Patent GB-368314-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in sealing apparatus for bottles or containers for liquids and solids
IPC: B67B5/05
Filed: 1930-10-21
Abstract: 368,314. Sealing paper &c. bottles &c. WARE, H. M., Seletar, Dene Road, Northwood, Middlesex. Oct. 21, 1930, Nos. 31639/30 and 1929/31. [Class 125 (ii).] Containers of paper &c. closed at one end, which may be waxed &c. to contain milk &c., are sealed by a flanged sealing cap placed within the open end, after filling, so that a portion of the wall of the vessel extends beyond the flange of the cap, the flange and the wall being pressed tightly together by pressure applied at the inner surface of the flange, after which the extending portion of the container wall is turned inwardly over the cap flange the joint being again pressed tightly to complete the seal with or without the @id of heat. A second cap may be inserted and pressed into place within the first. The containers are placed by hand in springy sheaths 6, pivotally mounted in bell crank forked members 9 actuated to move the sheaths 6 vertically, to aid attachment of the filled and sealed container at the discharging position, by rollers 13 which engage with a cam groove 14. The sheaths are housed in apertures 5 formed in a table 4, rotatable by hand, the apertures being provided with bushes 8. The table is provided with index holes 17 engageable by a spring-pressed pin 18 so that the sheaths may be accurately positioned below the filling and sealing mechanisms. Each sheath has a lipped aperture 19 so that spilt milk &c. may drip into a tray 20 and be drained away. The table 4 has a gutter 21 with drain pipes 22 for a similar purpose. The bottom corners of the sheaths may be cut off with a view to avoiding damage to the corners of the closed end of the carton. The discs contained in a magazine 24, and preferably urged downwardly by a weight, are taken therefrom by an oscillating feeding quadrant 26, operated by a cam 50 on a cam shaft 41 through a system of levers, and whose feeding edge is shaped to a semicircular form to accord with the discs, which quadrant positions them above the forming bush and guide 34. Flanging of the discs is effected by a composite plunger consisting of a bottom member 30, a top member 32, and a rubber ring 33 retained by a ring 31. As the disc is engaged by the bottom member 30 a pressure ring 35 descends to hold the peripheral annulus of the disc against the baseplate 23 to effect uniform flanging of the same. The pressure ring 35 is actuated by a crosshead 61 attached to move upwardly and downwardly with tubular members 57, 59, 60 which are actuated by a cam 49 and which governs also the movements of the bottom plunger member 30. Rods and springs effect the movements of the pressure ring 35 from the crosshead 61. The disc is now flanged and pressed through the guide member 34 by engagement with the bottom plunger 30. The top plunger member 32, operated by a cam 47 through telescopic members 58 . . 62, made resilient by a spring 63, and connected to the bush 60 by means of a pin passing through elongated holes in the latter, is now caused to descend relatively to the bottom member 30. The rubber ring 33 is thus expanded radially and the carton and flanged lid are squeezed together. Simultaneously with the exertion of this pressure a cam 48, through a system of links and levers, causes a sleeve 36 normally spring-held in the top position, to descend whereby a series of pivoted fingers 37, bearing against the sleeve 36 by rollers 39, are caused to move inwardly to fold the upper projecting edge of the carton wall over the top face of the top plunger member 32, Fig. 7. The folding fingers 37 are now withdrawn and the top plunger 32 with the rubber ring 33 moved upwardly. A further operation of the fingers 37 folds inwardly the bent over edge of the carton wall which was disturbed by the upward movement of the plunger 32, and after the fingers have been withdrawn the top plunger 32 again descends, and again compressing the rubber ring 33 squeezes the container top and flanged lid together again, Fig. 9. The whole composite plunger 30 .. 33 is then withdrawn. In order that the plunger cannot be operated unless a container is correctly positioned below it a clutch mechanism is fitted whereby the cam shaft 41 is rotated only if the index pin 18 engages a positioning hole 17. This clutch comprises a ramp 86 spring-urged outwardly in a bore 81 tending to engage the clutch. A rocking spindle 82 carrying two ramps 84, 85 is rocked, on depressing a foot pedal, the ramps 84, 85 moving to the left, whereby the ramp 84 allows the ramp 86 to escape but it is immediately afterwards engaged, after only a fraction of a revolution, by the ramp 85 which is displaced axially along the spindle 82 with regard to the ramp 84. The table 4 of the machine is now moved round by hand until the index pin 18 enters the index hole 17, denoting the correct positioning of a container for capsuling. The ramps 84, 85 now move to the right and the ramp 86, escaping from the ramp 85, throws in the clutch. The cam shaft after one revolution is again declutched by the ramp 86 bearing on the ramp 84, now back in its original position. A modification is described consisting of the above apparatus with an auxiliary shaft driven from the cam shaft at half speed and operating an ordinary conical friction clutch ; this device being used when it is desired to successively insert two capsules in the mouth of the vessel, the sealing plunger operating twice before being tripped. The main driving means may be a hand-operated wheel 45, 46 or a pulley continuously driven by a belt. As previously indicated the sealing operation may be repeated for each carton whereby a second disc is placed above that already in position and expanded into sealing contact as shown at x<1>, Fig. 13. It is preferable to heat those portions of the apparatus which deal with the sealing operation where they contact with the carton or lid so that the wax of the material may be melted and cooled to form a better joint. For this purpose an electric &c. heater 94 causes hot water to flow to a header tank from which it flows to a channel 98 in the pressure ring 35, and thence by way of a three-way fitting, to a channel 102 formed in the top punch member 32 and a channel 104 in the hub of the table 4, the metal in each case heating by conduction. The water returns to the heater by pipes 105, 106, 107. Certain of the parts of the machine may be made telescopic and fitted with compression springs so that in the event of bad fitting, damage will be avoided by the part in question giving under the shock. Specifications 337,364, [Class 94 (i), Packing &c.], and 357,558 are referred to in the Provisional Specifications which indicate that the top edge of the container wall may be turned outwardly instead of inwardly.