Apparatus for capping containers
AssigneeTyco Laboratories, Inc.
InventorSeymour Mermelstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a machine for capping containers with closures made of heat shrinkable film and includes a film feeding mechanism, a film cutting mechanism, and a film shrinking head which is adapted to accommodate containers of different sizes. The film shrinking head comprises two elongate and opposed flexible heated members which are bowed away from one another so as to provide a space for introduction of a container and a sheet of heat shrinkable film that overlies the container, and means for drawing the two heated members and thereby the margins of the sheet of film tight against the rim of the container so as to cause the film to shrink and form a tight closure on the container.
Claims19
Apparatus for capping the end of a container with a closure formed from a sheet of heat shrinkable plastic film comprising:
- a film shrinking head which includes a pair of flexible electrically heatable members, first means for holding said members at one end thereof, second means for holding said members at the opposite end thereof, and bidirectionally movable means coupled to said first and second means for selectively moving said first and second means in a first direction whereby said members are caused to bow away from one another intermediate their ends so as to provide a space for insertion of a container or in a second direction whereby to draw said members closer together intermediate their ends;
- sheet supporting means for supporting a sheet of heat shrinkable film below said members in a position to be engaged and raised by a container to be capped when the container is moved up between the two members;
- means located between said members and said sheet supporting means for causing portions of said sheet to fold down over the rim of the container as the container is moved up between said two members;
- and
- means for operating said bidirectionally movable means so as to cause said members to be drawn together around the rim of the container whereby heat from said members will cause said sheet to shrink tight about the rim of the container.
Apparatus for heat shrinking a sheet of heat shrinkable plastic film onto a container so as to form a closure for said container comprising:
- first and second flexible heatable members;
- first means for gripping said first and second members together at one end thereof;
- second means for gripping said first and second members together at the end opposite said one end thereof;
- and
- bidirectionally movable means coupled to said first and second means for moving said first and second means so as to selectively cause said members to (a) flex in a first direction and move away from one another intermediate their opposite ends so as to provide a space therebetween for insertion of a sheet of heat shrinkable film and a container to be capped with said film or (b) flex in a second opposite direction and move closer to one another intermediate said opposite ends so as to press portions of said sheet against said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.