US3422597A - Bottle capping device - Google Patents

Description

- Jan. 21, 1969 w. BEE 3,422,597

BOTTLE CAPPING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1965 Sheet 0f 5 Jan. 21, 1969 w. BEER 3,422,597

BOTTLE CAPPING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1965 INVA'NI'OA WrLueLM 5 5K Arramvc r;

w. BEE 3,422,597

BOTTLE CAPPING DEVICE Jan. 21, 1969 Filed Dec. 23, 1965 Sheet 3- of 5 L. 67 E 64 Z Nunez. 556"? ham-4.610.,

' tory for separating very United States Patent Office 3,422,597 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 3,422,597 BOTTLE CAPPING DEVICE Wilhelm Beer, Am Kang 21, Wiesbaden-Dotzheim, Germany Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 493,000, Oct. 5, 1965. This application Dec. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 515,965 Claims priority,

US. Cl. 53-296 Int. Cl. 1365b 7/28 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE application Germany, Feb. 12, 1965,

13 Claims This in a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 493,000, filed on Oct. 5, 1965 and now Patent No. 3,323,680.

This invention relates, in general, to a container capping apparatus and to article or cap separating devices, and, in particular, to a new and useful device for separating a series of interengaged thin-walled hollow conical elements or caps by a relative twisting and spirally advancing motion and to a method of separating hollow frusto-conical articles such as caps from an interengaged stack.

The present invention is particularly applicable for the separation of thin-walled hollow conical bodies which are interengaged or stacked in a pole-like fashion for the purpose of transportation and storage. Such an apparatus is particularly useful in connection with the separation of a series off bottle caps, which usually consists of a lead tin alloy or aluminum foil and are very thin-walled. In the known devices, separation of such elements from a series or a roll is effected by air pressure only. This requires either the use of special capsule shapes, for example, capsules provided with circumferential grooves or a flange, in order to provide a working surface for the pressure air, or the use of capsules with perforated bottoms for providing a working surface for the mechanical detachment, such as by use of a grab-hook. The equipment required for such devices very often makes them undesirable. In addition, some of them are not satisfacthin-walled conical elements, because of the cylindrical shape and because of the fact they cannot hold them securely. Devices of this nature have a tendency to jam a capsule as a result of a buckling of a whole stack or pole. As a result, they cannot be employed in fully automatic bottling machines and the elements must be singled out or separated by hand.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a separating or singling device which includes means for permitting the feeding of a series or a stack of thin-walled conical elements to a predetermined location, which is advantageously set by a stop. The means are provided for engaging the stack behind the first element to be separated, and means are provided for moving the element oif the stack by a twisting and spirally advancing motion.

The present invention contemplates many types of devices for separating the foremost element from the interengaged series, but generally the invention provides means for engaging the side walls of the foremost element and twisting and advancing the element away from the stack. In a preferred arrangement, an elastic belt, for example, of a rubber material, may be employed, which is guided by guide pulleys to enforce engagement of the belt on each side of the element to be separated. In order to move the belt, at least one of the guide pulleys for the belt is driven and each belt reach is advanced through a course so that they diagonally intersect the respective center line of the element to be separated.

Instead of one belt, it has been found feasible to use two endless belts which may engage the element to be separated from opposite sides. The construction, in such instance, is advantageously such that either or both of the belts may be guided toward the center line of the element to be separated and both may be displaced laterally for effecting the movement away from the stack. The same or a similar effect may be achieved by two pushing elements, each of which has roller elements which engage on opposite sides of a continuous band which is trained to run on the opposite faces of the element to be separated. The pusher elements may be simultaneously or independently moved or advanced toward the elastic endless band to cause greater or lesser engagement with the element being separated.

A still further embodiment advantageously comprises gripping elements or resiliently engageable elements .which are advanced in a twisting motion against the side walls of each element to be separated to advance it away from the stack.

In a still further embodiment means are provided for moving a first cap in a stack relatively to the remaining caps, for example, by clamping the first cap and by moving the stack away from the cap preferably with a twisting movement to separate the clamped cap.

