Universal synchronized capping machine

An apparatus for automatically applying threaded caps to threaded necks of containers of varying designs comprising:

• a. a cap delivery module comprising a cap chute, and a cap foot adapted to present caps to the top of the container;
• b. a container conveyor module comprising a horizontally oriented conveyor driven by a first motor coupled to a first shaft, said horizontally oriented conveyor having a first side and a second side, a first gripper belt assembly mounted adjacent the first side of said horizontally oriented conveyor, a second gripper belt assembly mounted adjacent the second side of said horizontally oriented conveyor, each of said first and second gripper belt assemblies comprising a lower vertically oriented gripper belt and an upper vertically oriented gripper belt, a second motor coupled to a second shaft and adapted to simultaneously drive the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and the upper vertically oriented gripper belt, and a third motor coupled to a third shaft adapted to alter the distance between the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and an upper vertically oriented gripper belt, said conveyor module further comprising a fourth motor coupled to a fourth shaft operable to alter the distance between the first gripper belt assembly and the second gripper belt assembly;
• c. a modular torque assembly comprising a fifth motor and a fifth shaft for adjusting the height of the modular torque assembly relative to the horizontally oriented conveyor of the container conveyor module, a cap restraint, and at least one torque module comprising a first torque unit and a second torque unit, each of said first and second torque units comprising a sixth motor and a torque wheel coupled to the sixth motor by a sixth shaft driven by the sixth motor, said at least one torque module further comprising a seventh motor coupled to a seventh shaft adapted to alter the distance between the torque wheels of the first and second torque units;
• and
• d. a controller operated under program control adapted to independently and automatically control the operation of the first motor to control the speed of the horizontally oriented conveyor, the second motor of the first gripper belt assembly to control the speed of the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and the upper vertically oriented gripper belt of the first gripper belt assembly, the second motor of the second gripper belt assembly to control the speed of the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and the upper vertically oriented gripper belt of the second gripper belt assembly, the third motor of the first gripper belt assembly to control the distance between the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and an upper vertically oriented gripper belt of the first gripper belt assembly, the third motor of the second gripper belt assembly to control the distance between the lower vertically oriented gripper belt and an upper vertically oriented gripper belt of the second gripper belt assembly, the fourth motor to control the distance between the first gripper belt assembly and the second gripper belt assembly, the fifth motor to control the height of the modular torque assembly relative to the horizontally oriented conveyor of the container conveyor module, the sixth motor of the first torque unit of said at least one torque module to control the speed and torque of the wheel of said first torque unit, the sixth motor of the second torque unit of said at least one torque module to control the speed and torque of the wheel of said second torque unit, and the seventh motor to control the distance between the torque wheels of the first and second torque units.