Tabletting machines

A tabletting machine comprising:

• a rotatable die table having dies arranged at a surface thereof;
• means coupled to the die table to rotate the die table about a first axis;
• means to feed powdered or granulated material to be tabletted onto the die table surface to fill the dies;
• first punches cooperably coupled with the dies;
• first drive means coupled to the first punches to move the first punches to cause them to enter and exit the dies;
• second punches cooperably coupled with the first punches and the dies;
• second drive means coupled to the second punches and synchronized with the first drive means, the second drive means including means to drive the second punches into the dies to compress the material therein into a tablet between a respective pair of first and second punches, and means to eject the tablet from the die and the machine when the first punch of the pair has exited the die by driving the second punch of the pair through the die;
• at least one punch of each pair of first and second punches is a reciprocating punch provided with an individual pump means;
• means for slidably supporting the reciprocating punch at one end thereof;
• and
• a sealing sleeve surrounding an intermediate portion of the reciprocating punch and being spaced therefrom in the radial direction thereof to define a substantially annular gap around the intermediate portion of the reciprocating punch;
• the individual pump means being operably coupled to the reciprocating punch to be operated by the reciprocating punch to force air through the annular gap defined around the intermediate portion of the reciprocating punch, each time the reciprocating punch is driven in one direction.

A tabletting machine comprising:

• a rotatable die table having dies arranged at a surface thereof, the die table including means for enclosing a hollow region in the vicinity of the dies;
• means coupled to the die table to rotate the die table about a generally upwardly extending first axis;
• means to feed powdered or granulated material to be tabletted onto the die table surface to fill the dies, the feed means including a stationary feeder plate disposed in said hollow region for supporting material to be tabletted at one side of the first axis, about the plane of the dies, which material is to be fed across the feeder plate onto the surface of the die table and over the dies on the opposite side of the first axis, and wherein the dies are movable between a position below said feeder plate and a position above said feeder plate as the die table rotates, the feeder plate engaging the surface of the die table to scrape the fill of material in each die level with surface of the die table as the dies move from above to below the feeder plate;
• first punches cooperably coupled with the dies and being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• first drive means coupled to the first punches to move the first punches to enter and exit the dies;
• second punches cooperably coupled with the dies and being associated with the first punches to form pairs of first and second punches, the second punches being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• and
• second drive means coupled to the second punches and synchronized with the first drive means, the second drive means including means to drive the second punches into the dies to compress the fill of material therein into a tablet between a respective pair of the first and second punches, and means to eject the tablet from the die radially inwardly of the die table when the first punch of the pair has exited the die by driving the second punch of the pair through the die.

A tabletting machine comprising:

• a rotatable, ring-shaped, die table having dies arranged at a surface thereof, the die table being supported for rotation at its outer periphery and carrying punch mounting guides;
• means coupled to the die table to rotate the die table about a first axis;
• means to feed powdered or granulated material to be tabletted onto the die table surface to fill the dies;
• first punches cooperably coupled with the dies and being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• hub means rotatable about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis, the first punches being mounted on the hub means;
• second punches cooperably coupled with the dies and being associated with the first punches to form pairs of first and second punches, and the second punches being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the second punches being mounted in the punch mounting guides carried by the ring-shaped die table;
• first drive means coupled to the hub means to rotate the hub means to move the first punches in a circular path to cause the first punches to enter and exit the dies;
• second drive means coupled to the second punches and synchronized with the first drive means, the second drive means including means to drive the second punches into the dies to compress the material therein into a tablet between a respective pair of the first and second punches, and means to eject the tablet from the die radially inwardly of the die table when the first punch of the pair has exited the die by driving the second punch of the pair through the die;
• and wherein the ring-shaped die table and the rotatable hub form separate, removable units of the machine.

A tabletting machine comprising:

• a rotatable die table having bores therein, a concave, annular, part-spherical surface, and dies arranged on said surface, the dies being separately formed and fitted into the bores in the die table, the dies having concave, part-spherical end faces of a radius matching the part-spherical radius of the die table surface and lying in the part-spherical surface of the die table;
• means coupled to the die table to rotate the die table about a first axis;
• means to feed powdered or granulated material to be tabletted onto the die table surface to fill the dies;
• first punches cooperatively coupled with the dies and being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• hub means rotatable about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis, the first punches being mounted on the hub means;
• second punches cooperably coupled with the dies and being associated with the first punches to form pairs of first and second punches, the second punches being movable into and out of the dies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• first drive means coupled to the hub means to rotate the hub means to move the first punches in a circular path to cause the first punches to enter and exit the dies;
• and
• second drive means coupled to the second punches and synchronized with the first drive means, the second drive means including means to drive the second punches into the dies to compress the material therein into a tablet between a respective pair of the first and second punches, and means to eject the tablet from the die and the machine when the first punch of the pair has exited the die by driving the second punch of the pair through the die.