A feature of the invention is that the separation of the foremost hollow body from the pole or stack is effected mechanically and by a constrained guided motion. As a result, it is possible to insure a safe separation even if the foremost hollow body is seriously jammed in the pole. The mechanical means used can be used in connection with any given shape of the hollow body. In the case of stacked capsules for bottom caps, no grooving of the capsule surface or Hanging of the capsule and/or perforation of the capsule is required. The device advantageously employs air pressure for supporting the hollow body as it is being separated from the pole or stack and transported to the place for receiving the individual element so separated.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a device for separating interengaged stacked elements, which includes means for mechanically engaging the side walls of the leading element and rotating and advancing the engaged element away from the stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for separating a single cap from a nested stack comprising means for separately clamping the first cap in the stack and the remaining nested caps and to move them relatively in a turning motion to effect the separation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically separating a series of interengaged elements, particularly thin-walled conical elements, which are stacked in a pole-like fashion, which includes means for advancing the elements to a stop and for thereafter clamping the stack of such elements behind the first one, moving the stop out of a blocking position and thereafter engaging the side walls of a further foremost or first element and twisting and moving it on the stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle capping device including means for separating a cap from a stack, calibrating the separated cap a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of disassociating a thin-walled, substantially conical element from a stack thereof, which comprises feeding the stack toward a stop member, clamping the stack behind the foremost element and thereafter engaging the side walls of the foremost element and twisting it and moving it away from the clamped stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for separating stacked elements which includes means for engaging the side Walls thereof, which advantageously comprise a resilient element which is directed into interengagement therewith on both sides of the element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle capper and device for separating each element of a plurality of stacked elements which is simple in design, construction and manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational and partial sectional view of a device for separating thin-walled conical elements or caps from a stack of the caps and for applying the caps to containers as constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the cap separating portion of the device indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but in an advanced position showing the initial movement of the first cap away from the stack of caps;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 indicating the parts in an operative position during removal of the endmost cap from the stack;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the device indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the cap separating device;

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a section taken along the line IXIX of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a bottle cap separating device and bottle capper which includes a supporting frame 3 which is supported at an adjusted elevation on a spindle member 1 which is threaded into a base portion 1a. Rotation of a hand wheel 2 will elfect a change in the elevation of the frame 3 in respect to the base portion 1a. The main frame 3 carries spaced supports 4, 4 one of which carries a supporting forward support 23 for receiving the foremost end of a nested stack 6 of interengaged thin-walled conical members or caps for sealing bottles or containers 26. The supports 4 also provide a mounting for a feeding trough 5 which is pivotally connected at its outer end to a storage magazine 7. The storage magazine 7 is articulated on the trough 5 under the control of a threaded spindle member 8 which is threaded into a bracket portion 4' and which may be advanced vertically in respect thereto by turning a hand wheel 9. The magazine 7 is advantageously adjusted so that the caps will fall downwardly along the trough into the nested stack 6.

As indicated particularly in FIG. 1, in accordance with the invention, means are provided for separating individual cap elements from the stack 6 and for transferring them into a rotating conveyor member or revolver head 10 which in the embodiment illustrated includes six separate receiving receptacles or socket members 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11c and 11 In the embodiment illustrated in and inserting it onto FIGS. 1 to 6, each leading cap 6b is separated from the stack 6 by a separating device which includes means for automatically clamping the stack 6 at the location of the second element 6b in the stack 6 leaving the foremost element 611 available for removal from the stack by the removal means. As indicated in the drawings, the clamp ing means advantageously includes a pivotal clamping bar 21 having an underface with a clamping element made of a resilient material 22 which engages over the foremost element 6a without damaging the walls thereof.

In order to precisely orient the stack 6 for proper engagement thereof by the clamping means 21 and 22, there is provided a rotatable stop member or aligning disc 25 which comprises a segment plate which is aflixed to a shaft 40 and which is rotated during the operating cycle to a position at which the arcuate portion projects upwardly to block the feeding of the stack 6 as indicated in FIG. 1. In the position of FIG. 1, the second element 6b then lies below the clamping means 22 and the foremost element is located beyond the clamping means in a position for engagement by means to separate it from the stack 6. The clamping lever 21 is advantageously mounted on a shaft 39 which is driven during each cycle so as to move the clamping lever 21 upwardly to permit advancing movement of the stack 6 against the segment 25 and thereafter to effect clamping of the stack behind the foremost cap 6a during the time at Which means are provided for removing the foremost cap.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the means provided for mechanically engaging the side walls of the foremost cap element 6:2 for the purpose of imparting a relative movement and twist thereto to separate it from the remaining nested stack 6, includes means engageable with the sides of the foremost element 6a. In the embodiment indicated in FIGS. 1 to 5, such means comprise spaced rollers 13 and 14 having axes which are aligned on a center line, but which are turned away from each other so that engaging means or elastic round cord elements 12 which are trained to run around the wheels 13 and 14 will engage obliquely across opposite sides of the foremost cap 6a in oppositely extending directions. One of the rollers 13 is advantageously driven from a servo-motor 43 which operates independently of the remaining system to impart rotation of the roller 13 and driving of the engaging cord member 12 to cause rotation of the foremost cap 6a.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the endless cord 12 is biased into engagement with the walls of the foremost element 6a by means of rollers 16a and 16b and and 16a. Rollers 16a and 16b are carried on a frame member 17 and on one side of the endless cord 12 and rollers 16c and 16d are carried on a frame member 18 on an opposite side of the cord member 12. The frame members 17 and 18 are mounted for lateral displaceable movement to cause the rollers 16a and 16b to press the cord 12 inwardly from one side and the rollers 16c and 16a. to press the cord 12 inwardly from the opposite side in order to effect frictional engagement of the cord with the side walls of the foremost cap 6a. Each frame element 17 and 18 includes a horizontal glide arm 17 and 18, respectively, for facilitating its lateral sliding movement. A tension spring 19 is connected between the frame elements and a cam disc 20 is rotatable between portions thereof and provides means for separating the frame elements during the operating cycle as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4 causing them to move together to engage the cap 6a as indicated in FIG. 4. The cam disc 20 is mounted on a shaft 39 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). When the cord 12 is in the operative engaged position, indicated in FIG. 4, the clamping lever 21 is moved downwardly to press the resilient element 22 Onto the walls of the second cap 6b. Thus, when the cord 12 moves over the surface of the foremost cap 6a, it causes the twisting movement thereof. As the cap 6:: is being twisted and while the remaining part of the stack 6 is held by the clamping element 22,

