Improvements in and relating to a Feeding Mechanism for Bottle Stoppering Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to a Feeding Mechanism for Bottle
Stoppering Machines.
I, NELSON MUSLAR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fletcher
Street (no number) in the village of West Boylston, County of Worcester and State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, (mechanic), 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 improvements in feed mechanism for automatically
feeding stoppers to the bottles to be capped in a bottle stoppering machine.
The object of iny invention is to deliver stoppers in a predetermined position from
a suitable hopper and to feed the same, facing in one and the same direction, to the
bottle stoppering machine so that the stoppers always come over the top of the
bottles to be capped in the same position with the concave side facing the head of
the bottles and adapted to fit around the upper edge of the head of the bottle in the
operation of the capping mechanism.
My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my
invention
Figure 1 is a side view of a bottle stopper feeding mechanism and a portion of
the bottle stoppering machine to show the relation of the feeding inechanism to the
bottle stoppering machine.
Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken away to show the friction device for agitating
the sloppers in the hopper.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan and side elevation of the bottle stoppers which are
used for corking the bottles.
Figure 4 is a central sectional view through the hopper, branch chutes and main
chute for feeding the bottle stoppers to the bottle stoppering machine.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the swivel guide for controlling the passage
of the stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute.
Figure 6 is a side view of the hopper and feeding mechanism showing the position
of the parts when the feeding mechanism is lowered during the capping operation.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the feeding mechanisın taken on the opposite side
from that shown in Figures 1 and 6.
Figure 8 is a front end view of the hopper and feeding mechanism and the fixed
rod which guides the hopper and feeding mechanism in their vertical movements.
Figure is a detail sectional view showing a portion of the main chute and the
branch chutes with the swivel guide for controlling the passage of bottle stoppers
from the branch chutes to the inain chute.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are plan views of three sections which constitute the
centering head which is secured onto the operating head of the bottle stoppering
machine and by which the bottle stoppers are capped and clamped onto the heads of
the bottles.
Figure 13 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view through the centering
head

page_text: .head.
saan perspecur
PSPs m
Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional view through part of one of the ratchet wheels
and its spring pawl.
Figure 16 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of the hopper.
Figure 17 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the hopper and branch chutes.
Figure 18 is an enlarged detail sectional view of part of the hopper and one of
the branch chutes and showing a stopper facing in a direction adapted to pass down
the opposite branch chute.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.
The bottle stoppering machine to which my invention is applied consists of a main
frame or standard A, an operating head A¹ for capping the stoppers onto the bottles,
and behind said head A¹ is a vertically operating shaft A2 which passes down through
the standard A and is operated by a suitable foot treadle or other power, and A³
represents a table on which the bottle A* rests in position to be capped.
In the practical operation of these well-known bottle stoppering machines the
shaft A2 has a constant upward pressure imparted to it to hold it and the head A¹
which is attached to and moves with it, in their highest normal positions, as shown
in Figure 1, that is, in the positions which said parts occupy preparatory to applying
a stopper to one of the bottles on the tables. In the application of said stopper to
the bottle, the shaft A2 and the head A¹ are moved down by pressure on the foot
treadle or ollier power connected therewith, so as to force the bottom of the head A¹
down over the head of the bottle, which operation causes the head of the bottle to be
capped by the stopper which is clamped thereon by the mechanism inside of the
head A¹. The foregoing mechanism constitutes no part of my invention, and it is
not deemed necessary to illustrate and describe the same in detail, as the machines
are upon the market and well-known in trade, so that simply those parts which are
necessary to show the relation of my invention to said machines are shown and
described.
My invention is for the purpose of feeding automatically bottle stoppers into the
bottom of the head A¹ over the heads of the bottles preparatory to capping and
clamping, this latter operation being carried out by the bottle stoppering machine
independent of my invention, which relates, as previously stated, to the feed
mechanism for the bottle stoppers.
