Apparatus for manufacturing Medicinal Capsules.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
Apparatus for manufacturing Medicinal Capsules.
I, DAVID GENESE, of No. 621, North Calhoun Street, Baltimore City, Maryland,
United States of America, Surgeon Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus of a simple and easily worked character for
manufacturing medicinal capsules. The capsules are prepared from a paste-like
composition suitably moulded, and have to be properly set or hardened during the
process of manufacture so that when filled they can be effectually closed and preserved
in proper form for transport and for safe handling in all climates, without being
injuriously affected by exposure. My apparatus is especially arranged for so moulding
or forming the capsules that, when they are closed, they present perfectly smooth
surfaces with no edges or projections that might be liable to render swallowing difficult
or annoying.
The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus embodying my invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation.
Figure 2 is a front elevation partly sectional.
Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the heating chambers for the mould
and the die plunger.
Figure 4 is an elevation partly sectional of the moulding devices for one capsule
part.
Figure 5 is a corresponding elevation of the moulding devices for the other capsule
part.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the two parts of a capsule separated.
Figure 7 is a view of an ejector for the mould core.
1 is a frame supporting a lower heating chamber 2 and an upper heating chamber 3.
The lower chamber 2 has a number of mould receptacles 4, one of which is shown
in Figure 3. These are open at the top and each receptacle has at the bottom a
verticle tubular extension 5, Figure 3, through which it communicates with the
underside of the heating chamber. In the bottom of each mould receptacle there is
placed a mould ejector consisting of a disc or head 6 having a stem 7 that extends
through the tube 5 and projects below the heating chamber. For actuating the
mould ejectors a number of levers are pivotted on the under side of the heating
chamber. Each of these levers comprises a short. arm 8 to be depressed by the
operator so as to elevate the longer arm 9 and so raise the mould from its receptacle,
when necessary.
* :
The mould 10, mould core 11 and die 12, Figures 3, 4 and 5, are of size and shape
suited to the dimension and form of the capsules to be produced. The mould io
is tubular having an internal shoulder 13 on which the mould core 11 is supported.
This mould core 11, which is preferably cylindrical, or fitted to the internal shape of
the mould, has an upper portion 14 of smaller diameter, leaving an annular space
between it and the mould. The mould core has a convexed top 15, as shown. The
separate parts of the capsule are formed on this reduced portion 14 of the mould core.

page_text: The die 12 is concaved in its under face to suit the convexity of the top of the mould
core.
The mould and mould core, Figures 3 and 4, mould the capsule cover a, Figure 6,
which is made with perfectly smooth surfaces and preferably without flange or
projections.
In Figure 5, the mould core 11 is of smaller diameter; the internal diameter of the
mould 10 being correspondingly reduced and an additional internal shoulder 16 is
provided in the mould 10 at a level corresponding with the edge of the convexed top
of the mould core. This mould serves to mould a capsule body b with annular
flange c at its closed end, as shown in Figure 6. When the cover portion a of the
capsule is placed on the body portion or medicine receptacle b, it fits closely against
the end flange c which is of the same diameter, thus effectually sealing the capsule
and presenting no projections or edges that might be objectionable or in any way
interfere with swallowing the capsule.
'
Above the upper heating chamber 3 there is a cross beam 17 supporting a number
of vertically arranged tubular guides 18, Figures 1 and 2, for the stems 19 of
plungers 20 which force the dies 12 into the moulds. The plunger stems 19 are
freely jointed at 21 to hand levers 22. The lower portion of each plunger 20 has a
groove 23, Figure 3, to receive a sliding bolt 24 arranged immediately under the
upper heating chamber 3 and provided with a spring 25 for causing it to engage in
the groove 23 and sustain the plunger when it is lifted by its lever. The edges of
the groove 23 are sufficiently rounded to permit an easy engagement and disengage-
ment of the bolt under the force applied to the lever 22 in elevating or lowering the
plunger. The outer ends of the levers 22 are preferably enlarged or made sufficiently
heavy to serve as weights for holding the plungers 20 down on the dies 12 in the
operation of moulding. When the plungers 20 are lifted each is within a tube 26,
Figure 3, extending through the upper heating chamber 3.