compressed air is directed through a nozzle 24 to cause the cap 6a to be moved away from the stack and into the receiver 11a which is aligned with the end thereof. Before this occurs, the disc or segment 25 is moved out of the way by rotation of the shaft 40. After the end cap 6a is removed the disc 25 is then moved back into position to permit the stack 6 to slide downwardly to cause the endmost one to abut against the disc once more. Before this occurs, however, the rollers which engage the cord 12 are moved outwardly to permit the cord to assume the position indicated in FIG. 2 and then the clamping element 21 is raised as indicated in FIG. 2.

As indicated in FIG. 5, the drive of the entire machine, with the exception of the belts 12, is effected by a driving motor 29 which rotates a shaft 34 through a clutch 30 and a transmission 31 driving an output shaft 32 through a belt drive 33. The shaft 34 provides a drive for the revolving plate and for the cap separating device. The bevel gear 35 afiixed to the shaft 34 engages with a bevel gear 36 on a universal joint shaft 38 which is supported in the housing 37. Universal joint shaft 38 drives a shaft 39, which, in turn, drives shaft 40 through meshing gears 41. The shafts 39 and 40 are supported on the spaced supports 4. The shaft 39 also carries a cam disc (not shown) for lifting the brake 21 out of the inoperative position indicated in FIG. 2. The shaft 40 carries the sector disc 25 and, in addition, a cam disc 42 for actuating an air valve (not represented) for the air nozzle 24.

The shaft 34 also carries a Maltese cross member 47 (FIG. 1) which is attached on the same shaft as the revolver disc 10. TheMaltese cross system includes suitable mechanism for indexing the revolver disc 10 in timed relationship to the operation of the cap separating device. The timing is such that the disc 10, with the receiving elements 11a through 11f, conveys a cap which is received, for example, in the receiver 11a to the position of the receiver 11b which is at the location of an expansion station 49. An expansion die 49a is mounted on the top of the housing 28 for downward movement into the receiving socket 11b upon the contact of an upstanding portion 49b by a lever member 50 which is mounted on the housing 28 for pivotal movement at a pivot location 50a. The lever 50 is pivoted about its pivot point 5011 by a link or push rod 51 which also actuates a cap ejector 53 at the station 113 in order to eject the cap element which is in the socket onto a container 26. A pin 54 of the ejector mechanism engages a groove of the angle lever 52. An actuating surface 54' of the lever 52 is biased downwardly against the pin 54 in order to provide a downward biasing force to equalize tolerances at the level of the bottle to be capped. During the stepping operation of the revolver disc 10 and the passage of the sleeve from the position lid to the position 11 which is an idle position, the pin 54 leaves the groove in lever 52.

When the cap is moved in one of the holding sockets 11 from the expansion station, it is next located in alignment with an air nozzle 48 at a separating station at which a separating paper which was previously inserted into the individual caps is blown out. The next station 11d, as mentioned previously, is an idle station and the last station 11a is a delivery station at which the cap is ejected or positioned onto the container 26.