The hopper B in which the bottle stoppers are placed, is provided with an inverted,
rotary, cup-shaped disk D centrally arranged and keyed on the vertical shaft D¹ fitted
to turn in the bearing D2 on the bottom D³ of the hopper, as shown in Figure 4, and
with the hub of said disk resting on the upper end of the hub which forms the
bearing D2 in which the shaft D1 revolves. Upon the lower end of the vertical
shaft there is mounted the bevel gear E arranged to mesh with another bevel
gear F mounted and secured on the short horizontal shaft F1 fitted to turn in a
bearing on the frame G which is secured at G¹ to the under side of the hopper. On
the outer end of the horizontal shaft FI is mounted and secured a ratchet wheel H
with which a double knuckle jointed pawl device engages to turn the same, and by
means of the aforesaid connecting mechanism to rotate the disk D. This pawl
device consists of two levers H¹ each pivoted at its inner end to the outer end of the
horizontal shaft F¹ and extending outwardly in opposite directions, and pivoted at
their outer ends at H2 to the upper ends of the connecting rods I which are in turn
pivoted at their lower ends at H5 to the outer end of the arm J to which at J¹ there
is firmly secured the vertical fixed rod K secured at A6 to the fixed bearing A
secured around the standard A, as shown in Figure 1. Over the said fixed vertical
rod K the bearing G2 of the frame G is fitted to slide in the upward and downward
vertical movements of the hopper and feeding mechanism. Each lever H¹ is provided
with a spring pawl H4 (see Figure 15) which engages with the teeth H³ of the
ratchet wheel H and one of said pawls is adapted to engage with said teeth in the
upward movement of said feeding mechanism to turn the ratchet wheel, and
the other spring pawl engages with said teeth and turns the ratchet wheel in the

page_text: downward movement of the feeding mechanism, so that a continuous motion is
imparted to the rotary disk D when the machine is in operation. The vertical
rod K being secured and held stationary, as described, it will be understood that a
direct connection is made from the stationary standard A through the said rod K,
ratchet wheel H, and gearing, with the rotatable disk D of the hopper; therefore,
with the rod K stationary, the hopper and feeding mechanism must be lifted and
lowered in order to operate the rotary disk D, and to provide for this vertical
movement of the hopper and feeding mechanism, the main chute M is connected
directly to the operating head A¹ by screwing on said head A¹ the centering head M¹
which is securely attached to the lower end of the main chute M by screws N passing
through the holes n¹ in the lower end of the chute M, as shown in Figures 1, 6 and 8,
and also by means of the cross rod N¹ which is connected by the screws N² to
the chamber 01 forming part of the main chute M and the branch chutes O, and
the opposite end N³ is connected to the vertically operating shaft A2 (see
Figure 2); consequently, by reason of these connections, when the operating head A'
is operated the hopper and feeding mechanism are moved up and down with said
head A¹, and in said movement the levers H¹ actuate the ratchet wheel H and the
motion is communicated from the ratchet wheel H through the gearing E and F to
the rotary disk D.
