US2017124A - Apparatus for assembling receptacle closure caps - Google Patents

Description

J. A. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS 9 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 19, 1954 J A .Jol/msm ct. l5, 15935.

J. A. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLOSUBE CAPS Filed Jan. 19, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 i lNvi-:NToR J. A. JOHNSON ATTORNEY Get. 15, 1935. J, A. .JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS Filed Jan. 19, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTCR YJ A. JoH/va/v ATTORNEY @et 15, 1935. J; A. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS Filed Jan. 19, 1934 9 Sheets--Sheel 4 INVENToR J. A. JQHNSON l BY ATToR EY H CL 5 1935 J. A. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLGSURE CAPS Filed Jan. 19, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 `INVENTOR A. JNGN BY C@ 15 193.5 J. A. JOHNSON 2,01724 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTACLE CLOSURE CAPS 9 sheets-sheet e Filed Jan. 19, 1934 INVENT'OR L JUHNQON `ATTORNEY Odi. 15, 1935. A, JOHNSON 2,017,124

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RECEPTAGLEICLOSURE CAPS Filed Jvan. 19, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY,

Oct. l5, 1935. .1. A. JOHNSON 2,017,124

APPARATUS FOR AssEMBLING RECEPTACLE cLosURE CAPs Filed Jan. 19, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented et. lb, i935 sraA APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLNG RECEPTACLE OLO SURE CAPS .lohn A. Johnson, Woodhaven, N. Y.

' Application January 19, 1934, Serial No. 707,425

20 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for assemarranged with a screw thread to co-operate with the thread about the opening of a receptacle to which the closure is to be applied, the liningsV or sealing pads being secured in the caps under the tension of the linings themselves and the obstruction of the thread of the caps.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an apparatus for assembling sealing pads or linings in a plurality of closure caps at the same time without materially increasing the dimensions thereof over the dimensions of the present typeof apparatus and increasing the capacty of the apparatus by assembling twice the number of caps within a given period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein a plurality of linings may be simultaneously severed or stamped from a single web of lining material, thereby greatly reducing the amount of waste lining material.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to direct closure caps from a conveyer transporting the caps from the forming or screw threading apparatus to a plurality of conveyers for equally distributing the caps to the assembling devices of the apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide controllable power or driving means for the apparatus whereby the closure caps are fed to the apparatus before the assembling devices are placed in operation, thereby not only reducing the amount of power consumed in operating the apparatus, but also assuring the presence of closure caps at the assembling devices when set in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to adapt the apparatus for assembling dierent size caps by removably mounting parts of the assembling devices on the apparatus to permit the ready replacement of said parts by parts of the desired y size and by having the remaining ,parts readily adjustable to accommodate different size caps. It is a still further object of the invention to provide means to disconnect the assembling' devices from the power means and simultaneously stop the actuation of said devices.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means to stop the actuation of the assembling devices should there not be a cap in front of an assembling device.

Other objects and advantages Will hereinafter appear.

In carrying out the invention there is provided pairs of parallel rails for lsupporting the caps relative to the assembling devices and to which rails the caps are delivered from a cap forming yor threading apparatus -by a conveyer belt trav- 5 eling in longitudinal alinement with the rails and continuously transporting caps relative to means reciprocatory transversely of said belt to direct the caps from the belt to a pair of conveyer belts traveling along the opposite longitudinal edges of the first conveyer and the outer edges of the supporting rails. The pair of conveyers continuously transport the caps thereon relative to slides mounted at the outer marginal portions of the pair of conveyers and reciprocatory transversely across said conveyers to the outer mar;- ginal portions oi' the cap supporting rails to transfer the caps from the conveyers to the rails relative to projections extended above the rails from a pair of chains traveling below and in alinement with the pairs of supporting rails and intermittently actuated to permit the positioning of caps by the slides in front of a pair of projections to be engaged and moved by said projections along the supporting rails through the actuation of the chains. The caps are transported along the rails by the chain fingers relative to pairs of punch and die mechanisms mounted above the supporting rails, one pair of punch and die mechanisms being arranged in sequence to the other relative to the movement of the caps along the supporting rails with a punch and die of each pair of such mechanisms positioned above a pair of the supporting rails. The punches are actuated during the periods of rest of the chains to sever lining disks from a web of lining material fed to each pair of punch and die mechanisms and the severed disksv assembled in the caps by a plunger carried by each of the punches and actuated in successive sequence to the severing of the disks. The feeding of the web to each pair of punch and die mechanisms is controlled bythe caps on the rails before the caps are positioned in alinement with the punch and die mechanisms, the absence of a cap on either pair of supporting rails rendering the web feeding means inactive to feed the web to the pair of punch and die mechanisms in front of which punch and die there is no cap, and therefore no linings will be cut from the web by said punch and die. The lining webs fed to the different pairs of punch and die mechanisms may be of the same material or of dierent materials to form a sealing pad and a protective lining for the pad. 'I'he caps having the assembled linings therein are discharged from the apparatus by the travel of the caps along the supporting rails, the cap engaging projections of the chains being disengaged from the caps through the travel of the chains in an arcuate path adiacent the discharge ends of the supporting rails.

In the drawings accompanying and form-ing a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus looking at the cap feeding end thereof.

Figure 2 is a view looking vat the top of the apparatus at thecap feeding end and showing the cap feeding means, the front end of the cap supporting rails and the 'first pair of punch and die mechanismsl with their 'associated web feeding means.

` Figure 3 is a view looking at the top of the apparatus showingv the discharge end opposite to the end shown in Figure 2. with another pair of punch and die mechanisms and associated web feeding means, and means to impart intermittent movement to the cap feeding chains.-

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view looking at the top of the cap supporting rails and showing in dot and dash lines the adjustment of cap guiding rails for guiding different size caps along the cap supporting rails. A

Figure 5 is a side elevational view showing the discharge of the assembled caps from the apparatus in relation to the plan view of the same 'shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the feeding end ofthe apparatus showing the driving means V'therefor and the direct connection ofsaid means with the cap feeding con- :the pair of conveyers to the capsupporting rails and means'for actuating said slides.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the l:arrows and showing partly in section a pair of punch and Ydie mechanisms, actuating means therefor, a drive Wheel for the actuating means, clutch and brake mechanism for connecting the `drive wheel with the actuating means, and means` Ifor feeding a-web to the punch and die mechanismS.

Figure 9 is a view showing the adjustable I mounting of a roller of a pair of web feeding rollers of the web feeding means with said roller. positionedin spaced and non-web feeding relal'disk and the plunger assembling the severed-'disk in a cap. y

Figure l1 is a fragmentary view of actuating means for-the web feeding rollers shown in Figures 8 and 9 and showing in detail an over-rid- 'ing clutch to impart web feeding movement in one direction only to the rollers. y

' Figure 12 is a perspective view of the cap supporting rails showing in connection therewith means actuated by caps traveling along the rails 'and a latch actuated by said means to position to connect the web feeding roller actuating means with the rollers.

