Method for scoring a tamper-indicating plastic closure

A method of scoring a tamper-indicating plastic closure, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plastic closure having a top wall portion, a depending annular skirt portion and an annular pilfer band;
• providing a closure scoring apparatus including a rotatable carousel, at least one mandrel carried by said carousel, and drive means connected to said mandrel so that rotation of said mandrel with said carousel causes said mandrel to further rotate about its own vertical axis with respect to the carousel;
• positioning said closure in operative association with said mandrel;
• rotating said carousel so that said closure and said mandrel rotate therewith, and further rotate about said vertical axis of said mandrel, including moving said mandrel and said closure relative to scoring means of said scoring apparatus;
• and
• scoring said pilfer band of said closure with knife means of said scoring means, by driving said knife means to move with said closure as said closure is moved relative to said scoring means,
• said scoring step including rotatably driving said knife means about a scoring axis, and
• moving said knife means into said closure generally along a line which intersects the vertical axis of the closure, and varying the speed at which said knife means is rotatably driven so that said knife means moves into, and is withdrawn from, said closure generally along said line as said closure is moved relative to said scoring means.

A method of scoring a tamper-indicating plastic closure, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plastic closure having a top wail portion, a depending annular skirt portion and an annular pilfer band;
• providing a closure scoring apparatus including a rotatable carousel, at least one mandrel carried by said carousel, and drive means connected to said mandrel so that rotation of said mandrel with said carousel causes said mandrel to further rotate about its own vertical axis with respect to the carousel;
• positioning said closure in operative association with said mandrel;
• rotating said carousel so that said closure and said mandrel rotate therewith, and further rotate about said vertical axis of said mandrel, including moving said mandrel and said closure relative to scoring means of said scoring apparatus;
• and
• scoring said pilfer band of said closure with knife means of said scoring means, by driving said knife means to move with said closure as said closure is moved relative to said scoring means,
• said scoring step including rotatably driving said knife means about a scoring axis and accelerating then decelerating said rotatably driven knife means.