US3833339A

US3833339A - Method and system for sterilizing magnetically attracted objects

Info

Publication number: US3833339A
Application number: US00231321A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Pacilio
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-02
Filing date: 1972-03-02
Publication date: 1974-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-03
Also published as: ZA724985B; AU467383B2; JPS5310513B2; AU4670972A; DE2251455A1; JPS48100284A; CA965726A

Abstract

A sterilizing conveyer system having a sterilizing chamber. In this apparatus, a chute brings a magnetizable article to the sterilizing chamber. An overhead conveyer has a magnet located above the conveyer and the articles are lifted up against the conveyer and moved along by it. The magnetizable articles are sterilized by a sterilizing fluid which is jetted against their bottom side as they are conveyed through the chamber. The second chute is of a length to accommodate in storage all of the articles in the system in the event of breakdown.

Description

United States Patent 1 Pacilio 1 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STERILIZING MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTED OBJECTS [75] Inventor: Joseph C. Pacilio, Niles, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Mar. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 231,321

[52] U.S. C1 21/80, 53/67, 198/195 [51] Int. Cl B65b 55/06, 1365b 57/02 [58] Field Of Search 21/80, 96, 56, 78, 92;

198/232, DIG. 13, 39, 195; 53/67; 221/10; 99/182 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,599,455 6/1952 Husemann 15/304 X 2,906,072 9/1959 Carlson 53/67 2,923,985 2/1960 Platt 21/80 3,352,629 11/1967 lverson 21/80 Schuck 21/96 Peterson 198/195 Primary ExaminerJoseph Scovronek Assistant Eitaminer-T. W. Hagan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Americus Mitchell; Joseph E. Kerwin; William A. Dittmann [57] ABSTRACT A sterilizing conveyer system having a sterilizing chamber. In this apparatus, a chute brings a magnetizable article to the sterilizing chamber. An overhead conveyer has a magnet located above the conveyer and the articles are lifted up against the conveyer and moved along by it. The magnetizable articles are sterilized by a sterilizing fluid which is jetted against their bottom side as they are conveyed through the chamber. The second chute is of a length to accommodate in storage all of the articles in the system in the event of breakdown.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAVIENTEDSEP 31914 MINI-'4 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STERILIZING MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTED OBJECTS My invention relates to the treatment of articles, particularly to the treatment of articles with a sterilizing fluid such as steam.

Prior to this time, steam and other sterilizing fluids such as ethylene oxide have been used to render food containers and food container elements into an aseptic condition in preparation for sealing. The container or cap element is moved along with its open side up. Steam is played against the bottom of the container or element and sometimes jetted downwardly into the open portion. Usually, the containers are indexed into single file, spaced equally, and pass through an enclosure having open ends. In some cases, the container slides along on top of a fluid permeable platform and steam is passed upward through the platform. Still others use a tower to lift up the container elements and then introduce a swirling sterilized fluid for cleansing purposes.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved sterilization of container or container elements.

It is another object of this invention to provide flexibility in the application of time and temperature applied to a container element in order to avoid damage to scaling compound, varnish, pigment and other materials which may be applied to the container or container element.

It is another object of this invention to sterilize an article with minimal mechanical damage to the article.

It is a flnal object of this invention to allow random placement of articles in single file against the bottom of a conveyer as the articles are conveyed through a sterilizer.

In brief, my invention is drawn to a sterilizing and capping system. This system provides for storing sterilized articles on a sterile chute if the capper has a stoppage. The sterilizer has a fluid permeable conveyer belt and above the belt is a magnet of sufficient strength to cause the top of each magnetizable article or container element to be pulled against the belt. The belt then moves the container element to be pulled against the belt. The belt then moves the container element along through a sterilizer enclosure. A pipe with upward vents is located under the belt and the steam or other sterilizing fluid is jetted against the bottom side of the article. Also, if required, a pipe or pipes may be located between the upper and lower run of the belt having vents for directing sterilizing fluid in a direction so that after being sprayed with this additional fluid, the article is completely sterilized. A hood is located about the piping and a conveying mechanism provides an enclosure so that the super heated or saturated steam or other sterilizing medium is circulated completely about the article thus sterilizing each surface of the article. Upper piping having lateral vents may be located above the lower run of the conveyer belt. A sterilizing fluid such as steam, may be jetted laterally from the upper pipe and keep the sterilizing fluid in turbulence thus insur'ing that each part of the article is bathed in the sterilizing fluid. The sterilized article is conveyed down a sterile chute to a capper or some other operation. This sterile chute may be used for storage of sterile articles under appropriate cicumstances.

