CLOSING ASSEMBLY FOR CAPPING HEAD FOR CAPPING MACHINE AND CAPPING MACHINE

Abstract

A closing assembly for applying crown caps is provided. The closing assembly has a small footprint, is easily and quickly replaceable, and is apt to be installed on roto-translating capping heads mounted to capping machines that can handle both applications involving roto-translation of the capping heads and applications involving only translation of the capping heads. The capping machine has a gear system in which the driving sprocket can be rotatably adjusted so as to annul the rotational movement component of the capping heads around their axes and maintain solely the translational movement component, allowing correct operation of the closing assembly. The closing assembly (1) may have a remarkably small footprint by virtue of the use of two or more ejector springs that are concentric and parallel to each other.

Claims

1.: A closing assembly (1) for capping head for capping machine comprising a movable part (3) which is provided, at a lower end thereof, with a crimping end (5) and which in turn houses an ejector assembly (7), wherein said ejector assembly (7) is slidable with respect to said movable part (3) and elastic ejector means (11a, 11b) are arranged between said movable part (3) and said ejector assembly (7), characterized in that said ejector assembly (7) is connected to an internal rod (13) which protrudes from said movable part (3) and is provided with coupling means (13a).

2.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein said coupling means (13a) of said internal rod (13) are anti-rotation coupling means.

3.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 2, wherein said coupling means (13a) are made in the form of a polygonal coupling, preferably a square coupling.

4.: The closing assembly (1) according to any of claim 1, wherein said elastic ejector means comprise two or more concentric ejector springs (11a, 11b), which are arranged in parallel.

5.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 1, further comprising elastic pre-centering means arranged between said ejector assembly (7) and said movable part (3).

6.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein said closing assembly (1) has an extension in the longitudinal direction between 20 and 30 cm.

7.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 4, wherein the ejector springs (11a, 11b) extend around the ejector assembly (7).

8.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 4, wherein the ejector springs (11a, 11b) are arranged between the surface of a first annular flange (8a) associated with a first upper end (7a) of the ejector assembly (7) and the surface of a second annular flange (8b) associated near a second lower end (7b) of the ejector assembly (7) and opposite to the first annular flange (8a).

9.: The closing assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means (13a) are provided at an upper end (12) of the internal rod (13).

10.: A roto-translating capping head (210) for capping machine comprising a piston comprising in turn a spindle (211), and a lifting rod (214), disposed within said spindle (211), characterized in that a closing assembly (1) according to claim 1 is attached to said piston, said spindle (211) being connected to said movable part (3) of said closing assembly (1), and said lifting rod (214) being provided with coupling means (214a) capable of cooperating with said coupling means (13a) of said internal rod (13) of said closing assembly (1).

11.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 10, wherein said coupling means (214a) of said lifting rod (214) are anti-rotation coupling means.

12.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 10, further comprising a connecting device (50) allowing facilitating the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210), wherein said connecting device (50) comprises a first element (51) associated with the lower end (211a) of the spindle (211) of the piston of the capping head (210) and a second element (61) associated with an upper end (1a) of the closing assembly (1), said first and second elements being provided with first fixing means (55) and second fixing elements (65), respectively, that are complementary to each other and cooperate with each other to facilitate the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210).

13.: A capping machine (300) comprising: a turret (302); one or more capping heads, circumferentially arranged around said turret (302); an upper plate (320a), lined up with said turret (302), having one or more seats (322a), circumferentially arranged, and suitable for accommodating respective capping heads (210), wherein said upper plate (320a) is driven in rotation about the central axis of said turret (302) and thus drags said one or more capping heads; wherein each capping head is provided with at least one roller (230) and a sprocket (252) arranged around the axis of the capping head; a cam profile (340) in which said roller (230) of said capping head rolls during rotation of each capping head about the central axis of said turret (302); a gear system extending through said turret (302), between an electric actuator (360) and said one or more capping heads, and comprising a central driving sprocket (350) which, either directly or through a gear train (354), meshes with said sprocket (252) of each capping head; characterized in that it comprises an adjusting system for adjusting the rotational speed of said central sprocket (350), and in that a closing assembly (1) according to claim 1 is installed on said or more capping heads.

14.: The capping machine (300) according to claim 13, wherein said adjusting system for adjusting the rotational speed of said central sprocket (350) is controlled by said electric actuator (360).

