Automatic caplet filler

An apparatus for filling a plurality of preassembled empty capsules with a caplet, each said capsule having a body portion and a cap portion, comprising:

• a base;
• a body holding ring rotatably and removably mounted on said base, wherein said body holding ring is manually repositionable on said base, said body holding ring having a plurality of body cavities for receiving said body portion;
• a cap holding ring having a plurality of corresponding cap cavities, said cap holding ring being superposed over said body holding ring and associated therewith for receiving said cap portion;
• a capsule rectifier mounted on said base and associated with said cap holding ring and said body holding ring for placing said capsules in a specified orientation into said body cavities and said cap cavities;
• retaining means associated with said body holding ring for retaining said body portion in said cavity, and removing means associated with said cap holding ring for removing said cap portion from said retained body portion;
• a caplet filler mounted on said base and positionable with said body holding ring for filling said empty body portion with a caplet;
• and
• closing means attached to said base for placing said removed cap portion onto said retained body portion filled with a caplet to create an assembled capsule filled with a caplet.

An apparatus for filling an empty capsule having a body portion and a cap portion, with a caplet, comprising:

• capsule holding means for holding a plurality of said preassembled capsule body portions and cap portions in a series of substantially straight rows;
• means for incrementally rotating said capsule holding means;
• capsule rectifier means removably attached to said capsule holding means for placing said capsules in a specified orientation into said capsule holding means, a row at a time, upon incremental rotation of said capsule holding means;
• separating means removably attachable to said capsule holding means for removing said cap portion from said empty body portion;
• caplet filling means removably connected to said capsule holding means for filling said empty body portion with a caplet, row-by-row upon incremental rotation of said capsule holding means;
• and
• closing means removably connected to said capsule holding means for replacing said removed cap portion onto said body portion filled with a caplet.

A method for filling an empty capsule having a body portion and a cap portion with a solid substance, comprising the steps of:

• (A) Orienting a plurality of preassembled capsule body portions and cap portions in individual rows of a holding ring, wherein said holding ring comprises a first piece and a second piece;
• (B) Removing said cap portions from said body portions by separating said first and said second pieces of said holding ring;
• (C) Incrementally moving said individual rows of body portions to sequentially move said rows into a filling position;
• (D) Simultaneously inserting portions of said substance into said body portions in said row at said filling position;
• and
• (E) Respectively covering said plurality of filled body portions with a plurality of said cap portions by pressing said first and said second pieces of said holding ring together.