The invention will be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagramatic view of a sterilizing-capping system.

FIG. 2 is a detailed showing of an embodiment of my sterilizer.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a diagramatic view of a sterilizing and capping system for food products having a highly acid content.

The system shown in FIG. 1 may be used for a variety of purposes. While the sterilizer 1 is shown feeding a capper 2, it is to be understood that the next step after the sterilizer may be a filler, capper, spray applicator or other operation without altering the scope of my invention.

A hopper 3, shown at the upper hand corner, stores articles which are to be sterilized and passed on to the next operation. These articles may be stored in a hopper or in any one of a variety of ways which form no basic part of this invention. A feed slide 4 is shown adjacent the hopper and leads from it so that articles to be sterilized may be conveyed from the hopper toward the entrance 5 of the sterilizing enclosure 6. Near the bottom 7 of the feed slide 4 and adjacent to the sterilizer enclosure is an automatic cap stop mechanism 8 which provides a retractable locking element 9. The normally retracted locking element 9 may be automatically positioned to stop the flow of articles into the enclosure. A slide 4 or some other type of conveyer may be used as desired.

The article then enters the sterilizer 1. While in the sterilizer, the article is freed of undesirable bacteria. The article is conveyed along the length of the sterilizer to the next chute which is a sterile feed slide 10 or sterile conveyer. The sterile feed slide may be used for storage. A cover 11 is mounted over this slide to prevent contamination of the articles. An article slides down this chute 10 until it comes to the capper 2. Capper 2 has steam inside it at a desired temperature or has a sterile gas which keeps an item or an article in a sterile condition.

FIG. '1 further shows the electrical control system of my invention. On the slide 4 in front of the cap stop arrangement 8 is a first sensor 12. Sensor 12 may be photoelectric or of some other type sensor which operates at high temperature and which senses the passage of caps and emits a signal. The sensor 12 is electrically connected to an input pole 13 of an up-down counter 14. An output pole 15 of the up-down counter 14 is electrically connected to the cap stop mechanism 8. An output lead 16 is connected from the capper switch bow 17 to the capper motor 18. An output lead 19 is connected from an output terminal 20 of the up-down counter controller to an input terminal 21 of the capper switch box 17. Caps as they pass out of the capper 2 are sensed by a proximity probe 22 (second sensor) which is electrically connected to an input terminal 23 of the up-down counter control 14.

The up-down counter 14 is of the sort sold as a Counter Controller Model 6CE78 or Model (E78 by Hyde Park Electronics, Dayton, Ohio. The capper switch box 17 is a standard motor starter switch such as is sold by Square D Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin or Allen Bradeley Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The operation of this device is summarized as follows:

The counter 14 is set to the required number of caps desired in the reserve area 10. The reserve area is defined as the area between the input to the capper 2 and the discharge from the sterilizer. At this point, the counter 14 generates a signal which opens an automatic cap stop 9 and allows some of the caps above this cap to be conveyed or fed into the sterilizer 1. A predetermined number of caps (cap reserve) is set as an upper limit on the up-down counter. When this number is tallied by the first sensors signal 12 and is registered on the up-down counter, then the automatic cap stop 9 is actuated to prevent further passage of caps past the automatic cap stop. The capper 2 is now started. Each cap which passes through the capper 2 is placed on a jar or bottle and leaves the capper on the right hand side as shown in FIG. 1. Each cap is identified and is counted by the signal from the second sensor 22. When each cap passes the second sensor, the up-down counter registers a low count. That is to say, the number recorded on the up-down counter is diminished by one. After some predetermined number of caps pass the second sensor 12, the cap stop mechanism opens to allow the proper number of caps to pass the automatic cap stop 9 and thus maintain the predetermined cap reserve in the cap reserve area I0.

