Abstract:
A continuous processing system is disclosed wherein glass containers are coated with an exterior protective film of plastic resin which, when cured and quenched as prescribed, provides a clear transparent protective shield against bottle shattering either from internal gas pressures (as when containing carbonated beverages) or from rough external handling as by dropping on a hard surface. The process includes pre-heating of containers, applying powdered resin in a continuous electrostatic spray, passing the spray coated containers through a curing oven, air cooling the cured products and subsequent water quenching and drying before discharge from the system. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention. In order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings as well as to the claims.
Abstract:
A continuous belt conveyor for transporting bottles to be processed includes an inclined ramp portion for elevating bottles to a moving horizontal platform portion, screw means for selectively adjusting the height of the moving horizontal platform portion without varying the length or tension of the conveyor belt, a variable pitch horizontally disposed screw guide for uniformly spacing bottles as they enter upon the moving horizontal platform, and a plurality of uniformly spaced neck gripping overhead bottle carriers mounted on a continous overhead chain moving in synchronism with the conveyor belt, with overhead cam means adjacent to the junction between the inclined ramp portion and the horizontal platform portion of the conveyor belt for causing the overhead bottle grippers to be successively elevated over, aligned with, and then lowered onto neck locking engagement with individual bottles passing therebeneath. The overhead bottle grippers comprise a clam shell type of structure opened when elevated and closed when lowered and a surrounding rotatable cylindrical shield which holds the clam shells in locked position when lowered thereover and which also by engagement with a suitable rack produces a rotation of the bottles as they are carried thereby through a spray processing station. A synchronous drive mechanism including a feedback loop between the conveyor belt and the overhead chain conveyor maintains constant speed and physical relationship between the two continuously moving conveyor means.