Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for processing lined caps. The method includes the step of molding at an elevated temperature a liner having a raised sealing ring inside the cap, and advancing a stream of lined caps from a first position to a second position, while supplying cooling air to the lined caps to cool the liner and form a skin at least on an upper surface of the sealing ring. The method may further include the step of applying a vacuum to remove undesirable gases from the liner. The vacuum can also be applied within the raised sealing ring to create suction to lift properly formed lined caps from the advancing stream. The cooling, gas removal, and inspection steps can occur at the cap processing rate. The present invention further provides an apparatus for processing a bottle cap. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotary turntables for sequentially cooling, inspecting, and removing the bottle caps.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting parts at high speed without undue wear on mechanical parts is disclosed. A mechanism for automatic removal of a defective part that is blocking the flow of parts is also provided. When a sensor downstream from the likely blockage point detects that there is no flow of parts, controlling means activate a number of steps in succession to remove the blocking part. Also disclosed are methods for achieving the desired performance of the apparatus.

Abstract: A crown seal for sealing an opening of a bottle including a flange having between twenty-eight and thirty-two flutes around the circumference thereof. Each flute comprises depression having a generally triangular surface area between a pair of ridges. The additional flutes provide more points of contact with the bead are provided, ensuring a securement of increased strength between the crown and bottle.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and dispensing segments of thermoplastic material into receptacles such as crowns, particularly into those having relatively high sidewalls, includes a conveyor for conveying the crowns through a passageway at predetermined speeds, an extruder for extruding thermoplastic material through a discharge opening, a rotary knife having blades for cutting the extruded material into segments and depositing the segments into the receptacles as they are conveyed through the passage, and a drive system for rotating the blade in response to the conveying of the receptacles. The output or driven shaft of the drive system is coupled to the rotary knife and intermittently rotates 180 degrees at a time at a speed which is twice that of the input or drive shaft, thereby avoiding contact of the knife blades with the receptacle sidewalls and ensuring clean cutting of the thermoplastic material even at low speeds of closure conveyance.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and dispensing segments of thermoplastic material into receptacles such as crowns includes a conveyor for conveying the crowns through a passageway at predetermined speeds, an extruder for extruding thermoplastic material through a discharge opening, a rotary knife having blades for cutting the extruded material into segments and depositing the segments into the receptacles as they are conveyed through the passage, and an adjustable belt drive system for rotating the blade in response to the conveying of the receptacles. The belt drive system includes a drive and driven pulley, two pairs of fixed idler pulleys, and a third pair of idler pulleys which are coupled to a laterally shiftable carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming liners of thermoplastic material within closure shells contains a movable die having an inner punch member and an annular outer mold member both of which are movable up and down in relatively slidable relation with each other and arranged so that the inner punch takes its lowermost position after the outer mold member has taken its lowermost position. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lower end surface of the outer mold member is beveled and defines a plurality of radial grooves. The lower end wall of the outer mold member is moved downwardly until it is opposite the horizontal wall of the closure shell. As the inner punch moves into its lowermost position, thermoplastic material is forced through the radial grooves so that a thick annular pad portion of the seal liner is formed beneath the lower end wall of the outer mold member.

Abstract: A sorting device suitable for sorting defective parts from a stream of parts is disclosed. The parts may be non-magnetic. A sorting disc having a number of recesses disposed around its periphery receives the parts to be sorted. A reject disc having a number of reject devices on its tangent to the sorting disc and rotates such that the peripheral speed of the reject devices at the point of tangency is the same as the speed of the recesses in the sorting disc. When a defective part is detected, the appropriate one of the reject devices is activated, withdrawing the defective part from the corresponding recess in the sorting disc.

Abstract: A hopper is constructed to control the rapid, uniform and constant flow of disk-like objects, more particularly bottle crowns. The hopper employs a reservoir and means for feeding the disk-like objects to the reservoir. An electric eye responsive to the level of disk-like objects in the reservoir is connected to the feeding means to maintain a predetermined level of the objects in the reservoir. A conveyor is positioned to adjoin the reservoir to remove and deliver the disk-like objects at a uniform rate to the point of use of the hoppered objects.If the disk-like objects are asymmetrical, an orienting device is provided between the feeding means and the reservoir to orient the objects as they are delivered to the reservoir.