Abstract: A capping machine for capping a container having a screw-threaded neck portion with a correspondingly screw-threaded cap. The machine comprises retaining means for retaining such a container in a retaining position and a rotary chuck for holding such a cap above the capping position, forward and reverse rotary drive means coupled to the chuck for rotating such a cap in both a clockwise sense and an anticlockwise sense, rotary movement monitoring means constructed and positioned to monitor rotation of the chuck, linear motion means coupled to the chuck to move the chuck both downwardly and upwardly, screwthread-disengagement monitoring means arranged to monitor when the screwthreads of such a cap and neck disengage momentarily as the cap is rotated in the unscrewing sense on the neck and the linear motion means urge the chuck downwardly, and control means connected to the rotary drive means, the rotary movement monitoring means, and the screwthread-disengagement monitoring means.

Abstract: A device and a method using such a device to monitor torque or force applied in automatic capping machinery, comprising a dummy body, a neck part on the dummy body and torque or force indicator means. The dummy body is shaped to perform as a container body in such capping machinery. The neck part has the form of the neck of a container which is capped by such machinery. The torque or force indicator means are connected to the neck part of the device and are incorporated in the device so as to provide an indication of a torque or force applied to the neck part.