Abstract: A bottle inspection machine is disclosed which has a starwheel feeder and an outfeed mechanism for receiving bottles from the starwheel feeder. The outfeed mechanism has an inner belt conveyor which has a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder and a second wheel. At least one drive belt is supported by the pickoff and second wheels for defining a linear outfeed belt portion. The outfeed mechanism also has an outer serpentine belt conveyor which has an idler wheel located radially inwardly from the pick off wheel which defines an opening for receiving a bottle displaced by the starwheel feeder and a third wheel. At least one flexible serpentine belt is supported by the idler and third wheels which are located to define a location where a bottle will be discharged from the outfeed mechanism.

Abstract: A bottle inspection machine is disclosed which has a starwheel feeder and an outfeed mechanism for receiving bottles from the starwheel feeder. The outfeed mechanism has an inner belt conveyor which has a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder and a second wheel. At least one drive belt is supported by the pickoff and second wheels for defining a linear outfeed belt portion. The outfeed mechanism also has an outer serpentine belt conveyor which has an idler wheel located radially inwardly from the pick off wheel which defines an opening for receiving a bottle displaced by the starwheel feeder and a third wheel. At least one flexible serpentine belt is supported by the idler and third wheels which are located to define a location where a bottle will be discharged from the outfeed mechanism.

Abstract: A bottle inspection machine is disclosed which has a starwheel feeder and an outfeed mechanism for receiving bottles from the starwheel feeder. The outfeed mechanism has an inner belt conveyor which has a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder and a second wheel. At least one drive belt is supported by the pickoff and second wheels for defining a linear outfeed belt portion. The outfeed mechanism also has an outer serpentine belt conveyor which has an idler wheel located radially inwardly from the pick off wheel which defines an opening for receiving a bottle displaced by the starwheel feeder and a third wheel. At least one flexible serpentine belt is supported by the idler and third wheels which are located to define a location where a bottle will be discharged from the outfeed mechanism.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting bottles which has a conveyor for conveying bottles at a first velocity. A bottle spacing mechanism receives bottles conveyed by the conveyor at a first location and releases bottles on the conveyor at a second downstream location.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting a transparent container. The machine utilizes a starwheel to convey non-round bottles through a number of inspection stations before releasing the bottles to an outfeed belt conveyor. The starwheel conveyor has a plurality of pockets and as a bottle is about to be released it engages a brush guide rail for properly orienting a misoriented bottle. The brush has a front edge which is concentric to the axis of the star wheel so that it will interfere with a misoriented bottle. The brush is mounted via upper and lower plates which have a front edge radially spaced from the front edge of the brush at the location where a misoriented non-round bottle will first engage the brush. The radial spacing decreases to zero as the bottle is displaced along the brush. The front edge of the brush is located so that the bottle will have an acceptable orientation at the location where the radial spacing is zero.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting glass bottles comprising an elliptical first conveyor having parallel linear front and rear portions. Bottles are displaced sequentially along the linear front portion of the elliptical first conveyor by a first cam and bottles are sequentially displaced along the linear rear portion of the elliptical first conveyor by a second cam. Inspection stations bottles are located along both the front and rear linear portions. A second conveyor delivers bottles to the elliptical conveyor proximate the start of the first cam, and a third conveyor receives bottles from the elliptical conveyor proximate the end of the second cam.

Abstract: A glass container inspection machine has a machine frame to which an inspection device is secured. The inspection device includes a vertical track member, a car vertically displaceable along the vertical track member, a servo operated drive pulley system secured to the vertical track member for vertically displacing the car, an inspection head interconnected with the car for linear, relative displacement and clampable at a desired position. The inspection device is mounted on the frame so that the linear displacement of the inspection head will enable the head to be adjusted to be concentric with the finish of bottles having radially different axes.

