Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,: 1
- BACK~:ROU~D OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF T~E MVE~TIO~
,, This invention rela~es to the manufacture of container~
and primarily -to the preliminary assembly of a hollow sleeve
,; ~, .1
147~,
1 prefo.rm onto an upper extremity of a container for subse~uent
shrinking in situ thereon. The preform is taken from a stored,
flattened condition to a position ummediatel~ above the container
,. where it is fully opened into co-axial alignment with the con-
tainer. The retention device for the container neck serves to
; fully open the preform and co~axially align the two components
for their initial telescopic assembly. After such initial
assembly with the container neck no longer retained, the preform
~ is then finally assembled onto the container neck by further
telescoping movement. The final shrinking of the preform onto
. the container, as can be performed by many appropriate physical
conditions, is not part of this invention.
ii 2 ~ DESCRIPTIO~ OF PRIOR ART
' 1, ' ....................................................... ,~
.. This invention comprises an improvement over the methods
,~ and apparatus disclosed in issued U. S. Patents 3,767,496, issued
Octo~er 23, 1973; 3,802,g42 issued April 9O 1974; and 3,959,065
issued May 25, 1976, all of which are commonl~ owned with the
¦l present application. In each of these disclosures, a tubular
! sleeve is formed which is telescopically assembled onto the
1 article ~rom below by a push-up mechanism. ~one o these dis-
j. closures pertain to a sleeve which is stored in 1attened, pre~ I
jl fabricated condition and then telescoped over the container in ~.
i two stepwise, telescoping operations to permit efficient and
rapid assembly.
25 1~ In many of the previously-disclosed processes and
apparatus for making composite containers having an integral
i rt
~13~
1 plastic base or sleeve thereo~, a manufactured glass bottle or
ii jar is loaded onto a conveyor and pre-heated prior to mounting
'.; the plastic sleeve. The plastic sleeves carried on an underlying
, turret pass into alignment with the bottles and are moved ~er-
tically upwardly into telescopic assembly over the lower endsof the bottles. The sleeves are then carried on the bottles into
: a heating apparatus such as a tunnel oven wherein appropriate
physical conditions shrink the sleeves into close-fitting confor-
I m.ing arrangement over the bottle surfaces where assembled. ~he
i heating apparatus commonly consists of a lengthwise oven ~hroughwhich the bottles are passed, the oven temperatures ranging from
1~ about 170 to 800F, depending upon the plastic material selected
! to comprise the sleeves. U. S. Patent 3,959,065, owned by the
~ common assignee of this application, di9closes method and appar-
' atus which assure against dislocation o~ the sleeve on the bottle~
. without external handling mechanism be;ng required to hold thesleeve in place between its assembly point with -the bottle and
the shrinking oven~ -
!l i
!i Tha cap sealing of bottles has been conventionally
20 1I performed in recent years to provide for reasons o~ sanitation,
¦l pilfer-proofing, safety and appear.ance, the further step of
placing over and around the neck of the bottle~ as well as prefer
; ably over at least part of .its closure, a tubular sleeve of heat-.
Ij I
1 contracting synthetic resin material, severed to a prescr:~bed
1 length, and then sealing the sleeve to the bottle by thermal
contraction. The s~nthetic resin tubing is usually pressed 1at ¦
and delivered in rolls in many produc-tion processes, and since
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1 , the tubing may or ma~ not stay fully flattened, particularly
li where it is comprised of extremely flexi~le and resilient material,
I inefficiencies can and do result when the severe~ lengths of
tubing are fitted on-to the bottle necks In some cases, to
facilitate the fittiIlg of the shortD fla~, tubular sleeves onto
the necks of bottles, it has been common practice to preform the
sleeves such as b~ putting perforations or scores along their
' fold lines. It is also possible to apply the tubes around the
I bottle necks without preforming the materialO as tau~ht by U~ S.
