Devices and methods for can and bottle making recirculation systems

A recirculation system for transporting a plurality of articles being processed, the system comprising:

• a plurality of line starwheels being cooperatively arranged to form a process line, each of the plurality of line starwheels including a plurality of starwheel pockets thereon;
• and
• a recirculation line including
• a conveyor,
• a plurality of gripper devices coupled to the conveyor, the plurality of gripper devices configured to secure and transport the plurality of articles along the recirculation line, each of the plurality of gripper devices including a top portion having an article contact surface and a plurality of apertures therethrough, each of the plurality of gripper device further including a plurality of ejection pins configured to extend through a respective one of the plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of gripper device further including a paddle wheel having a first plurality of prongs and a second plurality of prongs extending generally radially outward therefrom, the first and second plurality of prongs being offset in generally opposing directions, the paddle wheel being rotatable with respect to the top portion,
• a first actuator located at a first position along the recirculation line, the first actuator having a first plurality of teeth configured to engage the first plurality of prongs to cause the paddle wheel to rotate in a first direction such that the plurality of ejection pins extends from the plurality of apertures, and
• a second actuator located at a second position along the recirculation line, the second actuator having a second plurality of teeth configured to engage the second plurality of prongs to cause the paddle wheel to rotate in a second direction such that the plurality of ejection pins retracts from the plurality of apertures.

A method of modifying articles comprising:

• providing an article to be modified to a plurality of line starwheels, each of the plurality of line starwheels including a plurality of starwheel pockets thereon;
• modifying the article using at least one of the line starwheels to form a first-pass article;
• transferring the first-pass article to a gripper device coupled to a conveyor of a recirculation line, the gripper device being in an extended position, the gripper device including a top portion having an article contact surface and a plurality of apertures therethrough, the gripper device further including a plurality of ejection pins configured to extend through a respective one of the plurality of apertures, the gripper device further including a paddle wheel having a first plurality of prongs and a second plurality of prongs extending generally radially outward therefrom, the first and second plurality of prongs being offset in generally opposing directions, the paddle wheel being rotatable with respect to the top portion;
• moving the gripper device along the recirculation line to contact a first actuator along the path of the recirculation line, each of the first plurality of prongs on the paddle wheel engaging a respective one of a plurality of teeth of the first actuator;
• in response to the plurality of teeth of the first actuator engaging a respective one of the first plurality of prongs of the gripper device, rotating the paddle wheel in a first direction such that a plurality of ejection pins extends through the contact surface of the gripper device, the ejection pins pushing the closed bottom surface of the first-pass article away from the contact surface such that the article is released from the gripper device;
• further moving the gripper device along the recirculation line to contact a second actuator along the path of the recirculation line, each of the second plurality of prongs on the gripper device engaging with a respective one of a plurality of teeth of the second actuator;
• and
• in response to the plurality of teeth of the second actuator engaging a respective one of the second plurality of prongs, rotating the paddle wheel in a second direction such that a plurality of ejection pins retracts through the contact surface of the gripper device such that the gripper device is in an extended position configured to receive a second article.