Figure 13 is aview similar to Figure l2 butv showing vno cap positioned on one of the cap supporting rails and the latch actuated Out 0f cons,oi7,1s4

necting position to prevent the actuation of the web feeding rollers. l

Figure 14 is van elevational view of brakin means,l clutch actuating means, and means to simultaneously operate the brake and clutch yto s control the movement of a drive shaft and connect and disconnect the shaft from the drive wheel. v v

Figure 15 is an elevational view of actuating means to impart yintermittent movement to the l0 chains for feeding the caps along the supporting rails: and A. y

Figure 16 ls a view, partly in section, looking at the left of Figure 15 lshowing means to releasably connect the cap feeding chains to a shaft of l5 the actuating means. j

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the operative parts -are mounted upon a` suitable framework comprising a bed or table B supported at the opposite ends upon 20 lstandards S, andare actuated from a drive shaft I1 having two crank portions I8 intermediate the' ends, for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and. at the ends rotatably mounted in hangers I9 suspended from they opposite sides of the bed 25 B. One of the shaft ends extends beyond its hanger and has loosely mounted thereon a power or drive wheel 20 having two rows of sprocket teeth 2l on the periphery thereof, said wheel being retained on the shaft against lateral move- 30 ment by an annular enlargement 22 of the shaft in spaced relation to the end thereof and a collar 23 releasably secured on the end of the shaft at the outer side of the wheel. The drive wheel is positively actuated from an electric motor M by 35 a pair of sprocket chains 24 engaged by the sprocket teeth 2l of the drive wheel and passing around a pair of sprocket wheels 25 fixed on the shaft of motor M. The motor is mounted on a shelf 26 extending laterally from a standard S 40 and the motor is connected to a source of electricity through va rheostat enclosed in a box 21 by which the speed of the motor may be regu-- lated. Y

The drive .wheel 20 is releasably connected to-45 the drive shaft I1 by a key 28 slidably mounted in a keyway in the vshaft and yieldingly urged through an opening'in the annular enlargement 22 toward the hub of drive wheel 20 by a spring 29 vengaged in a recess in the ykey and abutting the 50 end of the keyway in the shaft, as shown in Figure 8, the free end of the key engaging a notch 30 in the end of the hub of the drive wheel having a declined portion 3l leading to said notch to facilitate the engagement of the key with the notch during the rotation of the drive wheel. It will readily be seen that the drive wheel is normally connected to the drive shaft by the yield ing force of the spring 29, and the shaft I1 is disconnected from the drive wheel 2II by an arm 00 32 pivotally mounted at one end on a pintle 32' fixed in a hanger I9 and thefopposite end movable toward and away from the key 28 and arranged with a block 33 flxed to said end having a longitudinal cam edge extending from one face to the opposite face, as at 34 in Figure 14, to engage a recess in the free lateral edge of key 28 and adapted to move said key away from the drive wheel against the force of spring 29 by the movement of the arm toward the key so that at the end of said movement of the arm the key will befully disengaged from the wheel notch 30.`

Upon the releasel of the. drive wheel from the drive shaft, the drive shaft will continue to ro- I tate throughits own momentum with the result that the operative parts of the apparatus will continue to function contrary to the intent of the operator and cause. damage to the receptacle closure caps and waste of the lining material.

To prevent this the drive shaft .is normally held against rotation by brake imeans, consisting of a band of flexible material having a lining on 'the inner surface, as at 35 in Figure 14, the band being engaged about the annular enlargement 22 which serves as a brake drum, the opposite end portions of the band being extended laterally and in parallel relation to each other with one end attached to a post 31 fixed in and projecting from the adjacent hanger I9 and the opposite end free and yieldingly. urged toward the fixed end by a spring 38 coiled about a headed rod 39 loosely en- .gaged in alined perforations in both end portions of the band with the head abutting the free end and the spring confined between the fixed end and a washer 49 adjustably retained on the rod by lock nuts 4I. The portion of the band extending from the fixed end is prevented from being moved by the spring beyond a predetermined point by a pin 42 extended from the hanger abutting the band on the side of rod 39 opposite the post 31, so that the force of the spring will only move the free end toward the i'lxed end, the movement of the free, end away from the fixed end swinging the entire band about the post 31 away from pin 42 and free the band from the drum 22, thereby permitting the free rotation of the shaft I1.

Means are provided to simultaneously actuate the brake band to releasing position.and arm 32 away from key 28 to permit said key to connect the drive shaft to the drive wheel, and comprises a lever 43 having a triangular opening 44 in an enlarged portion intermediate the ends thereof extending in an axis oblique to the vertical and engaged upon a roller 45 carried by a stud xed in a hanger I9, the roller being maintained in predetermined positions in the opening by a coiled spring 46 attached at one end to the stud carrying roller and the opposite end attached to a pin 41 projecting laterally from the arm 32, so that the side of the opening nearest the pin 41 will be yieldingly engaged by the roller 45. The end of lever 43 carrying the pin 41 is connected, as by said pin, to the arm 32 intermediate the ends of said arm, and the lever 43 being loosely connected to the free or movable end of the brake band by a link 48 pivoted at one end to the brake band and having a slot 49 in the opposite endportion loosely engaged on a pin 50 fixed in and extended laterally from the lever adjacent the side of the opening opposite to the side normally engaged by the roller 45. The lever 43 is actuated by a manipulating lever 5| connected to the end of the lever opposite to the end connected to arm 32 by a rod 52 pivotally connected to the respective levers whereby the levers will have corresponding movements in an upward and downward direction. In the downward movement of the levers the roller 45 will engage the uppermost portion of the opening 44 thereby moving the lever 43 in a lateral direction and causing the pin 50 to move from the upper end to the opposite end of the slot 49 in and move link 48 about its pivotal connection with the brake band without imparting movement to the brake band, said brake band remaining in its braking position under the force of spring 38, said downward movement of the levers moving the arm 32 toward and actuating the key 28 out of engagement with the wheel notch 30, as clearly shown in Figurevl-i. The movement of levers 43, 5I in an upward direction the levers, which movement will actuate the arm 82 away from the key 25 and t the key to move toward and engage the wheel notch 35 and 5' connect the drive wheel to the drive shaft under the influence of spring 29. The upward movement of the lever 43 simultaneously with said latter movement of the arm 32 will move the pin 55 along slot 49 into engagement with the upper end 10 of the slot, the continued upward movement of lev'er 43 lifting the link 48 and moving the brake band 35 away from the brake drum, as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 14, thereby permitting the free rotation of the shaft Il and the actul5 ation of said shaft by the drive wheel 20. The lowerend portion of the side of the opening 44 has an offset, as at 53, forming an indent in which the roller 45 is normally retained-against accidental movement during the operation of the ap- 20 paratus.

To prevent injury to the operator of the apparatus, the drive wheel 28, chains 24 and the sprockets 25 o1' the motor shaft, are covered by a shield 54 carried by the framework. 25

Caps C are fed to the apparatus from an apparatus, not shown, where the caps are formed or arranged with screw threads, by an. endless conveyer belt 55 of a Width to support a plurality of rows of caps, partially shown in Figures 2 and 6 30 to be supported and driven at one end by a drum 56 xed on a shaft 51 rotatably supported in bearings in brackets 58 fixed to and extended from the end of the bed B adjacent the drive shaft l1. The caps fed by the belt 55 are sepa- 35 rated into two parallel rows in which position they are transported through the apparatus to the various assembling devices. This operation is accomplished by providing vibrating means to engage and direct the caps laterally of the conveyer 40 55, said vibrating means being in the form of an arm 59 having a tapered end arranged with a straight edge of exible material, as at 60, and at the opposite end fixedly mounted on a shaft 6I rotatable in a bracket 62 supported on a 'raised 45 portion 62r of the bed B in spaced relation to the drum 56, said shaft 6I being reciprocated to move the end 68 ofthe arm 59 transverselyof the belt 55 by an arm 63 fixed at one end on shaft 6I below the bracket 62, the-opposite end carrying a roller 50 54 yieldingly urged to engage a cam disk 61 fixed to th shaft 51 of the drum 56, by a spring 65 attached at the opposite ends to a projection 66 of arm 59 and the bracket 52,A as clearly shown in Figure 2. The reciprocation of the arm 59 will 55 direct the caps through the continuous travel of the conveyer 55 between pairs of guiding rails diverging toward and past the marginal portions of the conveyer, said rails comprising plates 68 having one end tapered with a straight side and a 50 diverging side meeting a straight portion adjacent the opposite end, as at 69, said opposite end-portions of the plate being adjustably mounted on a cross member 10 xedat the ends on the brackets 58 in horizontal spaced relation to the conveyer 65 and arranged with pairs of spaced slots 1I for the adjustable engagement of screws 12 threaded in the plates 68 to permit adjustment of the plates laterally of the conveyer and toward and away from each other to position the inner sides of the 70 vplates including the diverglng side portions 6,9