Abstract: An infeed mechanism for a glass container inspection machine which will receive bottles on a linear conveyor and which has a support to which the infeed mechanism can be secured. The infeed mechanism has a timing cam and a frame is provided for supporting the timing cam at the bottom thereof which includes a first box like frame for rotatably supporting the timing cam at the bottom, a servo motor secured to and within the first box like frame, a vertically extending transmission supported by the first box like frame for transferring the output of the servo motor downwardly to the rotatable timing cam, a second frame, above the timing cam for supporting first frame for relative vertical displacement, and a mounting plate located vertically above the second frame for supporting the second frame for relative horizontal displacement transverse to the linear conveyor so that the infeed mechanism can be mounted by securing the mounting plate to a machine frame with the infeed mechanism above the linear conveyor.

Abstract: A glass container inspection machine has a machine frame to which an inspection device is secured. The inspection device includes a vertical track member, a car vertically displaceable along the vertical track member, a servo operated drive pulley system secured to the vertical track member for vertically displacing the car, an inspection head interconnected with the car for linear, relative displacement and clampable at a desired position. The inspection device is mounted on the frame so that the linear displacement of the inspection head will enable the head to be adjusted to be concentric with the finish of bottles having radially different axes.

Abstract: A glass container inspecting machine which has a star wheel carrier assembly which includes a vertical rotatable shaft and upper and lower hub assemblies mounted on the shaft. Each assembly has a central hub portion which is secured on the shaft and an annular outer supporting portion. Three identical carrier segments, arranged in side by side relation to form an annular carrier are secured to the annular outer supporting portion. Each segment has a plurality of bottle receiving pockets and a partial pocket at either end which, with a partial pocket of an adjacent segment forms a complete bottle receiving pocket.

Abstract: A glass container inspection machine which has a machine frame having a horizontal upper portion, a horizontal lower portion, and a vertical portion interconnecting the horizontal upper and lower portions for defining a rear, side to side, stepped in configuration for defining a volume into which a linear conveyor can be located by displacing the inspection machine frame rearwardly. An infeed mechanism is suspended from the horizontal upper portion above the linear conveyor when the frame is displaced rearwardly to locate the linear conveyor in the volume, and an outfeed mechanism is suspended from the horizontal upper portion above the linear conveyor when the frame is displaced rearwardly to locate the linear conveyor in the volume.

Abstract: A glass container body check detector is disclosed which comprises a conveyor for conveying glass containers in a predetermined direction to an inspection station, a rotator for rotating a glass container at the inspection station about the axis of the glass container, and an inspection assembly for detecting a check in the body of the rotating glass container. The inspection assembly includes a diffuse light source for directing diffused light at the sidewall of the rotating glass container in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction of conveyance of the glass container, a pair of angularly related directed light sources located above the rotating container for focusing light through the container into coincident vertical lines of light on the sidewall of the container, from the top of the bottle to the bottom of the container, and a linear array camera located above the rotating glass container and focused on the coincident lines of directed light.

Abstract: A machine for squeeze testing glass containers comprising a test station, including a fixed pad having a curved container engaging surface and an opposed wheel selectively spaced from the surface, rotating at a predetermined surface speed and in the direction required to roll a container delivered to the station along the curved surface until it is released therefrom. A conveyor delivers containers to the test station and carrys released containers away from the test station. A roller is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel and defines with the wheel a path through which released containers will pass. The roller is biased forward to a selected location whereat the distance between the roller and the wheel is less than the outer diameter of a released container, and the roller is rotated at a surface speed selected to reduce the rotation of a released container, which passes between the wheel and the roller.

Abstract: A plug gager is provided which can be tilted relative to the opening of a bottle to be inspected so that insertion will be assured for acceptable bottles. The plug gager tube assembler is supported at one end in a ball and socket support and is supported at the other end by a pair of taper bushings to permit tilting but normally maintaining the concentricity of the assembly.

Abstract: A sealing surface finish leak detector comprises a test fitting, a source of pressure regulated gas, means for coupling the source of gas to an aperture in the test fitting to deliver the gas to the container at an inspection site, and means for limiting the rate of flow of the gas from the source into the container. The pressure in the container is sampled a predetermined time after the gas begins to flow into the container. The predetermined time is short enough and the rate of flow of the gas into the container low enough so that the pressure in the container at the predetermined time is well below the source pressure even if the container is properly sealed. An average size leak between the sealing surface and the test fitting results in a significantly reduced pressure or rate of pressure rise in the container at the predetermined time.