US 4,922,684 A · Caps for milk bottles and an applicator for placing caps on bottles

Abstract

Caps for milk or juice bottles having four screw threads with serrations. The matching threads on the containers also display serrations. The serrations on the caps and the bottles engage each other to prevent their relative rotation to prevent the opening of the closure. An applicator places the cap onto the bottles by first twisting the caps in the reverse direction to properly seat them on the bottle necks. It then reverses the direction to start the closure. The applicator first holds the cap at an angle relative to the horizon and the direction in which the bottles move on a conveyor. As a bottle moves on the conveyor, it engages the lower, tilted edge of the cap. The bottle moving on the conveyor and in contact with the cap overcomes the tension, created by gravity, holding the cap from its location where it awaited the arrival of a bottle. An extended skirt holds the cap at a height to keep the ratchet ring on the bottom of the cap at a height above the matching ratchets on the bottle to prevent their accidental engagement.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An applicator for applying a bottle cap having a first plurality of screw threads to a bottle moving in a predetermined direction on a conveyer having a neck with a second plurality of matching screw threads comprising:

(A) a chute with substantially smooth surfaces for said caps;
(B) retaining means having first and second configurations for, in the first of said configurations, holding a particular one of said caps at a particular location in said chute and, when in said second configuration, allowing the movement of said particular cap in said particular direction;
and
(C) tension means including a weight, coupled to said retaining means and acting under the force of gravity, said weight being sufficient to urge said retaining means into said first configuration, said tension means being overcome and said retaining means being moved to said second configuration by the force of a bottle in contact with said particular cap and moving in said particular direction on said conveyer.

1 more element

An applicator for applying bottle caps having a first plurality of screw threads and a first ratchet ring at its open end to bottles, moving in a predetermined direction on a conveyer, having a neck with a second plurality of matching screw threads and a second ratchet ring at its bottom comprising:

(A) a chute with substantially smooth surfaces for said caps;
(B) retaining means having first and second configurations for, in the first of said configurations, holding a particular one of said caps at a particular location in said chute with said open end at a predetermined angle relative to the tops of said necks of said bottles moving on said conveyer, said retaining means holding said one particular cap with said first ratchet ring entirely above said second ratchet ring but at least in part below the top of said neck, and when in said second configuration, allowing the movement of said particular cap in said particular direction;
and
(C) tension means including a weight, coupled to said retaining means and acting under the force of gravity, said weight being sufficient to urge said retaining means into said first configuration, said tension means being overcome and said retaining means being moved to said second configuration by the force of a bottle in contact with said particular cap and moving in said particular direction on said conveyer.

1 more element

(A) retaining means having first and second configurations for, in the first of said configurations, holding a particular one of said caps at a particular location and, when in said second configuration, allowing the movement of said particular cap in said particular direction;
(B) tension means, coupled to said retaining means and acting under the force of gravity, to urge said retaining means into said first configuration, said tension means being overcome and said retaining means being moved to said second configuration by the force of a bottle in contact with said particular cap and moving in said particular direction on said conveyer;
and
(C) rotating means, coupled to said retaining means, for, as said bottle moves said cap in said particular direction, rotating said cap in a first direction, said rotating means including (1) a row of teeth, said row being aligned in said particular direction and said teeth pointing towards said cap in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said particular direction and (2) pressing means, acting under the force of gravity, urging said row of teeth toward said bottle cap.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Caps for milk bottles and an applicator for placing caps on bottles

Life of this patent

Caps for milk bottles and an applicator for placing caps on bottles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25