The Continental Group, Inc.

Continental Can Company, Inc.

Continental Packaging Company, Inc.

Continental Holdings Inc.

John Walter

Charles S Kubis

Donald J Roth

George D Pfaffmann

Norbert R Balzer

Graham R Adams

John P Currie

Glenn R Mohr

Anton A Aschberger

Donals J Roth

This relates to a sealing head for sealing lids to cartons. The sealing head is provided with suction heads or cups for receiving a lid from a lid supply and depositing such lid in position on a carton which is mounted in a nest. The sealing head is provided with a seal member which forms the seal with a nest carrying a carton so that a vacuum may be drawn within the nest both within and around the carton. Thereafter, the sealing head provides an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to fill the carton with the inert gas, after which a support further sealing head moves the sealing head down further so that a lower edge of a projecting induction heating coil will clamp a lid against a carton and effect a heat bonding of the lid to the carton. The sealing head is self contained and has a fitting including a plurality of electrical prongs and fluid line sockets for coupling the sealing head to a receptacle. Finally, the induction heating coil of the sealing head is of a special configuration so as to compensate for a pull tab carried by the lid, which lid is generally oval to match the oval carton. The outline of the coil deviates slightly from the oval shape so as to provide a seal which has a starting point to initiate peeling of the lid from the carton. Further, this starting point is aligned with the pull tab and there are current compensating pins carried by the coil to compensate for the metal within the pull tab.

Sealing head including an induction heating coil

A modular type replaceable heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring for use in an apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container. The apparatus moves the heating unit between first and second positions. The apparatus includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing the heating ring, connecting the high frequency power supply to the heating ring only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized. Preferably the ring is an inductor. A plurality of these heating units is carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units. The heating units include means for coupling with the moving means of the apparatus and a transformer for energizing the heating ring.

Apparatus and method for sealing a lid onto a container

A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance subsceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the ring from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized and before the moving heating unit reaches the second position. Preferably the ring is an inductor and the plurality of heating units are carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units by the single fixed high frequency power supply whereby single power supply energizes a plurality of separate heating stations.

A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance susceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the ring from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized and before the moving heating unit reaches the second position. Preferably the ring is an inductor and the plurality of heating units are carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units by the single fixed high frequency power supply whereby single power supply energizes a plurality of separate heating stations.

This relates to the mounting of a sealing head for sealing a plastic lid in a plastic container by way of induction heating. In order that a sealing head may be readily removed and replaced by a like sealing head for cleaning and repair, there is provided a quick detachable coupling between the sealing head and a support which is carried by a movable positioner for vertically positioning the sealing head. Further, there is associated with the support a supply unit which supplies to the sealing head electrical energy for an induction heating coil and for a gas detector. In addition, there is supplied to the sealing head from the supply unit two separate vacuum supplies and an inert gas supply with one of the vacuum supplies serving to hold a lid in place on the underside of the sealing head and the other vacuum supply serving to evacuate the container prior to the lid being applied thereto. The inert gas supply is provided to supply an inert gas to an evacuated container prior to sealing.

Quick detach assembly for a sealing head

This relates to a rotary switch and rotary valve assembly for a multiple work station machine wherein the work stations rotate and are sequentially presented to an operating position. There may be a high voltage switch and two low voltage switches with the switches being so constructed wherein electrical connections are made with each work station in timed relation to its presentation to the work position and for the required period of time. Further, the rotary valve assembly functions in sequence to present operating fluids to each work station in the order of presentation of such work station to its operating position and in timed sequence to the operation performed thereby.

Rotary switch

This relates to a nest for receiving a container which is to be filled and thereafter have a lid applied thereto with the lid being sealed to the container by a sealing head in conjunction with the nest. Most particularly, there will be a plurality of such nests with the nests being carried by an endless conveyor chain. The endless conveyor chain is provided with special links which are elongated and wherein an upper one of each set of elongated links is adapted to have seated thereon a nest in supporting relation. Further, the chain links are connected together by customary pins which have been elongated so as to project upwardly above the chain. In conjunction with these projecting pins, the nest is provided with bores which receive the pins. Thus the nest may be readily placed on and removed from the conveyor chain. Each nest is in the form of a housing which defines a cavity for a container. An upper part of the cavity carries a seat member over which a flange of a container is engaged. The seat member also divides the cavity into a container receiving cavity and a vacuum chamber. Further, the upper surface of the nest surrounding the vacuum chamber is smooth so as to provide sealing engagement between the sealing head and the nest so that a vacuum may be first drawn within the nest and thereafter an inert gas provided thereto so that a vacuum may be drawn within a container prior to the closing thereof and the container filled with the gas. The seat member also provides an adequate support for the container and lid when the same are engaged by an induction heating coil so that the required bonding pressure may be applied thereto the lid.