15.: The capping machine (300) according to claim 14, wherein said central sprocket (350) is mounted at the lower end of a cylindrical flange (356), rotatably mounted about the central axis (A) of said turret (302), and wherein said cylindrical flange (356) is further provided with a second crown gear (358) that meshes with the output shaft (362) of said electric actuator (360).

16.: A roto-translating capping head (210) for capping machine comprising a piston comprising in turn a spindle (211), and a lifting rod (214), disposed within said spindle (211), characterized in that a closing assembly (1) according to claim 8 is attached to said piston, said spindle (211) being connected to said movable part (3) of said closing assembly (1), and said lifting rod (214) being provided with coupling means (214a) capable of cooperating with said coupling means (13a) of said internal rod (13) of said closing assembly (1).

17.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 16, wherein said coupling means (214a) of said lifting rod (214) are anti-rotation coupling means.

18.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 17, further comprising a connecting device (50) allowing facilitating the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210), wherein said connecting device (50) comprises a first element (51) associated with the lower end (211a) of the spindle (211) of the piston of the capping head (210) and a second element (61) associated with an upper end (1a) of the closing assembly (1), said first and second elements being provided with first fixing means (55) and second fixing elements (65), respectively, that are complementary to each other and cooperate with each other to facilitate the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210).

19.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 16, further comprising a connecting device (50) allowing facilitating the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210), wherein said connecting device (50) comprises a first element (51) associated with the lower end (211a) of the spindle (211) of the piston of the capping head (210) and a second element (61) associated with an upper end (1a) of the closing assembly (1), said first and second elements being provided with first fixing means (55) and second fixing elements (65), respectively, that are complementary to each other and cooperate with each other to facilitate the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210).

20.: The roto-translating capping head (210) according to claim 11, further comprising a connecting device (50) allowing facilitating the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210), wherein said connecting device (50) comprises a first element (51) associated with the lower end (211a) of the spindle (211) of the piston of the capping head (210) and a second element (61) associated with an upper end (1a) of the closing assembly (1), said first and second elements being provided with first fixing means (55) and second fixing elements (65), respectively, that are complementary to each other and cooperate with each other to facilitate the operations of fixing the closing assembly (1) to the capping head (210).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0076] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the ensuing detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a capping machine for applying crown caps according to prior art;

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a capping head for applying crown caps according to prior art;

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a capping machine for applying aluminum screw caps according to prior art;

[0080] FIG. 4 shows a capping head for applying aluminum screw caps according to prior art;

[0081] FIG. 5 shows a closing assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0082] FIG. 6 shows a roto-translating capping head of known type to which the closing assembly of FIG. 5 is mounted;

[0083] FIG. 7 shows a capping machine according to the present invention to which a roto-translating head of known type carrying the closing assembly of FIG. 5 is mounted;

[0084] FIG. 8 shows the capping steps carried out by a capping head to which the closing assembly of FIG. 5 is mounted;

[0085] FIG. 9 shows a closing assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0086] FIG. 10 is a perspective top view of the closing assembly of FIG. 9;

[0087] FIG. 11 shows a roto-translating capping head of known type on which the closing assembly of FIG. 9 is installed;

[0088] FIG. 12 shows the capping steps carried out by a capping head to which the closing assembly of FIG. 9 is mounted.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0089] In the following description of some preferred embodiments of a closing assembly according to the invention, reference will be made to a closing assembly for applying crown caps to bottles, said closing assembly being mounted to a roto-translating capping head of known type.

[0090] However, said embodiments should not be intended as limiting, and the closing assembly according to the invention could be used for different applications and/or for capping containers of various shapes and dimensions, not only bottles.

[0091] Furthermore, the closing assembly according to the invention could be mounted to capping heads that are movable only in a translational movement in the vertical direction.

[0092] The capping head according to the invention is shown with a closing assembly according to the invention for applying crown caps to bottles; however, it could also be used for applying other types of caps, such as aluminum screw caps or pre-threaded caps, and/or for capping other containers.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows a first preferred embodiment of the closing assembly for applying crown caps according to the present invention.

[0094] Said closing assembly 1 comprises a hollow movable part 3 having a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0095] The lower end of the movable part 3 is open and a crimping end 5 (cone) rigidly connected to said movable part 3 is provided at said lower end of said movable part 3.

[0096] The crimping end 5 comprises a seat 5a, which, during operation of the capping machine, receives the crown cap to be applied to the neck of the bottle to be capped and enters into direct contact with said crown cap.

[0097] In a manner known per se, an ejector assembly 7 is housed within the movable part 3.