Under some conditions, thecapper may be running and the second sensor may not detect any further flow of caps for a predetermined period of time. When this happens, the capper is stopped. A time delay switch or similar device is in the circuit of the second sensor and its electrical connection to the capper switch box so that a cessation of flow of caps brings about a stopping of the capper motor after a predetermined period of time passes.

The up-down counter controller may also be set for a minimum cap level required for proper feeding of the capper. In this way, when the cap reserve decreases below this minimum level, the capper itself is turned off to avoid eventual uncapped jars.

The length of the sterile storage chute is critical. A breakdown of the capper may cause the hopper feed gate 24 to close and the automatic cap stop to rise thus preventing further caps from being fed into the sterilizer. The sterilizer operates continuously and those caps which are in the sterilizer move through the sterilizer and slide down the sterile feed slide. Thus, the length of the sterile feed slide 10 is such as to accomodate those caps or articles which are on the sterile feed slide at the time of the capper breakdown plus those articles which may be in the sterilizer during this time and which are moved through the sterilizer during the sterile feed slide. If the breakdown of the capper 2 lasts long enough, the contents of the sterilizer l and the sterile feed slide 10 are conveyed to the lower portion of the sterile feed slide for storage. In this way, when the capper 2 becomes operative again, there is no crowding of the articles on the feed slide, the sterilizer or the sterile feed slide. This is because exactly the same number of caps (cap reserve) are present along the length of the system below the cap stop 9 as there were during the operative phase of the capper. When the capper 2 becomes operative, the automatic cap stop 9 is withdrawn to allow the caps to proceed into the sterilizer l, the feed gate 24 opens, and the capper 2 starts using the caps accumulated on the sterile feed slide 10. When the capper becomes operative and a predetermined number of capped jars passes the proximity probe, the counter withdraws the automatic cap stop and caps feed into the system. In this embodiment, the sterile storage feed slide 10 must be of such length as to accommodate the caps that may be in the sterilizer l and on the sterile feed slide 10 at the time of capper breakdown or other work stoppage.

A similar problem presents itself in the event of capper breakdown where there is no automatic cap stop and no electric feed gate for closing off the cap feed when there are uncapped containers discharging from the capper. In this embodiment, the sterile storage feed slide must be of such length as to accomodate the caps that may be in the sterilizer and on the sterile feed slide at the time of capper breakdown or other work stoppage.

A similar problem presents itself in the event of capper breakdown where there is no automatic cap stop and no electric feed gate for closing off the cap feed when there are uncapped containers discharging from the capper. In this embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, the length of the sterile storage chute is not of a length to accomodate all caps in the sterile slide.

According to the arrangements set forth above, when the capper starts to operate again, the caps which have accumulated on the sterile storage slide are used by the capper and a new supply of caps starts sliding down the sterile storage slide. Just as the last of the storage caps have been used by the capper, the fresh supply becomes available to the capper and it continues operation without pause.

Because of the nature of the sterilizer as shown in FIG. 1, each cap must be in the sterilizerand exposed to the sterilizing fluid for a time and temperature which may range as high as 600F. If it stays in the sterilizer for a longer time, the cap itself may deteriorate because the plastic inside the cap is rendered molten to where it drips from the cap and the sealing feature of the cap is destroyed and the sealing cap is useless. Also, varnish, lithography and other coatings would be harmed. On the other hand, if each cap does not stay in the sterilizer for a predetermined time and temperature as required by the product being run, it is not sterilized because exposure to steam or superheated steam at a given temperature for at least a predetermined time is necessary to sterilize a cap. Curves have been developed showing the length of time and temperature necessary for complete bacterial destruction. These curves are known to be a combination of time and steam temperature. The patent to McConnell et al., US. Pat. No. 3,042,533, issued July 3, 1962, shows such curves for ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. For the reason that all articles, such as caps, must have a particular time-temperature combination, any caps that are upstream of the sterilizer or in the sterilizer must be passed through the sterilizer at the given time and temperature and then stored on the sterile storage slide. The sterilizer continues to operate at a constant rate and maintains constant conditions.