Nest for container closing machine

This relates to a compact control valve assembly which is particularly intended to be mounted for controlling and operating a station of a multiple station machine such as a container closing machine. The compactness of the valve assembly is made possible by forming a required manifold of an L-shaped configuration including a base and an upstanding part. A first control valve is mounted on the rear wall of the upstanding part to control the flow of fluid through the manifold. Other control valves are mounted on the top wall of the base of the manifold and clamped against a front wall of the upstanding part of the manifold for controlling other operations. By making the manifold L-shaped and fitting the other control valves therein, the entire valve assembly is a compact unit.

Control valve assembly

This relates to a positioning device for positioning a member relative to a work piece. In the preferred use of the positioning device, a sealing head is carried by the positioning device with the sealing head having a first lowered position for picking up a lid for a container and a second lowered position for positioning the lid and thereafter bringing the lid into pressure engagement with an associated container and effect the heat sealing of the lid to the container. The positioning device includes an extensible fluid motor of the piston and cylinder type which is mounted within a guide sleeve for selective vertical positioning by way of a cam follower and cam track and which extensible fluid motor is further selectively extensible so as to further move an associated member carried thereby downwardly and into resilient clamping engagement with the work piece.

Positioning device

This relates to a rotary switch and rotary valve assembly for a multiple work station machine wherein the work stations rotate and are sequentially presented to an operating position. There may be a high voltage and two low voltage switches with the switches being so constructed wherein electrical connections are made with each work station in timed relation to its presentation to the work position and for the required period of time. Further, the rotary valve assembly functions in sequence to present operating fluids to each work station in the order of presentation of such work station to its operating position and in timed sequence to the operation performed thereby.

Rotary valve assembly

This relates to the removal of articles from a nest which is travelling along a predetermined path. Most particularly, nests are mounted on an endless conveyor chain and carried thereby past various stations for forming a package beginning with a container, a product placed in the container, and finally a lid. This particularly relates to the removal of such a article as the afore described package. Each nest is provided with a pad or plate in the bottom thereof to be positioned below the container. The plate is carried by a plunger which projects downwardly through the bottom of the nest and also through the conveying chain. In accordance with this invention, the lower end of the plunger engages a ramp which pushes the plunger upwardly as the nest travels along a predetermined path to lift the package out of the nest. The nests are removably mounted on pins of the chain and in order to prevent undesired upward movement of the nests relative to the chain, there are also provided holddowns disposed on opposite sides of the path of the nests for engaging a smooth upper surface of each nest to hold it down as the plunger is being lifted by the ramp.

Automatic article unloader

This relates to a mechanism for transferring carton lids from a hopper or magazine to a carton closing machine and more particularly to a sealing head of such a machine. The carton closing machine has a plurality of sealing heads each carried at a work station and mounted for rotation with the machine. The carton lid transfer mechanism includes a picker for pulling a lower most lid from the hopper and thus assisting in the transfer from the hopper to a ferris wheel assembly in sequence carton lids. The ferris wheel assembly then deposits each picked up lid on to a lid carrier of a merry-go-round assembly. The merry-go-round assembly then transfers each lid to the respective sealing head of the carton closing machine. The merry-go-round assembly is provided with control plates which serve to orient lid carriers both at the time a lid is being transferred thereto and at the time a lid is being transferred to the carton closing machine so that the lid carrier is in proper alignment for receiving a lid and furthermore in proper alignment for transferring a lid to a sealing head.

Carton lid transfer assembly

This relates to a special endless conveyor chain particularly adapted to carry fixtures which are to be readily removable and replaceable on the conveyor chain. In order to accomplish this, the pins which connect together the links of a conventional conveyor chain are elongated above the conveyor chain for reception in bores within an associated fixture. The conveyor chain is formed of elongated links and shorter links with the length of the elongated links being in accordance with the general dimensions of a fixture longitudinally of the conveyor chain. Each upper one of the elongated links is provided with a flat upper surface so as to provide a supporting surface for a fixture to be mounted thereon. Instead of the usual strap-like configuration, each upper elongated link is preferably provided with an enlarged central portion which may be circular in outline to provide an adequate seat for an associated fixture. A special sprocket may be provided for the conveyor chain with the sprocket having circumferentially spaced teeth for reception between customary rollers of the conveyor chain and with the sprocket further having between each pair of teeth a radially outwardly projection for projecting between elongated links of the conveyor chain with the sprocket projection being in supporting relation with respect to an associated upper elongated link whereby a loading placed on a fixture carried by the conveyor chain is first transmitted to an associated upper elongated link and through that link to the underlying sprocket projection.

Conveyor chain for container nest

This relates to a package wherein there is a container having bonded thereto for removal a peelable lid. The lid is provided with a pull tab extension to facilitate one pulling on the lid to effect removal of the lid from the associated container. The pull tab is releasably stored by folding the pull tab upon itself so as to overlie the lid and thereafter releasable bond the pull tab nose to the underlying lid to assure that the pull tab is retained during handling of the package in a position closely overlying the lid and out-of-the-way. When it desired to utilize the pull tab, the bond between the pull tab and the lid is released and the pull tab is moved upwardly and forwardly to a position where it may be readily gripped between ones thumb and adjacent finger to apply the necessary pull on the lid to effect the peeling thereof from the container.

Growing community of inventors

Evergreen Park, IL, United States of America

John Walter