Patent GB-680927-A (GB)
Title: Process and apparatus for producing cover capsules for bottles and the like
IPC: B31B45/00
Filed: 1950-03-03
Abstract: 680,927. Cupping apparatus. JONES, L. H. March 3, 1950 [March 4, 1949], No. 5501/50. Class 100 (ii). [Also in Groups XVII and XXII] A cover or overcapping capsule for a bottle top made from a flat blank of thin metal, alloy or plastic comprises two series of distinct corrugations; on the inner part surrounding the centre, crimped parts of small width adapted to be contracted on fitting the capsule and on the outer peripheral part of the blank, vertical strips c having a flat and relatively wide form which is substantially preserved after fitting on the bottle, the excess of material between the strips being folded or pleated above or below them. In apparatus for producing such a capsule, a strip of the material is fed between a plunger 11, with finely grooved end 12, and a matrix associated with several concentric presser rings 17, 18 and 9 grooved at 7, 8 and 5, 6, the matrix comprising a ring 26 with grooves 3, 4 and an elastic, or rubber, conical ring 29, the blank being cut from the strip by the matrix and being pressed between the grooves to outline the strips c and pleats between them, and the whole pressed over the plunger end 12 to form the crimped parts and complete the folding of the pleats. The presser rings 17, 18 are spring mounted on, and the ring 9 is rigid with, a plate 15 adjustably mounted by nuts 16 on pillars 14 slidable in guides 13 fixed on the machine frame. The rings contact the blank as the matrix is moved towards the plunger 11 in the order 18, 9, 17, the ring 9 serving merely to indent the grooves and flatten the pleats as the matrix moves forward and contacts abutments 20 on pillars 14 to carry the whole assembly over the plunger 11. The conical ring 29 is mounted between a bearing plate 30 and bottom piece 27 having a recess 28 for the plunger end 12, the ring 29 being surrounded by a conical sleeve 31 rigid with the ring 26. At the end of the stroke of the matrix, the plunger 11 carries with it a short distance the discs 27 and 30 to force the ring 29 into the narrower part of cone 31 to compress the ring on to the end 12 to complete the crimping and folding or pleating of the capsule. The capsule remains on the plunger 11 during the return stroke of the matrix and may be ejected mechanically or by compressed air into a chute after the plunger has rotated around a transverse axis. The blank may be pre-printed on the flat strips c so that when the excess material is pleated under, as in Fig. 4 or with more thicknesses, the printed letters come together as in Fig. 2. The blank strip, pre-printed if required, may be fed between crimping rollers which effect crimping as in Fig. 7 to stiffen and to mark the blank, or to form it with ribs, across the fold lines, the rollers being synchronised by photo-electric means with the printing on the blank and with the press. The matrix and presser rings may be mounted in a press which incorporates a number of plungers rotatable about a transverse axis, and the plungers may, if desired, move to a position at which printing is effected on the top of the capsule before being ejected.