The centering head M, which, as previously described, is secured to the lower end
of the chute M, is composed of three distinct sections, M2 M3 and M*, (see Figures 10,
11, 12 and 13). The lower part M2 is provided with a throat m³ which registers
with the mouth n at the lower end of the chute M (see Figures 4, 8 and 12) and
said throat terminates in the opening m³ which is directly over the head of the bottle
to be capped. Located in said section M2 under the plate m are two spring pawls m
held in place by the plate m which is held by the screws m². The springs me which
act on the pawls m' are of equal strength, so that said pawls will yield equally as the
bottle enters the centering head M¹ and thus center the bottle automatically with
the centering head. The three sections are connected in the following manner:
The section M³ is slipped upwardly into the section M4 until its upper edge reaches
the inwardly turned lip M5 of the section M*; the lower section M2 is then connected
to the above two sections by slipping the lugs m of the section M2 up through the
openings (see Figure 11) between the ring M³ and the outer side of the section M⭑*,
and then by turning the ring Ms the projections m10 on said ring come under the
lateral lugs m¹ on the upper ends of the lugs m' and by this connection the three
sections are secured together. The movement of the ring Ms is limited by the
screw M screwed into the section M4 and located in the slot Mº and when the ring M
has been moved, as above described, the set screw M is screwed inwardly so that the
ring Ms is firmly held in its adjusted position and all three sections are firmly secured
together. When the centering head M¹ is secured onto the lower end of the head A¹
by the threads in the section M³ the mouth m³ may not be in perfect alignment with
the mouth n of the chute M, but the same may be moved around into alignment
because the inner section M³ is not rigidly secured to either the section M² or M4 but
is simply in frictional engagement with the inner surface of the section M* so that
the section M2 and the section M4 can be slipped around the inner section M³ until
the mouth m³ comes into alignment with the mouth n of the chute M, when the
lower end of the chute M may be screwed to the centering head M¹ by the screws N.
This construction thereby provides a simple and easy means of aligning the centering
head with the end of the chute M.
From the centering head M¹ the main chute M extends upwardly to a point under
about the center of the hopper where it branches off to the opposite sides of said
hopper, and the branch chutes O are attached to the bottom of the hopper in any
suitable manner. In alignment with the upper terminals of the upper branch chutes Ŏ
are formed openings P in the bottom of the hopper (see Figures 2 and 16) through
which the stoppers pass from said hopper into said branch chutes and then down
through the swivel guide Q and main chute M through the throat 'm³ into the
centering head M' and over the spring pawls m where the stoppers rest in position

page_text: to be capped and clamped onto the head of the bottle on the table A³ by the
downward movement of the operating head A¹.
It will be understood from the drawings that the openings P in the bottom of
the hopper are formed alike and arranged in the same relative position, that is, said
openings are formed and arranged so that all the stoppers will pass from the hopper in a
pre-determined position, entering the centering head M¹ in their proper positions with
the upper or convex side up, ready for the stoppering operation. As the stoppers are dis-
charged from the two branch chutes O into the single main chute M, I have provided the
swivel guide Q to direct the stoppers first from one branch chute and then from the
other, into the main chute. This guide is provided with a vertical slot Q through which
the stoppers move when passing from the branch chutes to the main chute. At its
lower end on opposite sides the swivel guide is provided with trunnions Q which have
bearings Q in the sides of the chamber 0¹. As shown in Figures 5 and 9, the under
side of the lower portion of said swivel guide is cut away so as to present a flat surface,
and against said flat surface the spring Q in the chamber 01 bears and holds said
swivel guide in the position shown in Figure 9, so that when in said position
the stoppers from the right hand branch chute pass through the swivel guide into the
main chute. As the hopper and its co-operating parts move upwardly with the
operating head A¹ the spring-controlled finger R on the inner end of the arm J comes
in contact (see Figure 1) with the finger Q4 extending from one side of the collar Q³
which is held in its position on the trunnion Q2 by a set screw Q5, and moves the
swivel guide Q from the position shown in Figure 9 and brings the slot. Qon said
guide into alignment with the left hand branch chute O, so that the stoppers from the
last mentioned branch chute pass through the slot Q' into the main chute M. From
the above it will be understood that by this arrangement, means are provided whereby
the stoppers alternately pass from the branch chutes into the main chute.
By journaling the swivel guide at its extreme lower end, it is obvious that only a
slight motion of its lower end takes place, as the upper end moves into alignment
with the opposite chutes 0, and consequently, owing to the small amount of motion
at the lower end of the swivel guide the slot Q' is kept in perfect alignment with the
chute M in the above positions of the swivel guide.
