US 2006/0123738 A1 · Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a bottle closing machine for applying screw caps to bottles

Abstract

A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a bottle closing machine for applying screw caps to bottles. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

A screwtop beverage bottle capping arrangement for screwing screw caps onto filled screwtop beverage bottles in a beverage bottling plant, said screwtop beverage bottle capping arrangement comprising:

an input star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move bottles into said closing arrangement;
an output star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move bottles out of said closing arrangement;
a rotor being disposed on a vertical axis;
a motor system being configured to rotate said rotor about a vertical axis;
a rotatable vertical machine column;
said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column;
a plurality of screw capping devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotor;
each of said plurality of screw capping devices comprising:
a screw head being configured to hold screw caps;
a drive motor being configured and disposed to drive said screw head to screw a screw cap onto a screwtop bottle;
a container carrier element being configured and disposed to receive and hold screwtop bottles;
said container carrier element comprising a friction lining being configured and disposed to substantially prevent screwtop bottles from rotating during bottle capping;
a lifting apparatus being configured and disposed to lift said container carrier element in a first lifting direction toward its corresponding screw head, and to move said container carrier element in a second lowering direction away from its corresponding screw head upon screwtop bottles being closed;
a cam structure being connected to said lifting apparatus;
said cam structure being configured and disposed to lift said lifting apparatus in a first lifting direction toward its corresponding screw head, and to hold said lifting apparatus in a position to permit a screw cap to be screwed onto a screwtop bottle;
said cam structure being configured and disposed to move said lifting apparatus in a second lowering direction away from its corresponding screw head upon screwtop bottles being closed;
a belt system being configured and disposed to secure screwtop bottles from rotating during the bottle closing process;
said belt system comprising:
a belt being configured and disposed to run in an endless loop;
a drive element being configured to drive said belt in an endless loop;
a belt carrier element being disposed non-rotationally in said closing machine and being configured and disposed to hold said belt;
a plurality of rollers being disposed on said belt carrier element;
said belt being disposed around said plurality of rollers;
a loop length of said belt being disposed between two of said plurality of rollers and towards bottles in the process of being closed in said closing arrangement;
and
said loop length being configured to move synchronously at substantially the same speed and in the same direction as containers that come into contact with said loop length;
and
said belt system being configured and disposed to contact screwtop bottles along said loop length, and to press a screwtop bottle against said container carrier element to substantially prevent rotation of a screwtop bottle during the bottle closing process.

25 more elements

Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a bottle closing machine for applying screw caps to bottles

Life of this patent

Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a bottle closing machine for applying screw caps to bottles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20