Hugh T Yarbrough

US Patent:

45720339, Feb 25, 1986

Filed:

Apr 19, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/725300

Inventors:

Herman H. Vanderbush - Whittier CA
Hugh W. Yarbrough - Claremont CA

Assignee:

Miller Brewing Company - Milwaukee WI

International Classification:

B67B 708

US Classification:

81 32

Abstract:

A bottle decapper for removing twist-type bottle caps from bottles is disclosed. A conveyor means moves the bottles relative to a frame while holding the bottles rotationally stationary relative to the frame. A cap engaging means positioned above the conveyor means and fixed to the frame includes a primary segment and a back-up segment. The primary segment has a hard file surface positioned in a plane to engage a sidewall of a passing bottle cap in rolling contact to unscrew the bottle cap from the bottle. The back-up segment has a softer surface than the primary segment surface and is positioned downstream from the primary segment surface with the back-up segment surface in approximately the plane of the primary segment surface. The primary segment surface loosens the bottle caps from passing bottles and the back-up segment surface completes unscrewing any caps which were not completely unscrewed by the primary segment surface.