-v of the diverging 'parallel relation with the diverging side portions of the plates,

the end portions of therails opposite to l.the ends fixed tothe cross member extending in substantial alinement with fthe sides of the conveyer-'belt f 55 and'flxedly mounted on the 'raised portion 62' ofjthe be'd B, as at 14. The diverging portions of the plates 66 land the rails 13 are arranged with an overhanging portion to extend over the peripheral portion of the caps, as shown'at 16 in Figure around supported by pairs of drums 11, 16,

the drums"1 being xedly mounted on the opposite end portions-of a shaft 16 rotatable in-bearings 60' ,on the top and at the opposite sides of the bed'B', and the drums v16v rotatably mounted on studs 6| slidably engaged in slideways 62 in the outer ends of the brackets l56 and adiustably carried by lead screws 631loosely mounted in plates 6I 'fixed -to the ends of the brackets 56 spanning the openends of the slideways, said lead 'screws having threaded connectionl with the studs, the

ends of the screws extendingbeyond the plates 66 being arranged for the engagement `oi? an actuating tool, as at65, to take up any slack in the belts 16. By this mounting it will be obvious that the belts 16 will extend parallelly of the opposite marginal portions of and in the sarne plane-as 'the conveyer 55, and that the guide plates 66 and rails 13 extend over said pair of conveyers to guide the caps onto said conveyers 16. The caps are further guided lon the conveyers 15 by rails 65v of angular form in cross section adjustably carried by arms 81 by slot and screw connections 66 to permit adjustment of the rails toward and away.

from'the rails 13 for the guiding of different size caps, the arms 61 being loosely mounted on a rod 69 fixed to the raised portion 62' of the bed B.

so that the rails 66 may be raised away from the conveyers 16 to permit of inspection and removal of caps jammed on said conveyers, the rails'being positioned in spaced relation to the conveyers in the lowered position `by the'ends of the arms 61 extended beyond the rails engaging raised portions of the bed B, as at 90 in Figure 2.

The conveyer belts* 55, 16 are simultaneously and continuously actuated directly from the drive wheel 20, independent of its relationship with the drive shaft |1, by a sprocket chain 9| passed about an annular sprocket wheel 92 xed to the hub of the drive wheel, as clearly shown in Figure 8, and a sprocket wheel 93. fixed to an end'of aA stud shaft 94 rotatable in a hanger 95 suspended from the bed B in alinement with a bearing 60, and having a pinion 96 fixed thereto in spaced relation to the sprocket wheel meshing with a pinion 91 fixed to an end of the shaft 19 extended beyond bearing 60, as shown in Figure 6, whereby rotation is imparted to the drums 11 carrying the belts 16, this rotation being imparted to shaft 51 of conveyer by a sprocket chain l96 engaged about sprocket wheel`99 fixed ,to the shaft 19 between a bearing and drum 11, and a sprocket wheel |00 fixed to the shaft 51, as shown in Figures 2 'and 6. n

Ihe conveyers 16 transport the caps relative to means to transfer the caps to pairs of supporting rails, comprising a pair of laterally spaced strips |0| supported in horizontally spaced rela- `non from and centrally of the top of the bed B by a series of posts |02, and a middle or center strip'l03'supported between thestrips |0| and from the bed by posts similar tothe posts |02 `section in Figure '7.

f Y aciarae and ofa widthto form with-th strips |0I two longitudinal slots or passageways |06, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. 'I'he caps are supported by the rails in two rows relative to the slots |04 during the entire assemblingof i; liningsor pads therein, and said rows of caps are guided between guide rails or strips ad- .iustably mounted on the outer marginal portions of the rails |0| by screws threaded in the rails |05 engaging slots extended transversely of the 1o rails |0|, as shown at |06, and a rail |01'releasably mounted centrally on the center rail |03 by screws, so that the rails |0|, |03 may support different size caps by adjusting the guide rails |05 laterally by loosening the screws in the 15 slot connections |06 and replacing thev center guide rail |01 with la rail of proper width. The

' cap supporting rails |0|, |06'extend from one conveyers 16 to the supporting rails |0|, |06 and g5- vsaid terminating portions of the guide rails are arranged for the adjustable mounting of abutment plates |06 ofangular form having a slot |09 in one angle portion for the loose engagement of headed screws threaded into the rails |05, 30 whereby the other angle portions may have adjustment longitudinally of the conveyers 16 to properly position different size caps on the conveyers 16 relative-to the transferring means.

The means to transfer the caps from the con- 35 veyers 16 to the supporting rails |0|, |06, comprises a pair of carrier blocks ||0 (Figures 2 v and '1), each slidably mounted in a slideway of a pair of slideways supported on opposite sides of the bed 4B outl of alinement with each o other, as shown in' Figure 2, and each rblocl: slidably supporting an ejector slide 2 having a slot ||3 engaged by a pin III xed in and extended frorn the block ||0 to permit of a limited longitudinal movement of the'slide relative to 45 the block and impart movement of the blockto said slide toward and transversely of the vadjacent conveyer 16, the return movement of the block away from the conveyer being adjustably imparted to the slide through a set screw ||5 504 threaded in'a perforated lip ||6 of the slide to engage the block and secured in adjusted position by a lock nut |1, as clearly shown in cross The set screw ||5 is yieldinglyvurged into engagement with the block by a 55 spring ||6 attached at the ends to the pin ||6 and a pin ||9 fixed in and extended from the slide ||2 between the slot ||3 and lip H6. 'Ihe blocks I0 are reciprocated simultaneously towardstheir respective conveyers 16 to engage the slides 60 ||2 with the caps abutting the. plates |06 and transfer said caps to the supporting rails |0|, |03, from -a shaft |20 rotatably supported in hangers |2| suspended from the bed B, and said shaft driven from the drive shaft |1` 'oy a sprocket g5 chain |22 engaged about an annular sprocket wheel |23 fixed to drive shaftV |1 and a sprocket wheel |24 fixed to the end of the shaft |20 ex-v tended beyond hanger |2|. The rotary movement of the shaft 20 is transformed into recip-` rocatory movement of the blocks ||0 by a pair oi' crank arms |25, each of said arms being pivotally connected at one end to a collar |26 loosely engaged on a pin |21 projectingfrom the peripheral portion of'a disk |26 of a pair of disks fixed 75 beyond the hangers |2|, the opposite ends of the crank arms pivotally engaging in bifurcated connecting memLers |29 pivotally connected to an arm of bell levers |30 rotatably supported between hangers |3| suspended from the slidewaysthe other arms of the levers having the free ends bifurcated, as at |32 in Figure '7. and the bifurcations engaging pins |33- fixed in the legs of bifurcated portions |34 dependingl from the carrier blocks 0. By adjusting the set screws ||5 the# forward movement of the ejector slides 2 is l.arie'd to properly position caps having `diiferent diameters on the supporting rails |0|,

|03. The mounting of the slides ||2 are offset relative to each other so that the slides will travel in a path directly below a guide rail supporting arm 81, whereby said arms 81 form horizontal guides for the ejector slides and the caps as they are transferred from the conveyers 16 to the supporting rails |0|, |03, as shown in Figure 2, and for another purpose hereinafter set forth. The arms 81 superposed to the slides ||2, extend'over the inner ends of the slideways as at |35 in Figure 2, and have pins |36 projecting laterally from the opposite sides for the releasable engagement of hook portions of latches |31 pivotally mounted on the opposite sides of theslldeways and yieldingly maintained in engagement with the pins |36 by springs |38 anchored at one end to the hangers |3| and at the opposite'ends to the latches opposite to the hook portions thereof, as clearly shown in` Figc re '1.