The chambers 2 and 3 may be heated in any convenient manner, as by the circula-
tion of hot air or steam through them. In Figure 1 is shown how a steam generator
27, may be provided as a means of supplying heat to the chambers 2 and 3 by the
circulation of dry steam through suitable pipes 28, 29, and 30 connecting with the
chambers. The steam generator 27 may be heated by a lamp, or otherwise, and can
be fitted with a pressure gauge and other necessary appurtenances.
The capsule may be made from any suitable plastic or pasty material that can be
easily moulded and is readily soluble in the fluids of the stomach. Ordinarily I
prefer to employ a composition consisting of ground rice, water and albumen, or
white of egg. This composition should be made of such consistence that when a
weighed or measured quantity, sufficient for making one half of a capsule, is placed
upon the mould core 11 in a mould 10 and subjected to pressure by the die 12 it
will readily take the form required.
In operating the machine, the mould cores 11 are first placed in the moulds 10
and the mould is then charged from the top by placing therein, upon the top of the
mould core, a given quantity of the prepared rice or other composition. The die 12
is then placed upon the plastic material and the assembled mould, mould core and
die are placed together in one of the mould receptacles 4, as shown in Figure 3, and
then the plunger 20 is brought down by actuating its lever.
Under the pressure
exerted by the plunger 20 and die 12 the material is compressed and formed into
the required shape upon and around the core. The plunger 20 is left in its
depressed position resting upon and forcing down the die 12 and thus the moulded
material is retained for about thirty seconds, more or less, subject to steam heat,
until it is thoroughly. set and dried. The plunger 20 is then lifted, and on now
depressing the proper arm 8, the ejector 6, Figure 3, lifts the mould and die out of
the heating chamber, to be set aside until the capsule part is cooled, and set.
operations can be carried on with several moulds at the same time. Although I have
shown the machine as arranged. with only three plungers and moulds, it may
obviously have a greater number and some sets may be employed for making the body.
parts while some sets make the cover parts of the capsules..
The

page_text: When the mould capsules are thoroughly cooled, having been set aside for a time
while still enclosed in the moulds, they are removed by first withdrawing the dies,
and then, by inserting ejectors 31, Figure 7, into the open bottoms of the moulds 10,
the cores 11 are pushed out, with the capsules on them. The ejector 31 is a plug or
short cylinder having in one end a recess. 32 to fit onto a nipple 33 projecting from
the underside of the core, which is thus easily ejected from the mould without
subjecting the capsule to injury. By retaining the die in the mould until the
moulded capsule is thoroughly cooled and dried, there is no risk of breaking the
capsule part, in the act of removal.
The preferred construction and shape of the two parts composing the capsule are
shown in Figure 6, but obviously by suitably shaping the moulding devices, a capsule
of other configuration can be produced. It is preferable to employ means for
heating the moulding mechanism so that the capsule is properly dried during the
process of manufacture, but it is to be understood that the heating apparatus may
be varied without departing from the invention.
Capsules that are made from rice paste in the manner described and properly
dessiccated are proof against atmospheric changes and ordinary dampness or mildew,
but upon wetting with a small quantity of warm water, they can be completely and
quickly dissolved, if desired, and, they are readily soluble when swallowed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a machine for making capsules, the combination of a mould, a core supported
therein, a die inserted upon the capsule material placed on the core, means for
heating the moulding devices, and a plunger to act on the die, substantially as
described.
-
2. In a machine for making capsules, the combination of a heating chamber, a
mould removably supported in said chamber, a removable. mould core, a die to be
inserted in the mould upon the capsule material placed on the core, and a plunger
to act on the die, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for making capsules, the combination of a frame, a removable
mould, a removable mould core, a die inserted in the mould upon the material placed
on the core, a vertically movable plunger to act on the die, and an ejector for
the moulding device, substantially as described.
1
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.