Gassing rail for gas or steam flushing containers and caps on a rotary capping machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a gassing rail for gas or steam flushing containers and caps on a rotary capping machine. The gassing rail defines an inner side and an outer side with respect to the rotary capping machine, the gassing rail includes a generally planar body, an upper surface formed on the generally flat planar body, the upper surface having at least one cap gas or steam distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending cap path, the cap gas or steam distribution slot includes an infeed end and an exit end, a lower surface formed on the generally flat planar body, the lower surface having at least one container gas or steam distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending container path, the container gas or steam distribution slot includes an infeed end and an exit end, a bore extends through the gassing rail generally between the outer side and the inner side of the gassing rail, the bore defining a fluid passage having an inlet located at the outer side and an outlet located at an area of the inner side; and a fitting coupled to the inlet at the outer side, the fitting adapted to be coupled to a tubing supplying a source of gas or steam, whereby the source of gas or steam is routed from the outer side to the outlet at the inner side via the bore. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a gassing rail for gas or steam flushing containers and caps on a rotary capping machine, the gassing rail defines an inner side and an outer side with respect to the rotary capping machine. The gassing rail includes a generally planar body, an upper surface formed on the generally flat planar body, the upper surface having at least one cap gas or steam distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending cap path, the cap gas or steam distribution slot includes an infeed end and an exit end, a lower surface formed on the generally flat planar body, the lower surface having at least one container gas or steam distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending container path, the container gas or steam distribution slot includes an infeed end and an exit end, an inner flange side gassing rail is coupled to the planar body along the inner side, the inner flange side gassing rail having at least one container gas or steam side distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending container path, and an outer flange side gassing rail is coupled to the planar body along the outer side, the outer flange side gassing rail having at least one container gas or steam side distribution slot defining a longitudinally extending container path.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.