The latches |31 when engaging the pins |36 retain the guide rails 86 and arms 81 in their normal guiding position. It will be noted that the ejector slides are only reciprocated when drive shaft 4I1 is connected to the drive wheel 20 and the independent operation of the cap delivering conveyers 55 and 16 from the drive wheel will not cause any trouble as the conveyers 16 will merely travel relative to the caps without transporting the caps when the i portions of said conveyers 16 between the conveyor 55 and abutments |08 are lled with caps ready to be transferred to the supporting rails |0|, V|03 by theslides ||2 upon the actuation of said slides.

The sprocket chain |22 and sprocket wheels |23 and |24 are enclosed'by a protective shield |39 supported by the hangers I9 and |2|, as at |40 in Figure 1, to prevent accumulation of dirt on said operating parts and injury to the operator.

The caps C transferred from conveyers 16 to the supporting rails |0|, |03 by ejector slides ||2 y are positioned relative to means for intermittently moving the caps along the supporting rails in position relative to the assembling devices, and comprises projections or :fingers |4| xed in spaced relation to each other and extended vertically from the links of a pair of sprocket chains |42 extending in alinement with the slots I 04 with the fingers projecting therethrough, and engaged about pairs ,of laterally spaced sprocket wheels |43, |44 the sprocket wheels |43 being looselyV mounted in separate rectangular brackets |45 having a side portion of channel form, as at |46 in Figure 7, to slidably engage longitudinally extending blocks |41 xedly supported below the bed B, two of said blocks extending along the marginal portions of the bed and a third block intermediate said two blocks, whereby each sprocket wheel |43 may be independently adjusted longitudinally of the bed to take up slackin the chains by set screws |48Y threaded into ears |40 extending laterally of each bracket so that the inner ends of the set screws abut the ends of the outer blocks |41 and move the bracket toward the adjacent end of the bed B. 'Ihe brackets |45 are retained in adjusted position by clamping screws |50 engaged in the lower channel wall of the outer channeled sides of the brackets |45 and the outer blocks |41, and a T shaped clamping member |5| engaged between the opposed channeled sides of the brackets with the T portion thereof clamped against said channeled sides by a screw similar to screws 50. The other pair of sprocket wheels |44 comprises the driving means for said cap feeding chains and are releasably and adjustably mounted on a shaft |52 (Figure 3) rotatably mounted in brackets |53 xed to the opposite sides of the bed B at the end thereof opposite to the end arranged with the conveyers 55 and 16, and intermittently actuated from a continuously rotating shaft |54 rotatably carried by said brackets |53 below shaft |52 through a Geneva mechanism (Figures 3, 15 and 16), comprising a disk' |55 fixed on an end of the shaft |52 extended beyond a bracket |53 and having recesses|56 equidistantly spaced about and extended radially inward from the periphery with the peripheral portions of the disk between the recesses of curved or concave form, as at |51, for the engagement of convex surfaces at the oppositel ends of an elongated block |58 xed axially of a disk |59 mounted on an end of shaft |54 extending beyond a bracket |53, said engagement being for the purpose of holding disk |55 in such position. The disk |59 has rollers |60 mounted on pins |6| fixed in and projecting from the disk adjacent the periphery and at diametrically opposite sides of the block |58,v so that the rollers by the rotation of the shaft |54 will engage the recesses |56 and impart two intermittent movements to the disk |55 and shaft |52 upon each revolution of shaft |54.

'Ihe shaft |54 is continuously and simultaneously rotated with the actuation of the cap trans-A ferring slides ||2 and the assembling devices by a pair of sprocket chains |15 engaged about a wheel |16 having a double row of sprocket teeth and xed on the end of shaft 54 opposite to the disk |53, and a wheel |11 having a -doublerow of sprocket teeth and fixed `to an end of a crank shaft |18, similar to the drive shaft I1, mounted below the bed B in spaced relation to the shaft |1 and driven from said drive shaft through a pair of sprocket chains |19 engaged over wheels |80 having a double row of sprocket teeth xed on the ends of shafts I1 and |18 opposite tothe drive wheel 20 and sprocket wheel |11, respectively. The sprocket chains |15 and sprocket wheels |16, |11 are enclosed by a sheet metal cover |8| and the sprocket chains |19 and sprocket wheels |80 are also enclosed by a cover |82 mounted on the -eo supporting structure.

The fingers |4| of one chain may be adjusted independently of and relative to the fingers of the other chain for the purpose of accommodating the apparatus for different sizes of closure caps and to position caps of different sizes in alinement with the sealing pad or` lining assembling devices to assure proper assembling of sealing pads and linings in the closure caps. This adjustment is accomplished in a simple and rapid manner by adjustably mounting the sprocket wheels |44 on the shaft |52 by cup members |62 (Figure 16) fixed on the shaft |52 with the open ends in opposed and spaced relation to each other, the cup members' having a sleeve-like hub portion |63 with the free |4| along theslots |04 and feed. the caps enends thereof externally screw threaded. The sprocket wheels |44 are nxed to a flange of sleeves |64 loosely engaged on the hub portions |63 and adjustably connected with the cup members through worm wheels |66 fixed on the sleeves |64 meshing with worms |61, rotatably mounted in the walls of the cup members |62 to extend transversely of a peripheral open portion |66 of vsaid members to permit ready actuation of the worms by a tool applied to squared ends |69 of the worm shafts exterior of the-cup members. By rotating the worms the sprocket wheels |44 are adjusted about the `shaft |52 to any predetermined position to properly position the cap engaging fingers |4| along the supporting rails |0|, |03, and relative The sprocket wheels to the assembling devices. '|44 are releasably secured in adjusted position to permit the intermittent actuation of the chains '|42 by plates |10 loosely engaged on the hub portions |63 of the cup members and peripheral- Y'ly flanged to'correspond'with the edges -of the cup members, as at I1 and clamping the sprocket wheels to the cup'members by annular nuts |12 threaded .onto the screw threaded end of the hub portions |63, Vsaid nuts having' a series of sockets |13 about the exterior walls for the engagement of a spanner wrench to tighten the nuts against the plates and impinge the sprocket wheels to the cup members, When it is desired to -assemble sealing pads or lining disks in caps of asize different than the caps being assembled, .the nuts |12 are loosened to release the plates |10 and permit the adjusting of the sprocket wheels |44 to the desired position about the shaft |52 -bythe actuation of the worms |61.

The Geneva mechanism .comprising the disks |55 and |59 is protected from dirt accumulating thereon by an enclosure |14 formed of separable sections, as clearly disclosed in Figure 15,- sup-f. ported by a bracket |53.

The c ap engaging fingers |4| are of T form fixed at the bottom or foot portions thereof to angle portions of angle members |83, the other angle portions constituting links of the chains |42, as clearly shown in Figure l5, with the leg portions of the 'fingers extending through the slots |04 while the chains are traveling relative to said slots with` the cross portions of the fingers above the supporting rails |0I, |03 presenting broad cap engaging surfaces and assuring positive engagementl with the caps.

The reciprocation of the ejector slides ||2 and the intermittent movement of the shaft |52 are synchronized so that during the movement of said slides away from the supporting rails |0|, |03, saidshaft will be rotatedto move the fingers lgaged by said fingers along the supporting rails, and during the, actuation of the ejector slides to positionja cap on the supporting rails the Ashaft |52 will be idle with fingers |4| positioned on. both sides of the advancing ejector slides to V'form spacesinto which the -caps being transferred from the conveyers 16 are positioned by the ejector slides and moved along the supporting rails upon the next rotation of the shaft |52. The caps are intermittently moved by the fingers |4| along the supporting rails from the ejector slides to a series of devices adapted to asplate openings by screws |94.

