Rotary-type capping machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059710-B2
Application number	US-201816617318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A rotary capping machine for containers with screw caps includes a central and fixedly mounted support around which a rotary carrier having capping arrangements can be driven to rotate rotation by a first motor. The capping arrangements have capping tools that can be lifted and lowered and that can be rotated by a second motor. Each has, on its underside, a capping head for receiving screw caps. The support central includes a bottom support, the top end of which is connected to a middle support that forms a bearing section and that has a rotary bearing. The middle support releasably connects to a top support, which releasably connects to a head plate. The drive gear's rotation axis and that of the first motor are parallel to the machine axis. The drive gear meshes with a crown gear formed on the rotary carrier. The second motor's drive gear is parallel to the machine axis and meshes with a crown gear formed on the control element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a capping machine for screwing a screw-closure onto a container, said capping machine being a rotary capping machine that rotates about a machine axis, said capping machine comprising a support element, said support element being a central and fixedly-mounted support element that is configured to be rotated by a first motor and around which a rotary support having capping arrangements is arranged, each of said capping arrangements comprising a capping tool that is configured to be raised and lowered and to be rotated by a second motor that is controlled independently of said first motor, each of said capping tools having, on an underside thereof, a capping head for receiving screw closures, said support element comprising a carrier that comprises a bottom support, wherein a top end of said carrier connects to a middle support that forms a bearing section that comprises a first rotary bearing and a rotary support, wherein said middle support is configured to transition between being connected to a top support and being released from said top support, a control element mounted so as to rotate about said machine axis and configured to be rotated by said second motor, wherein said second motor interacts with said capping tools to transfer controlled rotation to said capping heads, a head plate that connects to said support element, wherein said top support is configured to transition between being connected to said head plate and being released from said head plate, and a control link, said control link being a non-rotating control link that is mounted on at least one of said support element and said head plate for raising and lowering said capping heads during rotation of said capping arrangements about said support element, wherein said first and second motors comprise corresponding first and second drive-gear wheels, wherein said first drive-gear wheel rotates about an axis of rotation that is parallel to said machine axis and meshes with a first crown-gear wheel that is arranged at said rotary support and wherein said second drive-gear wheel is oriented parallel to said machine axis and meshes with a second crown-gear wheel that is formed on said control element, wherein said top support encloses an inner space that contains said machine axis and wherein a greater part of said first drive-gear wheel is arranged inside said inner space, and wherein said top support is open over a machine sector in which said first drive-gear wheel meshes with said crown-gear wheel of said rotary support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a shaft guide that extends parallel to said machine axis, said shaft guide being a shaft guide of one of said first and second motors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flange, wherein, as a result of said flange, said middle support transitions between being secured to said bottom support and being released from said bottom support.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said top support is detachable from said heat plate, said middle support is detachable from said top support, and said bottom support is detachable from said middle support.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said control element is mounted at one of said top support and said rotary support and wherein said control element is able to rotate after having been so mounted.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said control element is mounted on said rotary support.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a shaft guide of said first motor extends inside said inner space and wherein said inner space is enclosed by said top support.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said top support comprises vertical support braces that are arranged around said machine axis and that are parallel to said machine axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a runner that extends along an upper side of said rotatable capping tools, wherein said runner runs along said control link.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a screw flange, wherein said screw flange connects said bottom support to said middle support at a location that is beneath said rotary support, said location being separated from said rotary support by between five centimeters and thirty centimeters.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a screw flange, wherein said screw flange connects said bottom support to said middle support at a location that is beneath said rotary support, said location being separated from said rotary support by no more than forty centimeters.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said bottom support element is a column that has a polygonal cross section and wherein said column is concentric with said machine axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a motor selected from the group consisting of said first and second motors is secured to said head plate, wherein said motor's shaft guide extends vertically downward toward said respective drive-gear wheel along a direction parallel to said machine axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said shaft guide extends into a ring-shaped region between said top support and said capping arrangements.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said second drive-gear wheel extends into a ring-shaped region between said top support and said capping arrangements.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a shaft guide that extends parallel to said machine axis and projects as far as said middle support, said shaft guide being a shaft guide of one of said first and second motors.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said control element is mounted at said rotary support and wherein said control element is able to rotate independently of said rotary support after having been so mounted.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said capping machine is configured to be dismantled from above starting with said head plate.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second crown-gear wheel carries an inner crown gear on a radially-outward surface thereof and wherein said second drive-gear wheel engages said inner crown gear.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said carries an outer crown gear on a radially-outer surface thereof and wherein said second drive-gear wheel engages said outer crown gear.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Naaber Matthias

Classifications

• B67B3/2033 Primary

  comprising carousel co-rotating capping heads · CPC title

• B67B3/2066

  Details of capping heads (B67B3/2073 takes precedence) · CPC title