To assist the stoppers being moved around in the hopper I have provided a
flange D which agitates the stoppers, and the finger D* which projects through the
slot in the side of the disk into the channel P¹ in the bottom of the hopper, and
causes the movement of the stoppers in said channel. This finger is pivoted at D5
to one side of the disk on the supporting piece D6 secured to the side of the disk,
and the spring D7 secured at one end to the other end of the finger D' and fastened
at Ds to the underside of the disk will yield when necessary, and not dent or otherwise
injure the stoppers.
As the hopper is filled with stoppers and the disk rotates, the stoppers are kept in
motion in the hopper, so that first one stopper and then another will be moved into
position to enter one or the other of the openings P to pass into the branch chutes O.
The branch chutes are more or less filled all the time, according to the rapidity
with which the stoppers are discharged from the hopper, and the rapidity of discharge
is regulated to some extent by the positions which said stoppers occupy in the
hopper; for instance if a stopper after being moved around by the disk D comes
over the discharge opening P in a reverse position to that which it should occupy in
order to pass through said opening, it will be pushed along by the next stopper, and
so on for each successive stopper until one arrives at the opening in the proper
position to pass through. The stopper coming over the opening P in the wrong
position will not pass through, but being moved along by the stopper behind it, it is
moved around from one side of the hopper to the other into a proper position to pass
through the opposite opening P; consequently, no stopper can pass around more
than one-half the revolution of the disk without passing out, after it has reached the
bottom of the hopper between the lower edge of the disk and the side of the
hopper.

page_text: If the right hand branch chutes be full of stoppers and the swivel guide is held
from turning by one of the stoppers of the series passing only partially into the
slot Q, the spring finger R coming in contact with the finger Q will not move said
finger down but will yield and move upwardly through the opening in the end of the
arm J, and this yielding of the spring finger prevents the jamming of the device
and of the stoppers, and this operation will continue until the obstructing stopper
has passed fully into the slot Q1, and in this case, upon the upward movement of the
hopper, the spring finger R will turn the swivel guide Q so that the slot Q¹ will
register with the left hand branch chute O. If a stopper should occupy the same
position in the left hand branch chute and hold the swivel guide Q over on the left
hand side of the chamber 01, the spring Q will remain compressed until the stopper
has passed into the slot Q¹, in which case the spring Q will throw the swivel guide
into the position shown in Figure 6.
Referring to Figures 16, 17 and 18, it will be seen that the bed forming the bottom
of the channel P₁ is oval in shape and is somewhat wider than the width of the
bottle stoppers, and by making said bed wider than the stoppers the openings Pean
be made and at the same time leave an edge P2 on the side of the openings entering
the branch chutes. As the stoppers fall into the channel P¹ they pass in one or the
other direction, some facing outwardly away from the disk and others facing
inwardly toward the disk (see Figure 17). The face of the stopper is understood to
be that part which is open and in which the cork C¹ is located.
As the stoppers fall into the channel 1" the edges of the stoppers strike the oval
bed and move toward and down into the inclined sides of the oval bed facing in one or
the other direction. Owing to the rotation of the disk D the stoppers in the
channel P¹ are kept in motion and those which are adapted to pass down one opening
will, upon reaching said opening, pass down into one of the branch chutes (), and
those which face in the other direction will move around and pass down the opposite
branch chute 0; for instance, the stopper shown in Figure 18 is not adapted to pass
down the right hand branch chute shown in said figure, but upon moving around the
channel P¹ it will p ss down the left hand branch chute shown in Figures 16 and 17.
The oval bed, therefore, causes the stoppers, as the edges thereof strike the bed
to move inwardly or outwardly from the top of the oval, and those which face
inwardly, as shown in Figure 18, and on the right hand side of Figures 16 and 17,
will move around and pass down the left hand branch chute 0 (see Figure 17) and
those which face outwardly in the channel P¹, as shown on the left hand of Figures 16
and 17 will move around and pass down the right hand chute O, as will be obvious,
by looking at Figures 16 and 17 and observing that the stopper C shown on the left
hand side will come directly over the opening to the branch chute O on the right hand
side and face away from the disk D and pass down the right hand chute O, while the
stopper C shown on the right hand side of Figures 16 and 17, facing inwardly toward
the disk D will move around and pass down into the left hand chute O. By-this
arrangement it is obvious that the stoppers which do not belong to the right hand
chute will not drop part way into the openings P to which they do not belong, thus
closing the openings and thereby preventing other stoppers belonging to said chute
from passing down.