' thedies and the' punches.

'linings superposed to the pads to protect the pads from the deteriorating action of the con- 10 tents of the receptacles to which the caps vare applied. A pair of punch and die mechanisms comprises a pair of slides |64 movably mounted in vertical slideways arranged in standards supported on 15 and extended upwardly from the opposite sides of the bed-B, the slides beingreciprocatedfrom either the drive shaft |1 or shaft |18, depending upon the location of the punch andvdie mechanisms, through a pair of crank arms |86 2o 'at one end loosely engaged on the crank portions |8 of vsaid shafts with the opposite ends loosely engaged'on a shaft |81, the ends of which l*shaft extend laterally from the crank arms and rotatably engage `openings in the lower endsof 25 the slides |84 retained on the' shaft by nuts, as

at 301,'the slides passing through openings |86 in the bed B, as clearly shown in Figure l8. The intermediate portions of the slides |84 are arranged with alined rectangular openingsl |89, 3o'

for apurpose to lbe hereinafter described. vOn the upper ends of the slides there is supported v a plate |90 releasably connected thereto by screws' |9| The plate |90 has a pairof circular openings, each opening being adjacent the opposite 35 sides' and ends of the plate, and therefore, di-

agonally opposed 'to each other to be engaged by bushings |92 having a flange |93 abutting the upper surface ofthe plate and secured in the The bushings |92 4o carry tubular members |95 retained therein by nuts |96 threaded on end portions of the tubular members extended above the bushing flanges |93 to abut washers |91 against the under surface of'the` plate |90, said washers being 45 retained in abutting position by nuts |96 threaded onto the tubular members below the plate |90. By this mounting of the tubular members, the members may have longitudinal adjustment in the plate |90. The tubular mem- 50.

bers |95 carry at the lower ends cup shaped punches or cutting heads |88 having tubular portions to be attached to the tubular members, as by screw threading, as shown at l200 in Figures 8 and 10. The edges at the open ends of the 55 'punches are beveled to fonn cutting edges to co-operate with annular dies 20| mounted in seatsinjopenings 202 in a plate 203. The plate' 203 is. releasably mounted on the sill portions of openings 204 inthe standards |85 by screws 60 engaged in openings in plate 203 with the heads countersunk therein, as shown at 205 in Figure 8'. The sealing pads or linings are severed by the punches and dies from a web W of suitable material fed through'the openings lss of the. slides e5 |64 and openings 204 in the standards |65 over the die plate 203 in interposed relation between To assure the severing of the pads or linings with a clear cut edge,

the webV about the peripheres of the dies are 70 engaged and held against a beveled portion of the diesextended above the plate203, as at 206. by a corresponding beveled edge of holding members of cup form 201 slidably mounted to encircle the cutting heads lss with the beve1ea ns edge projecting beyond the heads by rods 209 fixed at one end in the holding members and slidably engaged in perforations circumferentially arranged in rings 209 engaged on the tubular members |95 below shoulders 2I0 on said tubular members, the holding members being yieldingly maintained in position with the beveled edge extending beyond the cutting edge of the heads by springs 2|| coiled about the rods between the holding members and the rings 209, whereby the beveled edge will clamp the web against the beveled edge 206 of the dies and maintain the web in such position during the severing of the web by the cutting heads or punches, the tubular punch carrier |95 passing through an opening 2| 2 in the bottom of the holding members 201 against the force of the springs 2| I, as shown in Figure 10.

To assure the positioning or assembling of the pads or linings centrally in caps positioned below the openings 202 in plate 203, the pads or linings immediately after being severed by the cutting heads |99 are engaged in the caps and stripped from the cutting heads by plungers comprising a. rod 2 I3 slidably mounted in the bore of the tubular members |95 with the upper end extending above plate and engaged by coiled springs 2I4 compressed between the tubular members and bifurcated members 2|5 pivoted to the said projecting end of the rods whereby heads 2|6 at the lower end of the rods having an inclined lateral wall are yieldingly maintained within the cutting heads |99, the inclined wall coinciding with the cutting face of said heads, as shown in Figure 8. After the cutting heads have passed the dies 20| and severed pads or linings from the web W the plunger heads 2|8 are positively and forcibly actuated out of the cutting heads to strip the severed pads or linings from the cutting heads and position the severed pads or linings centrally in the caps by levers 2| 1 pivoted intermediate their ends in bifurcations 2|8 in the upper end of posts 2|9 fixed in the plate |90 adjacent the punch mounting, as by screw threading as shown in Figure 8, one end ofthe levers 2|1 loosely engaging the bifurcated members 2|5 carrying rods 2I3 below pins 220 fixed in said bifurcation legs to extend transversely of the levers to permit of longitudinal movement of the levers 2 |1 relative to the plunger rods 2I3 and the opposite ends of said levers engaging rollers 22| loosely carried by brackets 222 adjustably mounted on the upper endsA of the standards |85, as by a screw and slot connection 223, to vary the movement of the levers.

The' abutting of the levers with the rollers by the downward movement of the slides |84 will rock they levers and move the plunger -rods 2I3 in a fdownward direction against the force of the springs 2'I4 and actuate the yplunger heads 2I6 out of the cutting heads |99, thereby stripping and engaging the pads or linings in the caps, as shown in Figure 10. During the return upward movement of theslides l|84 the web holding members 201 will assume their position about the cutting heads |99 under the influence of springs 2| I, and the plunger heads 2IB will assume their normal position within the cutting heads |99 under the influence of springs 2I4.

By the mounting of the punches and dies as hereinbefore described, they may readily be replaced by punches and dies of different diameters to sever pads or linings for caps of diierent sizes, b y simply removing the retaining screws I9l, 205 for the plates |90 and 203, re-

spectively, and permit the removal and replacement of said plates |90 and 203.

'I'he opposed standards |85 arranged with the slideways for the slides |84 are maintained in uniform spaced relation by spacing members in 5 the form of rods 224 having the opposite ends reduced in diameter and engaged in perforations in ears 225 projecting from the top of standards |85, an end of one of said rods being extended beyond an ear for loosely mounting thereon the 10 manipulating lever 5| for the clutch and brake mechanism of the drive shaft I1, as at 226 in Figures 1 and 2.

The crank portions I8 of the shaft I1 and similar crank portions of the shaft I18-are arranged 15 in relation to the Geneva actuating mechanism for the chains |42, so that the punches |99 will sever and position the pads or linings in the caps during the` periods of rest of the chains, and during the actuation of the chains the slides |84 20 will move the punches out of severing position, as shown in Figure 8.