The sterilizer itself appears externally as an elongated enclosure 6 having insulated sidewalls 25, top 26 and bottom 27 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). At each end of the enclosure is an opening 28 of suitable size to accomodate whatever articles are being passed through the sterilizer. In the sterilizer, the pressure is kept slightly above atmospheric at all times. The above atmospheric pressure is about equal to one half inch of water pressure which keeps possible airborn contaminants from entering the sterilizer. A Sani-Grid endless chain or belt 30 is mounted about sprocket wheels. This chain is a ladder like conveyer belt manufactured by Cambridge Wire Cloth Co., of Cambridge, Md.

The Sani-Grid chain 30 (FIG. 5) has elongated lateral segments 31 or rungs extending across the plane of the belt.

Links

32, 33 form longitudinal connecting elements between the lateral elements. The

links

32, 33 are fastened to the lateral segments 31 in such a manner that each lateral segment 31 is free to move about the adjacent lateral segment 31 and remains parallel to and at a constant distance from the adjacent lateral segment. This allows a continuing chain to be moved about the sprocket wheels 34, 35. Each lateral segment 31 is preferably a rod and the rods are spaced from each other by a distance several times the rod diameter so that the sterilizing fluid has free passage through the lateral segments to the article being sterilized. In practice, the inter-rod distance is at least three times the rod diameter. The Sani-Grid" chain 30 used in my apparatus is made ofa series of

U-shaped members

31, 23, 33 with the base 31 of the U being several times the length of the

upright elements

32, 33. The

upright elements

32, 33 are turned inward and attached to the base 31 of another U-element to form an articulated chain or flat conveyer chain belt.

One sprocket wheel 34 assembly (FIG. 2) is located near to and above the entrance of the enclosure. The other sprocket wheel assembly 35 is located near to and above the exit 28 to the enclosure. A Sani-Grid belt 30 is an articulated ladder of the sort shown in FIG. 2. Since the rungs of the ladder flt into the teeth 36 of the rotatable sprocket wheels, the speed of operation of the conveyer belt 30 is easily controlled by the speed of rotation of the end sprocket wheels. Thus, duration of sterilizing exposure within the sterilizer is exactly controlled for each cap. Located just above the lower run 37 of the belt between the upper run 38 and lower run 37 is a long magnet 39. This magnet 39 extends from near one end of the run to near the other end of the run. The Sani-Grid conveyer can be made of a nonmagnetic material, such as brass, for example. The apparatus also works if the Sani-Grid conveyer is made of a magnetizable material.

Now the conveying system of the sterilizer 1, shown in FIGS. 1-6, operates in the following fashion. An article to be sterilized slides down the feed slide 7 and approaches the up stream end of the Sani-Grid belt. The article must be of a magnetizable material in order to pass through the sterilizer 1 since when it comes into the proximity of the conveyer belt, it is pulled upward against the belt by the magnet 39. The magnet 39 is of about the same strength from one end to the other and the article is held against the belt. Since each lateral segment 31 on the belt is round in countour, its contact with the top of the cap, for example, is a straight line. The cap is carried by the belt 30 toward the exit 28 from the enclosure 6 and it is there stripped off of the belt by a stripper element 40 and falls onto the conveyer chute 10. The magnets strength may be diminished at the exit end to allow the articles to disengage easily from the conveyer. Since the belt 30 moves the cap along without any sliding action between the belt and the cap, there is no damage to tin plate or coating on top of the cap. The belt 30 is several times the width of a cap in order to accomodate any size cap. The caps do not necessarily go through the sterilizer in single flle even though there is only a single jet of steam coming upward. Guides 41, 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4) may be placed on each side of the center path of the belt in order to arrange the caps in a single file if such an option is desired. Indexing and spacing of the caps relative to each other is not necessary or helpful in this invention. The sole criterion of sterilization is temperature-time spent within the sterilizer 1. Since each cap no matter what its position on the belt passes over the center line of the vents 43 in the sterilizer steam pipe 44, steam of identical temperature and for the same duration of time treats each cap processed through the sterilizer with the same amount of sterilizing media. The Sani-Grid chain 30 is used because (I) it is an open type chain; (2) it may be positively driven by sprocket drive and (3) it has plenty of gap space between lateral elements of the chain or belt for steam or other sterilizing media to approach and contact the top of the cap or whatever article is being sterilized since the chain itself has only two or three hairline contacts with each cap and good circulation of steam or possible condensate. It is understood that any belt is acceptable so long as it has the characteristics of ready cleaning and sanitizing, line contact area, low opposition to passage of sterilizing fluid through it, adaptability for sprocket drive and passage of magnetic flux to a degree necessary for holding articles in tractive contact with the belt so that the article can by moved from one end of the sterilizing enclosure to the other.