When a cap is separated from the stack 6 and directed by the air nozzle 24 into one of the sockets 11 (for example, the socket 11b as indicated in FIG. 6), it is locked in the receiving socket 11b by an O-ring 77 which is disposed within the bore along the bore surface 74 in a receiving groove 78. The receiving groove 78 has a slightly smaller depth than the diameter of the ring so that the latter protrudes slightly beyond the interior surface 74. When the expansion die 49a is moved into the socket 11b when the latter is in the expansion station, the inward movement is effected by the rocking lever 50 and the die bears against the cap to prov1de for an initial calibration thereof. The die 49a is returned to its initial position, as indicated in FIG. 1 (the upper position indicated in FIG. 6) by a spring (not represented). The inserted position is indicated at the lower portion of FIG. 6. The drive of the lever 50 is effected by the pin 45 of the drive pulley 44.

The individual bottles 26 are advantageously conveyed to the revolver disc 10 by rotating elements or friction wheels 56 and 57 and are accurately positioned below the ejector or capping station 112. For additional accurate centering, special pincers 58 are provided which embrace the bottles at the delivery station only during attachment of the caps thereto and they center the bottles with regard to the receiver socket 11a. The pulleys 56 and 57 are arranged on a shaft 59 which is supported in the housing 28 (FIG. 5) at a right angle to the revolver axis. The drive is accomplished by the bevelled gearing 60 as indicated.

All of the receiving sockets are provided with a bore 74 which has a conical surface which is formed with exactly the same cone angle as the bottom cap 6a to be received. The conical surface 75 of the receiving socket 11 has about the same cone angle as the conical surface 76 of the expansion die 49 so that this die will effect a flanging of the cap, that is, a rounding and widening of the free end thereof. In addition, the die 49a also effects the complete insertion of the cap 6a into the receiving socket.

In the embodiment indicated in FIGS. 7 to 9, the caps are separated from the stack by clamping elements which are moved relatively and are twisted during such movement. The cap separating device of this embodiment includes clamping elements which are arranged in a revolver head 63, as indicated in FIG. 7. The revolver head is mounted for rotation on a shaft below a magazine guide (not shown) which is dis-posed, in turn, above a rotary clamping device 61 which provides means for holding the nest of caps 6 in a manner such that the lowermost one 6a falls downwardly to a stop formed by slides 62' located below receiving pincers 62a of the revolver 63. The revolver head 63 has four such receiving pincers 62a, 62b, 62c and 62d. The receiving pincers 62a are arranged to be oriented vertically under the stack 6 and to engage the front cap 6a with clamping jaw portions 64, 64 which are moved inwardly to engage the lower end thereof. Each receiving pincer 62 includes a slide or extension 62 which is displaceably mounted in corresponding guideways of the revolver head 63 which are pressed apart by a central spring 65.

The revolver head 63 includes arch-shaped guide walls 66 and 66 at each end which provide guiding surfaces for the outer ends of rollers 67 carried on the receiving pincers 62 for the purpose of shifting these pincers inwardly and outwardly in accordance with the contact on the surfaces 66. In the receiving stations 62a are arranged slides 68 which are moved in an axial direction in respect to the revolver head axis by a control (not shown) and bear against the rollers 67 to cause the receiving pincers 62 and their slide portions 62' to be moved together inwardly against the force of the springs 65 until a cap 6a is engaged. The stop surfaces on the slide 68 are aligned in the inner side of the guide wall 66 in the operating position shown in the upper part of FIG. 8. In this manner, the ball bearings 57 can run unhindered on the wall 66 during the rotation of the revolver head between slides. The walls 66 are such that they will remain in the clamping position until the revolver head is moved to the position 620 at the point the ball bearings will be able to glide outwardly on the slides 69 which correspond t the slide 68. The slides 69 are moved further outwardly by a revolver control (not shown) when the revolver is no longer moving so that the pincers 620 will be opened under the action of the spring 65 and the cap 6a will drop onto the neck of the bottle. During the remaining rotation of the revolver head, the parts are moved to the idle station 62d and the pincers will remain open until they again reach the position 62a for receiving a cap after which they will be moved inwardly to engage the cap which is dropped therein.

After a front cap is engaged by the pincers at the station 62a, the stack holding mechanism comes into operation which includes a guide sleeve 70 and an adapter sleeve 71 arranged therearound. The rotary clamping element 72 is carried by an extension 79 and is rotatable within the sleeve 70. First the adapter sleeve 71 is moved axially downwardly in respect to the guide sleeve 76 so that the clamping elements 72 are pressed inwardly through. engagement of the inclined surfaces 73 on the adapter sleeve 71 against the clamping elements 72. This effects clamping of the stack at a location above the lowermost cap. Thereafter the support 79 of the clamping elements 72 is rotated and at the same time the entire unit 61, as indicated in FIG. 7, is moved axially upwardly so that the stack 6 is moved away from the cap 6a which is engaged by the clamping jaw elements 64, 64.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, an ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, an expansion station located around the periphery of said rotating member at a spaced location from said caps, and means at said expansion station for expanding a cap in a socket which is aligned with said expansion station, said rotating member being movable to index said sockets with said caps into alignment with said expansion station before said socket is moved into alignment with said container.

