Importance

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Abstract

A rotary capping machine (10) includes a nonrotating center shaft (26) about which a turret (28) is rotatably mounted. The turret (28) is rotated by a motor (30) whose speed can be adjusted to alter the bottle through put rate of the capping machine (10). A plurality of spindle shafts (44) are supported on the turret (28) in a circle about the center shaft (26). A rotary capping head (48) is positioned on the end of each spindle shaft (44) and includes a clutch mechanism. A drive motor (68) supported on the center shaft (26) rotates each of the spindle shafts (44) in unison through a compound and planetary gear train. As the spindle shafts (44) revolve about the center shaft (26), they are linearly reciprocated by a barrel cam (50) arrangement. A rotary encoder (78) senses the instantaneous rotational speed of the turret (28) and sends feed back signals to a CPU to control the drive motor (68) so the spindle shafts (44) always rotate at a field determined constant speed regardless of the turret speed. The speed may be adjusted up and down.

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First Claim