Magnetic cap guide
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/968,232, filed Oct. 29, 1992 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/607,027, filed Oct. 31, 1990 now abandoned. 
    
    
     This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in apparatus for applying caps to containers, and more particularly to an improved cap guide. 
     In the past, metal and rigid plastic caps have been directed down a supporting chute to a position wherein each cap is engaged by a container passing therebeneath followed either by the pressing down of the cap on to the threaded neck finish of the container, or the passage of the cap between belts which would serve to rotate the cap and thread it onto the container. As long as the caps were of a rigid construction, their cross section remained cylindrical and the diameter dimension remained constant. Thus they could be supported by lips or flanges of the track. 
     However, more recently, the customary metal caps have been provided with a plastic overcap with a depending tamper indicating band that is quite flexible and which, prior to the application thereof to a container, may not be cylindrical. As a result, these closure caps frequently either fall through the track or become jammed therein. With respect to this, it is to be understood that the supporting lips or flanges of the track, in the area where the closure cap is transferred to a container, must provide for a minimal support area so that the cap may be pulled through. 
     In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to eliminate a lower portion of the track for the closure cap and to substitute therefor a magnetic cap guide which will support the closure cap solely by the attraction of the metal shell thereof to an overlying magnet so that the closure cap is supported solely by the magnet as it is moved along the path of transfer by a container engaged therewith. 
     With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a cap guide unit formed in accordance with this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevtional view of the cap guide unit of FIG. 1 showing it in place in a cap application mechanism. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and shows the manner in which a cap is guided in accordance with this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view showing the relationship of a cap with respect to a forward portion of the guide. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the cap guide unit with parts broken away so as to specifically illustrate details of the unit and most particularly the mounting of a forward duck bill or hold down. 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5 and shows the manner in which a support for the duck bill is vertically adjusted. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the magnetic cap guide unit of FIG. 1 and shows the details of construction thereof. 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view showing the manner in which a support member of a magnetic cap guide assembly is mounted. 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of a modified form of magnetic cap guide assembly. 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 10--10 of FIG. 9 and shows the specific details of the magnetic cap guide assembly and the mounting thereof. 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of another modified form of magnetic cap guide assembly. 
     FIG. 12 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 12--12 of FIG. 11 and shows the specific details of the magnetic cap guide assembly and the mounting thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIG. 2 which shows the magnetic cap guide assembly, generally identified by the numeral 20 in position in a cap applying machine, generally identified by the numeral 22. The machine 22 basically includes a conveyor 24 for conveying containers C along a predetermined path with the containers C being guided along that path by suitable guides 26. Closure caps 28 are delivered in sequence by way of a chute (not shown) which slopes downwardly and to the right with a closure cap 28 just leaving such chute. The prior art chute has opposed lips or flanges on which a closure cap 28 is seated and these lips or flanges decrease in effective support as the closure cap 28 reaches a position where it is engaged by a container C. 
     Finally, these lips or flanges become so spaced as to permit a container C to draw a closure cap 28 down from the chute. With the closure cap 28 properly seated on a container C, the closure cap 28 passes between a pair of belts 30 which have runs thereof disposed in slightly converging spaced relation for engaging and twisting a closure cap 28 to thread the same on to a neck finish 31 of such container. 
     In accordance with this invention, a lower portion of the cap delivery chute is eliminated and is replaced by a magnetic cap guide unit 20. The magnetic cap guide unit 20 will now be described in detail with particular reference to FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 7 shows the magnetic cap guide unit 20 as including an upper mounting plate 32 which is provided at the left end thereof with a centrally located support 34 and at the right end thereof, at opposite corners of the plate 32, with like supports 36. These supports are engaged in a known manner with support structure of the closure cap applying mechanism 22. 
     First of all, the magnetic cap guide unit 20 includes a forwardly located duck bill or hold down 38 which includes a flat plate portion 40 having at the rear thereof an upwardly and rearwardly sloping plate portion 42. The duck bill 38 is carried by a depending plate or arm 44 which is fixedly secured to an upstanding member 46 rigid with the duck bill 38. 
     The plate 44 is carried by a support unit generally identified by the numeral 48. The support unit 48 includes a rearmost transversely extending tubular member 50 which has extending forwardly therefrom a pair of transversely spaced, parallel arms or support elements 52. The arms 52 are joined at their forward end by a transverse member 56 to which the plate 44 is fixedly secured. The transverse member is provided in the extreme top thereof with a centrally located partial bore 58 for a purpose to be described in detail hereinafter. 
     The plate 32 has opposite flat side edge portions 60, 62 in the rear part thereof. To the side edge portion 60 there is attached a depending plate 64 by way of a pair of countersunk fasteners 66 (FIG. 2). In a like manner, a depending plate 68 is secured to the side edge 62 in depending relation. The plates 64, 68 have transversely aligned bores 70, 72. A support shaft 74 (FIG. 1) extends through the bores 70, 72 and is supported by the plates 64, 68. The support shaft 74 also passes through a bushing 76 in the element 50. 
     The arm 52 adjacent the plate 64 is provided in the central portion thereof with a support element 78 which rests upon an eccentric 80 of an eccentric shaft 82. The shaft 82 is -engaged in a bore 84 in the forward bottom corner of the plate 64 and by selectively positioning the eccentric 80, raises and lowers the forward end of the support 48. 
     In order that the element 78 may always be held tightly against the eccentric 80, there is mounted in the bore 58 a lower end of a compression spring 86, which, in turn, is seated in a suitable bore (not shown) in the underside of the plate 32. 