I~ Patent 3,861,918 to Muto, however, such method requires the ap-
plication of a bonding agent to the ~ottle nec~ ~or a~herence of
the sleeve. The method and apparatus disclosed by this patent
, are exceedingly more complex and prone to occasionally mis-
~I apply a tubular band or label. U. S. Patent 2,852,899 to Murrell
discloses a collar feeding mechanism which is designed to remove
l only ~he lowermost collar from a nested stack by frictional en-
gagement with its inner surface. The collars are preformed and
' nested tightly into a stack from which they are deliverable onto
¦, the container necks.
SUMM~RY OF THE IhVENTION
!l An object of this invention is to provide method and
¦l apparatus for positivel~ opening flat-formed, ~ubular, blank
li sleeves of relatively-rigid material an~ placing the same teles- !
' copically over the top of the containers ~hile both are held in
axial alignment and subse~uently moving the slee~e into further
Ii il
~39~
1 I telescopic engagement over the container upper region while it is
, unsupported at the neck region.
" The present invention is disclosed hereinafter in a
specific preferrea embodiment, provides both method and apparatus
for applying a preformed, relatively-rigid tubular band or sleeve
" to an upper neck region of a container where it is frictionally
retained prior to subsequent heat shrinking of the band.onto the
container into final conformin~ relationship, The învention
I, permits telescopic assemhly of.the band onto the container upper
~ region in two stages -- the first while the container neck and
~'~ band are held in co-axial alignment, and the second.while the
band is ~ree-standing in partia:L telescopic arrangement on the
container neck which is then unsupported. The bands formed of
relatively-stiff material are stored in flat, folded condition
1 in a stack witll an open end lowermost adjacent a rotary turret
¦, adapted to retaIn the containers in spaced~apart relation.
pair o* partible jaws having concave, cylindrical surfaces is-
adapted to both retain the container neck an~ fully open and
1!~ align an individual band prior to placing same telescopicall~
¦! over the upper extremity of the container by a reciprocatlng head
; mechanism. The band is adapted to temporary retention in place
on the container neck until it is heat shrunken into con~orming,
permanent relationship thereon~
!
. The apparatus provides a rotary.turret mechanism
' adapted to receive and retain a lower body portion o~ the con-
jl tainer in spaced~apart container-receiving pockets. ~ rotary
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1 wheel mechanism having a series of ~acuum heads thereon is
arranged so that it conforms -tangentially to a portion of the
arcuate path of the rotary turret. The rotary turret has a
, partible jaw mechanism at each container-receiving pocket adapted
, to both retain the container neck and simultaneously open and
align the tubular sleeve above the upper extremity of the con-
tainer. ~he jaw mechanism permits precise axial alignment of a
container neck and sleeve so that the sleeve is telescoped to
I, an intermediate posltion on the container neck~
i Another feature of the invention is a vacuum pick-up
device capable of delivery of an individual tubular preform in
jl partially opened condition from a nested stack of flattened
preforms to a second vacuum device for further openiny of the
1I preform prior to its complete opening in circular alignment by
the pair of partible container retention jaws.
Il, ~ further feature o the invention is the provision o~
- extended dwell time o~ the vacuum pick~up device adjacent the
stack of flattened tubular preforms -to assure delivery of an in-
1l diviaual sleeve to the rotary ~urret even at accellerated rates
20 11 of operation oE the combined apparatus.
A still further eature of the invention is the two-
stage telescopic movement of the tubular sleeve over the con- ;
tainer neck while supported and then unsupported at said neck
I region for convenient and economical application thereof onto
j containers at production speed prior to heat shrinkage of the
sleeve onto the surrounded circ~unferential surface area which
sleeve ma~ also provide a p:ilfer-proofing feature.
Il !
{ 14726
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~ GS
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a machine for
applying plastic sleeves onto glass bottles incorporating the
improvements of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a s~hematic view of the power source
elements of the machine of Figure 1.
"
i Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine of Figure 1
with the upper portions of the incoming and outgoing starwheels
broken away.
~ ¦, Figure 4 is a top view of the machine shown in
, Figure 3 with some poxtions of the main turret broken away,
1! and others in broken lines, to illustrate the underlying details~
~ igure 5 is a partial perspective view of thè magazine
devicQ or holding a substantial number of preformed sleeves.
