Improvements in or relating to bottle gripping devices

摘要

850,752. Gripping devices for handling bottles. CERTUS MASCHINENBAU G.m.b.H. April 24, 1958 [April 27, 1957], No. 12977/57. Class 78 (4). Expanding mandrels 125, 126 of an internal bottle-gripping device are mounted for vertical movement relative to centring cones 103 so that the mandrels are not inserted into the bottle necks 102 until after they have been centred. The cones are floatingly mounted by shoulders 104, 105 in oversize bores 107 of a plate 106 mounted for vertical movement on rods 108 attached to the base plate 22 of the device. Ring plates 110 at the upper end of the mandrel sleeves 109 are trapped between the plate 22 and annular brackets 111 and have spherical upper surfaces to allow pendulous movement of the mandrels and cones during lowering of the device. To expand the mandrels, a plate 118 is raised against the action of springs 120 by cams 117 operated by rotation of a shaft 112, this allowing springs 121 to raise the mandrel cones 125 against spring cages 126, which are thereby expanded to grip the bottles. A pawl 128 holds the mandrels engaged. Alternatively the mandrels may comprise bodies inflatable by gas or liquid.