Roller assemblies for automatically winding and unwinding closures

A roller assembly for automatically winding and unwinding closures comprising, a hollow rotatable drum for supporting a closure, said drum having inner and outer surfaces, a drive mechanism disposed within said drum, said drive mechanism including an electric motor and a speed reducer driven by said motor, said speed reducer having a driven shaft, said drum having a plurality of regularly spaced internal ribs extending along substantially the entire length of said inner surface thereof, a cylindrical drive piece mounted to said driven shaft, said drive piece having outer peripheral teeth engaging said internal ribs of said drum so that said drum is rotated by said drive piece, electrical contact means mounted within said drum for controlling said motor to limit the winding and unwinding of the roller assembly, ring means for supporting said drum about said drive mechanism, said ring means having outer peripheral teeth engaging said internal ribs of said drum, and travelling nut means mounted within said drum and having outer peripheral teeth engaging said internal ribs of said drum, said travelling nut means being movable upon the rotation of said drum to activate said electrical contact means to limit the winding or unwinding of the roller assembly.