' Figure 6 is a partial top view of the vacuum pick-up
il and delivery device for the preformed sleeves with portions
,I brok~n away.
Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the magazine
!I device and vacuum picX-up and delivery device shown in Figures 5
1 and 6 with portions broXen away.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary top view of several pairs of
partible jaws of the main machine turret.
i Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A
, of Figure 8.
jl 7
14726
1 Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of a single
paix of partible jaws and container at one con~ainer-receiving
statiorl of the machine with the jaws open, and container and
,, sleeve in place~
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing
another container-receivin~ station of the machine with the iaws
closed around the container and the sleeve fully opened.
Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view
, taken along the line B-B of Figure 3.
' Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view
taken along the line C-C of Figure 3.
igure 14 is a fragmentary sectional elevati~nal view
. taken along the line D-D of Figure 3
! Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional elevational vie~
~, ;
lS I taken along the line E-E of Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIME~IT
i As shown in Fi~ure 1 of the drawings, ~he apparatus for
i, producing containers with plastic sleeves thereon consists of
!, xotary turret machine 10 which is adapted to receive an~ arcuately
convey the containers 11 around at least a major portion o its
' full circumference~ The containers 11 preferably consist of
rigid, hollow~ glass bottles which may or may not have a closure .
;j lla thereon, thus bein~ either in ~illed or unfilled condition,
as desired.
.
il i
( ~ 14726
~39:~3L~
1 As shown in Figure 1, the containers 11 are delivered
Ito the rotary turret 12 of the machine 10 serially in spacecl~
laPart arrangement b~ a worm feed device 13 which is ro~ated in
Isynchronism with movement of a linear conveyor 14. ~he conveyor
,14 and worm feed device 13 are of the conven~iona~ construction
adapted to convey the containers in upright position between a
:pair of parallel side rails 15~ The worm feed 13 is designed
.to receive a lineal alignment o~ upright containers in physically-
~.contactin~, close relation and separate the ~ame into e~ually-
spaced arrangement or delivery to the xotary turret machine 10.Normally, the worm feed 13 has a continuous screw thread element
16 wit~ a pitch distance generall~ complemental to the desired
! spacing of the containers for delivery to the turret machineO
The axis of such thread element of the worm feed extends horiæon-
¦!tally, the thread element replacing one of the`conveyor side'rails 15 for a limited distance~ .
The containers 11 are delivered by the worm feed 13 to
~a rotary starwheel 17 mounted between the conveyor 14 and the
i~rotary ~urret 12 of the machine. The starwneel 17 has a station-
20 . lary bottom plate on the same elevation as the conveyor 14 forsliding the containers 11 thereover. Starwheel 17 is mounted
~tangentially to both conveyor 14 and turret 12,
1 .
'I The containers are each received serially into a
¦¦container-receiving pocket 18 on the rotary turret 12. The
turre-t 12 has a plurali.ty of e~ui-spaced pockets 18 extending
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,, , 1~20
1 around its circu~ference. The pockets 18 are capable of surround-
ing at least partially a major body portion of the container with
a bottom support plate 19 for retaining each con-tainer in upright
., .
'' position. The plurality of pockets 18 on the turret 12 has
, peripheral spacing which coincides radiall~ so that all pockets
. are equi-spacea. Support plate 19 is adapted to receive and
support the container bottoms while the containers 11 are retained
upright on the turret 12 and extends therearound immediatel~
, below the pockets 18. The pockets 17a in starwheel 17 are z
~, arranged to mesh with the container-receiving pockets 1~ of the
,I turret 12 at all speeds of machine operation.
