Title: Medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus

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1. In an apparatus for assembling medicine dropper caps and elastomeric dropper bulbs, said apparatus including means for feeding said bulbs to a downstream partial assembly station comprising,

(a) a conduit for conveying said elastomeric dropper bulbs having a radial flange at an open end,

(b) a pair of tilted, rotatably mounted rods in spaced relation to each other,

(c) the space between the rods defining a place for the elastomeric bulb to fall into,

(d) the space between the rods further defining a space insufficient for radial flange at the open end of the bulb to pass through, and

(e) a means to contra-rotate the rods with their opposite surfaces moving upwardly and outwardly whereby the flange on the bulbs ride on the rods thereby moving the bulbs on the rods in the direction of the tilt,

(f) wherein said conduit has a bulb discharge end positioned over an upper end of the tilted rods to discharge dropper bulbs on to the rods to fall therethrough up to the radial flange thereon for subsequent movement thereon to said downstream partial assembly station.

2. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising,

(g) a cover in spaced relation to the rods offering sufficient clearance for the flanges on the bulbs to pass under the cover, but insufficient clearance for the bulbs to rise out from between the rotating rods.

3. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising,

(h) a stop at the end of the rods to hold the bulbs at said partial assembly station,

(i) a pair of arms below the rods in spaced relation to each other to receive a bulb and hold it from lateral deviation from its position between the rods.

4. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 3 and further comprising,

(j) a rod in general axial registration with the bulb,

(k) a means to reciprocate the rod to enter the bulb, and peripherally deform the flange to move it down below the rods, and to push the bulb into an opening in a cap, at a partial assembly station.

5. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 4 and further comprising,

(l) a means to deliver a flanged cap with an opening in registration with the bulb, and the flange on the cap disposed downwardly whereby the rod pushes the bulb into the opening of the flanged cap.

6. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 5 wherein,

the means (l) to deliver the flanged cap in registration with the bulb comprises:

(I) a rotatable turret,

(II) a plurality of cap pockets disposed peripherally in the turret, and

(III) a means to rotate the turret intermittently in correspondence with the means to reciprocate the rod, firstly to a partial assembly station, secondly to a final assembly station, and thirdly to a discharge station.

7. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 6 and further comprising,

(m) a second rod in general axial registration with the bulb at a final assembly station, and

(n) a second means to reciprocate the second rod at a final assembly station whereby the second rod pushes the bulb into the opening in the flanged cap to seat the flange on the bulb on the flange on the cap.

8. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 4 wherein,

the means (k) to reciprocate the rod comprises:

(I) a pivotably mounted arm,

(II) a cam,

(III) a cam follower on the arm engaged with the cam, and

(IV) a means to drive the cam.

9. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 7 wherein,

the second means (n) to reciprocate the second rod comprises:

(I) a second pivotably mounted arm,

(II) a second cam, and

(III) a cam follower on the second pivotably mounted arm,

wherein the means to drive the cam is also operably connected to drive the second cam.

10. In a medicine dropper cap and bulb assembly apparatus according to claim 5 wherein,

the means (l) to deliver the flanged cap with an opening in registration with the bulb and the flange on the cap disposed downwardly comprises:

(I) a vibrating track in a bowl upon which the caps move,

(II) a height bar over the track to discharge caps on their sides, but to pass caps laying flat,

(III) a turnover stop in the track to turn caps onto their side,

(IV) a narrowed section on the track to discharge unbalanced caps with their flange facing inwardly and retain caps with their flange facing outwardly,

(V) a deflector on the track to cause the remaining caps to turn on their back with their flange at the bottom, positioned to receive the insertion of a bulb, and

(VI) a delivery chute to supply the cap to the means to deliver the cap to a position in registration with a bulb.

Other info:

Inventors: Dragotta, Peter (Wayne, NJ, US)

Application Number: 002680
Filing Date: 1979-01-11
Publication_date: 1980-07-01
Assignee:
Primary Class(es): 29/783 29/786, 29/790
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

2280665	Apr, 1942	Schmitter	29/789.
2602555	Jul, 1952	Hutaff	198/624.
3005255	Oct, 1961	Wilson	29/783.
3103023	Sep, 1963	Zdanis	29/790.
3163927	Jan, 1965	Brosseit	29/792.
3180014	Apr, 1965	Maximoff et al.	29/790.
3328873	Jul, 1967	Schweers	29/790.
3378907	Apr, 1968	Dixon	29/792.
3634920	Jan, 1972	Maguire	29/790.
3750256	Aug, 1973	Elmer	29/783.
4170820	Oct, 1979	Klose	29/789.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Combs, Ervin M.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Popper; Norman N., Bobis; Daniel H.