Nest for container closing machine

Abstract

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.