[0098] The ejector assembly 7 is made as a substantially cylindrical body (usually mounted concentrically to the movable part 3) and ends at its bottom with a substantially flat abutment surface 7a, which, during operation of the capping machine, comes into contact with the crown cap and applies a load thereon.

[0099] Pre-centering elastic means are provided between the ejector assembly 7 and the movable part 3 of the closing assembly 1; in particular, in the illustrated embodiment, said pre-centering elastic means comprise a pre-centering spring 9.

[0100] During operation of the capping head, the decompression of the pre-centering spring 9 allows moving the ejector assembly 7 upwards relative to the movable part 3, thereby making it possible to restore the free stroke of the ejector assembly relative to said movable part and allowing insertion of the crown cap to be applied into the seat 5a of the crimping end 5.

[0101] In addition, elastic ejector means are provided between the ejector assembly 7 and the movable part 3 of the closing assembly 1.

[0102] The elastic means, too, contribute to the relative translational movement in the vertical direction between the ejector assembly 7 and the movable part 3, but, unlike the pre-centering spring 9, during operation of the capping head the decompression of the elastic ejector means allows the movable part 3 and crimping end 5 to lower down onto the bottle neck allowing the serrations of the cap to become deformed (crimped) on the bottle finish.

[0103] Advantageously, in the illustrated embodiment the elastic ejector means comprise a pair of ejector springs, 11a and 11b, concentric to each other and mounted in parallel.

[0104] Here below, the term upper is used to indicate a distal position relative to the crimping end 5, whereas the term lower defines a proximal position relative to the crimping end 5.

[0105] In the illustrated embodiment, the ejector springs 11a, 11b extend around the ejector assembly 7 of the closing assembly 1. Furthermore, the ejector springs 11a, 11b are arranged between the surface of a first annular flange 8a associated with a first upper end 7a of the ejector assembly 7 and the surface of a second annular flange 8b associated near a second lower end 7b of the ejector assembly 7 and opposite to the first annular flange 8a.

[0106] As can be seen from the figures, the ejector springs 11a, 11b are arranged in such a way as to be radially farther from the capping head axis L than the ejector assembly 7 and radially nearer to the capping head axis L than the movable part 3 of the closing assembly 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the ejector springs 11a, 11b are arranged concentrically to the ejector assembly 7 and the movable part 3, in such a way as to obtain the following radial arrangement starting from the capping head axis L: ejector assembly 7, ejector springs 11a, 11b, movable part 3.

[0107] Said combination of ejector springs 11a, 11b allows remarkably reducing the dimensions in the axial direction (i.e., along the symmetry axis L) of the movable part 3 and the ejector assembly 7 compared to those used in known closing assemblies for applying crown caps.

[0108] For example, it is possible to go from a longitudinal footprint generally between 50and 60 cm to a longitudinal footprint between 20 and 30 cm.

[0109] Therefore, the overall footprint of the closing assembly 1 according to the invention is remarkably reduced, becoming comparable to that of closing assemblies for applying aluminum screw caps or pre-threaded caps of known type.

[0110] The small dimensions of the closing assembly 1 according to the invention make it possible, in the event of an application change (or also in case of maintenance or repair), to replace said assembly in an easier and faster manner.

[0111] Also in view of its small dimensions, which are comparable to the dimensions of the closing assemblies for applying aluminum screw caps or pre-threaded caps of known type, the closing assembly 1 according to the invention, the closing assembly 1 according to the invention is also suitable for mounting on roto-translating capping heads.

[0112] For this purpose, the ejector assembly 7 is provided at its top with a central internal rod 13 which protrudes from the movable part 3 through a through hole 3a formed therein and is provided with coupling means 13a that are adapted to cooperate with corresponding coupling means of a lifting rod of a roto-translating capping head.

[0113] In the illustrated embodiment, the coupling means 13a are provided on the upper end 12 of the internal rod 13, i.e., on the distal end relative to the crimping end 5 when the closing assembly 1 is installed on the capping head 210. The internal rod 13 is provided with a support spring 19, whose decompression allows, during the capping process, keeping the coupling means 13a of the internal rod 13 in contact with the corresponding coupling means of a lifting rod of a roto-translating capping head and pushing upwards the assembly formed by said internal rod and said lifting rod.

[0114] Preferably, the coupling means 13a are apt to form an anti-rotation coupling with the corresponding coupling means of a lifting rod of a roto-translating capping head, so that rotation of the ejector assembly 7 is prevented.