A single web W of suitable pad or lining matey rial-is fed simultaneously to each pair of punch and die mechanisms and is of a width substan- 25 tially equal to the width of the plates |90, 203 and suilicient to permit the severing of two parallel rows of pads or linings lfrom said webs, as shown in the waste portion of web at U in Figure 8, and whereby the maximum amount of 30 the material of the web is utilized in the forming of pads or linings. l

The web W is fed over the die plate 203 of each pair of punch and die mechanisms between a pair of guide flanges 221 extended above the face of 35 the plate at the opposite sides thereof, by a. pair of superposed feed rollers 228, 229, the lower roller 229 being fixed on a shaft 230 rotatably supported in a pair of opposed brackets 23| fixed to the side of the bed B, as clearly shown in Fig- 4o ure 8, and the upper roller 228 being supported by a shaft 232 engaged at the opposite ends in blocks 233 slidably mounted in opposed slideways 234 extended upwardly from the brackets 23|. The roller 228 is yieldingly urged into engage- 45 ment with roller 229 to feed the web toward the punch and die mechanisms by coiled springs 235 engaging at one end protuberances 236 extended from the blocks 233 with the opposite ends coiled about and abutting annular enlargements 231 of 50 set screws 238 adjustably mounted in cap members 239 secured to and extended transversely of the top of the slideways 234, whereby the tension of the springs and the force of engagement facilitate the engaging or threading of the web `/between the feed rollers, roller 228 is readily positioned away from the roller 229 against the tension of springs 235 by arms 240 loosely mounted on the shaft 232 at the opposite ends of the roll- 60 er 228 and arranged with ears extending centrally from the lower ends thereof carrying rollers, as shown at 24| in Figures 8 and 9, to engage horizontal recesses at the lower ends of the slideways 234, one end of the recesses extending into a side 66 of the slideways, as at 242, which end the rollers 24| engage when the feeding rollers 228, 229 are in engagement with each other under the iniluence of the springs 235, as shown in Figure 8. When it is desired to adjust the roller 228 away 70 from roller .229, the arms 240 are moved about the shaft 232 into vertical allnement with the slideways 234 positioning the rollers 24| in the horizontal recesses in alinement with the axes of the rollers 228, 229, said position of the rollers 75 24| moving the roller 228 away from roller 228,

asshownin Figure 9. To facilitate the simultaneous actuation of the arms 248 of each pair of rollers to their adjusted positions. the upper ends of the arm are arrangedwith manipulating means in the form of a cross piece attached at the opposite ends to the upper vends of each pair of arms and havingan elongated opening therein, as clearly shown at 248 in Figures 2 and 3,

To for the ready engagement of the fingers of the hand of the operator of the apparatus.

The rollers 228, 229 are intermittently rotated during the travel of the cap feeding chains |42 'and with the punches in spaced relation to the dies to feed successive predetermined lengths of the web to the punch and diemechanisms to be severed into pads or linings, by gears 244 fixed on projecting ends `of the shafts 238, 232 'of said rollers meshing with each other to positively drive roller 228 fromroller 228, the shaft 238 of roller,

229 being intermittently rotated through'an overriding clutch mechanism (Figure .11), comprising a disk 246` xed on the end of shaft `238 opposite the end carrying the gear 244 and having a series of equidistantly spaced wedge shaped recesses about the periphery thereof to form tapered chambers `246 with ,the ilange of a cup shaped member 241 loosely mounted on the shaft 238, for the freeengagement of balls 248 yield- 30 ingly urged toward the reduced ends of said chambers 246 by springs 248 conned between the balls and the `opposite ends of'the chambers. whereby movement of thev cup'member toward v,the punch and die mechanisms or in an anticlockwise direction, looking 'at Figure 11, will 1 through friction impinge the balls 248 between the flange and the disk and impart rotation to the diskandlshaft 238 in the same direction. Movement of the cup -member 241 in clockwise direc- I o tion will actuate the balls against the force of the y 50 ment 264 on theend of the shaft at the outer -side of the clutch mechanism, as shown in Figure 11,the periphery of said disk being engaged by a split ring 266 havinga lateral projection 268 plvotally connected to a bracket 261v fixed to the bed 55 .B, the split ends of the ring having lateral ears 268 with one ear carrying a stud 268 passing through a perforation in thev other ear with the portion thereof extending.' beyond said other ear engagedby a coiled spring 218` adjustably com- 50 pressed against said other ear by a nut threaded vonto the free end of the stud, whereby the ears are yieldingly forced. together but may be separated by the rotation of the shaft 238 in anticlockwise direction. as viewed in Figure 11, to

05 Apermit rotation` of the shaft by the movement of the cup member 241 in said direction.

, 'I'he cup member 241 is actuated inthe opposite directions by a block v268 slidably mounted in a slideway arranged at Aone side of the brackets 70 523|, as at 25| inFigures 2 and 3, carrying a rack bar 262 meshing with a pinion 263 fixed to the4 cup member, the slide block beingv reciprocated by van actuator slide 264 slidable in the slideway 26| at the outer end of the slide block 268 and 75 a pin and slot'connection 266 with an arm 266 xed to an end of a shaft`261 journaled in hangers 268 extended from the brackets 23| (Figures l and 8) `with an arm 268 fixed to the shaft 261 between the hangers 268 pivotally carrying a bifurcated member 268 pivotally connected to 6 one end of a crank arm 28| pivoted at the opposite end to acoilar 262 loose on a plntle 21| adjustably mounted on a lead screw 212 rotatable in avbifurcationl of a block 213 fixed concentrically to the sprocket wheel |88, whereby v the l0. movement of the crank arm may be varied and thereby vary the length of web fed to the punch vand diemechanisms for the purpose of severing different size pads or linings. l

The slide block 268 is releasably connected to l5 the actuator slide 264 to participate in the reciprocations of the actuator slide through-a latch 214 pivotally mounted at one end between a pair of ears 216 extended from the outer end of the slide block juxtaposed to the actuator slide vwhen 20.

the slide blockis coupled with the actuator slide, as shown in Figure l1, the free end of the latch being of hook form to engage the outer end of the actuator slide by gravity. To prevent the feeding of the web to the punch and vdie mechanisms 25l should there be'no caps positioned on either pair of cap supporting rails |8|, |83, to be moved by the chain fingers |4| to position in aiinement with thepunch and die mechanisms during the feeding of the web, and thereby prevent the waste of web that would be severed if the web was fed without a cap being positioned to receive the severed web portion, the latch 214 is normally positioned out of engagementv with and uncoupled from the actuator slide bya slide 216 mounted in a vertica1'35 l slideway formed by a plate 211 xed to and covering a recess in the exterior of the slideway 26|,

vin whichl recess the slide is engaged, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 8, to engage a bar 218 fixed to and extending transversely ofthe latch with ya 40 portionextended -into the path of movement of the slide 216. The slide 216 is normally urged upwardly to engage the bar 218 and position the latch out of lengagement with the actuator slide 264 and uncouple the slide block 268 from the 45 actuator slide, by a pair of levers 218, 288 having ear portions at one end for the engagement of set screws 28| threaded into a lateral extension 282 of the slide 216 projecting through a slot :as 1n the ende piete 211 extending from the bot- 50 tom edge to adjacent the upper edge thereof to limit upward movement of the slide. The end of lever 219 opposite the ear is fixed on a shaft 284 rotatably supported at one end in one'of the brackets 23| (Figure 1) and engaged in a hollow 55 shaft 285 rotatably supported at the end opposite to the end at which the shaft 284 is supported in the one bracket I23| by the other bracket 23| with the ends of the shafts extending beyond said bracket, and said end or the shaft zu. projecting beyond the shaft 285, with cranks 286 xed on l said extending ends, as clearly shown in Figures '1, 12 and 13. `The lever 288 lis fixed on the hollow shaft 285 in juxtaposed relation to the ,lever 218, the ear portions of both levers being yieldingly urged upward to engage the set screws 28| and actuate the slide 216 by springs 281 attached at the opposite ends tothe cranks 286 and a pin 288 ilxed in andextended from the standard |86, as showninFigurel.

