초록

A method and apparatus for attaching plastic ends to plastic or plastic coated rims of container bodies by heating the ends, to soften the material of the rims, and then spin welding the ends on the bodies.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a continuous motion apparatus for attaching to one end of a cylindrical body member, a preformed, round end closure member, having a plastic rim area, the combination of: (a) a base; (b) a center column assembly mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom; (c) a turret assembly m

1. In a continuous motion apparatus for attaching to one end of a cylindrical body member, a preformed, round end closure member, having a plastic rim area, the combination of: (a) a base; (b) a center column assembly mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom; (c) a turret assembly mounted on said base and adapted to revolve about said center column assembly; (d) means for revolving said turret assembly about said center column assembly; (e) said turret assembly including a plurality of sets of tooling for attaching said end closure members to said body members; (f) each of said sets of tooling including: (i) chuck means for grasping one of said closure members to accommodate its rotation about its axis; (ii) clamp means for grasping one of said body members to prevent its rotation about its axis; (iii) said chuck and clamp means being mounted for relative axial movement; (g) means for rotating said chuck means about its axis; (h) means for heating the rim area of said end closure member, as it is being rotated with said chuck means; (i) means for effecting the relative axial movement of said chuck means and clamp means toward and away from each other; (j) means for transferring said members toward and away from said sets of tooling. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chuck means includes a generally cylindrical chuck having at the lower end thereof an annular retaining lip projecting radially outward therefrom and adapted to have a portion of an end closure member snapped over it to retain said member on said chuck means. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chuck means includes a generally cylindrical chuck having projecting downwardly from the lower end thereof a plurality of pins adapted for engagement with related lugs on an end closure member for the purpose of rotating said end closure member. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chuck means includes: (a) a generally cylindrical chuck adapted to hold on the lower end thereof an end closure member; (b) a generally cylindrical housing, to which said chuck is readily detachably secured, and which is mounted for vertical and rotational movement on said turret assembly. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said clamp means includes: (a) an annular rigid housing presenting an annular channel open toward the inner periphery of said housing; (b) a hollow, flexible, inflatable, toroidal-shaped tube positioned within said housing channel and capable of being inflated until portions of it extend out of said channel to snugly engage a container body member. 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, and including stripper means for removing a closure member and attached body member from said chuck means. 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said stripper means includes a cam actuated elongated member disposed to extend vertically through said chuck means to engage and hold said closure members down while said chuck means are moving upward to thereby separate the former from the latter. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said chuck means about its axis includes a stationary friction member engageable with said chuck means as the latter is carried by the turret assembly past the former. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said stationary friction member includes a belt mounted on top of a platform supported above said base. 10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said chuck means about its axis includes a driven friction member engageable with said chuck means as the latter is carried by the turret assembly past the former. 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said driver friction member includes a belt mounted on the underside of a platform supported above said base. 12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means includes at least one gas manifold positioned adjacent said turret assembly and adapted to direct a flame toward said end closure member as it is being rotated on said chuck means. 13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said gas manifold is mounted on the underside of a platform supported above said base. 14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for effecting relative axial movement of said chuck means and said clamp means includes cam follower means, carried by said set of tooling, and which is engageable with cam track means supported by said center column assembly. 15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for transferring said members includes: (a) a pair of feed screws rotatable about horizontal axes; (b) a pair of star wheels rotatable about vertical axes. 16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said feed screws and said wheels are mounted over said base and adjacent said turret assembly. 17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said feed screws are located: (a) at the same end of said base; (b) on opposite sides of said turret assembly; (c) in parallel relation with each other. 18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said turret assembly comprises: (a) a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, upper and lower, plates; (b) a plurality of vertically disposed rods extending between said upper and lower plates; (c) said sets of tooling being mounted on said rods for vertical movement. 19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said center column assembly includes means for adjusting the vertical height of said: (a) sets of tooling; (b) means for rotating said chuck means; (c) means for heating said end closure member. 20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said center column assembly includes: (a) a hollow shaft extending upwardly from said base; (b) an adjustable cam hub mounted on said shaft for vertical movement relative thereto; (c) a cam track cylinder secured to said hub and spaced radially outward therefrom. 21. An apparatus according to claim 1, and including a belt-drive burner assembly comprising: (a) a suspension structure supported by said center column assembly and including a horizontally disposed platform positioned over said base; (b) said platform having attached thereto and supported thereby: (i) said means for rotating said chuck means about its axis; (ii) said means for heating said end closures member. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said chuck rotating means includes: (a) stationary friction means mounted on the upper side of said platform; (b) movable friction means mounted on the underside of said platform. 23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said suspension structure is operatively connected to a shaft of said center column assembly which is mounted for vertical movement to accommodate adjusting the height of said platform. 24. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said heating means includes at least one gas manifold mounted on the underside of said platform. 25. An apparatus according to claim 1, including a star wheel assembly for revolving said turret assembly and for transferring said members toward and away from said sets of tooling comprising: (a) a vertical shaft; (b) motor means for rotating said shaft; (c) a pair of member transferring feed screws operatively connected to said shaft; (d) a pair of member transferring star wheels mounted on said shaft; (e) a driver gear mounted on said shaft and engageable with a driven gear connected to said turret assembly. 26. In a continuous motion apparatus for attaching to one end of a container body member, a preformed round end closure member, having a plastic rim area, the combination of: (a) a base; (b) a non-rotatable center column assembly mounted on said base; (c) a generally cylindrical turret assembly mounted on said base outwardly of and concentric with said center column assembly for revolutionary movement therearound; (d) said turret assembly including a plurality of sets of tooling for attaching said members to each other; (e) a star wheel assembly mounted on said base adjacent said turret assembly for assisting the movement of said end closure and body member toward and away from said turret assembly; (f) a belt-drive/burner assembly mounted on said base around said turret assembly for supporting means for rotating said end closure members about their axes and subjecting them to heat treatment while they are being processed by said tooling. 27. In a continuous motion apparatus for attaching to one end of a cylindrical body member, a preformed round end closure member, having a plastic rim area, the combination of: (a) a base; (b) a non-rotatable center column assembly mounted on said base; (c) a generally cylindrical turret assembly mounted on said base outwardly of and concentric with said center column assembly for revolutionary movement therearound; (d) said turret assembly including a plurality of sets of tooling for attaching said members to each other; (e) a star wheel assembly mounted on said base adjacent said turret assembly for assisting the movement closure and body member toward and away from said turret assembly; (f) a belt-drive/burner assembly mounted on said base around said turret assembly for supporting means for rotating said closure members about their axes and subjecting them to heat treatment while they are being processed by said tooling.