2. A bottle capping device, according to claim 1, including a movable die at said expansion station including a portion adapted to engage into said socket member and to flange said cap.

3. A bottle capping device, according to claim 1,- including a die member at said expansion station movable into and out of the opened end of said socket, a lever member engageable with said die member to move said die member, and drive means for rotating said rotating member and for actuating said lever member to move said die at said expansion station in timed relationship.

4. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, a blowing station for separating paper inserts from the caps located at a spaced location from the periphery of said socket members on said rotating members, said socket members being indexed through a location into alignment with said blower before being indexed into alignment with said container.

5. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, a stand for adjustably supporting said series of caps, and means for supporting said rotating member adjacent said stand with said series of caps being disposed along a radial line extending outwardly from the axis of said rotating member.

6. A bottle capping device, according to claim 5, including an expansion station located in spaced relationship between said series of caps and said container, said rotating member being movable so that the socket members are presented first in alignment with said series of caps, then in alignment with said expansion station, and thereafter into alignment with said container.

7. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating me her having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, and ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, said separating means including means engageable with the side of the foremost bottle cap in the series for twisting the cap in relation to said series of caps for removing it from the series.

8-. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, the series of caps including substantially conical cap elements each having a closed end of narrowest dimension and which are arranged in a nested fashion one with the other with the narrowest dimension foremost, said separating means including a first gripper en gageable with the foremost cap in the nested stack adjacent the narrowest dimensional closed end and a second gripper engageable with the caps stacked behind the foremost one, said first and second grippers being movable relatively for separating the foremost cap from the stack.

9. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, the series of caps including substantially conical cap elements each having a closed end of narrowest dimension and which are arranged in a nested fashion one within the other and with the narrowest dimension foremost, said separating means including a first gripper engageable with the foremost cap in the nested stack adjacent the narrowest dimensional closed end and a second gripper engageable with the caps stack behind the foremost one, said first and second gripper being movable relatively for separating the foremost cap from the stack, said first gripper being movable to impart a twisting movement to the foremost cap in relation to said series of caps.

10. A bottle capping device, according to claim 9, wherein said separating means including the means for engaging the foremost cap in a stack and for engaging the stack behind the foremost cap are moved relatively to each other and with a twisting movement.

11. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings extending outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separated cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, ejector means adjacent said rotating member for rejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, said separating means including a rotating head member, said head member having a plurality of clamping jaw elements at circumferentially spaced location on the periphery thereof, means for supporting said series of bottle caps in a nested stack arrangement above said rotary head member said rotary head member being movable to position one of said clamping jaw sets below the foremost cap, means for moving said clamping jaws together to cause engagement of the lowermost cap, and

means for clamping the stack above the foremost cap for holding and rotating said stack relative to said lowermost cap for separating the latter.

12. A bottle capping device, according to claim 11, wherein said means for clamping the upper portion of said stack is movable upwardly to disassociate the lowermost stack from the cap retained by said clamping jaws, said rotating head member being rotatable with theclamping jaws in engagement to transport said cap downwardly and means carried by said head for opening said clamping jaws when said cap is located vertically downwardly for depositing the cap on a bottle.

13. A bottle capping device comprising, means for supporting a series of caps, a rotating member having a plurality of cap receiving sockets with socket openings outwardly at spaced radial locations on said rotating member, means for locating a container to be capped below said rotating member, means for rotating said rotating member to index said sockets first into alignment with said caps and thereafter into alignment with said container, separating means for removing a single cap from the series and for directing the separator cap into a socket aligned therewith, said cap being transportable with said socket by rotation of said rotating member into alignment with said container, and ejector means adjacent said rotating member for ejecting a cap from said socket onto the container, said separating means including an elastic endless band member trained around the foremost cap and means for moving said band member into engagement with the sides of the foremost cap torotate said cap while the series of caps is clamped in order to separate it from the stack.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,899 3/1956 Hansen et al 221-278 X 2,867,956 1/1959 Murrell 5 3-296 2,914,894 12/ 1959 Hansen 53292 X FOREIGN PATENTS 631,468 11/1961 Canada. 1,105,747 4/ 1961 Germany.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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