Abstract: A positioning system utilizes a shot pin to fix the position of a grooved pallet at stations in a production line. The pallet travels along the production line under the influence of advancing feed pins. When the pallet arrives at a station, the head of the shot pin is positively urged toward the groove in the pallet until the head locks the pallet in the desired position. Simultaneously, the feed pin disengages from the pallet. When work is completed at the manufacturing station, the head of the shot pin moves away from and releases the pallet. Simultaneously, the feed pin engages the pallet. The feed pins and the shot pin operate in tandem, by moving in-phase along parallel lines in the same direction to accomplish their individual functions. The feed pins and the shot pin can operate relatively quickly without applying unnecessary torque to the conveyor or the pallet.

Abstract: A machine automatically closes flip-top caps and tests their covers for proper opening and closing force. The machine has a pair of superimposed turntables separated by a wheel, the turntables and wheel turning as a unit about a common axis. The wheel has a plurality or pockets distributed around the periphery thereof to receive the open flip-flop caps after they are molded. The pockets are adjustable in size to accommodate caps of different diameters and heights. Cap gripping assemblies associated with each pocket firmly grip the cap to resist integral and vertical displacement of the cap. At least one and, in a preferred embodiment, both of the turntables have actuators positioned near each pocket on the wheel. Cams surround the turntables to raise and lower the actuators at selected locations. As the actuators raise and lower, the covers are flipped over to close the caps. Selected forces are applied through the actuators and corresponding cap opening fingers to reopen and reclose the covers.

Abstract: A bottle cap orienter has two rotating pin sorters, one positioned above and the other below a path over which randomly oriented bottle caps must travel. A stationary cam adjacent each sorter causes a plurality of pins at selected locations to project into the area of the path through which the bottle caps must travel. Thus, the projecting pins enter the cavity of the caps from above and below so that the caps are captured to rotate with the pin sorters. At one point in the rotation, the pins are withdrawn so that the caps are released to travel under their own inertia over a tangential path. The caps released by one of the pin sorters are inverted, so that all caps are ultimately oriented the same.

Abstract: The invention provides an automatic machine for closing flip-top caps of a type which is used on toothpaste tubes, for example. The machine has a pair of superimposed turntables separated by a star wheel, the turntables and star wheel turning as a unit about a common axis. The star wheel has a plurality of pockets distributed around the periphery thereof to receive the flip-top caps after they are molded and while the covers are still in the open position in which they were molded. Each of the turntables has an actuator positioned over a corresponding pocket on the star wheel. Cams surround the turntables to raise and lower the actuators at selected locations. As they raise and lower, the covers are flipped over to close the caps.