.l The turret 12 is mounted on a central vertical shaft 20
, which is rotated in con]unction with mnvement of the conveyor 14
.,
! and worm feed device 13. The turret 12 of the mach.ine is rotated
f by an e~ectrical motor 21 and gear bo~.22 engaging a pin.~on gear
Ij 23 through a suitable shaft which drives vertical shaft 20 of
!¦ ~uxxet 12. ~11 are located beneath the turret 12 as shown in
1, ~igure 2. The main gear 24 of the turret 12 engages another gear
, 25 which drives incoming starwheel 17 through a suitable shaft.
fl The starwheel shaft is connected to another gear 26 which drives
Ij still another gear 27 through an idler gear 28. Gear 27 is con- ~
¦¦ nected to a shaft which drives a rotary wheel device ~0 for sleeve
Il pick up and delivery. ~et another gear 29 interconnects with
~ turret main gear 24 on a suitable shaft to drive outgoing star-
,~ ,
1l wheel 70. This shaft is connected to gear 30 which through gear
31 drives the gear box of the worm feed loading device 13. The
gears and driving mechanism are shown schematically in Figure 2.
~he incoming starwheel 17 is mounted in horizontal
! -lo- i
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~ 726
~3~
1 tangential relation between the worm feed 13 and the turret peri-
I phery over a s-tationary horizontal plate to facilitate entry of
. the spaced containers into the turret pockets 18. Sta~heel 17
' has a plurality of recesses 17a therein adapted to move the
containers slidably over a-suitable dead plate aligned with
bottom support plate 19 of the turret 12. When the starwheel 17 .
. is rota-ted in synchronism with the worm ~eed 13 and turret 12,
being powered by turret 12 as aforesa.id, the containers are
, aellvered seriall~ upright in spaced relation from recesses 17a
into the plurality of pockets 18 on the turret 12.
~ urret 12 has a plurality of partible chucking devices
¦,. 35 located adjacent and immediately above each of the container-
receiving pockets 18 and in vertical alignment therewith as shown
i in Figures 1 and 4. Each chucking device 35 consists of a pair
, of juxtaposed, concave, cylindrical jaws 36 and 37 which are
adapted to physically contact and engage a portion of the con-
tainer neck llb while the con-tainer is disposed with,n poc~et 18.
The jaws 36 and 37 have an appreciable height extending generally
I co-extensive wi-th the container neck llb and closure lla, surroun~-
~ ing the same when closed. The lower extremity of jaws 36 and 37has a lesser diameter than the greater upper portion thereabove
to permit the jaw pairs to engage the-neck llb at its lower regionl.
. The jaw pairs have a slightly greater internal diameter at an
¦l upper region complemental to the con.tainer neck llb and closure
I, lla to facilitate firmly pushing a tubular sleeve downwardly in J
li the annular space therebetween when the container neck llb is
! firmly retained~
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il i
-- -- --
~ 726
~L~L3~
Each of the chucks 35 is thus comprised of a pair of
matching concave semi cylindrical jaws 36 and 37 which are
pivotally mounted and adapted to firm engaging con-tact with a
container neck. The turret 12 possesses suitable camming
mechanism 38 to swing the jaws closed around the container neck
llb immediately following entry of a container into a turret
pocket 18. As shown in Figure 9~ the mechanism consists of a
pair of small gears 39 with each one mounted on a shaft connected
to an upper region of each jaw assembly 36 and 379 the gears
adapted to interengage with each other for jaw closing and open-
, . , '.