Steam distributing pipe 44 is located under and spaced from the Sani-Grid belt. On the top surface of the pipe are a series of vents 43 arranged down the length of the pipe. The vents 43 are arranged so that the sterilizing media jetted from each vent overlaps the media jetted from adjacent vents. Each cap is continuously bathed with the sterilizing media. A sterilizing fluid, such as super heated steam, is jetted out of these pipes through the vents 43 and flows upwardly to impinge against the downwardly facing caps. Since the steam 45 is moving upwardly, its tendency is to stay up inside the cap. Thus, its contact inside the cap is of a more intimate and thorough nature then is the case where steam jets downwardly and tends to escape from an open container. In this fashion, each cap or other article which is conveyed by the grid is exposed to live steam from beginning to end. A key fact in this type of sterilizer is that whichever article is passed through the sterilizer should be oriented with its open side down and, of course, must be a metallic or at least a magnetizable article. It is held against the Sani-Grid conveyer 30 with sufficient force so that the tractive effect between the grid and the top surface of the cap is large enough to cause the cap to move with the Sani-Grid belt.

Upper sterilizing

fluid piping

46, 47 may be mounted above the conveyer so the sterilizing fluid can be sprayed down onto the top and sides of the article. This option is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 in phantom lines.

The upper sterilizing piping has vents 48 along its length directing sterilizing fluid toward the caps.

As pointed out in the paragraphs above, the endless belt 30 is wider than any cap size and for this reason may accomodate two or more caps. Two or more lines of caps positioned laterally to each other may be accomodated on the endless belt. This would require one lower pipe for each line of caps. Additional upper pipes may be added for reasons set forth in the above paragraph.

The adjustable guides 41, 42 may be positioned relative to each other so that only a single file of caps passes along the belt. In this way, a single file of caps may be positioned directly over the lower sterilizing fluid pipe. Of course, the guides may be spaced to accomodate any number of files of caps. inverted cans, or other articles on the endless conveyer belt.

The sterilizer l of FIG. 2 is shown in level position. However, it is readily appreciated that it is within the scope of this invention for the sterilizer to be level or at an angle such as shown in FIG. 1. If the system is level, then the supply chute 4 and sterile feed slide may be a power conveyer to provide motive force.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is an adaptation of the embodiment of FIG. 1. This adaptation is designed for use in sterilizing articles at temperatures of about 200250F to destroy certain molds and yeasts. In this embodiment, a hopper motor 49 is shown attached to the dispensing hopper 3. A second motor 50 is shown attached to or adjacent to the sterilizer to drive the sterilizer conveyer belt. The drive is accomplished by chain or pulley drive 51 between the motor and the sprockets located at each end of the Sani-Grid belt or chain. A third motor 52 which drives the capper operation is shown. Sensor means 53, 54 are shown mounted adjacent the covered slide and at spaced intervals up the slide from the capper. A first sensor means 53 is located a short way up the slide from the capper machine. The second sensor 54 is located a further distance up the slide from the capper machine. These sensors are of the type which detect the passage of a metal object. Each of these sensors has a time delay mechanism either in the sensor or it may be incorporated in the control box so that a single cap sliding by the sensor will not actuate the control mechanism. However, a series of caps which back up from the capper past the first sensor then cause the first sensor to actuate the control mechanism. However, in order to cause hopper motor 49, sterilizer motor 50 and capper motor 52 to stop operation, both the first and second sensor means 53, 54 must have a back up line of caps adjacent to them. The back up line of caps actuates both sensors and the control circuit 55. This causes the hopper motor, sterilizer motor and the capper motor to stop.

