Year: 1886

page_text: I, EBERHARD SEGER, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, Engineer 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 machinery or apparatus for manufacturing capsules and
comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is an end view of the improved machine.
Figure 2 is a side-view of the actuating mechanism of the finishing apparatus.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the machine.
Figure 4 is a view of a detail of the finishing apparatus.
Figures 5 and 6 are views of details of the feeding apparatus, and
Figures 7 and 8 show the disposition of the matrices of the pressing apparatus.
The machine receives its motion from the shaft a supported in the lower part of the
frame S. The shaft a, which projects out of the frame supports at one end a pulley c,
through which motion is communicated to the machine and at the other end a crank d.
The pulley e is connected with the shaft a by means of a friction coupling y which is
operated by screw z through the medium of a lever.
The crank d transmits the motion of the shaft a to the finishing apparatus by means
of a connecting rod p while the pressing and the feeding apparatus receive their
motion from a vertical shaft a³, which supports, at its lower end, a bevel gear wheel
gearing with another wheel b, secured to the part of the shaft a which is situated
within the frame S.
The pressing apparatus consists principally of the tubular dies s, 81, 82, 83, st which
telescope one into the other and respectively receive an alternate up and down motion.
Their upper ends are connected with cross bars k, having pins provided with rollers
running in grooves xx²x² ³ a cut in a cylinder é attached to the upper part of the
shaft a³.
e
The grooves on the curved surface of the cylinder e first extend downward from
their horizontal starting points then parallel one with another, then again horizontally

page_text: and lastly upwards, each superposed groove having a greater pitch then the one below
it. In consequence of this shape of the grooves the dies operated by them will, when
descending move at the same speed and stop in their lowest positions, while the rollers
are in the horizontal parts of the grooves. Owing however to the grooves not having
the same length so that every superposed groove has a longer downward and a shorter
horizontal portion than the one below it each superposed die continues its motion after
the one below it has stopped, and thus each succeeding die will be depressed more than
the preceding one. When the last die has reached its lowest position, the rollers of all
the dies enter simultaneously the ascending parts of the grooves, the inclinations of
which are so adapted that all the dies occupy their highest positions at the same time.
When moving up and down the dies are guided by the guides u, firmly united with one
another and in which the cross-bars of the dies run. These guides are pivotted on
hinge joints y¹, so that the dies, when necessary, may easily be taken out and substituted
by others.
The guides are supported by an arm & projecting from the frame. Below this arm
another arm likewise projects from the frame, which latter arm carries two vertical
extensions t (figure 7) provided with horizontal slots one above another, in which
the matrices u, u², u², u³; u², corresponding to the dies are inserted. These slots
are made so large as to allow the matrices a little play in all directions in the horizontal
plane, whereby cach matrix automatically assumes a perfectly central position with
relation to its corresponding die, when the dies are descending into the bevelled central
openings or "eyes" of the matrices (figures 7, 8). The advantage of this arrangement
is that the capsule when being shaped by passing through the eyes of gradually
diminishing diameter is not exposed to an unequal pressure which might have the
effect of splitting the capsule.
The feeding apparatus (figures 5 and 6) is situated below the cylinder e and receives
its motion from an eccentric 2 attached on the vertical shaft a³. A groove is cut in
the edge of this cam, in which groove a pin at one end of the feeding arın 1 runs, the
said pin being forced against the surface of the cam by means of a spiral spring
connecting one end of the feeding arm with the frame S. The opposite end of the
feeding arm (which arm is supported at its centre by a double jointed pivot fixed on
the frame) is provided with a movable fork 3 the branches 4 of which carry a plate 5
movable in the feeding table y which plate 5 together with the plate 11 in the upper
branch of the fork advances the metallic sheet from which the capsules are formed.
The groove of the cam 2 is shaped so as to impart to the pin of the feeding arm
running therein a motion in a horizontal as well as in a vertical direction, which motion
is transferred to the feeding arm. In consequence of the latter being pivotted at its
centre this motion is transferred to the fore end of the feeding arm in such a manner
that the upper branch of the fork together with the plate 11 connected therewith, will,
in its position most remote from the dies, be pressed against the metallic capsule sheet,
which is introduced by the plate actuated by the upper branch of the fork and by the
plate 5 movable in the feeding table. In the continued motion of the cam 2 the fork
with the plate 5 and the intermediate capsule sheet is advancing toward the dies,
whereby the said sheet is unrolled from the roller situated above the feeding table
and its fore end pushed in under the dies. Owing to the shape of the groove in the
cam the pressure of the fork upon the capsule sheet ceases just at this moment, and, in,
consequence of the action of the spiral spring upon the hind part of the feeding arm,
the latter is returning to its first position followed by the plate 5 connected with the
lower branch of the fork and by the plate 11 attached to the upper branch. The
length of the forward and backward stroke of the plate may be regulated at will by
means of adjustable bolts fixed to the feed table whereby the feeding may be regulated
most accurately. The metallic scraps are removed through the channel y*.
When the capsule sheet has been introduced under the dies, the latter commence
their downward motion, whereby, first, the circular disc from which the capsule is to
be formed is punched out which disc then assumes by degrees a more and more hollow
shape as it is pressed by the successive dies through the several corresponding eyes of

