the cam 74 engages a spring- loaded rod 71 connected to the forked end 70 of an arm secured to one of a pair of spindles carrying parallel arms 62, 63 supporting a tube 60, Fig. 2, in which the plug 61 is mounted; the cams 116, 271<SP>1</SP> respectively arcuately and radially reciprocate pawls engaging a ratchet on, and locking slots in, the shaft of the table T. The shaft 150, Fig. 2, is connected intermediately of an end-pivoted lever 151 whose free end is linked at 154, Fig. 3, to a crossarm 165 secured to the smoothing and ejecting rams 55, 58; as the ram 55 is retracted a mushroom-headed stripper 281 is held stationary against its spring by a finger 179 on the shaft 113, and the shoulders of blades 177 within the pockets 4, Fig. 12, assist the stripper 281; each pocket also has radial guide fins 176 on resilient arms 175, and radial claws 178, or according to the provisional Specification an internal step, to strip the capsules from the plunger 1. Feeding webs.-A crank pin 121, Fig. 3, on the shaft 111 engages a slot 122 in an arm 123 (pivoted at 115) connected by a link 126 to a lever 127 (free on a shaft 131) carrying a pawl engaging a ratchet wheel 130 fixed to the shaft 131; the link 126 is anchored to a block movable on a screw longitudinally of the arm 123 so that the throw of the pawl may be adjusted, and hence the angle through which the shaft 131 is turned at each revolution of the shaft 111; the shaft 131 through bevel gearing 132 drives a sprocket 134 connected by a chain passing over a tensioning sprocket 137 to a sprocket 135, Fig. 2, geared to the embossed roller 47 and to feed rollers 51 below lubricators 50. Specification 409,185 is referred to.