[0115] To better clarify the above, in FIG. 6 the closing assembly 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention is shown mounted to a roto-translating capping head 210 of the type known and illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0116] As mentioned above, said capping head 210 comprises a piston which in turn comprises a spindle 211 and a lifting rod 214 and to whose lower end the closing assembly 1 described in FIG. 5 is removably fixed.

[0117] In a manner known per se, the spindle 211 is connected through a fork 215 to a roller 230 which, engaging with a cam profile, makes it possible to raise and lower said spindle 211 during rotation of the capping head.

[0118] The lifting rod 214 carries at its upper end a second roller 216 which is mounted to the fork 215 and has an anti-rotation function. The second roller 216 can also have the function of causing a translational movement independent of that of the roller 230 and the spindle 211 during rotation of the capping head 210 about the central axis of the turret of the capping machine.

[0119] Coupling means 214a are provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 214, said coupling means cooperating with the coupling means 13a of the internal rod 13 of the closing assembly 1 to form a coupling, preferably an anti-rotation coupling, between said lifting rod and said closing assembly.

[0120] As mentioned above, the internal rod 13 is preferably connected to the lifting rod 214 of the capping head 210 by means of an anti-rotation coupling, such as a coupling with polygonal cross-section (a square coupling in the example shown in the Figures).

[0121] The lifting rod 214, not being entrained in rotation by the spindle 211 by virtue of the second roller 216, can move only in a translational movement in the vertical direction (determined by the path of said second roller 216).

[0122] Therefore, as the internal rod 13 is connected to the lifting rod 214 by means of a square coupling, the internal rod 13 also moves only in a translational movement.

[0123] Furthermore, the ejector assembly 7 is connected to the internal rod 13 and therefore the movement of the ejector assembly 7 also has only the vertical translational movement component.

[0124] The mounting of the closing assembly 1 to the roto-translating capping head 210 is also obtained by connecting the spindle 211 of said capping head 210 to the movable part 3 of said closing assembly 1.

[0125] In a manner known per se, a sprocket 252 is connected to the spindle 211. If said sprocket 252 meshed with the driving gear of a capping machine of known type, this would allow the spindle 211 to rotate about its own axis L.

[0126] However, if the spindle 211 were rotated about said axis, as the spindle 211 is connected to the movable part 3 of the closing assembly 1, the movable part 3 (and with it the crimping end) would also rotate.

[0127] However, it should be considered that relative rotational movements between the closing assembly and the bottle to be capped should be avoided during application of a crown cap.

[0128] Consequently, it is recommendable that the rotational movement of the spindle of a roto-translating capping head be not transmitted to the ejector assembly or crimping end.

[0129] Therefore, when the closing assembly 1 according to the invention is mounted to the capping head 210, it is recommendable to lock the rotation of said capping head about the axis L in such a way that it cannot transfer this rotation to the clamping unit 1.

[0130] In this respect, the invention further relates to a capping machine that can annul the rotation of the capping head 210 so that optimal application of the crown caps is allowed.

[0131] Said capping machine is described in more detail in FIG. 7.

[0132] Indeed, FIG. 7 shows a first preferred embodiment of the invention in which the roto-translating capping head 210, on which the closing assembly 1 for applying crown caps is installed, is mounted to a capping machine 300 according to the invention.

[0133] Said capping machine 300 comprises a turret 302 and a plurality of capping heads 210 arranged circumferentially around a turret 302 at regular intervals (only one of said capping heads being shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity of illustration).

[0134] The capping machine 300 comprises an upper plate 320a and a lower plate 320b which are aligned to the turret 302 and have respective seats 322a, 322b which are arranged circumferentially at regular intervals and aligned to one another. The capping heads 210 are accommodated in the seats 322a of the upper plate 320a, whereas the seats 322b of the lower plate 320b carry supports 324 for respective bottles, whereby alignment of a capping head 210 with an underlying bottle B is ensured.

[0135] The upper and lower plates 320a and 320b are driven to rotate about the central axis A of the turret 302 and drag with them the capping heads 210 and the bottles B.

[0136] Each capping head 210 is provided with a roller 230 which, during rotation of the capping head 210 about the central axis A, is constrained to roll in a cam profile 340 formed in the turret 302, entraining in vertical translation the capping head 210 to cause downward and subsequent upward movement thereof: for each revolution about the central axis A, the capping head 210 will carry out a translational movement downwards in the vertical direction and then upwards until it returns to its starting point.

