초록 ▼

Capping head assemblies that are useful for applying pre-threaded closures onto containers with improved sensitivity. The novel features of the devices are a simple and novel means of adjusting the torque in a magnetic clutch assembly. In addition, the advantage of preventing contamination by water

Capping head assemblies that are useful for applying pre-threaded closures onto containers with improved sensitivity. The novel features of the devices are a simple and novel means of adjusting the torque in a magnetic clutch assembly. In addition, the advantage of preventing contamination by water and other liquids during the filling and capping of liquid containers, and further, have the capability of being greased without having to disassemble the device. In addition, these can be accomplished without changing the capability of being able to read the adjustment scales on the outside surface of the magnetic clutch assembly and the adjustment scales on the outside surface of the upper spring assembly for adjusting the tension in the spring.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A capping head assembly comprising: (I) a magnetic clutch assembly having an upper portion and a bottom edge and comprising: (i) a first annular drive magnet in a torque ring that is not movable relative to the magnetic clutch assembly having a multiple pole configuration; (i

What is claimed is: 1. A capping head assembly comprising: (I) a magnetic clutch assembly having an upper portion and a bottom edge and comprising: (i) a first annular drive magnet in a torque ring that is not movable relative to the magnetic clutch assembly having a multiple pole configuration; (ii) a second annular drive magnet in the magnetic clutch assembly having a multiple pole configuration; (iii) a moveable hysteresis annular magnet interposed between (i) and (ii), said magnets being axially spaced from each other; (II) a means for adjusting the position of the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly, said means comprising a torque adjustment rotating end cap, that changes the polarity of the second annular magnet in the magnetic clutch assembly relative to the first annular drive magnet in a predetermined position whereby the flux of the magnets can be changed to vary the torque limit of said magnetic clutch assembly, said torque adjustment rotating end cap being rotatably mounted in the bottom end of magnetic clutch assembly; (III) a means for securing the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly to retain said second annular drive magnet in a fixed position; (IV) a double row angular contact thrust bearing located in the upper portion of the magnetic clutch assembly and encircling the rotatable drive member, said double row angular contact thrust bearing surmounting the first annular series of magnets; (V) a first housing assembly securable to a drive spindle, said first housing assembly having an outside surface and said first housing assembly having a top portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion; (VI) a spring retention plate surmounting the first housing assembly; (VII) a compression spring mounted beneath the spring retention plate and surrounding the first housing assembly, said spring slidably resting on a movable adjustment ring that is threadedly mounted around the middle portion of the first housing assembly; the first housing assembly lower portion having an outside wall and said first housing assembly being shielded by a two-piece cup assembly, said two-piece cup assembly comprising: (i) an independent upper cup having an open bottom, a top and a bottom edge, said top having a large central opening therethrough; said upper cup being mounted over the compression spring and said upper cup being retained in place by the spring retention plate; (ii) an independent lower cup, said lower cup having a bottom, an open top, and an outside surface, said bottom having a large central opening therethrough; said lower cup being mounted under the compression spring and said lower cup being retained in place by the adjustment ring, the bottom edge of the upper cup slidably overlapping the outside surface of the lower cup; the upper double row angular contact thrust bearing magnetic clutch housing and the upper end of the lower shaft containing a seal therebetween to seal the bearings; the first housing assembly housing and the outside edge of the upper double row angular contact thrust bearing magnetic clutch housing having a seal therebetween; (VIII) a multiple component grease port assembly contained in the interior of the wall of the lower portion of the first housing assembly housing, said multiple component grease port assembly comprising: (i) a first vertical shaft having a predetermined diameter less than the thickness of the wall of the lower portion of the first housing assembly, a top end, a bottom end, an upper segment, and a lower segment, said first vertical shaft having a first opening in the top thereof that is sealed with a removable plug, said lower segment having a diameter less than the diameter of the upper segment, and, said first vertical shaft having a second opening through the side wall of the first vertical shaft upper segment, to the upper portion of the first housing assembly; (ii) said first vertical shaft having contained therein, a resilient spring surmounting a metal ball bearing and in contact therewith, said metal ball bearing located at a juncture of the upper segment and the lower segment of the first vertical shaft; (iii) a second vertical shaft openly connected to the first vertical shaft, said second vertical shaft having a bottom end, said bottom end being sealed with a removable plug; (iv) an angled shaft openly connected to the second vertical shaft and opening through the outside wall of the lower portion of the first housing assembly housing. 2. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in addition, there is an application torque setting scale tooled into the outside surface of the magnetic clutch assembly, near the bottom edge thereof. 3. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is a solid lubricant packed into each of the single row bearings. 4. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for securing the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly to retain said second annular drive magnet in a fixed position, is a set of two set screws, positioned through the housing of the magnetic clutch assembly near the bottom edge, and on either side of the magnetic clutch assembly torque setting scale. 