     From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent how the duck bill 38 may be adjusted as to position. 
     A principal feature of the invention is a closure cap magnetic guide assembly 88 which is best shown in FIG. 7. The closure cap magnetic guide assembly 88 includes a combined central support and main frame member generally identified by the numeral 90 and including an elongated curved bar 92 having two upstanding support portions 94, 96. The central support and main frame member 90 is preferably formed of a non-magnetic material. 
     On opposite sides of the bar 92 there is clamped elongated magnets 98, 100 by way of rails 102, 104, respectively. Further, there is clamped against the rail 102 a curved guide 106. The elements of the closure cap magnetic guide assembly 88 are secured together by means of suitable fasteners 108. 
     At this time it is pointed out that the curved underside of the support member 90 also functions as a rail with the rails 102, 104 being preferably formed of a non-magnetic material. It is also to be seen that the magnets 98, 100 are recessed upwardly above the cap engaging lower surfaces of the rails 102, 104 as well as the bar 92. 
     In order to suspend the magnetic cap guide assembly 88 from the plate 32, there is secured to the underside of the plate 32 at the rear thereof a yoke 109 including a pair of depending brackets 111. The brackets 111 have received therebetween the element 94 with the element 94 being supported by way of a transverse shaft 114 which is illustrated in FIG. 7. 
     There is also secured to the underside of the plate 32 a forward yoke 116 having a pair of depending fingers 118. The forward member 96 of the support 90 is positioned between the fingers 118 and is carried by a shaft, such as the shaft 120 as is clearly shown in FIG. 8. 
     In operation, with the house of the magnetic cap guide assembly 88 and the duck bill 38 properly adjusted, as the closure cap 28 passes from the usual supply chute and is engaged by the neck finish 31 of a container C, the closure cap will be moved forwardly as is best shown in FIG. 2. At this time the closure cap 28 will be slightly cocked or at an angle with respect to the container C. However, that angle will change as the closure cap 28 passes around the curvature of the magnetic cap guide assembly 88. The duck bill 38 will engage the closure cap 28 to make certain that it is square on the container C before the closure cap 28 passes between the belts 30. 
     Reference is now made to FIGS. 9 and 10 wherein there is illustrated a slightly modified form of a magnetic cap guide assembly, generally identified by the numeral 112. The magnetic cap guide assembly 112 includes an elongated support member in the form of an elongated bar 114 and having projecting upwardly therefrom at opposite ends hubs 116, 118. 
     The support member 114 is carried by a suitable fixture 120, not shown in detail, with a shaft 122 which is mounted for limited rotation within the fixture 120 and which passes through a bushing 124 in the hub 116. 
     The forward end of the magnetic cap guide 112 is also supported from the fixture 120 by means of a shaft 126 which carries an eccentric bushing 128 journalled in the hub 118. By rotating the shaft 126, the magnetic cap guide 112 may be vertically adjusted as required. The bar 114 has secured to one side thereof, as shown in FIG. 10, a vertical rail 130 which is preferably formed of a non-magnetic material. A top plate 132 is mounted on the vertical rail 130 and carries a second vertical rail 131. An insert 136 is mounted on the underside of the top plate 132 between the rails 130 and 131. A plurality of magnets 134 (one shown) are mounted on the underside of insert 136. The bottom ends of the magnets 134 terminate above the bottom edges of the rails 130-131. Thus a closure cap 28 will be held up against the bottom of the rail 130 as well as the bottom of the bar 114. Preferably the surfaces of the bar 114 and the rail 130 will be longitudinally curved as is generally shown in FIG. 9. 
     As is clearly shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rails 130 and 131 and the magnets 134 as well as the top plate 132 and insert 136 will be mounted on the side of the bar 114 as a unit utilizing suitable fasteners 138. 
     Referring once again to FIG. 10, it will be seen that the fixture 120 further includes a pair of opposed closure cap side guides 140 of which only one has been specifically illustrated. In this manner a closure cap 28 has the path thereof determined by the guides 140 as well as by the rail 130. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 11 wherein there is illustrated another form of a magnetic cap guide assembly generally identified by the numeral 142. The assembly 142 includes the support member 112 formed of the bar 114 having the upstanding hubs 116, 118. The support member 112 is again supported by a shaft 122 passing through the hub 116 and the shaft 126 passing through the hub 118. However, the mounting of a magnet is different as is best shown in FIG. 12. An offset lower part 144 of the bar 114 functions as one rail with there being a second rail 146 spaced from the part 144 by way of an elongated magnet 148. The rail 146 and the magnet 148 are secured in place on the bar 114 by a suitable fastener 150. Once again the magnet 148 is recessed relative to the rails 144 and 146. 
     It is to be understood that the mechanism shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 will incorporate the side guides 140 although they have not been shown for simplicity purposes. 
     It is also to be understood that while the fixture 120 may be different from the support structure of the magnetic cap guide unit 30, there will be associated with the magnetic cap guide assemblies 112 and 142 a duck bill such as the duck bill 38 (FIGS. 1 and 5) which may be adjustably mounted in any desired manner including that illustrated in FIG. 7. 
     The magnetic cap guide assembly can include a rail having a plurality of individual magnets recessed therein. For example, the rail can have bores extending down from a top wall thereof with said bores terminating in said rail in spaced relation from a bottom wall of said rail, and said magnets are seated in said bores. A coverplate can overlie said rail and retain said magnets in said bores. 
     Although only several preferred embodiments of magnetic cap guide assemblies have been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.