[0137] Said capping machine 300 further comprises a gear system extending through the turret 302, between an electric actuator 360 and the capping heads 210.

[0138] Said gear system comprises in particular a central driving sprocket 350 which, through a gear train 354, meshes with the sprocket 252 mounted on the axis of the capping head 210.

[0139] It should be noted that, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the central sprocket 350 could mesh directly with the sprocket 252 mounted on the axis of the capping head 210.

[0140] In currently existing capping machines employed for using roto-translating capping heads, the central driving sprocket is fixed and the electric actuator, by controlling rotation of the upper plate, generates a relative rotation between the driving sprocket and the capping head sprocket, causing the latter (and thus the whole capping head) to rotate about itself while rotating around the driving sprocket.

[0141] In the capping machine 300 according to the invention, instead, the central driving sprocket 350 is not fixed, but the machine 300 comprises an adjustment system for adjusting the rotational speed of said central sprocket 350.

[0142] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said adjustment system is controlled by an electric motor 360.

[0143] For this purpose, the central sprocket 350 is mounted at a first end or lower end of a cylindrical flange 356, which is rotatably mounted about the central axis A of the turret 302.

[0144] At the opposite second end or upper end, the cylindrical flange 356 is provided with a second crown gear 358 meshing with the output shaft 362 of the electric motor 360 (which in turn is provided with a corresponding gear).

[0145] Therefore, when on the capping machine 300 there is mounted the capping head 210 on which the closing assembly 1 for applying crown caps has been installed, the electric motor 360 adjusts the rotational speed of the central driving sprocket 350.

[0146] In particular, the electric motor 360 adjusts the rotational speed of the central sprocket 350 so that said speed coincides with the rotational speed of the upper plate 320a.

[0147] In this way, as the central sprocket 350 and the upper plate 320a rotate at the same speed about the axis A, the central sprocket 350, the gear train 354 (where provided) and the sprocket 252 rotate as a single rigid body, without generating the rotational movement component about the axis L.

[0148] This means that, during rotation of the capping head 210 about the central axis A (which, in association with the presence of the cam profile 340, leads to the vertical translation of the capping head), there is no rotation of each capping head about its own axis.

[0149] Therefore, during operation of the capping machine 300, by appropriately adjusting the rotational speed of the central sprocket 350, only the vertical translational movement of the capping heads 210 can be kept.

[0150] Accordingly, the spindle 211 of the capping head 210, due to the fact that it does not rotate, does not transfer any rotation to the closing assembly 1 connected thereto.

[0151] In particular, no rotational movement is transferred from the spindle 211 to the components of the closing assembly 1 which interact with the bottle during the capping process (movable part 3 with crimping end 5 and ejector assembly 7), which components will move solely in a translational movement in the vertical direction, thereby allowing optimal application of the crown cap to the bottle.

[0152] By way of comparison only, FIG. 7 also shows a capping head 210carrying a closing assembly 213 of known type for applying aluminum screw caps.

[0153] Advantageously, when roto-translating capping heads carrying closing assemblies 213 for applying aluminum screw caps or pre-threaded caps are installed on the capping machine 300, the electric motor 360 can again adjust the rotational speed of the central sprocket, stopping it or bringing it to a rotational speed other than that of the upper plate 320a, so as to restore the rotational movement of the capping heads about the axis L.

[0154] In summary, the capping machine 300 can handle both applications involving roto-translation of the capping heads (application of aluminum screw caps and pre-threaded caps) and applications involving only translation of the capping heads (application of crown caps).

[0155] Still referring to FIG. 7, thanks to the small footprint of the closing assembly 1 according to the invention compared to that of known closing assemblies for applying crown caps, the dimensions of said closing assembly 1 are quite similar to those of the closing assembly 213 of known type for applying aluminum screw caps.

[0156] In the following, with reference to FIG. 8, the operation of the capping head 210 and the closing assembly 1 according to the present embodiment of the invention connected to said capping head will be briefly summarized.

[0157] Starting from the condition in which the closing assembly 1 has already picked up the cap from a distribution device (not shown), after the stroke Z1, thanks to the independent control of the internal rod 13 and the decompression of the pre-centering spring 9 from L2P to L1P, the free stroke CL of the ejector assembly 7 is zeroed, thus allowing correct insertion of the cap into the seat 5a of the crimping end 5. Meanwhile, the support spring 19 of the internal rod 13, decompressing from L2S to L1S, allows pushing upwards the internal rod 13 and the lifting rod 214 connected thereto, thereby allowing the second roller 216 located at the upper end of the lifting rod 214 to be kept in the correct position.