5. A capping head assembly comprising: (I) a first housing assembly securable to a drive spindle through a spindle adapter, said first housing assembly having an outside surface and said first housing assembly having a top portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion; (II) A spring retention plate surrounding the first housing assembly, said spring retention plate comprising a combination of a lower jam nut and an upper adjustment ring; (III) a compression spring mounted beneath the lower jam nut and surrounding the first housing assembly, said spring slidably resting on the a portion of a magnetic clutch housing; (IV) said first housing assembly being shielded by a two-piece cup assembly, the lower portion of the first housing assembly having an outside wall and said first housing assembly being shielded by a two-piece cup assembly, said two-piece cup assembly comprising: (i) an independent upper cup having an open bottom, a top and a bottom edge, said top having a large central opening therethrough; said upper cup being mounted over the compression spring, and under the adjustment nut, and said upper cup being retained in place by the adjustment nut; (ii) an independent lower cup, said lower cup having a bottom, an open top, and an outside surface, said bottom having a large central opening therethrough; said lower cup being mounted under the compression spring and said lower cup being retained in place by an upper housing of a magnetic clutch assembly, the bottom edge of the upper cup slidably overlapping the outside surface of the lower cup, the outside surface of the lower cup having multiple circumferential lines having a predetermined spacing between them tooled into said outside surface; (V) a magnetic clutch assembly housing comprising: (i) an upper housing containing a metal tube comprised of a lower portion having a top edge, and an upper nut portion having a lower edge and a top, the top edge of the lower portion and the lower edge of the upper nut portion being threaded such that they mate and thread together, the nut having a flange at the top, said flange having a diameter larger than the diameter of the upper housing, the difference in diameter of the upper housing and the flange, providing a stop for any upward movement of the said first housing assembly; said metal tube having fitted within it, a plastic tube insert, said upper housing having a bottom end outside edge; (ii) a lower housing comprising a container for magnetic components of the capping head assembly, said lower housing having a top, a shouldered portion near the top, an outside wall, and an interior hollow shaft with a bottom portion, and a bottom edge, said shaft having a threaded upper end, said shaft being held in place by a threaded ring nut wherein the threads of the threaded ring nut mate with the threaded upper end of the hollow shaft, wherein there is: (a) a first annular drive magnet in a torque ring that is not movable relative to the magnetic clutch assembly, having a multiple pole configuration, said first annular drive magnet being held in place by a first magnet plate; (b) a second annular drive magnet in the magnetic clutch assembly having a multiple pole configuration said second annular drive magnet being held in place by a second magnet plate; (c) a moveable hysteresis annular magnet interposed between (a) and (b), said magnets being axially spaced from each other, and each drive magnet being potted in a potting compound; (VI) a means for adjusting the position of the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly, said means comprising a torque adjustment rotating end cap, that changes the polarity of the second annular magnet in the magnetic clutch assembly relative to the first annular drive magnet in a predetermined position whereby the flux of the magnets can be changed to vary the torque limit of said magnetic clutch assembly, said torque adjustment rotating end cap being rotatably mounted in the bottom end of the magnetic clutch assembly; (VII) a means for securing the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly to retain said second annular drive magnet in a fixed position; (VIII) a first single row contact bearing located supra to the first annular drive magnet and encircling the rotatable drive member; (IX) a second single row contact bearing located infra to the second annular drive magnet and encircling the rotatable drive member; (X) the threaded ring nut and the upper portion of the shouldered second lower housing containing a seal therebetween to seal the bearings; (XI) the upper housing bottom end outside edge and the lower housing shouldered portion near the top having a seal between them, there being a seal between the torque adjustment rotating end cap and the bottom portion of the interior hollow shaft, there being a seal between the second magnet plate and the lower edge of the lower housing of the magnetic clutch assembly. 6. A capping head assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first housing assembly has a multiple component grease port assembly contained in the interior of the wall of the first housing, said multiple component grease port assembly comprising: (i) a first opening in the first housing assembly wall containing a grease zerk therein; (ii) a first vertical shaft, having a predetermined diameter less than the thickness of the wall, a top end, a bottom end, said first vertical shaft having a first opening in the top end thereof that opens to the grease zerk; (iii) a second vertical shaft having a diameter greater than the first vertical shaft, but less than the thickness of the wall, said second vertical shaft having an upper opening and a lower opening, the upper opening aligning with the bottom end of the first vertical shaft and the bottom end having an opening passing through the wall and into the top portion of the magnetic clutch housing. 7. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein, in addition, there is an application torque setting scale tooled into the outside surface of the magnetic clutch assembly, near the bottom edge thereof. 8. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein there is a solid lubricant packed into each of the single row bearings. 9. The capping head assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means for securing the second annular drive magnet relative to said magnetic clutch assembly to retain said second annular drive magnet in a fixed position, is a set of two set screws, one positioned through the housing of the magnetic clutch assembly near the bottom edge, and on either side of the magnetic clutch assembly torque setting scale.