ing. One of the gears 39 of each pair has a rigid arm 33 con-
, nected thereto which has a cam roller 32 on the other end which
moves within a cam track 34. Thus, when cam roller 32 turns the
arm 33, the meshed gears 39 are rotated to close and open the
¦~ pair of jaws 36 and 37. Thus, upon entering the turret, the
,' body portion o~ the container is loosely held in pocket 18 and
j~ the neck portion more rigidly held by the jaws 36 and 37 o the
` chuckins device when closed
! A horizontal wheel device 40 is mounted closely adjacent
l~ and in tangential relation to ~he turret 12, as shown in Figures
! 1 4 and 8. The wheel aevice 40 ~arries a plurali~y of irst
vacuum heads 41 in e~ui-spaced, radial alignment, the heads
facing outwardly for engagement with a nested stack of preformed
tubular sleeves 42 and their delivery to turret 12 Each of the
heads 41 comprises a vacuum cup 43 mounted ver-tically connected
to a vacuum line (not shown) which interconnec-ts with a rotary
!~ vacuum manifold 45 at the center of the wheel. Each of the heads
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~ ~; 14726
~13~
1 41 is mounted on a suitable slide extending radially from the
wheel cen-ter and is adapted to extended and re~racted movement
! f the head by ~ first camming mechanism 46, Camming mechanism
46 moves within a first cam track 47 extending around the wheel
5 I 4OD A second camming device 48 is also connected to each head
41 which moves within a second cam track 48 on the wheel~ the
cam tracks being shown in Figure 4. The second camming mechanism
48 provides an extended dwell time of the vacuum cup 43 when
' facing outermost sleeve 42 at the retained stack. ~ormally
il the vacuum cup 43 is moved radially outwardly by the first cam-
! .
,~ ming mechanism 46 at the sleeve pick-up position and maintained in
Il such position until delivery of the sleeve to the machine turret~
' The second camming mechanism 48 serves to swing the head 41
;, through an arc with the cup 43 being delayed in passing the pic~-
ll up position so that greater dwell time is achieved thereat. Thus~
positive pick-up of an individual sleeve b~ the vacuum cup 43 is
Il ensured even at rapid rates of machine operation. Cup 43
~, there~y is maintained in facing alignment with the outermost
sleeve 42 in the nested stack for a longer period,
I! i
¦I The stack of sleeves 42 is held in a suitable-holder
50 having dimensions closely complemental to the retained, nested
stack of sleeves. The holder is slightly smaller at the sides
of its exit area. The sleeves 42 are uniformly and tightly
I aligned vertically with an open end lowermost in the stack, as
, shown in Figures 5 and 7. The sleeves are retained tigh-tly
. . ,
13-
!, l
' ' .
51 i
~ 726
,,~,~ ~
1 ' enough in the holder 50 so that vacuum cup 43 must exert some
pulling pressure on the outermost sleeve to pull it from ~he
restricted exit area of the holder and in so doing par~ially
- `., opens the sleeve. The cup 43, by action of second camming
mechanism 48, is delayed in passing the pick-up point when near~
est to and facing the outermost sleeve 42 to ensure posi-tive
engagement therewi-th even at high rates of rotation of wheel 40.
ThusO each cup 43 is able to positively engage an upper region
! f a flat facing surface area of the sleeve 42 t~ carry the same
I. through an arc into tangential relation with the machine turret 12.
Il A vacuum line extends from a central vacuum man~Fold 45 at the
i ~enter of wheel 40 to each vacu~um cup 43 mounte~ on head 41.
!~ Thus~ negative pressure is main~.ained on the face of each cup 43
¦I during operation of the machine. The vacuum wheel 40 and turxet
J,i 12 are interconnected throuyh starwheel 17 by interlockin~ ring
¦ gears therebeneath so that each of the vacuum cups 43 is moved
~' into precise facing alignment with a container pocket 18 to
, permit delivery of a partially opened sleeve ~2 to a pcsition at
¦l least partially above and within an expanse of an open pair of
1 par-tible jaws 36 and 37.
1~ . , . I
,~ The sleeves 42 are preferably comprised of ~oamed,
medium-impact polystyrene having a wall thickness ranging from
0.005 to 0~020 inch, The material has a preferred density of 2
~; to 30 pounds per cubic foot with the primary orientation extending
2S 1~ in a circumferential direction around the pxeformed sleeves~ The
Il preformed sleeves are relatively-rigid or semi-rigid having a
~1 ' ,,.
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` ~ ~13~ 14726
1 s-tiEfness in Taber units of 22 to 26 around the sleeve circum-
ference, and 7 to 11 in the axial direct;on of the sleeve, Taber
units are a well known measure of stiffness used in the paper
industry
A photoelec-tric cell device 51 is mounted facing the
pockets 17a of starwheel 17 adapted to load the pockets 18 of
main turret 12. This device is employed to detect the presence
of a container 11 in each of starwheel pockets 17a. Device 51
,i .