page_text: the matrices uu. The capsule after having passed through the last matrix is brought
over to the finishing apparatus by a rod y running in the last die and which, at the
moment when the capsule is to be brought over, receives a rapid downward pressure
by an arm fixed on the upper end of the shaft a³.
The finishing apparatus (figures 2 and 4) consists of two cooperating parts one
above another, of which the upper part receives the capsule from the pressing apparatus
and delivers it to the part below, where the capsule is cut and trimmed and then
discharged from the machine.
The lower and upper parts of the finishing apparatus are supported by the horizontal
shafts a', a respectively, which shafts are connected by gear wheels g, gl arranged to
rotate relatively to each other as one to two, so that when the upper shaft a² makes
half a turn the lower one accomplishes a whole revolution.
The finishing apparatus receives its motion from the upper shaft by a loose toothed
wheel ' at the end of this shaft gearing with a toothed sector o having an oscillating
motion and connected by means of the connecting rod p with the crank d attached on
the shaft a.
The shaft is caused to participate in the forward motion of the sector
by means of a pawl as placed on an arm ni connected with the loose toothed wheel a¹ and
engaging alternately with two ratchet teeth in a wheel m, which is firmly fixed on the
shaft a, in consequence of which the shaft is turned half a revolution every time the
pawl a engages with one of the ratchet teeth. After each half revolution the shaft a
is locked by a bolt q on the frame, which bolt is pushed by a spring into a slot in the
locking wheel fixed on the shaft a² beside the wheel m. In this position the bolt q
remains until the toothed sector o has accomplished its retrograde motion, when the
pawl of the arm n¹ connected with the toothed wheel n occupies its position behind
the bolt in order to push the bolt out of the slot as it commences to advance and then
to engage with the opposite ratchet in the wheel m, thus causing the shaft a to make
half a revolution.
The upper shaft a² is, at the end which is situated within the frame below the
matrices, provided with a socket attached perpendicularly to the shaft the longitudinal
axis of which socket coincides with that of the dies, when the shaft a' is at rest. This
socket contains a movable cylinder 1. When the capsule is about to leave the pressing
apparatus, it is forced into the upper end of the receiving socket of the finishing
apparatus. The socket is then turned by the mechanism above described so as to direct
its upper end downwards and the opposite end upwards. In the latter end a new
capsule is then forced in from the pressing apparatus and the cylinder in the socket
is thereby pushed downwards, whereby the capsule previously received in the pipe and
now turned downwards is brought over to a mouth piece i attached on the part of the
finishing apparatus which is supported by the lower shaft a¹.
This lower shaft a' is, at the end which is situated within the frame and below the
receiving socket provided with a casing fixed perpendicular to the shaft. In this
casing a spindle moves in and out, and is provided at one end with the above
mentioned mouth piece and at its other end with a bevel toothed wheel & gearing with
another wheel & firmly fixed in the frame. Owing to this arrangement the spindle h
receives a rotary motion upon its own axis every time the lower shaft of the finishing
apparatus makes a revolution.
On a bracket g² movable upon an arm projecting from the casing ¹ and opposite to
the mouth-piece i is a holder 7 carrying a piece of leather which in the rotary motion
of the mouth-piece is pressed against the capsule on the mouth-piece thus trimming it.
At the lower edge of the holder a knife 8 directed towards the mouth-piece is fixed
which knife is alternately caused to recede from and be pressed against the lower side
of the mouth-piece. This alternating motion is effected by pressing the bracket g'
connected with the holder by means of a spiral spring, constantly towards the inner
side of the toothed wheel & firmly fixed on the framic, and which, on a part of its
surface is provided with an upright bar 2. When the lower shaft of the finishing
apparatus commences its motion, the fore part of the bracket g after leaving the bar k
descends upon the plain surface of the wheel . So long as the bracket, under the