After the malfunction has been located and the capper 2 is started again, the line of caps begins to feed into the capper. After both the sensors are uncovered or after the line of caps has receded down under both sensors, then the hopper motor 49 and the sterilizer motor 50 are automatically started and caps start passing out of the sterilizer 1 where they have been stored during the breakdown period. Because the temperature in the sterilizer is about 250F only, the caps in the sterilizer have not been damaged no matter for what duration of time they may stay in the sterilizer. Finally, the sterilizer and

hopper motor

49, 50 speeds equal the speed of the capper and the machine is back in its normal running condition.

Among the advantages of this invention are the following: A varying load may be passed through the system, a more complete sterilization of the inside and outside of the article, fewer degree seconds are required because of temperature and time controllability and provision for anti-jamming features.

Further, time and temperature is controlled for sterilizing caps at temperatures under about 250F. However, a simplified system of control during a jammed condition can be used (see FIG. 6). This is because a lower temperature may be used for this type product. The lower temperature allows the total system to be shut down. Those caps remaining in the sterilizer for any period of time are not harmed.

The foregoing is a description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention, and it is applicants intention in the appended claims to cover all forms which fall within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation comprising:

a first conveyor means for conducting elements to a sterilizer;

a second fluid permeable conveyor means in a sterilizer having magnets above said second fluid permeable conveyor means for holding said elements against the underside of said second conveyor means whereby said elements may be completely sterilized;

a third conveyor means for conducting said elements from said second conveyor means to another point;

stripper means for peeling elements from said second means and allowing them to fall upon said third conveyor means;

apparatus adjacent said third conveyor for performing an operation on said container elements;

malfunction detecting means located downstream of said apparatus for detecting malfunction of said apparatus and generating a signal upon said detection;

container elements stop means mounted adjacent said first conveyor means for halting the passage of container elements past said container element stop means when the appropriate signal comes from said malfunction detecting means; and

signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal from said detecting means to said container element stop means.

2. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 1 in which said container element stop means comprises:

a first means located at the juncture of said first conveyer means and said second conveyor means for halting the progress of container elements from said first conveyer means to said second conveyer means.

3. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 1 in which said container element stop means further comprises:

a gate means located at the bottom of a hopper located adjacent said first conveyer means for regulating feed of container elements from said hopper onto said first conveyer means.

4. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 2 in which:

said third conveyer means is of such length that the container elements on the second and third conveyor means have adequate storage space on said third conveyer means when said apparatus for performing an operation stops and until said apparatus resumes functioning.

5. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 3 in which:

said third conveyer means is of such length that the container elements on the first, second and third conveyer means have storage space on said third conveyer means until said apparatus resumes functioning.

6. Treatment apparatus comprising:

a fluid permeable conveyor belt for conveying an article and having a first and a second end;

a first means for jetting a sterilizing fluid upward mounted below said conveyor;

magnet means mounted above said conveyor and extending at least part way along the length of said conveyor;

an enclosure having an entrance near the first end of said conveyor and an exit near the second end of said conveyor and extending around said conveyor, said fluid jetting means and said magnet whereby said article is held against said conveyor by magnetic attraction and said sterilizing fluid is jetted upward against the bottom of said articles and said enclosure provides a means for constraining said sterilizing fluid within said enclosure to allow said sterilizing fluid to bathe said article completely;

a second means for jetting a sterilizing fluid downwardly toward said fluid permeable conveyor belt and through said fluid permeable conveyor belt to impinge upon the top and sides of said article which is carried by said belt;

sprocket means at said first and second end of said enclosure for supporting and driving said conveyor belt;

a motor for driving said fluid permeable belt; and

means for connecting said motor to said sprocket means whereby operation of said motor causes said belt to travel sychronously with said motor;

apparatus for performing an operation on said article having an entrance and an exit;

a first conveyor means for conducting articles from a hopper to said entrance of said enclosure;

a second conveyor means for conducting articles from the exit of said enclosure to said apparatus;

a sterile conveyor means for conducting articles upon which an operation has been performed from said apparatus;

first sensor means located adjacent said first conveyor means for counting articles as they pass down said first conveyor means;

second sensor means located downstream of said apparatus for registering a count each time an article passes said sensor;

article stop means on said first conveyor means for stopping said articles on said first conveyor means when said article stop means is actuated; and

circuit means for registering each article which passes down said first conveyor means, subtracting each article which passes said second sensor means and controlling the number of articles on the conveyor means above said apparatus by stopping and starting said first and second conveyor means and said article stop means.

7. Treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 6 comprising further:

a hopper for passing articles to said first conveyor means;

a feed gate mounted on said hopper for controlling the passage of articles from said hopper to said first conveyor means; and

electrical conducting means connecting said circuit means to said feed gate whereby said feed gate opens when the number of articles in said first, second and third conveyor means is less than a set number and said feed gate closes when the number of articles on said conveyor is greater than a set lesser second number.

8. A system for conveying container elements to,

through and from a sterilizer to a second processing apparatus and from said operation comprising:

a first conveyor means for conducting articles to a sterilizer;

a second fluid permeable conveyor means in a sterilizer having magnets above said second conveyor means for holding said articles against the underside of said second conveyor means whereby said articles may be completely sterilized;

a first motor for causing said second conveyor to operate to convey said articles through said sterilizer;

apparatus for performing an operation on said container elements and having an entrance, an exit;

a second motor for operating said apparatus for performing an operation on said container elements;

a third conveyor means for conducting said elements from said second conveyor means to the entrance of said apparatus;

a first sensor for sensing the presence of container elements and located on said third conveyor near said apparatus;

a second sensor for sensing the presence of container elements and located on said third conveyor at a point more remote from said apparatus than said first sensor whereby container elements which have not been used by a capper back up to said first and second sensor and are detected; and

control circuit means electrically connected to said first motor, said first and second sensors, and said second motor for stopping said first and second motors when container elements back up to said first and second sensors.

9. A system for conveying container elements to,

through and from a sterilizer to and from another operation as set forth in claim 8 further comprising:

a hopper for dispensing container elements to said first conveyor;

a third motor mounted on said hopper for causing the hopper to dispense container elements onto said first conveyor when said hopper motor is actuated; and

electrical means for connecting said third motor to said control circuit whereby said third motor stops when container elements back up to said first and second sensors and when said apparatus motor is restarted the level of container elements falls below said second sensor and then when said level of container elements falls below said first sensor said first and third motors automatically restart and container elements are fed out of the sterilizer onto the second conveyor and the system resumes normal operation.

10. A system for conveying container elements to,

through and from a sterilizer to and from another operation as set forth in claim 8 in which said second fluid permeable conveyor means comprises:

a perforated endless belt in said sterilizer;

said second motor.

Claims

1. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation comprising: a first conveyor means for conducting elements to a sterilizer; a second fluid permeable conveyor means in a sterilizer having magnets above said second fluid permeable conveyor means for holding said elements against the underside of said second conveyor means whereby said elements may be completely sterilized; a third conveyor means for conducting said elements from said second conveyor means to another point; stripper means for peeling elements from said second means and allowing them to fall upon said third conveyor means; apparatus adjacent said third conveyor for performing an operation on said container elements; malfunction detecting means located downstream of said apparatus for detecting malfunction of said apparatus and generating a signal upon said detection; container elements stop means mounted adjacent said first conveyor means for halting the passage of container elements past said container element stop means when the appropriate signal comes from said malfunction detecting means; and Signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal from said detecting means to said container element stop means.

2. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 1 in which said container element stop means comprises: a first means located at the juncture of said first conveyer means and said second conveyor means for halting the progress of container elements from said first conveyer means to said second conveyer means.

3. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 1 in which said container element stop means further comprises: a gate means located at the bottom of a hopper located adjacent said first conveyer means for regulating feed of container elements from said hopper onto said first conveyer means.

4. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 2 in which: said third conveyer means is of such length that the container elements on the second and third conveyor means have adequate storage space on said third conveyer means when said apparatus for performing an operation stops and until said apparatus resumes functioning.

5. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to another operation as set forth in claim 3 in which: said third conveyer means is of such length that the container elements on the first, second and third conveyer means have storage space on said third conveyer means until said apparatus resumes functioning.

