Finger chuck assembly and method for processing a hollow article

A finger chuck assembly for holding a hollow article having a neck opening at one end, comprising a support member having an axis;

• a plurality of jaws each including a gripping finger, an actuator arm and an intermediate portion interconnecting the gripping finger and actuator arm, the jaws each being mounted at the intermediate portion to the support member for pivotal movement of the gripping finger thereof between a contracted position for insertion into a neck opening of a hollow article and an expanded position for engagement with an interior surface of the hollow article, the gripping fingers of the jaws extending generally parallel to one another and to the axis of the support member when in their contracted positions and diverging laterally outwardly away from one another when in their expanded positions;
• and
• a chuck operator member carried on the support member for movement relative to the support member, the chuck operator member operatively engaging the actuator arms of the jaws for effecting movement of the jaws and corresponding movement of the gripping fingers between their expanded and contracted positions in response to movement of the chuck operator member relative to the support member, and
• wherein the jaws each is generally L-shape with the finger and actuator arm forming respective legs of the L, and wherein the chuck operator member includes a pusher plate mounted on the support member for relative movement parallel to the axis of the support member, the pusher plate having a pusher surface for engaging the actuator arms of the jaws, and the actuator arms each having a bearing surface spaced from a pivot axis of the corresponding jaw slidably engaging the pusher surface, and
• wherein the chuck operator member includes bias means for causing the actuator arms of the jaws to be biased against the pusher surface of the pusher plate.

A finger chuck assembly for holding a hollow article having a neck opening at one end, comprising

• a support member having an axis;
• a plurality of jaws each including a gripping finger, an actuator arm and an intermediate portion interconnecting the gripping finger and actuator arm, the jaws each being mounted at the intermediate portion to the support member for pivotal movement of the gripping finger thereof between a contracted position for insertion into a neck opening of a hollow article and an expanded position for engagement with an interior surface of the hollow article, the gripping fingers of the jaws extending generally parallel to one another and to the axis of the support member when in their contracted positions and diverging laterally outwardly away from one another when in their expanded positions;
• and
• a chuck operator member carried on the support member for movement relative to the support member, the chuck operator member operatively engaging the actuator arms of the jaws for effecting movement of the jaws and corresponding movement of the gripping fingers between their expanded and contracted positions in response to movement of the chuck operator member relative to the support member, and
• wherein the support member includes a cap from which the gripping fingers of the jaws project, the cap being disposed for engagement by the open neck end of the hollow article thereby to limit the extent of insertion of the gripping fingers into the hollow article,
• wherein the cap includes means cooperative with the jaws for laterally stabilizing the hollow article when the hollow article is internally engaged by the gripping fingers of the jaws,
• wherein the means for laterally stabilizing includes a planar abutment surface for engaging the open neck end of the hollow article, and
• wherein the cap includes a receptacle and a replaceable insert housed in the receptacle, and the replaceable insert includes the means for laterally stabilizing, whereby the replaceable insert may be replaced by other inserts for hollow articles having different neck end configurations.

A method for processing a hollow article comprising the steps of engaging and holding the hollow article to a conveyor at a loading station, moving the conveyor for transfer of the article held thereto through at least one processing station, and removing the article from the conveyor at an unloading station after passage of the article through said at least one processing station, and wherein said conveyor has operatively associated therewith at least one finger chuck assembly comprising a support member having an axis;

• a plurality of jaws each including a gripping finger, an actuator arm and an intermediate portion interconnecting the gripping finger and actuator arm, the jaws each being mounted at the intermediate portion to the support member for pivotal movement of the gripping finger thereof between a contracted position for insertion into a neck opening of a hollow article and an expanded position for engagement with an interior surface of the hollow article, the gripping fingers of the jaws extending generally parallel to one another and to the axis of the support member when in their contracted positions and diverging laterally outwardly away from one another when in their expanded positions;
• and a chuck operator member carried on the support member for movement relative to the support member;
• and said engaging and holding step including the step of moving the chuck operator member relative to the support member to effect movement of the jaws through engagement therewith and corresponding movement of the gripping fingers from their contracted to their expanded positions for engagement with the interior surface of the hollow article, such movement of the jaws being under the action of respective resilient elements operative to bias the gripping fingers toward their expanded positions.