The ear portions of levers 218, 288 arepositively actuated away from the set screws 28| independently of each other to permit the slide 216 to move downwardly by gravity and the hook portion of the latch 214 to engage the actuating slide 25d, but it will be noted that both levers must be actuated in a downward direction before the latch 218 engages the actuating slide, lso as to prevent the feeding of the predetermined length of web and the waste of even a single pad or lining should there be only one cap Abelow the punch and die mechanism instead' of the usual two caps. The levers 219, 280 are actuated through shafts 299, 285 by arms 289, 290 pivotally mounted on the outer guide rails |05, arm 289 being pivoted at one end and connected to the crank 286 xed on hollow shaft 285 by a rod 29| having a block 292 at one end pivotally connected to the crank 20S and having one end of spring 281 anchored thereon, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the opposite end of rod 29| being adjustably connected to a vertical projection 293 fixed to the face and intermediate the ends of arm 289, so that the length of the rod between the crank 286 and projection 293 may be varied to vary movement of the lever 280. The arm 290 is pivoted intermediate its ends and connected to the crank 28S on shaft 289 by a rod 290 having a block at one end similar to the block 292 pivoted to the crank 286 and adjustably connected at the opposite end to a projection similar to projection 293 but iixed to the arm 290 adjacent one end thereof to facilitate the mounting of the arms 289, 290 in opposed relation to each other, as clearly shown in Figures l2 and 13. The free ends of the arms 289, 290 are arranged with fingers 295 of greater thickness than the arms and fixed in juxtaposed relation to the undersurface of the arms to be positioned in elongated recesses 296 in the outer guide rails |05 corresponding in size and shape to the lingers, whereby the outer sides of the fingers will be flush with the guiding edges of the rails |05`when the fingers are fully engaged in said recesses. The arms 289, 290 are normally actuated by the springs 231 to position the fingers 295 out of the recesses 299 and in the path of travel of the caps being transported by the chains |82 to the punch and die mechanisms, the caps rst engaging the portions of the iingers nearest the pivots of the arms and during their travel to the punch and die mechanisms progressively move the fingers into the recesses 296. The chains are synchronously actuated to position the caps during the periods of rest of said chains where the caps will engage the fingers 295 fully within the recesses 296, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, in which p0- sition of the arms 289, 290, the levers 219, 280

will be positioned away from the set screws 28|,

thereby permitting the latch 218 to engage the actuator slide 254 and couple said slide to the slide block 250, and the feeding of a predeter` mined length of web to the punch and die mechanisms to be severed into pads or linings and said pads or-linings being assembled in the caps that are in engagement with and have actuated the fingers 295. Should there be no cap on either one of the pairs of cap supporting rails, as illustrated in Figure 13, the web will not be fed to the punch and die mechanisms as the lever 219 by the position of arm 290 will maintain the slide 216 in engagement with the latch 214 and said latch in elevated position out of engagement with the actuator slide.

It will be noted from Figures 2 and 3 that the cap engaging fingers |4| of one chain |42 are not in alinement with the fingers of the other chain but are in staggered relation to each other'to properly position the caps in alinement with the respective punch and die mechanisms, and the fingers of each chain are properly adjusted relative to each other by loosening the plates |10 and adjusting the worms |61 carried by the chain actuating shaft |52, as hereinbefore set forth. The staggered arrangement of the fingers 4| is another reason why the cap transferring slides 5 2 are offset relative to each other, as shown in Figure 2, to properly position the caps relative to the ngers IM.

To maintain the caps in alinement with the punches and dies during the assembling of the 10 linings therein, said caps are yieldingly engaged by jaws in the form of rectangular blocks (Figure l2) having a V-shaped cut out in one side thereof, as at 291, with ears 298 extended from the opposite ends at the side of the blocks opposite the V-shaped cut out adapted to slidably engage the ends of rectangular recesses 299 in the outer cap guide rails |05 in alinement with the respective punch and die of each pair of punch and die mechanisms, said recesses having at the entrances thereto inwardly extending projections 300 corresponding to the Aears 298 and normally engaged by said ears by springs 30| confined between the jaw blocks and the bottom of the recesses with the V sides of the blocks projecting into the .path of travel of the caps to the punch and die mechanisms, the forward movement of the caps moving the jaw blocks into the recesses 299 and in the position of the caps in alinement with the punch and die mechanisms the V face of the blocks will engage and impinge the caps against the center guide rail |01 under the iniiuence of the springs 30|. The ears 298 and projections 300 limit the outwardmovement of the jaw blocks into the path of travel of the caps so that the blocks will not impede the travel of the caps along the rails |01, |03.

The webs W travel from the rolls of said webs, not shown, to the feeding rollers in a plane substantially level with the bits of the rollers to facilitate the feeding of the webs and prevent breakage thereof by guiding the webs between a pair of vertical rails 302 adjustably mounted in slots 303 extended transversely of plates 309 secured to one side of the slideways 25|, as shown 45 in Figures 2 and 3, and upon which plates the webs are supported. The webs are maintained upon the supporting plates 304 in alinement with the bits of the rollers by rods 305 carried at the outer ends of the rails 302 to extend transversely of the plates above the webs, as shown in Figure 1. By the mounting of the rails 302 on the plates 399 the rails may be adjusted toward or away from each other to permit the feeding of webs of diierent Widths for severing pads or linings of different sizes with a minimum of waste of the web. The lengths of the rollers 228, 229 are suiicient to feed webs for pads or linings of maximum size the apparatus is capable of assembling, and therefore, they need not be changed when the apparatus is adjusted for different size caps, as hereinbefore described relative to the different devices of the apparatus.

After the sealing pads are assembled in the caps by the first pair of punch and die mechanisms shown in Figure'2, they are intermittently fed and positioned relative to the second pair of punch and die mechanisms shown in Figure 3, where another sealing pad of ordinary absorbent material may be severed and assembled in the caps but usually a web of paper having a varnished surface is fedto the second pair of punch and die mechanisms for the assembling of impervious linings superposed to the sealing pads to protect the pads and the caps from the deteriorating ac- 76 vthe other by not feeding a Web to the pair of punch and die mechanisms to be rendered inoperative, by adjusting the pintle 21| on the lead screw 212 in alinement with the shaft Il or |18, whereby no reciprocatory movement will be imparted to the actuator slide 254 and the web feeding rollers 228, 229 will not be actuated, or no web may be engaged between the rollers 228, 229 to be fed by said rollers to the punch and die mechanisms. I

'Ihe waste portions U of the webs W are guided and supported from the side of the .apparatus opposite to the side arranged with the web feeding rollers 228, 229, by chutes 308 mounted on the standard |85 with the upper ends flush with the web supporting surfaces of the die plates 203, so that the webs will lie flat on said plates 203 and assure the proper severing of the webs.

After the impervious linings have been assembled in the caps, the caps are intermittently moved along the cap supporting rails l I, |03, away from the second pair of punch and die mechanisms by the chains |42 until they reach a point slightly .beyond the shafts |52, |54, Where the chains travel about the sprocket wheels |44 on the shaft |52, and from said point to the adjacent ends of the rails |0|, |03 the caps are moved toward said ends and discharged from the rails by the continued movement of the subsequent caps by the chains |42l along the rails. The caps are delivered from the rails to a chute 306 declining from the end of the rails to a suitable depository, not shown.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made in construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention, and that portions of the invention may be used'without others and come Within the i scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps,- pairs of parallel cap supporting rails, a conveyer in alinement with and terminating in spaced relation to an end of the cap supporting rails and adapted to transport caps toward said rails, a pair of conveyers traveling in the direction of travel of the first conveyer and adjacent the marginal portions of said first r conveyer and cap supporting rails, guide rails extending from the first conveyer to the pair of conveyers, vibrating means to engage and direct the caps on the first conveyer relative to the guide rails, the caps being positioned by said guide rails to be transferred from the first conveyer to the pair of conveyers by the travel of the conveyers, and means to transfer the caps from the pair of conveyers to the cap supporting rails.

2. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of closure cap supporting rails, punch and die mechanism superposed to each pair of rails, means to engage and intermittently move caps along each pair of rails relative to the punch and die mechanisms, means to feed a single web of lining material to the punch and die mechanisms for the severing of disks from the web and deliver a disk to a cap positioned on each pair of rails relative to the punch and die mechanisms, and means normally rendering the webl feeding means inactive and adapted to be actuated by caps positioned in stepped relation to each other on the opposite rails proportionally in advance of the punch and die mechanisms to render the web feeding means active.

3. Apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps as claimed in claim l, wherein the vibrating means comprises an arm pivotally mounted at one end and the opposite end reciprocal transversely of the direction of travel of the first conveyer.

4. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of spaced closure cap supporting rails, punch and die mechanism superposed to each pair of rails, a pair of endless chains arranged with the upper stretches to travel adjacent and in alinement with 'the space between each pair of rails, equidistantly spaced fingers extended from the chains and through tlie spaces between the rails to engage and move the caps along and position the same on the rails relative to the punch and die mechanisms, a drive shaft from which the chains are driven, means interposed between the drive shaft and chains adapted to independently disconnect either chain from the drive shaft to permit individual adjustment of the chains and the cap engaging fingers thereof to assure the proper positioning of the caps by the lingers relative to a punch and die mechanism, and means to feed a web of lining material to the punch and die mechanisms to be severed into lining disks and assembled in the caps by said mechanisms.

5. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of spaced closure cap supporting rails, punch and die mechanism superposed to each pair of cap supporting rails, a pair of sprocket wheels mounted adjacent each end of the rails, endless chains engaged about the sprocket wheels with the upper stretches thereof adjacent to and in alinement with the spaces between the rails, lingers fixed to the chains in spaced relation to each other and extended from the chains to project through the spaces between the rails and engage and move the caps along the rails relative to the punch and die mechanisms by the travel of the chains, means to feed a web of lining material to the punch and die mechanisms to be severed into lining disks and said disks assembled in the caps by the punch and die mechanisms, a shaft, one pair of said sprocket wheels being loosely mounted on said shaft, and means to connect said pair of sprocket wheels to the shaft and permit of independent adjustment on said shaft of each of said Wheels and associated chain to assure the positioning of the caps by the cap engaging fingers of one chain in alinement with a punch and die mechanism independently of the other chain.

6. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of spaced closure cap supporting' rails, a punch and die mechanism mounted in alinement with each pair of cap supporting rails, a pair of ,sprocket wheels mounted adjacent each end of the rails, endless chains engaged about the sprocket wheels with the upper stretches thereof adjacent to and in alinement with the spaces between the rails,`ngers fixed to the chains in spaced relation to each other and extended from the chains to project through the spaces between the rails and engage and position the caps on the rails in alinement with the punch and die mechanisms by the travel of the chains, means to feed a web of lining material to the punch and ldie mechanisms to be severed into lining disks and said disks assembled in the caps by the punch and die mechanisms, a shaft, one pair of said sprocket wheels being loosely mounted on the shaft, means carried by the shaft connectedto each of said pair of sprocket wheels adapted to independently rotatably adjust said sprocket wheels and associated chain when the sprocket wheel is disconnected from the shaft to assure the positioning of the caps by the cap engaging fingers of each chain in alinement with a punch and die mechanism, and means to releasably secure each of said pair of sprocket wheels in adjusted position on the shaft.

7. Apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means to releasably connect the sprocket wheels in adjusted position comprises a pair of cup shaped members fixed on the shaft, plates loosely mounted on the shaft with a sprocket wheel of said pair of sprocket wheels interposed between a plate and the open end of a cupped member, and means to draw the plates to the cupped members and clamp the sprocket wheels to the cupped members.

8. Apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means to adjust the sprocket wheels and associated chains and cap engaging fingers comprises Va toothed wheel fixed to each sprocket wheel and a pair of gears rotatably carried by the shaft meshing with the toothed wheels and having a shank portion arranged for the application of a tool to rotate the gears and sprocket wheels about the shaft.

9. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of parallel cap supporting rails, a pair of vertical slides reciprocatory on the outer opposite sides of the rails, a pair of punches carried by and in alinement with the slides in staggered relation to each other and in alinement with a. pair of cap supporting rails, a pair of dies mounted in superposed relation to vthe cap supporting rails and below and in alinement with the punches, means to feed a single web of lining material transversely of the cap supporting rails and between the punches and dies, and means to engage and move the caps along and position them on the rails in alinement with the punches and dies, the punches by the reciprocation of the slides co-operatlng with the dies to sever lining disks from the web and assemble the severed disks inthe caps positioned in alinement with the punches and dies.

10. Apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps as claimed in claim 9, wherein the punches comprise a tubular member having an enlarged cutting head, and means yieldingly carried by the tubular member and encircling the cutting head to clamp the web tothe dies and maintain the web portions spanning the dies in taut condition during the severing of the lining disks by the punches. p

l1. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure lcaps, pairs of cap supporting rails,l punch and die mechanisms superposed to and in alinement with the rails, a roller mounted laterally of the punch and die mechanisms and intermittently rotatable in a direction toward the punch and' die mechanisms, a second roller mounted to have movement toward and away from said rst roller, resilient means urging the second roller toward and to co-operate with the rst roller to feed successive predetermined lengths of a web of lining material to the punch and die mechanisms, ale'ver pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to the second roller and mounted to have movement in a xed plane intermediate the axes of the rollers whereby the 5 second roller is adapted to be positioned away from ilrst roller against the action of the resilient means when the lever is adjusted to extend in yalinement with the axes of the rollers and the second roller to be moved under the influence 10 of the resilient means toward the first roller when the lever is adjusted to extend in an oblique direction out of alinement with the axes of the rollers, means to engage and intermittently move the caps along the rails and position them rela- 15 tive to the punch and die mechanisms simultaneously with the actuation of the web feeding rollers, and means to actuate the punches tosever disks from the web and deliver said disks to the caps on the rails during the periods of rest of 20 the first roller and cap moving means.

l2. In apparatus for assembling linings in re-` ceptacle closure caps, pairs of cap supporting rails, punch and die mechanisms superposed to and in alinement with the rails, intermittently 25 actuated means to engage and move the caps ralong the rails relative to the punch and die l mechanisms, .a pair of rollers mounted laterally in the caps on the rails, comprising a slide re- 35 l ciprocal toward and away from the rollers, a pinion, means to releasably connect and transmit the movement of the pinion to one roller when rotated in one direction, a rack slidably mounted relative to the slide and meshing with the pinion, 4'0 a latch pivotally carried by the rack and arranged to engage and connect the slide with the rack,

a pair of levers adapted to impart movement to the latch, means connected to and normally actuating the llevers to move the latch out of 45 engagement with thesllde, and a second pair of levers pivotally mounted adjacent the outer side portions of the cap supporting rails forward of the punch and die mechanisms, each lever of the second pair of levers being connected to a 50 lever of the first pair of levers, and said actuating means for the ilrst pair of levers normally positioning a portion of each lever of the second pair of levers into the path of movement of the caps on the rails to be engaged and moved by 55 a cap on both pairs of supporting rails and said latter movement of the second pairof levers actuating the first pair of levers against the influence of the actuating means therefor out of engagement with the .latch and permitting the latch to engage and connect the slide to the rack and impart web feeding movement to the rollers.

13. In apparatus for assembling linings in receptacle closure caps, pairs of cap supporting rails, punch and die mechanisms mounted in vertical alinement with the rails, means to engage and position the caps on the rails relative to the punch and die mechanisms, means to feed a web of lining material tothe punch and dievmechanisms to besevered into lining disks and the severed disks assembled in the caps, guide rails mounted on the cap supportingrails to engage opposite sections of the skirt portions of the caps during the travel of the same along the supporting rails, and blocks slidably mounted in the 75

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