Apparatus for testing can ends for leaks
OwnerJames H. Wadeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for testing can lids or other discrete articles for leaks includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of grommets attached thereto. The articles to be tested are placed on the grommets and tested for leaks by applying a pressurized gas to one side of the articles while applying a vacuum to the other side of the articles. A detector detects the flow of a gaseous fluid through the discrete articles as a result of the vacuum application or as a result of the combined application of vacuum and pressurized gas.
Claims18
Apparatus for testing can lids or other discrete articles having opposed surfaces for leaks, said apparatus comprising, in combination:
- a movable conveyor;
- means for positioning a plurality of discrete articles having opposed article surfaces at locations on said conveyor with one article surface facing the conveyor and the other article surface facing away from the conveyor;
- vacuum applicator means for substantially simultaneously applying a vacuum to each of the plurality of discrete articles on said conveyor at the article surface thereof facing the conveyor;
- detector means for detecting the flow of a gaseous fluid through said plurality of discrete articles on said conveyor during application of vacuum thereto;
- and
- article removal means responsive to the detecting of the flow of gaseous fluid through at least one of said plurality of discrete articles on said conveyor by said detector means to remove said plurality of discrete articles from said conveyor said conveyor comprising a conveyor belt having an outer conveyor belt surface and a plurality of grommets attached to said conveyor belt on said outer conveyor belt surface, each said grommet for supporting a discrete article of said plurality of articles, and said grommets and said conveyor belt having openings therein providing a plurality of gaseous fluid flow paths leading from the plurality of discrete articles positioned on said grommets to said detector means.
Conveyor apparatus for use when testing can lids or other discrete articles having opposed surfaces for leaks, said conveyor apparatus comprising, in combination:
- a fiberglass conveyor belt having an inner conveyor surface and an outer conveyor surface and defining a plurality of spaced conveyor belt openings;
- and
- a plurality of grommets located at said conveyor belt openings and having grommet openings defining a gaseous fluid flow path leading between said outer conveyor surface and said inner conveyor surface, said grommets being formed of resilient material and affixed to said fiberglass conveyor belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.