[0158] Subsequently, during the stroke Z2, the movable part 3 together with the cap catches the bottle B.

[0159] Finally, during the stroke Z3, thanks to the reaction of the bottle B, some load resulting from the compression of the ejector springs 11a and 11b from L0E to L1E (closing stroke C) is applied onto the cap. At the same time, the crimping end 5 lowers, inserts itself into the finish of the bottle and deforms the serrations of the cap (crimping), thereby making the cap joined with the bottle B. The pre-centering spring 9 further decompresses, moving to L0P.

[0160] It should be noted that the strokes Z1, Z2 and Z3 of the movable part 3 are due to the fact that the capping head 210 is entrained in vertical rotation by the roller 230 rolling over the profile of the cam.

[0161] Referring to FIGS. 9-12, these illustrate a second embodiment of the closing assembly according to the invention, a capping head of known type carrying said closing assembly, as well as the capping steps carried out by a capping head to which the closing assembly is mounted.

[0162] In FIGS. 9-12, the same reference numbers have been used to distinguish components that are the same as or functionally equivalent to those illustrated in the first embodiment described above.

[0163] The second preferred embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises a connecting device 50 for the quick fastening of the closing assembly 1 to the capping head 210.

[0164] For simplicity of description, reference will be made in the following mainly to the connecting device 50 with which the 210 capping head is equipped, without repeating the part of the description relating to the closing device 1, capping head 210, capping machine 300 and capping stages, as these have been described in detail above.

[0165] The connecting device 50 is provided between the spindle 211 of the piston of the capping head 210 and the closing assembly 1.

[0166] Advantageously, the connecting device 50 provided on the capping head 210 allows facilitating the operations of hooking and/or releasing the closing assembly 1 relative to the capping head 210.

[0167] As can be seen from FIGS. 9-12, the connecting device 50 comprises a first element 51 associated with the lower end 211a of the spindle 211 of the piston of the capping head 210 and a second element 61 associated with an upper end la of the closing assembly 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the second element 61 is associated with the closing assembly 1 by means of corresponding threads 61a and 3b provided at the lower end of the second element 61 and the upper end 1a of the closing assembly 1, respectively.

[0168] The first element 51 and second element 61 of the connecting device 50 cooperate with each other and are shaped so as to allow quick fixing of the closing assembly 1 to the spindle 211 of the piston of the capping head 210.

[0169] In the illustrated embodiment, the first element 51 of the connecting device 50 comprises a first sleeve having an end portion 53 provided with first fixing elements 55. The second element 61 of the connecting device 50 in turn comprises a second sleeve and a locking ring 64 allowing associating said second element 61 with the first element 51 of the connecting device 50 so that said second element 61 is movable relative to said first element 51. The second element 61 of the connecting device comprises a first end portion 63a on which an anti-rotation coupling 62 is defined, provided between the first element 51 and the second element 61 of the connecting device 50, and a second end portion 63b comprising second fixing means 65. Said first 55 and second 65 fixing means are complementary to and cooperating with each other in order to facilitate the operations of fixing, i.e., the operations of locking and/or unlocking, the closing assembly 1 on the capping head 210.

[0170] In the illustrated embodiment, said first fixing means 55 comprise corresponding slots provided on the end portion 53 of the first element 51 of the connecting device 50 and said second fixing means 65 comprise corresponding locking pegs apt to cooperate with said slots to allow the operations of hooking and/or releasing the closing assembly 1 on/from the capping head 210.

[0171] Referring to the operation of the connecting device 50, in order to release the closing assembly 1 from the capping head 210 it is necessary to lift the locking ring 64 and, thereafter, to rotate said locking ring 64 so that the locking pegs 65 are at an open portion in which they come out of the slots 55 so as to allow the second element 61 to be separated from the first element 51 of the connecting device 50.

[0172] It is evident from the above that the closing assembly for applying crown caps and the capping machine according to the invention have remarkable advantages over the closing assemblies and capping machines of known type, as they allow quick and easy removal and replacement, if required, of the closing assembly and allow handling both applications involving roto-translation of the capping heads and applications involving only translation of the capping heads, by using a same capping machine, by mere replacement of the closing assembly and adjustment by the electric actuator.

[0173] It is further evident that the embodiments described above have been given merely by way of examples and that several variations and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the appended claims.