Claims
- 1. An apparatus for forming a tamper indicating closure from a plastic closure having a base wall and a peripheral skirt comprising
- a primary cutting knife having an interrupted cutting edge for cutting an interrupted circumferential score, said interrupted circumferential score including circumferentially spaced cuts and a plurality of bridges respectively separating said spaced cuts,
- first support means for supporting said primary cutting knife in a fixed position for cutting at a first depth into said peripheral skirt,
- a secondary cutting knife having a continuous cutting edge for cutting a circumferential score,
- second support means for supporting said secondary cutting knife in a fixed position for cutting a second depth into said peripheral skirt, said second support means positioning said secondary cutting knife such that said continuous cutting edge is aligned with said interrupted circumferential score, and
- means for moving said plastic closure successively past said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife to initially bring the peripheral skirt of said plastic closure into contact with said interrupted cutting edge of said primary cutting knife to cut said interrupted circumferential score having said plurality of circumferentially spaced bridges, and to thereafter bring said peripheral skirt of said plastic closure into contact with said continuous cutting edge of said secondary cutting knife to cut in and along said interrupted circumferential score to accurately dimension the radial thickness of said bridges.
- 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure includes means for rotating said plastic closure as it is moved past said primary cutting knife and secondary cutting knife.
- 3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure is constructed and arranged to move said plastic closure in a straight path and wherein said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife have straight cutting edges.
- 4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure moves a plurality of said plastic closures and comprises a plurality of mandrels, each mandrel being adapted to engage one of said plastic closures for moving each of said plastic closures past the knives.
- 5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said plastic closure comprises a pinion gear on each mandrel and a straight fixed rack gear engaging said pinion.
- 6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure is constructed and arranged to move said plastic closure in an arcuate path and wherein said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife have arcuate cutting edges which conform to said path.
- 7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure moves a plurality of said plastic closures and comprises a turret, and wherein a plurality of mandrels are mounted on said turret for movement in a closed path, each mandrel being adapted to engage one of said plastic closures for moving each of said plastic closures successively past said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife.
- 8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for moving said plastic closure includes means for rotating each mandrel as it moves said plastic closures past said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife.
- 9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife are positioned radially outwardly of said path of the mandrels and wherein said knives have concave cutting edges.
- 10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for rotating each mandrel comprises a pinion gear on each said mandrel and a gear having internal teeth engaged by said pinion gear such that when the turret is moved in one direction to move the mandrels and the plastic closures thereon past said knives, the mandrels and the plastic closures are rotated in an opposite direction such that the plastic closures roll relative to said knives.
- 11. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said primary cutting knife and said secondary cutting knife are positioned radially inwardly of said path of said mandrels and wherein said knives have convex cutting edges.
- 12. The apparatus set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for rotating each mandrel comprises a pinion gear on each said mandrel and a gear having external teeth engaged by said pinion gear such that when the turret is moved in one direction to move the mandrels and the plastic closures thereon past said knives, the mandrels and the plastic closures are rotated in the same direction such that the plastic closures roll relative to said knives.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/048,638 filed on Apr. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,888.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
621114 |
Oct 1994 |
EPX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
48638 |
Apr 1993 |
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