page_text: action of the spiral spring, is moved towards the said plain surface the knife S is
pressed against the lower side of the mouth-piece i, in consequence of which the edges
of the capsule are cut off during the rotary motion of the spindle. When the cutting
of the edges is performed the knife is withdrawn from the capsule for the reason that
the fore part of the bracket g' is again acted upon by the bar.
In order that the rim cut from the capsule may be removed from the shaft h, which
would be impossible if it be not opened any where, the casing ¹ is, as shown in
Figure 4, provided with two knives 10, which will when the capsule is pushed upon the
mouth-piece i cut vertical slits in the lower border of the capsule, so that subsequently
the knife 8 in the rotary motion of the mouth-piece cuts the edges entirely from the
capsule. The edges cut from the capsule drop in two parts from the machine and
cannot stick to the shaft h.
The finished capsule is thrown off the mouth-piece by the pressure of a rod y³ sliding
in the spindle and pushed out when the end of the said rod encounters during the
rotation of the spindle casing, an arm fixed on the frame c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
First A machine for making capsules, comprising a number of tubular dies (s to 8)
telescoped one into another and which successively press the capsule blank placed
beneath them through a number of corresponding movable matrices (u to u¹) which
matrices when the dies are passing through their central openings, are automatically
adjusted centrally relatively to the said dies owing to their having a slight play
horizontally.
Second In a machine for making capsules, mechanism for advancing the sheet from
which the capsules are formed, and consisting of a fork moving horizontally and
vertically, the upper branch (4) of which successively presses the capsule sheet placed
underneath it against a movable plate (5) sliding in the work table (2) carries it with
the plate towards the dies (s to 8) and then releases the capsule sheet in order to return
to its former position the inovable plate (5) being brought back by the lower branch
of the fork.
Third In machines for making capsules the arrangement of mechanism for carrying
the capsule from the matrices to a mouth-piece (), where its surface is trimmed and the
edge cut off, the said mechanism consisting of the shaft (a) which at that end which
is situated under the lowermost matrix () is provided with a socket (e) immediately
beneath the said matrix in which socket a cylinder (¹) slides.
Fourth In a machine for making capsules the arrangement of mechanism for
trimming and delivering the pressed capsule, the said mechanism consisting of a
horizontal shaft (a) which is provided with a fixed toothed wheel (4) and which at
one end supports a casing (¹) carrying a hollow shaft (h) in which a rod (y) for
pushing off the capsules slides which hollow shaft (1) supports at one end a mouth-
piece and at the other end a toothed wheel gearing together with the fixed toothed
wheel (¹).
Fifth In a machine for making capsules, the arrangement of mechanism for
transmitting the motion of the main shaft to the mechanism indicated in the 3rd
and 4th claiming clauses the said transmitting mechanism consisting of a toothed
wheel (¹) loose on the upper shaft (a) and receiving by means of a toothed sector (o),
an oscillating motion from the main shaft (a) the said toothed wheel (a) being
connected with an arm (n) provided at one end with a pawl (a) which pawl during the
forward motion of the toothed wheel (¹) pushes a bolt (7) out of a slot in a locking
wheel () firmly connected with the shaft a and turns a ratchet wheel (m) likewise
firmly connected with the said shaft so that the latter and the socket (2) at its end are
caused to make half a revolution while the shaft a' underneath in consequence of the
rotatory relation between the toothed wheels (g) connecting the shafts makes a whole
revolution and then, owing to the bolts (g) falling in to the second notch of the locking
wheel, stops during the retrograding motion of the toothed sector (o).

page_text: Sixth. In a machine for making capsules the mechanism for cutting off the lower
uneven edges of the capsules and consisting of a knife (8) bearing against the mouth-
piece (), which knife upon the revolution of the capsule cuts off its lower edge, while
two other upright knives (10) attached to the casing (¹), surrounding the shaft (h) of
the mouth-piece and immediately below the latter cut vertical slits in the lower edge of
the capsule when it is pressed down so that the rim cut off the capsule falls in two
parts and does not hang on the shaft (h) of the mouth-piece.
HASELTINE, LAKE & CO.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.