US3890767A — Apparatus for applying lids to containers

Claim 1

Independent Claim 365 words

Apparatus for applying lids to the upper open ends of containers comprising conveyor means having indexing means to convey successive containers thereon horizontally in stepwise manner to a lidding position; a mandrel of polygonal crosssection at such lidding position disposed above said conveyor means; drive means for said mandrel operative to rotatably index said mandrel about a horizontal axis to horizontally position successive faces thereof above a container at such lidding position; means creating a vacuum on the mandrel face which is at lidding position and on at least the next two mandrel faces; means supporting a roll of lid material having heat sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof for rotation of said roll about an axis parallel to that of said mandrel for application of the leading end portion of said lid material onto at least the last one of the mandrel faces which have vacuum applied thereon with the other side of said lid material held by vacuum against said face whereby indexing of said mandrel will unwind said lid material from said roll to advance it to lidding position as the mandrel is successively indexed; knife means operative in response to indexing of said mandrel to cut the lid material at a vertex between such next faces; heating means in said mandrel effective to heat the lid material to activate said heat sensitive material on one side for adherence to the container at lidding position; elevator means operative to raise and lower a container at said lidding position to press the upper open end thereof against the heat activated side of the lid on the mandrel face which is then at lidding position, and to lower the container with the lid adhered thereto with respect to said mandrel; and valve means operative in response to elevation of said elevator means for applying air pressure on the mandrel face which is then at lidding position to aid in sealing the lid against the elevated container, to assist in separating the lid from said mandrel face when said elevator means and container thereon is lowered, and to provide a cooling effect on said lid to assist in deactivating said heat sensitive adhesive material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 365 words

Apparatus for applying lids to the upper open ends of containers comprising conveyor means having indexing means to convey successive containers thereon horizontally in stepwise manner to a lidding position; a mandrel of polygonal crosssection at such lidding position disposed above said conveyor means; drive means for said mandrel operative to rotatably index said mandrel about a horizontal axis to horizontally position successive faces thereof above a container at such lidding position; means creating a vacuum on the mandrel face which is at lidding position and on at least the next two mandrel faces; means supporting a roll of lid material having heat sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof for rotation of said roll about an axis parallel to that of said mandrel for application of the leading end portion of said lid material onto at least the last one of the mandrel faces which have vacuum applied thereon with the other side of said lid material held by vacuum against said face whereby indexing of said mandrel will unwind said lid material from said roll to advance it to lidding position as the mandrel is successively indexed; knife means operative in response to indexing of said mandrel to cut the lid material at a vertex between such next faces; heating means in said mandrel effective to heat the lid material to activate said heat sensitive material on one side for adherence to the container at lidding position; elevator means operative to raise and lower a container at said lidding position to press the upper open end thereof against the heat activated side of the lid on the mandrel face which is then at lidding position, and to lower the container with the lid adhered thereto with respect to said mandrel; and valve means operative in response to elevation of said elevator means for applying air pressure on the mandrel face which is then at lidding position to aid in sealing the lid against the elevated container, to assist in separating the lid from said mandrel face when said elevator means and container thereon is lowered, and to provide a cooling effect on said lid to assist in deactivating said heat sensitive adhesive material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 73 words

The apparatus of claim 1 whereiN said conveyor means and elevator means accommodates a plurality of containers in side by side relation and wherein additional knife means are provided to cut the lid material lengthwise thereof from said one vertex to the next vertex whereby, by the time that the successive mandrel faces reach lidding position, separate lids are provided at said lidding position for the plurality of containers at said lidding position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mandrel has an axial groove at each vertex cooperating with said knife means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mandrel has an axial groove at each vertex cooperating with said knife means; and wherein said mandrel faces have transverse grooves cooperating with said additional knife means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lids are cut to rectangular form with sharp corners; and wherein said containers have upper open ends of corresponding rectangular form except with rounded corners so that each lidded container has four pull tabs at the corners thereof to facilitate peeling of the lid therefrom for removal of the contents.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 292 words

In a container lidding machine of the type having conveyor means operative to horizontally index in stepwise manner containers with open upper ends to a lidding position, and elevator means operative to lift a container at said lidding position against a lid having a heat softened bottom layer to adhere the lid to the open end of said container, the improvement which comprises means rotatably supporting a roll of lid material for unwinding of lid material therefrom; a heated mandrel of polygonal cross-section and indexing means therefor to rotatably index said mandrel to position successive plane faces thereof above successive containers at said lidding position; means creating a vacuum on the mandrel face which is in lidding position and on at least the next two successive faces for holding the leading end portion of the lid material on said faces thus to unwind lid material from said roll, to lineally advance it to lidding position and to heat said lid material to soften said bottom layer; knife means at a vertex between said next faces operative to sever the lid material thereat thus to provide a separate lid when the underlying mandrel face reaches lidding position; and valve means responsive to operation of said elevator means to lift a container at said lidding position against the lid thereabove to conduct air under pressure to act on the lid which then is in lidding position to enhance sealing of the lid against the upper open end of the lifted container, to assist in separation of the lid from the mandrel face upon lowering of the container by lowering of said elevator means, and to have a cooling effect on the heat softened layer of the lid to assist in solidification of such layer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 292 words

In a container lidding machine of the type having conveyor means operative to horizontally index in stepwise manner containers with open upper ends to a lidding position, and elevator means operative to lift a container at said lidding position against a lid having a heat softened bottom layer to adhere the lid to the open end of said container, the improvement which comprises means rotatably supporting a roll of lid material for unwinding of lid material therefrom; a heated mandrel of polygonal cross-section and indexing means therefor to rotatably index said mandrel to position successive plane faces thereof above successive containers at said lidding position; means creating a vacuum on the mandrel face which is in lidding position and on at least the next two successive faces for holding the leading end portion of the lid material on said faces thus to unwind lid material from said roll, to lineally advance it to lidding position and to heat said lid material to soften said bottom layer; knife means at a vertex between said next faces operative to sever the lid material thereat thus to provide a separate lid when the underlying mandrel face reaches lidding position; and valve means responsive to operation of said elevator means to lift a container at said lidding position against the lid thereabove to conduct air under pressure to act on the lid which then is in lidding position to enhance sealing of the lid against the upper open end of the lifted container, to assist in separation of the lid from the mandrel face upon lowering of the container by lowering of said elevator means, and to have a cooling effect on the heat softened layer of the lid to assist in solidification of such layer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-06-23	1978-12-23	1979-06-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-06-23	1982-12-23	1983-06-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-06-23	1986-12-23	1987-06-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for applying lids to containers

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