6. Treatment apparatus comprising: a fluid permeable conveyor belt for conveying an article and having a first and a second end; a first means for jetting a sterilizing fluid upward mounted below said conveyor; magnet means mounted above said conveyor and extending at least part way along the length of said conveyor; an enclosure having an entrance near the first end of said conveyor and an exit near the second end of said conveyor and extending around said conveyor, said fluid jetting means and said magnet whereby said article is held against said conveyor by magnetic attraction and said sterilizing fluid is jetted upward against the bottom of said articles and said enclosure provides a means for constraining said sterilizing fluid within said enclosure to allow said sterilizing fluid to bathe said article completely; a second means for jetting a sterilizing fluid downwardly toward said fluid permeable conveyor belt and through said fluid permeable conveyor belt to impinge upon the top and sides of said article which is carried by said belt; sprocket means at said first and second end of said enclosure for supporting and driving said conveyor belt; a motor for driving said fluid permeable belt; and means for connecting said motor to said sprocket means whereby operation of said motor causes said belt to travel sychronously with said motor; apparatus for performing an operation on said article having an entrance and an exit; a first conveyor means for conducting articles from a hopper to said entrance of said enclosure; a second conveyor means for conducting articles from the exit of said enclosure to said apparatus; a sterile conveyor means for conducting articles upon which an operation has been performed from said apparatus; first sensor means located adjacent said first conveyor means for counting articles as they pass down said first conveyor means; second sensor means located downstream of said apparatus for registering a count each time an article passes said sensor; article stop means on said first conveyor means for stopping said articles on said first conveyor means when said article stop means is actuated; and circuit means for registering each article which passes down said first conveyor means, subtracting each article which passes said second sensor means and cOntrolling the number of articles on the conveyor means above said apparatus by stopping and starting said first and second conveyor means and said article stop means.

7. Treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 6 comprising further: a hopper for passing articles to said first conveyor means; a feed gate mounted on said hopper for controlling the passage of articles from said hopper to said first conveyor means; and electrical conducting means connecting said circuit means to said feed gate whereby said feed gate opens when the number of articles in said first, second and third conveyor means is less than a set number and said feed gate closes when the number of articles on said conveyor is greater than a set lesser second number.

8. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to a second processing apparatus and from said operation comprising: a first conveyor means for conducting articles to a sterilizer; a second fluid permeable conveyor means in a sterilizer having magnets above said second conveyor means for holding said articles against the underside of said second conveyor means whereby said articles may be completely sterilized; a first motor for causing said second conveyor to operate to convey said articles through said sterilizer; apparatus for performing an operation on said container elements and having an entrance, an exit; a second motor for operating said apparatus for performing an operation on said container elements; a third conveyor means for conducting said elements from said second conveyor means to the entrance of said apparatus; a first sensor for sensing the presence of container elements and located on said third conveyor near said apparatus; a second sensor for sensing the presence of container elements and located on said third conveyor at a point more remote from said apparatus than said first sensor whereby container elements which have not been used by a capper back up to said first and second sensor and are detected; and control circuit means electrically connected to said first motor, said first and second sensors, and said second motor for stopping said first and second motors when container elements back up to said first and second sensors.

9. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to and from another operation as set forth in claim 8 further comprising: a hopper for dispensing container elements to said first conveyor; a third motor mounted on said hopper for causing the hopper to dispense container elements onto said first conveyor when said hopper motor is actuated; and electrical means for connecting said third motor to said control circuit whereby said third motor stops when container elements back up to said first and second sensors and when said apparatus motor is restarted the level of container elements falls below said second sensor and then when said level of container elements falls below said first sensor said first and third motors automatically restart and container elements are fed out of the sterilizer onto the second conveyor and the system resumes normal operation.

10. A system for conveying container elements to, through and from a sterilizer to and from another operation as set forth in claim 8 in which said second fluid permeable conveyor means comprises: a perforated endless belt in said sterilizer; a first pulley mounted near the entrance of said sterilizer; a second pulley mounted near the exit of said sterilizer whereby said belt extends around said first and second pulley to form having an upper and a lower reach; and an elongated magnet extending between the first and second pulley and lying just above the lower reach of said belt whereby said container elements are pulled against said lower reach of said belt and move along with said endless belt as it is moved by said second motor.