Iis interconnected to an electrically-operated hydraulic cylinder
~device 55 having an arm 54 facing the outermost sleeve ~2 of the
Iretained, nested stack in the holder 50~ When device 51 in-
!
dicates that a container 11 is not being delivered to the main
¦turret 12, arm 54 operates upwardly by the small h~draulic
licylinder and piston rod assembly 55p as shown in Figure 5~ The
¦`arm 54 then positively retains the outermost sleeve so that the
~,vacuum is broken when cup 43 contacts the sleeve outermost surface.
Thus~ a sleeve 42 is then not deliverea to turret 12 in the
absence of a container.
I A second vacuum cup 60 is mounted in reciprocatable,
Ivertical re1ation on the turret 12 immediately above each pair
¦if jaws 36 and 37 and in alignment therewith. The first vacuum
cup 43 brings a sleeve 42 into facin~ alignment with the second
''vacuum cup 60 and the jaws. Such second cup contacts the opposite
¦~side of the sleeve then held vertically by cup ~3 to pull the
sleeve apart and more fully open. Cup 60 is mounted on a hori-
jzontal piston rod 61 ~hich is moved within a stationar~ s ideblock 62 on the turret, as shown in Figure 9, A vacuum line G7
~connects with second vacuum cup 60 through slide block 62. A
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ii . ,
{ ~ 1~726
cam roller 63 is mounted on the inner end of rod 61 which
roller operates within a cam track 64~ A rod 61 extends the
cup 60 to its fully-extended position as the cup 43 approaches
the partible jaws o~ chucking device 35D A~ individual sleeve
42 is thus carried a short arcuate distance by the two cups 43
and 60 contacting opposite ex-terior surfaces of the sleeve.
At this time, the second cup 60 is retracted by piston rod 61
to cause the sleeve to be more fully opened between the cups~ ;
. ~ .
¦, The sleeve 42 is delivered partially open by the juxta-
~' posed vacuum cups within the confines of an open pair of ~aws 36
1 and 37 which also at least partially surround a container 11 held
! loosel~ in the container-receiving pocket 18, This is shown
!~ in Figure 10. Immediately following delivery of the sleeve 42
¦i within open jaws 36 and 37, the jaws are swung pivotally closed
¦ by camming device 38 to engage both the container neck region llb
¦~ and to simultaneousl~ fully open the sleeve 42. Figure 9 has
¦, the near gear 39 removed to show the rear gear and arm 33. The
fold lines of the partially open sleeve 42 are ~hen positioned
, facing the concave jaw surfaces so that closing the jaw presses
~0 ~' the fold lines together and forms the sleeve sides into semi- ¦
~I cylindrical con~iguration. This is shown in Figure 11. The
I sleeve in circular configuration is then fully retained by the
i' slightly-larger, internal diameter of the jaw cylindrical surfaces
in a position just above the container closure lla or the con
I tainer top extremity when uncapped. The internal diameter of
the jaws is designed to be closely complemental to the sleeve
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(~ C 14726
~3~
1 d.iameter to permit ~ully opening the sleeve therewithin and ver-
tically sliding the sleeve downwardly in the intermediate annular
space between jaws and container neck. The jaw-surfaces are
preferably smooth and continuous to permit such sliding contact.