In brief the operation is as follows:
The head A being moved up and down in a manner similar to that common to all
bottle stoppering machines, will carry with it up and down the hopper and feeding
mechanism, and in this operation the rod K remaining stationary causes the
pivoted levers H₁ and rods I to be operated, thereby turning the ratchet wheel H,
gear wheels and rotary disk D, as hereinbefore described, thereby causing the
stoppers to pass from the hopper through the branch chutes into the main chute and
then into the centering head and over the bottles to be stoppered, as previously
described, so that the operation is automatic and continuous.
I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the same
may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

page_text: 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
1. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, a hopper for holding the bottle
stoppers, a main chute, branch chutes between said hopper and main chute, and
means for controlling the passage of the stoppers from the branch chutes into the
main chute.
2. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, a hopper for holding the
bottle stoppers, a main chute, branch chutes between said hopper and main
chute, and ineans at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for
controlling the passage of the stoppers from the branch chutes into the main
chute.
3. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them over said
openings, and means at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for
controlling the passage of stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute.
4. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them over said
openings, means at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for controlling
the passage of said stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute, means for
holding said controlling means in alignment with one of said branch chutes, and
mechanism operated by the movement of said head for bringing said controlling
means into alignment with another branch chute to allow the passage of bottle
stoppers from said branch chute into the main chute.
5. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them over said
openings, means at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for controlling
the passage of said stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute, yielding
means for holding said controlling means in alignment with one of said branch chutes,
and mechanism operated by the movement of said head for bringing said controlling
means into alignment with another branch chute to allow the passage of bottle stoppers
from said branch chute into the main chute.
6. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them over said
openings, means at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for controlling
the passage of said stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute, and a
centering head for receiving the stoppers from the main chute.
7. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main
chute through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between
said hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch
chutes, means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them
over said openings, means at the junction of said inain chute and branch chutes for
controlling the passage of said stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute

page_text: and a centering head secured to the said operating head for receiving the stoppers
from the main chute.
8. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said hopper to bring them over said
openings, means at the junction of said main chute and branch chutes for controlling
the passage of said stoppers from the branch chutes into the main chute, a
centering head for receiving the stoppers from the main chute, and yielding
means on said centering head for centering the bottle as it enters said centering
head.
9. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said stoppers, a main chute through
which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said hopper and
main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes, a disk
within said hopper for keeping said stoppers in motion to bring them over said
openings, mechanism for operating said disk, a swivel guide at the junction of said
branch chutes and main chute for controlling the passage of said stoppers from
said branch chutes into the main chute, means for holding said swivel guide
in alignment with one of said branch chutes, and means for moving said swivel
guide from said alignment into alignment with another branch chute..
10. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch
chutes, a disk within said hopper for keeping said stoppers in motion to bring
them over said openings, mechanism for operating said disk, a swivel guide at
the junction of said branch chutes and main chute for controlling the passage
of said stoppers from said branch chutes into said main chute, means for holding
said swivel guide in alignment with one of said branch chutes, and yielding
means for moving said swivel guide from said alignment into alignment with another
branch chute.
11. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said stoppers, a main chute through
which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said hopper and
main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes, a disk
within said hopper for keeping said stoppers in motion to bring them over said
openings, mechanism for operating said disk, a swivel guide at the junction of said
branch chutes and main chute for controlling the passage of said stoppers from
said branch chutes into said main chute, means for holding said swivel guide in
alignment with one of said branch chutes, a finger on said swivel guide, and a spring
controlled finger adapted to contact with said finger on the swivel guide to move the
swivel guide from said alignment and into alignment with another branch chute.
12. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, a hopper, a rotary disk
arranged therein, chutes leading from said hopper, and a friction device on the outer
lower peripheral edge of said disk for keeping the bottle stoppers in the hopper in
motion to bring them over said chutes.
13. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes
and formed and arranged to cause the stoppers to enter both of said branch chutes in
the same pre-determined position, and means for keeping said stoppers in motion in
said hopper to bring them over said openings.
14. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chut

page_text: through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chrte, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes
and forined and arranged to cause the stoppers to enter both of said branch chutes in
the same pre-determined position, means for keeping said stoppers in motion in said
hopper to bring them over said openings, and means at the junction of said main
chute and branch chutes for controlling the passage of said bottle stoppers from the
branch chutes to the main chute.
15. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes
and formed and arranged to cause the stoppers to enter both of said branch chutes
in the same pre-determined position, means for keeping said stoppers in motion in the
hopper to bring them over said openings, means at the junction of said main chute
and branch chutes for controlling the passage of said bottle stoppers from the branch
chutes to the main chute, and a centering head at the lower end of said main chute
and secured to the operating head for receiving the bottle stoppers from the main
chute.
16. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes
and formed and arranged to cause the stoppers to enter both of said branch chutes
in the same pre-determined position, means for keeping said stoppers in motion in
said hopper to bring them over said openings, means at the junction of said main
chute and branch chutes for controlling the passage of bottle stoppers from the branch
chutes to the main chute, a centering head at the lower end of said main chute and
secured to the operating head for receiving the bottle stoppers from the main chute,
and yielding means on said centering head for centering the bottle as it enters
said centering head and adapted to support the bottle stoppers in position to be
capped.
17. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute, and openings in said hopper registering with said branch
chutes and formed and arranged to cause the stoppers to enter said branch chutes in
the same pre-determined position.
18. In a feed device, a hopper for holding the article to be fed, branch chutes
leading from said hopper, a main chute with which said branch chutes communicate,
openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes and formed and arranged
to cause said articles to enter said chutes in the same pre-determined position, and
means for controlling the passage of said articles from the branch chutes into the
main chute.
19. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a rotary disk
located in said hopper for keeping said bottle stoppers in motion, a channel between
the edge of the disk and the hopper into which the bottle stoppers are adapted to
drop, and branch chutes leading from said hopper, the bottom of said channel having
its upper surface oval in shape in order that stoppers dropping into said channel will
move to the inner or outer side of said channel.
20. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said bottle stoppers, a chute for
delivering stoppers from said hopper, a centering head secured to said operating head
and to the end of said chute and consisting of an upper section, an inner section
within said upper section and secured to the operating head, a lower section provided
with spring pawls for centering the bottle as it enters the centering head, and means
for securing the three sections together.

page_text: 21. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for capping
the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding the bottle stoppers, a chute for
delivering stoppers from said hopper, a centering head secured to said operating head
and to the end of said chute and consisting of an upper section, an inner section
within said upper section and secured to the operating head, a lower section provided
with spring pawls for centering the bottle as it enters the centering head, and a
movable ring around the upper section for securing the three sections together.
22. In a feed device for bottle stoppering machines, an operating head for
capping the stoppers on the bottles, a hopper for holding said stoppers, a main chute
through which the bottle stoppers pass to said head, branch chutes between said
hopper and main chute openings in said hopper registering with said branch chutes,
a disk within said hopper for keeping said stoppers in motion to bring them over
said openings, mechanism for operating said disk, a swivel guide at the junction
of said branch chutes and main chute for controlling the passage of said stoppers from
said branch chutes into said main chute and journalled at its lower end, means for
holding said swivel guide in alignment with one of said branch chutes, and means for
moving said swivel guide from said alignment into alignment with another branch
chute.
Dated this first day of April 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.