Immediately following -the jaw closing, an overhead
reciprocatable first alignment plate 65 which i~ preferably flat
and circular having a diameter slightly greater than sleeve 42
is cammed downwardly to cause the sleeve 42 to be telescoped over
the upper extremity of the container 11 and closure lla when
present within the closed jaw~ The sleeve is lowerea by the
flat surface of plate 65 contacting the upper surface of -the
sleeve 42 which moves it downwardly in an axial direction. A
~, similar plate 65 is mounted above each pair of partible jaws 36
~, and 37, extendi.ng normal to ~he jaw working surfaces~ Plate 65
; is arranged in centered relation over the closed jaws so that
1' when second vacuum cup 60 is fully retracted, and the sleeve
I, ,
~ fully opened by the jaws, the plate i~ capable of positive down-
ll ward movement lowering the sleeve axiall~ within the jaws to a
j lowered region where the sleeve bottom either contacts or is
1 adjacent the jaw portions engaging the container neck llb. This
i! is shown in Figures 11 ana 13
',1 ' ' i
! The plurality of flat plates 65 is each mounted on the j
¦ lower end of a veriical rod 66 which is spring loaded to be held ,
1, normall~ in a raised position. This is shown in Figures 11 and
12. The rods 65 each have a roller cam 67 mounted on an upper
portion which cam is moved in a cam track 68 by rotation of
turret 12. The plates 65 are each moved by the cam track to
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14726
.. ~ ( ~.
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1 lower the rod and thus the sleeve 42 into an annular space
between jaws and container neck. This is shown in Figure 13
The cam track 68 extends in a circular arrangement completely
around an upper area of the turret 12 so tha-t plates 65 are moved
downwardly during an interval when the jaws 36 and 37 are closed
and a sleeve is in an upper aligned position. This is shown in
Figure 14. The plates are moved upwardly when the ~aws are
;' opened.
!
i After the sleeve 42 is fully lowered to the lowermost
position permitted by the lower extremities of the jaws, the jaws
, are opened by the pair of small gears 39 being cammed to rotate
through an arc. With the jaws open, the container 11 having the
i sleeve 42 mounted on an upper region in free-s-tanding relation is
1 then loosely held in container-receiving pocket 18 adapted to be
15 ¦I further rotated around turret 12.
Another turret 70 comprising a starwheel is mounted
! . , .
- closely adjacent and tangential to main turret 12 in a region
¦ where the jaws 36 and 37 are maintained in open position. The
I turret 70 carries a plurality of second flat, circular ali~nment
~ plates 71 which serve to furthex lower the sleeve 42 onto the
container neck llb in final arrangemen-t. Each of the plates 71
is mounted on a reciprocatable vertical support rod 72 which has
a roller cam 73 attached to an upper region which is moved in
contact with a circular cam track 74 at the top of turret 70O
~ When the -turret 70 is rotated by gear 29 in-terconnected to main
¦I gear 24 on turret 12, the pla-tes 71 are moved downwardly when in
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( ~ 14726
~3~:'9 lL~
1 tangential relation to turret 12 as the containers 11 are moved
" thereby in pockets 18. The containers are then moved onto turret
70 which constitutes the outgoing starw~eel of the machine. The
~, sleeve 42 is ~urther lowered by plates 71 from its free-standing
position to be held by friction on the container neck in precise
axial al.ignment for heat-shrinking thereon in another ~peration~
; The containers 11 having sleeves 42 mounted temporarily
thereon are then moved back onto conveyor 14 ~y turret 70 for
~i further -transport to a heat-shrinking operation Depending upon
' ~he selection of thermoplastic sheet material for sleeve 42, the
l~ containers and sleeves are passed through a tunnel oven (not
~i shown) having a temperature ranging from about 170 to 800~F.
¦, The sleeves then rapidly shrink and conform to the surface areas
1, therebeneath in tightly-fitting arrangemen~
lS ~i The main turret 12 of the machine is adapted to receive
l~ and handle containers 11 at a wide ~ariety of speeds of operation.
3 At all speeds, the incominy starwheel is adapted to deliver con-
~, tainers serially into the container-receiving pockets 18 by theîr,
Il intermeshing with recesses 17a. The sleeve delivery wheel 40 is
20 ¦1 adapted to deliver an individual sleeve 42 at ~he chucking device~
35 at all sucll speeds. The outgoing starwheel 70 is adapted to
receive and finally align the free-standing sleeve 42 on each t
container prior to its,return to conveyor 1~ and heat shrinking
I of the sleeve in place on the container,
Various modifications may be resorted to wit~in the
, spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the
appended claims.
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